Wanna know what we have planned for this week at school???
SUBJECTS WE DO TOGETHER:
Torah Explorers for this week's portion: "Korah" קורח {Numbers 16:1-18:32, 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22, John 9-12}
--I have been so enjoying studying Scripture this way. Each week we read a "portion" comprised of the Torah ("Law"), Haftorah ("Prophets") & Brit Chadasha ("ReNEWed Testament"). Torah Explorers is exactly what it claims to be: "A Torah Study Guide for the Young & Young at Heart". Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information in certain chapters (sometimes books) in the Old Testament, and spent much of my initial devotional time focused on "easier" (*teehee, yeah right!) to understand chapters in the Renewed Testament. Torah Explorers has been a crucial guidemap to making sense of it, and oh the treasures contained within!!!! I always thought the Bible contained tons of information, but every week I am so in awe of the blessings of wisdom it contains. It all weaves together in an awesome and unparalleled way! Even the boys are picking up pearls of wisdom and making connections. :D
Hebrew alphabet & days of the week
This Country of Ours {US History} audio & text
CHRISTIAN:
Writing Strands
Singapore Math
Vocabulary
Number the Stars {independent reading}
--My brother's copy {which was originally mine from 4th grade, but then he wrote his name on it ;P} I remember this book having a stringent impact on me as a young girl. I think dear Christian would be more interested in it if the protagonist was a girl, but I look forward to the discussions...
KEEGAN:
Writing Strands
Singapore Math
The Giggler Treatment
--I chose this one for Keegan, but it a far lighter book than Christian's. He's never been too big on chapter books, so I am trying to ease him into them by appealing to his comic side. I'll let you know how it goes...
As always, this is not a hard and fast plan. I try to stay away from those, as I want to keep open to YHVH, who often has other ideas for me. I do think it is important to have an outline, at least it is for me, so that I do not flit around from one thing to another, and so I have a reference point when I get off track.
May you have a blessed week. . .
Showing posts with label weekly wrapup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weekly wrapup. Show all posts
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sunday, November 22, 2009
recent happenings
I cannot express how good the past week has been. It is nearly miraculous. While it has been far from perfect, there has been a fair share of unkind talk, and plenty of messes, it has been wonderfully serene at times. It seems Christian has made a good friend in a boy from our homeschool co-op. This is such a blessing. Keegan started piano and is already describing himself as a "piano player". And Dalton is, well, wild--full of energy, spunk, full of life.
Christian and I (honestly, it was mostly Christian) made these felted acorns. I think they turned out adorably. In doing this project we also discovered that grubs live in acorns. I thought they were maggots. My husband couldn't believe my naivete. He laughed and taught the boys some about herbivorous and carnivorous animals. Grubs are the former, and maggots, being the latter, would not be found in acorns. I love how so many unintentional moments become teaching moments. I thank the Lord for all the blessings He has given me.
A week and a half ago, Dalton and I planted some random seeds I had in the cabinet. I know it is not an ideal time for planting but, hey, it's Florida and frankly they were just sitting in my cabinet. So, pumpkins, watermelons, tomatoes and parsley went into some pots.
Dalton managed to drop the heaviest ceramic pot on his finger (from a few inches) and completely lost a fingernail. Amazing. It's amazing how quickly things can happen.
So, we put the pots on the shelves, and I later transplanted them into bigger pots when they started to sprout. I figured a pumpkin could not grow in a pot that was smaller than it was supposed to be ;P
We had all the fixin's for a pumpkin pie (minus the crust), and the boys were begging me for their new found favorite dessert, so I decided to attempt a pie crust by hand. I think it was a success.
After talking to Brie, I realized the only issue with the pie, the soggy undercrust, could have been prevented by precooking the pie crust before filling it. So, I learned something. :) Between the 5 of us, we ate it all in one evening.
