Tuesday, May 29, 2007

June - July 2007

We are have transitioned to a more relaxed "finishing up" mode these past two months. Goals for the summer have been:

Both children:
  • to complete math workbooks
  • to complete Story of the World vol. 2
  • to continue daily catechism review
  • to continue daily copywork or handwriting practice
  • to read aloud and narrate Pollyanna
Additionally, for Erin:
  • to progress as far as possible through the second grade First Language Lessons
  • to complete reading and narration of the book of Genesis (I am having her read this aloud since she was having difficulty with unfamiliar names of places and people.)
And for Aidan:
  • to continue reading and narrating daily from 365 Bible Stories
The children have worked on each of these daily on lesson days. Each child has typed and printed his own daily routines to make a Flylady-inspired control journal to help them manage their daily routines, schoolwork, and other responsibilities. We have done a handwork project, making dolls from My First Doll Book. We have captured black swallowtail caterpillars from our garden, learned how to care for them, made a butterfly house, observed the butterfly life cycle, and recorded it in our nature notebooks. We have also made two fishing trips and a field trip to a vet's office as part of Erin's 4-H projects.

Erin's independent reading:

Li Lun, Lad of Courage
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
The Wizard of Oz
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
The Book of the Dun Cow
Childcraft Guide for Parents (seriously. she read the whole thing.)
James Herriot's Stories for Children
Big Backyard and Ranger Rick magazines

Aidan's independent reading:

Li Lun, Lad of Courage
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
The Wizard of Oz
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
Big Backyard and Ranger Rick magazines
The Dangerous Book for Boys
*Andrew Lang's King Arthur
*The Sword in the Tree
*Favorite Medieval Tales
DK Shakespeare and the Globe
Aliki's William Shakespeare and the Globe
*Mr. Popper's Penguins

Generally as they complete a book, I ask them to tell me about it and we we discuss it informally. A * indicates a re-reading of something previously read.

Erin's independent activities:
creating a map of South America
completing her 4-H projects for the year (fishing & veterinary science) including reading, preparing a project talk, writing her 4-h story, completing her record book, and preparing exhibits for the fair
attending 4-H camp
learning new string figures and locating their countries of origin on the globe
garden square: marigolds and zucchini
playing Fritz & Chesster 2 (chess tutor). She is becoming very aware of and uses strategy in her chess playing now.
caring for guinea pigs
caring for neighbors' gardens and dogs while away
swimming, biking
imaginative play
watercolor painting (including illustrating Aidan's stories)
acolyte at church, attending Sunday school, family worship
attended VBS
participated in 4th of July bike parade and won 3rd place

Aidan's independent activities:

practicing the recorder (He hopes to perform two pieces at Christmastime in church.)
caring for guinea pigs
playing with computer map puzzles while listening to Bible mp3
playing Fritz & Chesster & Outnumbered (math game) He is becoming very adept at mental math, even beginning to handle large number operations mentally.
writing stories
a little woodworking with Dad
watercolor painting
garden square: corn and nasturtiums
imaginative play
swimming, biking
attending Sunday school, family worship
attended VBS
participated in 4th of July bike parade and won 3rd place

Friday, May 25, 2007

Hymn: Christ Be My Leader
Literature: poetry
narrate from A Door in the Wall
Language: language lesson w/ Erin
copywork w/Aidan
Math: Mathmagic -- The Secret Word


Individual assignments:

Erin:
Bible: Genesis read & narrate 1 chapter
Theology: review & recite catechism
History: Fine Print read & narrate 1 chapter
Literature: Lassie read & narrate 1 chapter
Science: read & narrate

Aidan:
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Theology: review & recite catechism
History: Fine Print read & narrate 1 chapter
Literature: Olga da Polga read & narrate 1 chapter
Science: read & narrate

Thursday, May 24, 2007

May 24, 2006

Lessons w/ mom:
Thank you notes for Dr. Sarchet
Hymn: Christ Be My Leader
Literature: poetry
narrate from A Door in the Wall
Language: language lesson w/ Erin
Math: Mathmagic -- The Secret Word


Individual assignments:

Erin:
Bible: Genesis read & narrate 1 chapter
Theology: review & recite catechism
History: SOTW pp. 326-330 Cortes & Montezuma narrate for blog
Literature: Lassie read & narrate 1 chapter
Science: read & narrate

Aidan:
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Theology: review & recite catechism
History: SOTW pp. 326-330 Cortes & Montezuma
Literature: Olga da Polga read & narrate 1 chapter
Science: read & narrate

May 23, 2007

Science: Family tour of vet's office for Erin's 4-H project. The veterinarian was very prepared for our visit, and not only gave us a tour of his facilities, but showed the children how various disinfectants are used, types of restraints used for various animals, how an IV works, how he takes temperature and pulse and what that indicates, and how the instruments are prepped for the surgery. He also showed them a book of illustrations which compared healthy organs with diseased ones and took a long time answering their questions about that, and also spent some time discussing the life cycle of fleas in response to their questions about a model in the examination room.

