Homeschool Highlights–9/23-27/13

Week 3 of homeschooling felt more natural.  More a normal part of our day.  Yay!

Bible

This week for Bible study, we learned the story of the Tower of Babel.  I loved how Abby added a ladder on her tower and Adam had lots of workers.  One of my favorites things is listening to them talk while they work on their Bible worksheets.  They are just so funny!

We built our own Tower of Babel with blocks.

 

Handwriting

Adam reviewed numbers again.  I want to get a poster to hang up so he has a reference on how to form them.  Especially while doing math.

During handwriting, Abby played with word puzzles.

 

Math

This week we started Lesson 1 in MUS Alpha which was Place Value.  Along with the worksheets, we played “Decimal Street” which he really loved.

Sometimes I put the blocks on and he had to write the numbers.

And sometimes I wrote the numbers and he put the corresponding blocks on.

I’m encouraging him to use a pencil when he writes, but I thought it was cute how he used the colors of the MUS blocks when he wrote the numbers in.

He also played a “Busy Bee Place Value” matching game where he matched the block cards to the written words and then to the numerals.  This game is where I really saw it click.  I have 2 more place value games so we’ll continue with it for at least part of next week.

While Adam worked on the “Busy Bee” game, Abby did a cute matching file folder game.  And then was bored because it took her about 30 seconds flat.

And while Adam worked on a worksheet, she diligently played with our magnetic mosaic blocks.  She worked hard to copy a flower design by counting out each block needed.  She asked me for help to get the blocks just right.

She chose to play with these another day as well.

 

Science

This week we learned about the kidneys and bladder.  Later in the week, Adam told me that his brain was telling his bladder it was time to empty!

We talked about how Aunt Annie has horseshoe kidneys, meaning her kidneys are attached like this:  (I think anyway)

We did an experiment to show how the kidneys filter out the liquid waste from our blood.  We put cornmeal and water in one jar.  In the other jar we used a coffee filter on top to act as a kidney.  We poured the “dirty” water over the filter to show how the kidney cleans the liquid so the body can use it again.

 

Abby Time

I always feel like Abby is neglected because Adam needs more help from me at this point.  One day I declared it was “Abby Time” and sent Adam off to play with Caleb in his room.  It didn’t last long because Caleb knows how to open the doors, but it’s something I feel strongly about so we shall persevere!
This day we played with Pattern Blocks together.

A few cute pictures of Caleb.

 

Johnny Appleseed Theme

The biggest highlight of our week was celebrating Johnny Appleseed’s birthday with our friends the Tillotson’s.  They lived in our ward when we first moved to Texas, but have since moved just a few miles away but are in another ward now.  Brigham is Adam’s age, and Oliver is Abby’s age.  Then there’s Henry who is just a little older than Caleb, and baby Tilly.  This is the same Brigham, (Briggy) that is on Adam’s soccer team.

Before we went over, we read a book and watched Disney’s old Melody Time episode of Johnny Appleseed.

Apple Tasting

Johnny Appleseed faces.

Apple Stamping onto cute pocketed aprons to use to collect treasures on nature walks.

A “Happy Birthday Johnny!” over yummy Apple Crisp and Apple Cider.

  Looking forward to Week 4!

Adam’s First Soccer Game–Fall 2013

 

This Fall, Adam is on the Forney Flames soccer team!  Games started 3 weeks ago, but Week 1 was a bye week, he played Week 2, and then Week 3 was rained out.  Poor kid!

His friend Brigham (#9) is on his team.  Briggy is also homeschooled!!

He’s a good little kicker!

They lost miserably….oh well!

Adam sat and talked to Nana and Papa for quite a while, just chatting away!

Homeschool Highlights–9/9-20/13

I was hoping the 2nd (and then 3rd) week of homeschooling would go a little more smoothly than the 1st.  Not so much.  It’s just hard juggling everyone and everything.  And then add in kids with fevers and Mom with a cold and it was an off 2 weeks sprinkled with school when we all felt well.  Here are some of the highlights.

Bible

This week we learned about Noah.
They thought they were pretty funny making baby Noah into an alien.

Storm clouds, rain, and lightening.

 

Handwriting

Adam reviewed his numbers this week.

Abby did some pre-writing practice pages.

 

Science

This week was The Heart.  The kids colored their hearts while I read about it and then we glued them up on their body outlines.  Here’s Abby’s body.

As with the brain week, we used Nomenclature cards to learn about the different parts of the heart.  They really love matching the pictures to the words!

Abby was not too happy with Mr. Destructo interfering.

“My Amazing Heart Rate!”
We had a lot of fun testing our heart rates!
Here they are snacking on some marshmallows and getting nice and rested.

The plan was to use a toothpick, stuck in a marshmallow, and placed on the wrist.  We were supposed to be able to see the toothpick move with the pulse.  Not so much!  We scrapped and just placed our hands on the person’s chest to easily feel their heart beat and count it.

First we counted their resting heart rate for 15 seconds.  Then, after doing 10 jumping jacks.  And finally, after running in circles for 30 seconds.

Here are the results!