Before we made the pumpkin pie, the boys were helping me tidy up the kitchen. I asked Keegan to sweep, and he was thrilled, telling me emphatically, "I love to sweep!" Great. It's going on the chore list ;P
We have been participating in some of the weekly activities with the Jax Homeschoolers. What a blessing that has been!!! Christian has made a new (possibly best) buddy, and we have participated in PE, Science, crafting and just playing. The moms in the group are fabulous, and all of my boys seem to like it (Thank You, Lord!)
I forgot to take pictures on PE Day, but we haphazardly played baseball (once the tee broke, we were done for) than make Native American talking sticks. Christian was very into this, while Keegan and Dalton mostly played at the park.
Friday was Science Friday at Kitty's house. She has a plethora of kits, so we divided into groups and worked on either Chemistry, Light, Electricity, or Energy.
Keegan chose Chemistry and Christian worked on Energy making a battery operated and solar powered car.
Keegan learned about oil and water, mixed salt and sugar with water to see if it would dissolve, among other fun ideas.
Dalton ran around collecting Mr. Potato Head pieces and proudly showing them to us in intervals.
Lord, thank You for showing me your plan for us, for being faithful even when I am flighty. Thank You, Lord, for the many blessings You have bestowed on us. Let us know Your will and have the integrity to follow it.
Christian and I (honestly, it was mostly Christian) made these felted acorns. I think they turned out adorably. In doing this project we also discovered that grubs live in acorns. I thought they were maggots. My husband couldn't believe my naivete. He laughed and taught the boys some about herbivorous and carnivorous animals. Grubs are the former, and maggots, being the latter, would not be found in acorns. I love how so many unintentional moments become teaching moments. I thank the Lord for all the blessings He has given me.
A week and a half ago, Dalton and I planted some random seeds I had in the cabinet. I know it is not an ideal time for planting but, hey, it's Florida and frankly they were just sitting in my cabinet. So, pumpkins, watermelons, tomatoes and parsley went into some pots.Dalton managed to drop the heaviest ceramic pot on his finger (from a few inches) and completely lost a fingernail. Amazing. It's amazing how quickly things can happen.So, we put the pots on the shelves, and I later transplanted them into bigger pots when they started to sprout. I figured a pumpkin could not grow in a pot that was smaller than it was supposed to be ;P
We had all the fixin's for a pumpkin pie (minus the crust), and the boys were begging me for their new found favorite dessert, so I decided to attempt a pie crust by hand. I think it was a success.After talking to Brie, I realized the only issue with the pie, the soggy undercrust, could have been prevented by precooking the pie crust before filling it. So, I learned something. :) Between the 5 of us, we ate it all in one evening.Before we made the pumpkin pie, the boys were helping me tidy up the kitchen. I asked Keegan to sweep, and he was thrilled, telling me emphatically, "I love to sweep!" Great. It's going on the chore list ;P
We have been participating in some of the weekly activities with the Jax Homeschoolers. What a blessing that has been!!! Christian has made a new (possibly best) buddy, and we have participated in PE, Science, crafting and just playing. The moms in the group are fabulous, and all of my boys seem to like it (Thank You, Lord!)I forgot to take pictures on PE Day, but we haphazardly played baseball (once the tee broke, we were done for) than make Native American talking sticks. Christian was very into this, while Keegan and Dalton mostly played at the park.
Friday was Science Friday at Kitty's house. She has a plethora of kits, so we divided into groups and worked on either Chemistry, Light, Electricity, or Energy.
Keegan chose Chemistry and Christian worked on Energy making a battery operated and solar powered car.
Keegan learned about oil and water, mixed salt and sugar with water to see if it would dissolve, among other fun ideas.Dalton ran around collecting Mr. Potato Head pieces and proudly showing them to us in intervals.