Individual work:
Literature: read & narrate A Door in the Wall ch. 6

Independent activities:

Aidan:
free reading: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, The Sword in the Tree
attended midweek worship
daily chores
animal care -- cage cleaning
outdoor play: stomp rockets
volunteered to clean the kitchen

Erin:
computer: Learn to Play Chess
free reading: The Sword in the Tree
attended midweek worship
daily chores
outdoor play: stomp rockets
volunteered to clean the kitchen

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

May 23, 2007

Erin:
Math: three problems dynamic addition using stamps or blocks
Theology: review and recite one catechism section
Bible: Genesis read & narrate
History: SOTW read & narrate for blog
coloring page
Typing practice: 15 minutes

Aidan:
Math: four problems subtraction w/base ten blocks
Theology: review and recite one catechism section
Bible: Genesis read & narrate
History: SOTW read & narrate for blog
coloring page
Typing practice: 15 minutes

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Lessons w/ Mom:
Hymn:
History:
Language: dictation

Individual assignments:

Erin:
Theology: Catechism: review and recite one section
Bible: Genesis read & narrate one chapter
Science: read and narrate
History: Fine Print read & narrate one chapter
Typing practice: 15 minutes
Literature: Lassie Come Home

Aidan:
Theology: Catechism: review and recite one section
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Science: read and narrate
History: Fine Print read & narrate one chapter
Typing practice: 15 minutes
Math: math workbook 1 page
Literature: Olga da Polga

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Friday, May18, 2007

History: blog narration
Hymn: 861 Christ Be My Leader
Language: copywork, 10 minutes, perfect execution
Erin: Language Lesson #108

Individual assignments:

Erin:
read SOTW ch. 33
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: Genesis read & narrate one chapter
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg
Typing practice: 15 minutes


Aidan:
History: SOTW ch. 33 section
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg
Typing practice: 15 minutes
Math: 4 operations work of choice, 10 minutes

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Wednesday, May 15, 2007

History: SOTW ch. 33
mapwork
Hymn: 861 Christ Be My Leader
Language: copywork, 10 minutes, perfect execution
Erin: Language Lesson #108

Individual assignments:

Erin:
read SOTW ch. 32 The Incas and narrate for blog
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: Genesis read & narrate one chapter
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg
Typing practice: 15 minutes


Aidan:
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg
Typing practice: 15 minutes
Math: 4 operations work of choice, 10 minutes

Monday, May 14, 2007

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Lessons w/ Mom:

History: SOTW ch. 33
coloring page
Literature: narrate from The Door in the Wall ch. 5
Language: copywork, 10 minutes, perfect execution
Science: listen to Learning the Birds

Individual assignments:
Erin:
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: Genesis read & narrate one chapter
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg
Typing practice: 15 minutes
Math: 4 operations work of choice, 10 minutes

Aidan:
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg
Typing practice: 15 minutes
Math: 4 operations work of choice, 10 minutes

Independent activities:

Erin:
daily chores

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Friday, May 11, 2007

Wild Day at Cimarron National Grasslands
nature study -- entries in nature notebooks
attended homeschool "Friends & Family Night"

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Individual assignments:

Erin:
Language: studied dictation
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: Genesis read & narrate one chapter
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg

Aidan:
Language: studied dictation
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
History: read aloud from Fine Print: A Story About Johann Gutenberg

Independent activities:

Erin:
daily chores
movie day: The Two Towers
imaginative play: "sunday school", "school"

Aidan:
daily chores
movie day: The Two Towers
imaginative play: "sunday school", "school"

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Lessons w/ Mom:

History: SOTW ch. 32 the Aztecs
mapwork
blog narrations
Math: choice of combination cards game using strip boards
Literature: narrate The Door in the Wall ch. 3
Language: copywork 10 minutes, perfect execution
Erin: Language Lesson #106-107 & enrichment activity

Individual assignments:

Erin:
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: Genesis ch. read & narrate
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
Typing practice: 15 minutes

Aidan:
Theology: review catechism section and recite for mom
Bible: 365 Bible Stories read & narrate
Science: World & Space read & narrate one section
Typing practice: 15 minutes

Independent activities:

Erin:
attended midweek worship and acolyted
daily chores
outdoor play
watercolor painting
claywork -- made a hobbit house
reading and work on 4-H project

Aidan:
daily chores
volunteered to help with bathroom cleaning
outdoor play
attended midweek worship
free reading: Follow My Leader, Discovery of the Americas, Usborne Book of World History

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Lessons w/ Mom:

History: SOTW ch. 32 The Mayans
coloring page
blog narrations
individual reading of Discovery of the Americas
Math: addition/subtraction combination cards game using strip boards
Literature: The Door in the Wall ch. 2
Language: copywork 10 minutes, perfect execution
Theology: catechism class with Dad -- 1.5 hours

Independent activities:

Erin:
daily chores
imaginative play: firefighters
free reading: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
outdoor play

Aidan:
daily chores
imaginative play: firefighters
free reading: Discovery of the Americas
computer
outdoor play

Monday, May 7, 2006

Family trip to Garden City for shopping and lunch.
Outdoor play
free reading: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Mathmania
listened to Lord of the Rings

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Recent Art Creations

by Erin, age 7






by Aidan, age 6