Super Tuesday
Guess what, guess what??? We had a great, no, a FABULOUS homeschool day today!!! One of those where you get to every single thing, they learn, cooperate, and are in bed by 7:15 so their mama can watch American Idol and knit. Did I just admit that?? Ummm, yeah. Guilty pleasures.
So here's the breakdown of the day. Baked oatmeal for breakfast. 20 minute clean up time accompanied by boisterous music--everyone worked hard and we actually got things looking sparkly before starting lessons. Scripture study this morning was a little giggly, but hey, I've got 6 and 4 year old little girls, and a 2 year old who loves to make them giggle. It's bound to happen sometimes. We're memorizing the 6th Article of Faith and John 3:16 and they've got both of them down pretty well.
Chloe's doing so great with her reading!! We're using Reading Reflex right now, and since the girls are at exactly the same spot, we do lessons together. I'm thinking that this might be a program that Hazel will do well with. After a year and a half of reading short vowel 3 letter words, I'm really suspecting some kind of dyslexia. She's obviously bright--her intelligence isn't the problem at all. It's such a blessing to be homeschooling where she can do this at her own pace, and in the way that will help her succeed.
We did history from Story of the World about Moses and the 10 plagues. The girls acted out Moses in the bulrushes for me. We read dozens of books about space and ants and wild horses, so I'm considering science to be covered.
Hazel did a couple of pages in her Math U See Alpha book. I filled out the certificate at the end of the Primer book, and at the bottom of it there's a line, 'you're becoming a math whiz!' Apparently that has had a big impression on Hazel, because every time she sits down to do her math she gives a little wriggle of pride and tells me what a whiz she is. She's doing a lot better with reversals when writing numbers.
After a quick lunch, Hazel went to Liberty Girls, which is a club based on the American Girls series. I took Chloe and Calvin to the library and we read dozens of books. The kids did some art projects with a new set of crayon/pastels/watercolors we got from Rainbow Resource today, then we headed to dance and gymnastics. It's one of those community ed classes that are really cheap and held in a middle school. Yeah. Just going into the middle school cafeteria reminds me of all the reasons that I'm homeschooling! But the kids have a blast and they get some great exercise.
Came home and put them straight into bed. Our current read aloud is Cynthia Rylant's
Gooseberry Park. Such a darling book!! The language is rich and detailed, and it pulls you right into the story. The girls beg me for more chapters every night, and it is truly one of the sweetest books I've ever read.
After all that running around, they were all asleep by 7:15! Such a perfect homeschool day.
Labels: Books, homeschool
School plans
So many things to blog!!! Like most everyone else, I've had homeschooling on the brain, big time. I've found it (for some crazy reason) difficult to plan with my children all around, and by the end of the day my brain is shot and I just want to veg. So I told Steve that I needed a day off, all to myself to plan.
Bliss!!!
I packed up my laptop, my
Rainbow Resource catalog, all the random books I've been gleaning from, and headed to the library. By myself. For hours.
It really shouldn't be so difficult. The planning. After all, my oldest is
all of 5 years old. I have to keep reminding myself that the choices I make now are really not going to effect her homeschooling success for the rest of her life, but still. Lots of choices out there. I focused on each child, and myself, for about 1/2 hour each. I wrote and wrote and wrote all the ideas and inspiration about each person so I could come up with some kind of map for the next six months or so. Calvin was the easiest, and they got progressively harder. The list for myself is formidable. Basically mine comes down to discipline. In fact, all this scheduling and chore charts and master plans stuff doesn't mean a thing if
I am not doing my part.
For me, it all boils down to one thing: stop
reading about homeschooling/mothering/craft projects/fun things to do with kids and actually
DO THEM!!! I was just talking about this with
Sarah--the whole "I can't come play with you, honey, I'm learning how to be a good mother" thing. I surely hope I'm not the only one who falls into this trap.
So anyway. Here's the unveiling of the new and improved, 2007 official Together We're Learning Family Plan!!!
Morning Devotionals, consisting of a song, scripture reading, a memorization verse, and a quick, inspirational story of some kind (still looking for the perfect book here).
15 minutes wiggle time, whether a quick run outside or dancing to music. We're following the composer and artist studies from
Ambleside Online. Right now is Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky, both of whom my children love (No, not because they're extra cool or anything, but Pictures at an Exhibition was the piece we saw at the Chicago Symphony where they did a huge puppet show, and Rimsky-Korsakov composed Flight of the Bumblebee. I make 'em work to that one!!) and the artist is Da Vinci.
