Today we started Spring Break early because Hodgepodgedad took the day off! So this weekly wrap is posted a bit early too. We are enjoying our Friday!
This was our first week back into the regularly scheduled programming after Homeschool Expo projects. Those are the ribbons from the science fair! Seventh grader (3rd place), sixth grader (special science award) and third grader (honorable mention). The highlights from the expo, science fair and talent show are here.
Isn’t it always hard to get back into a routine after a break of any kind? Even if that break was for more intense work on science and history projects. We had some bumps this week. I found myself, as I often do, being overwhelmed with the needs of the age range – 3 to 13. (Uh – from potty training and mud stomping to teenage drama requiring lots of homemade fudge). So this time, rather than by subject, I’ll break up this weekly wrap into age groups. Bear with me, because many subjects and activities overlap and several we do together.
Preschoolers:
- Paint with water
- Strawberry Shortcake computer game – math skills!
- Answers for Preschoolers this week gave five-year-old plenty of practice in writing her name, counting, matching but also talking about Stop, Drop and Roll (above).
- Five-year-old is also standing on the step in the family room and practicing This Little Light of Mine in prep for Spring Sing at church in a few short weeks.
- Three-year-old? Just give him some mud. Which we had plenty of since it’s been raining for a week.
Elementary: a new piano hymn book, Saxon 3rd grade Math (she’s so very much wanting Teaching Textbooks like the big kids), Bible study, Tapestry literature readings, Tapestry learning links (Mcdonald’s ‘travel through time with us’ 🙂 ) All those trophies above? See Our Hymn Study.
- Living Math! Blokus!
Writing – Blog Post – Puddin’ Pies
Elementary/Middle: Rod and Staff English and Grammar. Here‘s a post on why we all love this curriculum.
Middle Schoolers: Teaching Textbooks 6th, 7th grades, Tapestry literature readings.
- We watched Is America A Christian Nation? featuring David Barton of Wall Builders. It’s an In Touch Ministries DVD I borrowed from a friend. Wow – what I learned! What they didn’t teach us in school.
Sixth grader posted about our Nesting Nuthatches in My Backyard.
Two oldest girls: Drama Troupe – blocking for Alice in Wonderland.
Everyone: Family reading of Amon’s Adventure. (For those of you reading, there are map resources available on the Jotham’s Journey website). We started our new science unit study, Answers in Genesis’ God’s Design for Science: Our Weather and Water, figuring it would be great for spring time. We read the lessons during and/or right after lunch while everyone was still around the table.
Health: All the children suffered from snoggy noses this week in some form or fashion. Allergies or a cold.
(Sixth grader’s pastel picture above.) Nana taught a Pastel Lesson – At the Beach …
We participated in Sketch Tuesday: Something you put in a fruit salad. (Third grader’s sketch above). Both art activities took 15 minutes or less.
Shhh. It’s Quiet Time – We took advantage of a Vision Forum sale and purchased this set of Classical CDs: The Christian Student’s Introduction to the Masters of Classical Music. Everyone took a CD of their choice to their quiet time spot and listened. Aaaaah. I put my feet up and enjoyed the quiet!
We are in the home stretch of our school year! Standardized testing will take place in late April for our 3rd and 6th graders. They will both test at home with the CAT I’ve ordered via Family Learning Organization.
So, to start off spring break, I was inspired by See Jamie Blog. I’ve made a spring break wish list! Helps that I’m already a list lover.
- a field trip – we have an idea. Hope the rain holds off.
- a visit to Mama Ann’s.
- Begin our nature study with NaturExplorer’s Easter Study as well as spend an Outdoor Hour.
- Use gift cards from Christmas!
- Flylady spring cleaning – purge outgrown clothes, assess what we need for Easter clothing.
- Teacher Gifts for end of the year.
- Fix up the backyard playhouse after winter neglect.
- Plan, clean out, start on garden and other yard care.
- Put together our family page for our homeschool group’s yearbook.
- Stay up late to watch movies (maybe I’ll finally get to watch Secretariat?) and maybe sleep in late?
How about you? Are you taking spring break?
A lovely week, as always! We are fighting colds too, which has made for some crankiness. Have a wonderful spring break…and don’t work too hard!
Sounds like a full week. Your little guy looks so clean for a preschooler playing in mud!
Janet W
Janet – this play session led to bath time 🙂
oh i can’t wait to start our tapestry next fall, did you come up with all those extras yourself, or do you work with the TOG ideas? did you find the expo stuff with a coop you do or did you just get together with other HS folks? your 3yr old looks to enjoy the mud, i didn’t let mine out in our today, bad mom. you are much cooler!!
What a great blog post! I love those classical cd’s. How do you like Tapestry? I’ve thought about using for a few years, but it seems daunting and overwhelming and I’ve refrained from purchasing it.
Found your blog through Weekly Wrap-Up and am excited to read more of your posts! Blessings!
Kay and Jenni – I absolutely love Tapestry. It’s a wonderful fit for our family with the age range. Our 8yo is very much a hands on learner. She loves the arts and activities Tapestry offers. Also all the living books in the literature. Kay, it is all ideas from the Tapestry curriculum. The McDonalds link is directly from their History supporting links on their website.
The Homeschool Expo is an annual event through our homeschool group. It’s a wonderful goal to work towards with projects. And it’s a blessing to see what other families are doing as well.
Jenni – TOG can seem very much daunting. We spread our first year out over two years and took it slow. It is a smorgasbord of learning. I’ve learned to pick and choose what fits us and not try to do it all. Now, I am seeing the fruits of our early years with TOG. My two middle schoolers can work independently quiet often. They are learning researching and writing skills.
If you two are southerners – I’ll be hostessing the Tapestry booth at GHEA on May 6-7. Stop by. And feel free to email me with any TOG questions. Just click that little email button at the top right. I’ve also learned so much from Barb-Harmony Art Mom at http://harmonyartmom.blogspot.com/ who has used TOG with her family longer than I have and now has high schoolers.
More than one age group is really hard! I’m learning — slowly, it seems, But we’ll get there!
And now I’m popping over to Vision Forum to check out that classical music!
Love the title! I remember making lots of homemade fudge when I was a teenager…I must have had a lot of drama!
=)
What a busy week. I can understand the age range thing. We have 3 to almost 11. Some activities overlap and others do not. It’s a struggle most days. It looks like you are doing a wonderful job!! I think I am going to order that Strawberry shortcake program for our girls. They will love that!
New follower here, can’t wait to read more of your blog. Lots of great ideas. Check out our mayheim sometime. http://www.krazykuehnerdays.com
Renita