Lord, thank You for showing me your plan for us, for being faithful even when I am flighty. Thank You, Lord, for the many blessings You have bestowed on us. Let us know Your will and have the integrity to follow it.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Weekly Wrap Up Sept. 14-18
Frustrated with my seemingly haphazard scheduling, I opted to simplify with the use of Old Fashioned Education. I am fairly happy about it, though it does require a lot of reading and less hands-on, something which my boys desperately need. So, after some prayer and a little tweaking I decided to use it with my Tapestry of Grace (instead of in place of), using the grammar, math, Bible study, and Science sections with the subjects offered in Tapestry of Grace. So, there. Soon I will post our weekly outline.
This week God has really answered my prayers about the boys socialization and activities. I tend to be a bit of a loner, not that I always enjoy it, just that I often lack the motivation to go out there and interact. It is definitely a shortcoming of mine that I need to work on. It is such a blessing to have it brought out in the open because of homeschooling. Seems many more issues than I originally thought can be worked out simply through bringing my children home. But, anyways, activities. I found a guitar teacher for Christian. After months of half-hearted searching, I was surprised and embarassed to find how easy it was to contact the gentleman who was originally recommended to me and set up lessons. He starts Tuesday. I am relieved. I believe he's excited.
Christian also participated in his first JAGs adventure group run by a mom of twins who were Christian's friends in preschool. I just love her, and we are excited to be a part of it. They made pocket flashlights (about which Christian will blog this week). He was quiet at first, but when he was able to socialize freely at the end of the activity, he seemed to be loosening up. I'm proud of his social skills. At times he can be braver than I am. He chatted with boys he hasn't seen in 5 yrs and ones he'd never met. I refused to go to my high school reunion ;P
Keegan will start piano lessons with Ms. Tara some time next week. I am excited- she is so talented, and I think she will be a good match for Keegs. Now I just need to find him a group activity so he can play with peers. I'm pretty sure I'm signing him up for soccer (he really needs the physical activity), but I don't think it starts until the spring, so I am looking for something else as well. I would love any suggestions. He's 7.
It was a good week. I'm tired. We had some meltdowns and some real successes. Overall, I am quite please, but tired, yep.
This week God has really answered my prayers about the boys socialization and activities. I tend to be a bit of a loner, not that I always enjoy it, just that I often lack the motivation to go out there and interact. It is definitely a shortcoming of mine that I need to work on. It is such a blessing to have it brought out in the open because of homeschooling. Seems many more issues than I originally thought can be worked out simply through bringing my children home. But, anyways, activities. I found a guitar teacher for Christian. After months of half-hearted searching, I was surprised and embarassed to find how easy it was to contact the gentleman who was originally recommended to me and set up lessons. He starts Tuesday. I am relieved. I believe he's excited.
Christian also participated in his first JAGs adventure group run by a mom of twins who were Christian's friends in preschool. I just love her, and we are excited to be a part of it. They made pocket flashlights (about which Christian will blog this week). He was quiet at first, but when he was able to socialize freely at the end of the activity, he seemed to be loosening up. I'm proud of his social skills. At times he can be braver than I am. He chatted with boys he hasn't seen in 5 yrs and ones he'd never met. I refused to go to my high school reunion ;P
Keegan will start piano lessons with Ms. Tara some time next week. I am excited- she is so talented, and I think she will be a good match for Keegs. Now I just need to find him a group activity so he can play with peers. I'm pretty sure I'm signing him up for soccer (he really needs the physical activity), but I don't think it starts until the spring, so I am looking for something else as well. I would love any suggestions. He's 7.
It was a good week. I'm tired. We had some meltdowns and some real successes. Overall, I am quite please, but tired, yep.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Weekly Wrap-up: Aug. 31-Sept. 4
Tomorrow we will start our 3rd week (2nd official- with books & all that fun stuff) of (home)schooling. I am very excited about our journey, and if I continue to learn things in the amount I have this week, I shall be a whole new person by this time next year. I've said this before, and I will say it again: I know I have far more to learn from this year than my children do.