Journal entries--just a sentence or two for Hazel and a picture for Chloe.
Handwriting Without Tears. I'm going to be doing this with both girls. Hazel needs a crash course in decent handwriting, and Chloe's ready to start.
Story of the World I for history. We'll read it out loud and do projects on Fridays, alternating science and history.
We'll continue with
Math U See. It's working, so why mess with a decent thing?
Phonics I'm pulling waaaay back on the formal stuff. She
will learn how to read eventually, right? It's not worth a fight, and I don't want to make her hate it. She loves me to read to her, she'll pretend to read books to Calvin, and she'll play word games with me in moderation. That's going to have to be enough for now. I have tons of curriculum, should this decision change. But for right now it's going to take a backseat.
Chloe is actually starting to sound out words on her own, so I'll just play games with both of them and see where it takes us. Expect more on this topic--it's an ongoing battle in my mind!!
We're going to be doing lots of Montessori activities. The kinds that encourage careful, deliberate movements and fine motor skills. There are some great ideas in
Mommy Teach Me by Barbara Curtis. (all her stuff is
fabulous, by the way)
And then of course, the read alouds. We just started the Martha books--read 50 pages straight, until Calvin smashed a full bottle of hot pepper infused olive oil on the floor. The 45 minute clean up of that pretty much stopped any reading for the rest of the night.
I'm going to try to loosely follow the book list from
Real Learning for our picture book readings. Oh, and a question for people--I'm looking for books where the characters make proactive, non-victim like choices. (This is a completely different post, but this is what my #2 daughter is needing now) So any advice would be fabulous!
So there you have it! If we can stick to this, we should have a great couple of months ahead. We're doing some wildly fun things in my homeschool co-op, but that's another post. This one is merciless, and I promise not to inflict one like this on people again for a while.
Labels: Books, homeschool
When you know the book you're reading could help, if you'd just focus
I just found myself skimming a book while simultaneously chatting with my husband, watching tv, and telling the girls to get in bed already.
The book?
Mitten Strings for God--all about savoring peace and simplicity and choosing a more conscious, contemplative, and purposeful life.
Ironic, no?
I think the take home message for me here is to slow down and stop the multi-tasking, already.
Labels: Books
Playboy bunnies
I don't usually blush when I read children's books. I don't usually have to gasp and giggle and edit pages and pages out. But I did with this book.
No mere recap can do justice to this book. Must quote verbatim.
"Although he has already fathered several different litters this spring, the buck is ready to mate again. He chooses a young doe, dancing around her to see if she is interested. At first, she hesitates, not quite sure. Then, with a quick flick of her little white tail, she joins in the game. They chase each other around and around, this way and that, lolloping and leaping through the long grass.
(So far, still ok, right? Just wait)
"It is not long before the complicated game is over. The rabbits sniff each other, their noses twitching, ready to mate. They are quite safe--there are no rival males around, and the rest of the rabbits are grazing safely in the next field. The doe gives the signal, crouching down low on her belly and lifting her hindquarters into the air. The buck climbs onto her to mate. Afterward he topples over, roly-poly, onto the ground beside her. They rest quietly, side by side, a soft, brownish-gray bundle in the long, green grass. From time to time, the buck gently licks the doe, his pink tongue tenderly preening her face and ears. They doze peacefully together, warming themselves in the late spring sun."
As Steve put it, all you need is for the guy to roll over and smoke a cigarette. I'll never think of playboy bunnies the same way again.
Labels: Books
A late night with Harry
So. Very. Tired. Made the mistake of picking up Harry Potter last night at 9. Didn't go to sleep until 1:50. But I finished it!!
I'm not a HP fanatic, but there's something fun about the books, and I did want to read it before the spoilers were everywhere. Fun.
Fortunately it's Sunday morning, and I can take a nap before church.
Labels: Books
The noisiest addition to our library
Look at this beautiful
book I got while we were at the
Metropolitan Museum!! Isn't it fun? I've wanted to do a big bird study--I've been inspired by so many of you and what you're doing. This looks like such a fun place to start. Tonight I heard a bird through the open window, and since I spent some time playing with the book the other day,
I knew immediately what bird it was! This is important because I've never done it before. I was so excited to recognize a bird by sound. My first....starling. Oh well, it's a start!
Labels: Books
Smatterings
I'm sitting here at the computer, but not exactly sure what I want to post. So I think I'll just ramble and see where we end up.