 

Random Things

Workbooks.  They love workbooks!

Abby had fun sorting color cards.  This was my attempt at keeping her busy while I worked with Adam.  Either he was too busy watching her, so she was losing interest to come see what Adam was doing.

 

Art

The kids got a bunch of nice, wooden stamps for Christmas but with moving and settling, I just finally got them out.  We need more ink pads!

That was our mishmash of a homeschooling for the past 2 weeks.  We’re all ready to get back at it on Monday!

Homeschool Highlights–9/3-6/13

In the past I have spent many hours taking pictures, sorting pictures, and blogging about our homeschool life.  I have realized it’s just not possible to do that anymore, but I still want to record the fun things and have a record of this time of our lives.  Plus, I documented Adam’s little life so well, (and will someday turn all those Tot School posts into a book for him), I want to have something for the Abby too.  So, taking a cue from some other homeschool bloggers, I’m going to attempt to do Homeschool Highlights posts regularly.  I don’t think I need to record the monotony of reading and math lessons anyway.

We officially started our homeschool year on September 3rd!  Adam is in Kindergarten and Abby is in Preschool.  Caleb is along for the ride, making messes, and demanding the teacher’s attention.  We haven’t worked up to our full schedule yet, so this doesn’t include any math or unit themes/activities.

I created these Back-to-School interviews for the kids to document their cute little personalities at this time in their lives.
The printed copies have their cute handwritten names on them.

 

Circle Time

Each day starts out with Circle Time where we have a prayer, practice a Primary song, review an Article of Faith (on the left), and practice a new Article of Faith (on the right).  Then we talk about the virtue of the week using the cards from We Choose Virtues.  There is a saying we memorize, a scripture we read, and a cute story to help them understand.  We then count up to the date, add it to our calendar, sing the Days of the Week song, and sometimes the Months of the Year song.  Then they run to the window to check the weather.  We switch off days for the “leader” of Circle Time.  That person gets to offer the prayer and put the different date and weather tags on.  It is a much coveted role!

Bible

3 times a week, our first subject is Bible Study using Positive Action for Christ’s Preschool program.  I saw them at the homeschool convention I attended and was excited about the program.  I read a portion of a Bible story, and then do a workbook page that involves coloring, cutting & gluing, etc.  It’s perfect for both of their ages.  We have discussions about things as they work and I’ve been surprised at how much they retain and can tell Daddy about later.  *If you are wondering why on Adam’s interview above, thinks the coolest people on the earth are Adam and Eve, it’s because we learned about them this week!

I have decided to take pictures of each of their workbook pages, rather than physically keep them.  I know they will like looking back at these!

Handwriting

I am using Handwriting Without Tears Preschool program, “Get Set for School” with both kids right now.  Abby has shown an interest in writing much earlier than Adam, so although she’s capable, I don’t have her do any practicing other than what’s in her workbook.

I love that the program is multisensory!  We build letters/numbers with the wood pieces first and then switch off between using a slate with a wet sponge and/or chalk, a magna-doodle type thing, and play-doh to practice.  Someday when I get my act together, I want to have them use shaving cream/pudding/salt, etc. to practice.

Then they do the workbook page.  I chose to start with numbers so that Adam will be able to write numbers for his math lessons.

I then have Adam practice a few lines of what he learned that day.

These are the pages he did this week:
We decided that 8 was too hard since he hasn’t’ learned the letter S yet.

Abby can choose to do whatever if I’m still working with Adam.  This day she chose to play with Boggle Jr. and build words.

Aaannd…..Caleb made a mess.

 

Science

We are using a book called My Body! published by Teacher Created Resources.  We all love it!  I read a blurb about a body part, they color that part according to the directions given,, we cut it out, and then paste it up on the outline of their body.  So fun and easy!  I am also adding in a second day during the week where we do an activity or experiment that goes along with that particular body part.  First up, the BRAIN!

I neglected to take a picture of them working on their brains or of their body outlines….but it’ll be in the next issue when we cover the heart.

Brain Nomenclature Cards
They loved this!

 

We made a Jell-O brain!

Zombie Adam – “I eat brains!!”

Abby refused to touch it.

Adam and Caleb both loved it!

 

Reading

We are continuing with All About Reading Level 1 and Adam is now halfway through.  I really love this program!  After I get the other kids down for naps, Adam and I spend about 15 minutes together working on his lessons.

In addition to All About Reading, he reads various readers to me or Daddy.  This was his first one and I was so excited to see how well he did!  What a wonderful thing it is to see a child learn to read and have the amazing world of books open up to them!

 

Random Things

Play-doh Number Mats

 

In this moment, I had my first, “Wow, this is a great life and it’s because we’re all here at home together!”  I couldn’t imagine it any other way!

That was our first week!  We survived!!  In addition to school, Adam has soccer, Abby has dance, they are both still in swimming lessons through the end of September, and we make time to get together with friends to play.  It makes the days feel crazy with snippets of school intermixed with other aspects of life.  I suppose that’s how it will be with a toddler, meals, lessons, activities, and the regular rhythm of life!