This week has been really amazing. We seem to have our routine pretty much down except for the curve ball that staying up late on Wednesday threw us. The kids have enjoyed schooling and the time we have spent outside. Mostly they really enjoy looking forward to the end of the week when we meet friends at the Part for Letter Club. Another friend joined us today so it was great fun the kids really enjoyed it and already are preparing for next week. We are bringing the snack so they have been giving me ideas about what of their favorite foods should be brought to the park.
Caden's favorite thing he learned this week was all about plants. How they grown, what they need to survive, and what each part of the plant does. When he really likes something he gets a little obsessed and I have read and reread many science plant books to him this week.
Bug's favorite subject was Beethoven. She thinks he is pretty cool but also gross because he cared more about his music than cleaning himself. She also enjoyed dancing to his music and requested it A LOT...I am glad she liked it but I have never really been a classical music person (something I will not be telling my kids till they have formed their own opinion) so I was a little over it and glad it is Friday so I can at least convince her to listen to some Chopin for the letter C.
They were great little students this week so they made all their 5 Happy Apples. This means they get to do something fun and special. This week it was meeting Grandma and Honey at the mall and going on the carousel. Grandma already had tickets from when Anna and Heidi were down so I didn't have to spend money on it which is one of the things I am aiming for in the special things they earn. I did get them each a sugar cookie from the cookie company because I just wanted to. Caden brought to my attention that carousel and cookie start with the letter "C" so I guess we are just getting an early start on that!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Second Week Has Begun
For our 2nd week of school we of course are focusing on the Letter "B".
Bug had a great time last week doing the letter "A" and then going to Letter Club on Friday. Letter Club is something my friend Sarah and I came up with as a way for our kids to play together and show off a little of what they learned during the week. There is a Story Time, Craft, Show and Tell, and a whole lotta playing. It is nice for the little ones (and their older siblings in my case) to get together and learn some games that they don't really get to play in a two kids household. Some games like duck duck goose...this is rather hard with only two kids and totally not as much fun. Last week Sarah did the leading and this week it is my turn and we have another friend joining us YAY!! If she brings all her kiddos that will bring our little group up to 7. Bug is already trying to figure out which book she wants me to read and what she is bringing for show and tell.
Caden just got his new math book and he can't wait to use it but he is going to have to wait till next Monday as I need Joe to make me some pattern blocks. I refuse to spend 76.00 on a kit I can mostly make up of things at the house. So this week I plan on continuing his learning number order and practice writing his numbers. He tends to be really sloppy and you can't tell some times what he is trying to write. His letters are much better than the numbers but we will be practicing those too.
We also are studying Beethoven for music, Bruegel for art, Buchanan for presidents, Blue Whale for animal science, Tower of Babel for Bible and Plant Life just for fun because they wanted to. Reading Lessons continue from How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for both kids. Caden has moved to copying pages from his favorite books to practice both reading and writing skills. Their favorite school game is Sequence Letters. I really want to get the States and Capitals version too. I have some math games I got off of Confessions of a Homeschooler Blog. I decided to hold of on Geography this week because I am going to download Road Trip USA but I need to wait for another week or so since that is when we get paid again. They really enjoyed learning about Alabama but when I was at the library this week I figured I had enough other stuff not to shove too much in their poor little heads if I want them to continue to enjoy school.
Tomorrow we are making Banana bread as part of school too. I have really been enjoying it but it is such a learning experience. It can be a little overwhelming especially if one of the kids isn't in the mood to learn. I have learned to let them take a short break by going and doing something like clean the bathroom (which I know sounds like punishment but they love it!) or having a snack break. They tend to get back on track with better attitudes and so do I.
please keep praying for us as we continue to press on with all the learning. We want to make sure our focus is on God and that Joe and I are being good witnesses to the kids with our lives. I am so grateful for my friends support and my family helping me figure things out. Everyone has been really helpful and truly has had some great ideas!
Bug had a great time last week doing the letter "A" and then going to Letter Club on Friday. Letter Club is something my friend Sarah and I came up with as a way for our kids to play together and show off a little of what they learned during the week. There is a Story Time, Craft, Show and Tell, and a whole lotta playing. It is nice for the little ones (and their older siblings in my case) to get together and learn some games that they don't really get to play in a two kids household. Some games like duck duck goose...this is rather hard with only two kids and totally not as much fun. Last week Sarah did the leading and this week it is my turn and we have another friend joining us YAY!! If she brings all her kiddos that will bring our little group up to 7. Bug is already trying to figure out which book she wants me to read and what she is bringing for show and tell.
