Presidents' Day

PE was swimming and lots of walks this holiday week. And then a lot of time in the snow.

Here's the highlights of the week- Game Day/Read-a thon on Friday and the craft of the week was yarn weaving. (Science with Dad too)

Math-Singapore and Xtra math

LA- Spelling and reading comprehension. AM is working on writing a story that will be published on the blog at a later date.

Reading is it's own category- Read-a-louds: Percy Jackson, Farmer Boy, Dragon Masters series. AM is reading Dragon Masters on his own too (20 books in all, we got a lot to read)

Science-With Dad, AM picked apart flowers and learned about their different parts and how pollination works.

Valentines

I’m always growing my knowledge.

I can learn anything I put my mind to.

I’m intelligent in many ways.

I practice things to grow my skills.

It’s okay to not be good at everything. 

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.

DR. SEUSS

We are including "Personal Character Traits" in our morning discussions- Previously, we talked about Confidence. Now we are focusing on Hard Work.

Monday was full of fun activities with a homeschool Valentine party and choir

Science- We had a lot of house plants that needed repotted and took time to talk about and examine plants.

Math-We focused on adding groups of the same number (basic multiplication concept) and memorizing addition up to 10. And a little subtraction. In addition to using the Singapore Math Curriculum, we are using Xtra Math online.

LA- AM used Spelling Training, did reading comprehension where handwriting was a focus, and story starters.  We are focusing on fiction stories right now.

Two friends find a time machine. What happens next?

They find books in it. If they open a book they automatically go to that time. If they open two books, the person holding one book will go to that time and the other will go to a different time.

Reading- We read #16 Dragon Masters and Farmer Boy out loud. AM read to younger siblings, and took time every day to read silently. Dragon Masters is a favorite series. AM is also listening to his dad read the Lightening Thief series. 

Olympics in China During Chinese New Year

 Affirmations and quote of the week:

I love to learn.

I will do my best.

I will do great things today.

I can create positive change in the world.

I can engage in small acts of kindness to uplift other people. 

If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

With both Chinese New Year and the Olympics in Beijing underway, it was an appropriate time to learn about the country and culture of China.

We jumped on Google Earth and visited the Great Wall of China, and other famous sites. Plus took a look at "The Nest" where the opening ceremonies took place.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, we made lanterns, a dragon, and a tiger book mark. the color red and good fortune are important in Chinese culture. AM also used his writing skills to add fortunes to our homemade fortune cookies.

We did touch lightly on political tensions and why it wouldn't be a good idea to go visit in person right now, since that came up in conversation with our oldest. However, we emphasized it was our different governments and not the people that had tensions and we could still love the people and enjoy learning about their culture.

Math was reviewing addition up to 20.  I think I found my new favorite math manipulative. Dungeon and Dragons dice. They were perfect for rolling numbers up to 20  and adding or subtracting the number from a 10 sided dice from it. We also used the 8 sided dice to review the lower numbers, which prepared AM to add three numbers together more efficiently.  

We got a little into basic multiplication. For example:  3+3+3= 9   3x3=9

We also loved playing a game with Uno cards. They perfect for adding or subtracting 3 numbers. 

LA- AM has mastered Fry words up to 4th grade so we'll be setting those aside and focusing on reading comprehension and spelling. We finished correct letter formations and now are putting it into practice. Which means writing stories!

Here one of my favorite from the writing prompt- You find a magic rock. What does it do?

AM- It throws potions. Be careful it might be a poison potion. If you poke it, it will explode.  If you hold it then it will give you honey and milk. Some spit water bottles with poison.

Science- AM is leaning about animals from an animal book and Wild Kratts. We also finished growing our sugar crystals.

Music- AM had choir.

Reading- This week we also a a read-a-thon and read the Magic Tree House Hour of the Olympics

First Week-Finding Out Where to Begin

With a little investigating we found where "AM" should be in first grade math, LA, and reading. On top of the following, he is in a children's choir for bi-weekly music.

Math- Substracting numbers up to 20.  AM found a great way to subtract that was different from the book. He is already good at subtraction within 10. So he found a way that works for him. 

Book's way

AM's way

LA- He is flying through Fry Words, we're working on spelling and focusing a lot on correct letter formation as that needed to be revisited. 

Reading-We are reading the 15th book of the Dragon Master's Series and Farmer Boy out loud.  On his own he is reading Claws, Dragon Masters, Dinosaur Cove series.  If you can't tell, we love to read!

Science- We explored viscosity with corn starch and talked about solids and liquids. We also headed to the kitchen to cook up cinnamon rolls and talked about what makes them rise. Plus, watched as the frosting turned from a semi liquid to a solid as it cooled. We whipped up some homemade playdough and explored color mixing and a moldable solid. Viscosity was also explored as we made sugar water in preparation to grow sugar crystals. Yes, it was a pretty heavy science week, but it was fun to explore (albeit a bit messy)

And perhaps one of my favorite things that makes homeschool special is our weekly affirmations and quotes:

 

“I am kind.” 

“I am loving.” 

“I am unique.” 

“I am capable of learning new things”

“I am in control of my own feelings” 

 No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

Beginning Again

Homeschool had been a talk around the house. My soon to be 5th grader and I excitedly talked about the curriculum we'd use.  She had been homeschooled before in 2020, yes, that 2020.  My 1st grader must have thought all of this sounded so fun; he didn't want to wait. 

"Homeschool me, right now!"

"How about we wait until the end of the year?"

And everyday the conversation was the same. "Why won't you home school me?"

Well...because of all these other people and their opinions...and...no good excuse really. Isn't my boy more important than all these other people and there judgmental opinions? I was capable, he was willing to work hard. Why not let him have a say in his own education?  And so, in the middle of the school year, in the middle of the term, our 1st grader came home.  Thus our homeschool journey happily began again.