Our Week in Review - July 10-16, 2011

 

What a week!!  Trying to really embrace the eclectic homeschool style.  I don't think we did too bad this week.  Lots of reading.  The kids finished the first 12 hours of the library's summer reading club.  They were proud to get their backpacks and we even let them each get their own library card now.  More work for me to keep things separate and renewed.  But they can check books out for their iPads and it won't be on my card now. 

 

The kids also finished the Borders Summer Reading program and the Scholastic/Kumon Reading program.  So they got new books from Borders on Monday and we mailed their Scholastic forms in today.  More free books....who can't use a few new, Free books.

 

Brayden actually emerged from the house a couple times this week, very reluctantly...very reluctantly.  Went to see their doctor today about the issues, and on the way to the dr Joey started having a full blown manic episode.  It was very rough.  I am glad we decided to hire a sitter to watch the kids during my uncle's funeral, otherwise I would not have been able to go.  Grateful though that he at least settled a bit for her.  We actually stayed at home 3 days this week, and it was nice to just chill and do our schoolwork in bits and pieces, as attention would allow.

 

We started all working on Math curriculum.  The boys are continuing with Teaching Textbooks and Lydia with Math U See.  I have decided to take a couple weeks off from Math U See with Lydia and concentrate on number recognition games.  Even create a few myself to help her out.  I was shocked how quick they introduce place value in this series.  She was slightly grasping, and I don't want her to get frustrated.  The boys are working on carryover mulitiplication and Joey is struggling.  So yet another decision by the principal, I will sit down after he watches his lesson and work in his workbook with him to make sure he is getting the information clearly.  Brayden may need some extra help too.  But he is my Math whiz and won't need too much extra help.

Lydia continued on Headsprout Phonics.  For History, we studied about Nomads becoming Farmers and why they chose to live in one place instead of moving around.  We also did a science experiment using millet seeds.  We planted seeds in sand and in soil, and watched how important good earth is for farming.  We are using Story of the World Vol. 1 for History this year, but I also am including some extra supplemental items to go with this.  This is the book we will be using for extra hands-on experiments. 

 Definitely more seeds growing in the Fertile Crescent.  We also read this fun book.

We learned more about our Bearded Dragon, Lollipop.  This lapbook took a little extra time to create, but I learned lots more on how to keep him safe.  I hope the kids remember as much as I do.  But Lydia has surprised me a couple times this week telling me about the dragon.

We actually finished that in one day.  It was fun.  So then we moved on to a summer tradition of Lightening Bugs....and they went lightening bug hunting for the first time.  (I know..bad mommy!!...I was mad at myself too, but with strict bedtimes and tired parents, some of the little things go unnoticed.)

Here's our bug collectors ready for the sun to go down.

Dad joined in on the fun too.

Caty had so much fun catching the bugs.

Lydia too...she goes from princess to tomboy.  It's hilarious!  She had to leave on her swim suit and her pink flipflops.

I was trying to see what my new camera could capture.  The Bug is there...shadow too.

Had trouble uploading this pic.  We made a quick lapbook using various links for not only a coloring page, but also a page from Enchanted Learning.  We also talked about why their butt light up.  This study actually worked well to show the kids why their bearded dragon cannot eat this type of insect.

We examined some of the bugs that we collected.  A few did not make it overnight, so we were able to look at their wings.  And then we also spent a few minutes re-collecting the bugs that got loose in the living room.

We also used our cool Bug Eyes set we found at Nashville Zoo.  The kids really liked this.

Crayola had a fun lightening bug craft that we just adjusted to our needs and levels. 

Our bugs drying on the window sill.

We also present our play, The Three Little Pigs to Grandpa and Grandma.  It was fun.  Now we are working on the next play.  There will be one on Ancient Egypt and Little Red Riding Hood.

Joey and I started Rosetta Stone Spanish.  This will be slow going for him.  We are going to spend a couple weeks on each session to really work on the vocab he's learning.  He really enjoyed the first computer session, we'll see if vocab review is fun too.

We continued studying Jesus life.  We learned about how he fed multitudes and why he loved Children.  Tomorrow Joey will be competing in his first Agility Dog Competition.  He is very excited.  So hoping his med adjustment helps out with the manic episode. 

We are linking up with Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers....see what everyone is up to!