Caden just got his new math book and he can't wait to use it but he is going to have to wait till next Monday as I need Joe to make me some pattern blocks. I refuse to spend 76.00 on a kit I can mostly make up of things at the house. So this week I plan on continuing his learning number order and practice writing his numbers. He tends to be really sloppy and you can't tell some times what he is trying to write. His letters are much better than the numbers but we will be practicing those too.
We also are studying Beethoven for music, Bruegel for art, Buchanan for presidents, Blue Whale for animal science, Tower of Babel for Bible and Plant Life just for fun because they wanted to. Reading Lessons continue from How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for both kids. Caden has moved to copying pages from his favorite books to practice both reading and writing skills. Their favorite school game is Sequence Letters. I really want to get the States and Capitals version too. I have some math games I got off of Confessions of a Homeschooler Blog. I decided to hold of on Geography this week because I am going to download Road Trip USA but I need to wait for another week or so since that is when we get paid again. They really enjoyed learning about Alabama but when I was at the library this week I figured I had enough other stuff not to shove too much in their poor little heads if I want them to continue to enjoy school.
Tomorrow we are making Banana bread as part of school too. I have really been enjoying it but it is such a learning experience. It can be a little overwhelming especially if one of the kids isn't in the mood to learn. I have learned to let them take a short break by going and doing something like clean the bathroom (which I know sounds like punishment but they love it!) or having a snack break. They tend to get back on track with better attitudes and so do I.
please keep praying for us as we continue to press on with all the learning. We want to make sure our focus is on God and that Joe and I are being good witnesses to the kids with our lives. I am so grateful for my friends support and my family helping me figure things out. Everyone has been really helpful and truly has had some great ideas!
Monday, August 15, 2011
First Day of School
Today was the kids "first day of school" I had them get up and get dressed as if they were leaving the house and then we sat down for our family breakfast. While they were eating we did our Bible Lesson and Flash Cards. Then I had Casey practice her ABC's while Caden did a work sheet. Next we went over words that started with "A". This was mostly for Casey's benefit as she is doing the letter of the week preschool lessons but Caden can always use the refresher. We played a game where they each had to run through the house as fast as they could and find 3 things that started with "A". It was really fun to watch them running around! Caden found his really fast and then of course big brother that he is kept trying to help Casey who didn't want help at all. After that I let Casey take a break and Caden did some flash cards for his counting. He can count pretty good but has trouble recognizing the numbers. We then did some president flash cards and I answered questions they had about some of the men and why they looked so funny : ) Casey did really well on her worksheets today. They were for practicing writing the letter "A" and finding objects that are the same. Caden loved doing his worksheets which were identifying the first letter of some animals and objects as well as a follow direction one. We also learned about Tomaso Albinoni for our composer of the week. Caden finished up with a reading lesson and then we called it a day.
In all I learned some important things.
1. Caden loves to get a big A on his paper with a 100% if he gets really annoyed if he doesn't
2. Bug works really really well if you tell her she will get a "Sad Apple" on her door if she doesn't listen and follow directions.
3. I didn't plan enough! My kids were wanting more and I had done everything for the day.
4. Caden can color in the lines but he doesn't think he should have to.
5. Bug does NOT liking being told which colors to use in a picture. If the girl wants to use blue for an apple you are not going to convince her to color it red.
Tomorrow we are doing more in depth research on one of the Presidents (Adams obviously because of the letter A" )as well as Albinoni and do a geography lesson on Alabama. I still have to get my Math curriculum and of course Caden's Classical Conversations doesn't start till September but for now this is working.
Please pray for our continuing work with the kids schooling and that we can keep God the center of all of it.
In all I learned some important things.
1. Caden loves to get a big A on his paper with a 100% if he gets really annoyed if he doesn't
2. Bug works really really well if you tell her she will get a "Sad Apple" on her door if she doesn't listen and follow directions.
3. I didn't plan enough! My kids were wanting more and I had done everything for the day.
4. Caden can color in the lines but he doesn't think he should have to.
5. Bug does NOT liking being told which colors to use in a picture. If the girl wants to use blue for an apple you are not going to convince her to color it red.
Tomorrow we are doing more in depth research on one of the Presidents (Adams obviously because of the letter A" )as well as Albinoni and do a geography lesson on Alabama. I still have to get my Math curriculum and of course Caden's Classical Conversations doesn't start till September but for now this is working.
Please pray for our continuing work with the kids schooling and that we can keep God the center of all of it.
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