Fifth grade copywork plan

Iriemomma mentioned in the comments that she was anxious to see my plans for the upcoming school year, and asked if I would be sharing them.

My reply to her was that I hoped to, as time allowed.

Since I happen to have time NOW (it's amazing how free my schedule is without school!  It really makes me realize what a HUGE undertaking it is during the year to do what we do.  I would like to hug every single homeschooling mother and say to them: "Great job!  Thank you for your commitment and dedication and time and research and in-the-moment problem solving and planning and managing your home and making those meals and taking care of the babies and toddlers all the while helping your child with a story problem or settling a dispute with your other children and--- all of it.  It is amazing, the work that you do.  YOU are amazing."  So if you're reading and you are a homeschooling mom, consider yourself hugged and encouraged.  I admire you.)

Anyway- I realized that since I happen to have time NOW, I should try to post what I plan to do with the kids when we start up again in the fall.  I don't have everything planned out yet, but some I do, so I'll share as I go.

Here's one thing I have planned:  Ella's copywork.  I've decided to change things up a bit this year.  In previous years I have had her draw from the copywork jar every single day.  I'm not going to do that this year.  Instead, I've selected eighteen verses from the King James Version (not our usual version), and have filled the jar with those verses.  I tried to select verses that give a visual picture.   I'm going to encourage Ella to carefully write the verse, in cursive, and then draw a picture to go along with it.  (Or, if she'd rather, for some: just make her cursive large and calligraphy-ish and add a border around the edges.)  My intent is for her to: (1)carefully practice her cursive, (2)be able to draw, which she loves, and (3)create a finished project by the end of the school year: a book of illustrated Proverbs (we'll add all pages into a nice notebook or bind it as a little "book" somehow.)

Eighteen verses works out to one verse every two weeks, which is why it's so different than our daily-copywork of the past.  But Ella does a lot of writing every day, so I'm not concerned about it.  My only concern is that she is such a perfectionist, and I think she might be anxious about messing up during the actual execution of her drawing.  My guess is that she'll write the verse beautifully and then begin her drawing, mess up, and want to start all over, so I'm trying to figure out a way around that.  (Have her do it all in pencil, first?  Do the handwriting on a separate piece of paper and then cut and paste onto a completed drawing?  I'm still thinking it through-- your ideas are welcome!)

I've listed the Proverbs I selected below, if you're interested:

* * *

Proverbs 3:3, KJV
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.

Proverbs 3:9-10, KJV
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Proverbs 4:18, KJV
The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Proverbs 4:25-27, KJV
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Proverbs 8:34, KJV~ read more for context before illustrating
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Proverbs 12:25, KJV
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Proverbs 12:28, KJV
In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Proverbs 13:9, KJV
The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Proverbs 13:20, KJV
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Proverbs 14:27, KJV
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverbs 18:10, KJV
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 15:3, KJV
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Proverbs 15:29, KJV
The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 20:12, KJV
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.

Proverbs 21:13, KJV
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Proverbs 22:2, KJV
The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.

Proverbs 24:20, KJV
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Proverbs 6:20-21, KJV
My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.