The last two days we've spent nearly every moment outside. This whole weeding thing is going to be the death of me, but I'm not going to let it get out of control like I did last summer. I figure if I weed one bed a day, taking Sunday off, then they shouldn't take too long if i'm just maintaining. Right? Of course, the vegetable garden isn't scheduled in there, so I'll have to squeeze that one in, too. Provided I can ever get neighbor boy-who-has-the-rototiller over and I can actually plant said vegetable garden.
We went miniature golfing last night for family night. Steve's home now for the summer (HOORAY!!) so we're spending tons of family time, just soaking it in. Calvin in particular is so attached to him. I think he's afraid if he lets Steve out of his sight, he'll go on another plane. But anyway. Mini golf. So fun!! A lot chaotic, and definitely no scorecards for anyone. I would hit the ball with Calvin, then he'd chase after it and go drop it in the whole, then clap proudly for himself. Hazel worked doggedly at it, and could get the ball in herself after 20 or so shots. Chloe golfed with Steve's help, and danced and sang and daydreamed as she's want to do. Altogether as fun a night as you could imagine.
We read Barbara McClintock's version of The Little Princess about 3 times today. Also the book Dahlia, by her, that my girls adored. So fun! We've been doing Gulliver's Travels (an abridged version, but still very rich in language and detail) for a read aloud. It has sparked some fabulous conversations and imaginations.
It's amazing just how quickly the whole house can go from spotless to umm, not. One day of gardening, not cleaning, plus an afternoon of playdough and a large Calvin spill from dinner. Oy vey. Lots of work this evening.
Oh, speaking of Calvin. I was transferring laundry yesterday. Pulled out of the washing machine 2 markers, thankfully with the lids on, 7 foam stamp things, and 1 tube of Strawberry Shortcake toothpaste, also miraculously still closed. Oy vey indeed!!
Labels: Books, Calvin, random
One of the best books we've read yet
Nina, oh NEEEENNNAAA---have I got a book for you!!! The whole time we were reading it, besides being delighted beyond measure, I kept thinking about telling you about it. The book is
Adele and Simon by Barbara McClintock. What an absolute amazing treasure of a book. The pictures, oh the pictures. I swoon. You simply must read the first review on the Amazon page, because she says it all so well. This one is going in my library for sure!
Labels: Books
Early Reading Meme
One of my favorite bloggers, Nina over at
Painted Rainbows and Chamomile Tea, tagged me for this fun meme. I've seen it around and wanted to do it, so this is a perfect opportunity.
1. How old were you when you learned to read and who taught you?I have only one memory of NOT being able to read. I remember very clearly sitting in my car seat, watching the billboards go by on the freeway. I was quite frustrated and remember distinctly saying to myself, "I have
got to figure out what those mean!"
I taught myself to read shortly after that. I think I was around 2 1/2, and I first read something over my mom's shoulder in the newspaper. I was one of those slightly weird kids like that.
2. What books do you remember owning as a child?We had lots of picture books. I remember
The Little Rabbit and all the other charming animal books in that series. I remember my grandmothers voice reading Paddington Bear and Dr. Dolittle to me. There are so many books that I loved as a child.
3. What is the first book you remember buying with your own money?That's a tough one. I'm not sure, but it was probably some silly Babysitters Club books. Preteens aren't the wisest with money.
4. Were you a re-reader as a child? If so, what did you read the most often?I was, and am, a complete re-reader. I read really fast, and as a little girl I just couldn't get new books fast enough. So I had to re-read out of sheer necessity. Not that I minded. I still love to read books over and over again, because they become part of you. I can quote whole passages from many of my favorite books. Things I read the most as a child...let's see. The Beverly Cleary books. All the Frances Hogson Burnett books. Louisa May Alcott, over and over again. Encyclopedia Brown, The Great Brain books, Caddie Woodlawn, Little House, and basically anything and everything I could get my hands on.
5. What is the first adult book that captured your interest and how old were you when you read it?The first really adult books I remember getting engrossed in were probably the James Herriot books--All Things Bright and Beautiful, and the rest of them. I read those dozens of times, starting when I was probably 13 or so. I loved the Piers Anthony Xanth books, and Agatha Christie mysteries. These are the adult books I started with, because these were some of the adult books we had in the house.
6. Are there any children's books you passed by as a child and learned to love as an adult?I just recently discovered
Understood Betsy, and I'm amazed I never found it as a child. I would have read it obsessively then! And Cynthia Rylant books are pure gold. It's so fun having these little girls so I can introduce them to my old favorites, and discover new ones together.
I'm going to tag my wonderful sister in law
Emily and Amanda at
Our lot in life.
Labels: Books