I am so thankful the Lord is sovereign; He can use one experience (in this case, homeschooling) to address many issues with which we have all been struggling. By nature I am lazy, disorganized, impulsive, last-minute, flighty and impatient. When I homeschool, I cannot be any of these things (well, I can and I will at times, but the consequences for these behaviors are very clear- in a hectic day, poorly conducted lesson, etc). Without self-control my children are also disorganized, easily bored, emotional, and whiny. There are direct consequences for these behaviors as well in the form of less play because of the length of time needed to complete schoolwork appropriately.
This week I have learned:
ABOUT OUR DAY:
-I must plan for Math ahead of time. When I am not organized, I quickly lose the childrens attention and do not have the energy for creative teaching because it is used up in keeping them focused.
-I must not try and do every activity Tapestry of Grace suggests. I must remember it is a buffet, and gorging myself (or my childre) never ends successfully.
ABOUT MYSELF:
-My best work does not come from times where I am put on the spot. I cannot say enough about the importance of preparation.
-My day goes much more successfully if I am up before the children and get my God time and planning time. I feel more established.
ABOUT MY CHILDREN:
-My children quickly tire of worksheets.
-There are going to be bad days. Moody children make for difficult encounters. Creativity and patience are a must. Redirect the child's thinking, ignite passion and creativity, and try, try again.
-If I am not on my toes, they will quickly talk me into less work and inferior quality.
-As children (and boys especially), they need breaks consistently and active time (preferably outside) every day. No excuses. And I make more than they do.
Some of my favorite places on the web, these days:
Old Fashioned Education- most of my curriculum comes from this comprehensive, and FREE, site.
Project Gutenberg- tons and tons of public domain e-texts. Many wonderful old primers can be found here.
Super Teacher Worksheets- I came across this site while searching Google for spelling words and am extremely surprised at the quality of the worksheets found here. My boys get bored if I give them too much written work to do, but these provide more hands-on worksheets as well. I did use their lists for spelling words as well. They even have printouts for each week.
I am so thankful the Lord is sovereign; He can use one experience (in this case, homeschooling) to address many issues with which we have all been struggling. By nature I am lazy, disorganized, impulsive, last-minute, flighty and impatient. When I homeschool, I cannot be any of these things (well, I can and I will at times, but the consequences for these behaviors are very clear- in a hectic day, poorly conducted lesson, etc). Without self-control my children are also disorganized, easily bored, emotional, and whiny. There are direct consequences for these behaviors as well in the form of less play because of the length of time needed to complete schoolwork appropriately.
This week I have learned:
ABOUT OUR DAY:
-I must plan for Math ahead of time. When I am not organized, I quickly lose the childrens attention and do not have the energy for creative teaching because it is used up in keeping them focused.
-I must not try and do every activity Tapestry of Grace suggests. I must remember it is a buffet, and gorging myself (or my childre) never ends successfully.
ABOUT MYSELF:
-My best work does not come from times where I am put on the spot. I cannot say enough about the importance of preparation.
-My day goes much more successfully if I am up before the children and get my God time and planning time. I feel more established.
ABOUT MY CHILDREN:
-My children quickly tire of worksheets.
-There are going to be bad days. Moody children make for difficult encounters. Creativity and patience are a must. Redirect the child's thinking, ignite passion and creativity, and try, try again.
-If I am not on my toes, they will quickly talk me into less work and inferior quality.
-As children (and boys especially), they need breaks consistently and active time (preferably outside) every day. No excuses. And I make more than they do.
Some of my favorite places on the web, these days:
Old Fashioned Education- most of my curriculum comes from this comprehensive, and FREE, site.
Project Gutenberg- tons and tons of public domain e-texts. Many wonderful old primers can be found here.
Super Teacher Worksheets- I came across this site while searching Google for spelling words and am extremely surprised at the quality of the worksheets found here. My boys get bored if I give them too much written work to do, but these provide more hands-on worksheets as well. I did use their lists for spelling words as well. They even have printouts for each week.
