Gosh, this unexpected homeschooler loves homeschooling.
It’s almost as if homeschooling gives you new lenses with which to view the world. Suddenly everything can be educational, from cooking to laundry to Kenny Chesney.
Remember when I wrote 12 Things My Kids Have Learned from Kenny Chesney?
Well, today we added number thirteen.
We had planned to spend the morning decorating Easter eggs before heading off to art class and the library. With Easter on the horizon, the energy over here is high. Still, I wanted to squeeze in some homeschooling.
And then I thought about how my energy is high, not because of Easter but because Kenny Chesney is releasing a new song later today. The song is called Noise and I have so much of that in my life that I’m sure I will love it!
It occurred to me that I could very easily create a homeschool assignment featuring Kenny Chesney that would be both educational and fun… not to mention funny.
Here’s where I need to confess my complete Kenny-obsessed dorkiness in order for the rest of this post to make any sense at all. Every year I get a Kenny calendar. My Kenny calendar is a great pick-me-up during winter months because it exudes summer and music and happiness. One look at the calendar and I Go Back (I’m sorry. I had to!).
When the year comes to a close, I have a hard time tossing it into our recycling bin. It just feels wrong to me.
And so…. a few years ago… I decorated the inside of my bathroom vanity mirror with calendar Kennys. I did it mostly because I wanted to see my husband’s face and it was priceless. Totally worth the time to cut and paste, folks! I also figured I was being green and staying Young (I had to!) because it’s so very 9th grade of me.
Plus, my kids love when I open my vanity and pretend that Kenny is singing in there. It never fails to cause kid giggles and I love kid giggles.
Now, back to what we did today…
Kenny Chesney Copywork: Waiting for Noise
If you’re a homeschooler, you’re familiar with copywork. Copywork is a wonderful way to work on penmanship, spelling, grammar, reading, and more- all in one activity. I thought it was the perfect way to have fun, be goofy, and celebrate the impending release of Noise.
And so this morning, instead of coffee and books, we brainstormed our favorite Kenny lyrics.
Next, we turned on our Bose and let Kenny serenade us. The kids cut out calendar Kennys while I boiled the Easter eggs.
Since the pre-holiday pre-noise energy is so high, I’m totally counting the brainstorming/cutting/cooking/Pandora as language arts, fine arts, fine motor, home ec, and music class.
“I’ve read a lot of books, Wrote a few songs Looked at my life where it’s going, where it’s gone I’ve seen the world through a bus windshield, but nothing compares To the way that I see it, to the way that I see it, to the way that I see it when I sit in that old blue chair…”
And then it was time for the copywork. I doled out lyrics and the kids got to work copying and singing and occasionally dancing.
Our kitchen was a beautiful, chaotic, NOISE-filled mess.
When the kids finished with their copywork, it was time to get silly. We cut those lyrics into speech bubbles and we taped calendar Kennys into every single kitchen cabinet. I cannot wait to see my husband’s face, and neither can the kids.
I can pretty much guarantee that his first words will be:
You are SUCH a DORK.
And do you know what? I am!
But I’m a dork with very happy cabinets…
…and a dork with very happy kids who now sing when the cabinets open.
In fact, the whole kitchen feels happier with Kenny hiding everywhere, imparting his wisdom on our little family.
I think you could say our kitchen is ready for this afternoon’s Kenny Hour. It’s ready for Noise.
Once again, my kids have learned something from Kenny Chesney.
