Tuesday, June 19th

Bible



Read Aloud: Twice Freed - 2 ch. in am/ 2 ch. in pm and Mountain Born to Annalise



Math: workbook pages today - boys in Mammoth Math and Annalise in Miquon's orange book.



Reading on own - I finally conceeded and allowed the 3 younger ones to enter the library's reading program mainly because I was hoping to motivate the boys. Annalise, who hardly needed motivating, has read 8 books today.



Science: Kezzi, Hope and Luke finished listening to the Tracking CD in the Kamana program and made a journal page on mammals. Abel colored his nature journal page from last week.

Kezzi worked on her Ronald Reagan paper after finishing When Character Was King

We all played Apples to Apples by candlelight after the power was knocked out by a storm.

Monday, June 18th

Bible

History: Augustus Caesar's World - pgs. 50 - 65

Math: Fraction Jugglers games with boys, Kezzi took a Geometry test

Annalise and I played with Dominoes and did some double-digit addition problems with carrying on the white board. I also gave Abel a multiple-digit multiplication problem on the white board for review.

Reading on own

Read Alouds: Mountain Born to Annalise

Friday, June 15, 2007

Well, we are back from vacation and I'm abadoning the Experiment with a sort of unschooling approach. It was great at first and then degenerated into not much worthy activity. So I'm just going to take it one day at a time.



Today the boys had an interesting activity outside of "school". Luke was mowing and saw a large snakeskin by a hole. He dug out the hole and found eight snake eggs. No sign of the snake. First he put the eggs in a container and then thought they might have a better chance of hatching if he put them back in the hole. I think he has attempted to cover it somehow so he can check it everyday and prevent the babies from escaping. How's that for some hands-on science?



Here are the rest of our more traditionally academic activites:



Bible



Read Alouds: Augustus Caesar's World pgs. 35 - 49 and Kezzi read us a poem



Reading: everyone on their own



Math: Fraction Jugglers game with boys, I read Fraction Action to Annalise and she played with our fraction board puzzle. I am so excited about this approach with Annalise. I am amazed at how much she has already learned about fractions. The girls worked on their Teaching Textbook programs.



Science: Kezzi, Hope and Luke listened to the Tracking CD from the Kamana program. Abel and Annalise went out in search of a wildflower to draw in their Nature Journals and they came home and sketched out their pictures.

Monday, June 4

Bible



Read Aloud: Twice Freed - 2 ch.



Math: Fraction Jugglers games with boys, Teaching Textbooks - girls, Noble Knights of Knowledge with Annalise



History/Writing/Art: ABC Book of Rome - boys and I read Augustus Caesar's World to Hope and the boys



Reading

Friday, June 1

Bible

Finished Gone Away Lake

Math: girls - Teaching Textbooks; boys - Number Jugglers Equation Game

Science: Kamana

Reading on own

Fairy Chronicles to Annalise

Thursday, May 31

Bible

Gone Away Lake- 1 ch.

Poems by Carl Sandburg

Math: 1 ch. of The Number Devil with the boys, Hope worked on Algebra

Looked at new field guide Scats and Tracks

Played tennis

Wednesday, May 30

Read and discussed a Bible verse


Gone Away Lake - ch. 12


Nature Journals

I read a chapter of The Fairy Chronicles to Annalise

Everyone read

Kezzi made cookies with Annalise

Memorial Day Weekend

We traveled to Charlotte and listened to some of The Tale of Troy on the way there and some of Peter and the Starcatchers on the way back.

Tuesday I had to travel to Atlanta to drop Pris off at the airport so most of that day was lost. The boys did some of their math workbook, practiced their handwriting and read.

Friday, May 25th

bible

Gone Away Lake - 1 ch.

Math workbooks - boys

Augustus Caesar's World with boys and Hope; boys colored their ABC drawing

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Bible



Poem by Carl Sandburg



Read Aloud: Gone Away Lake - 1 ch.

History/Writing/Drawing: boys worked on ABC Book of Rome

Math: Number Juggler game with Annalise

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

bible - everyone on their own

Poetry - started reading Carl Sandburg's poetry and read an introductory short biographical sketch

Read Aloud: Gone Away Lake - 1 ch.

Math: played Number Jugglers games with boys and Annalise

Reading time

Science: Swimming Creatures with boys

Devotional: Master Plan of Evangelism - 1 ch. at lunch

Listened to Tale of Troy on the way to and from the lake.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Heaven for Kids - 1/2 of a chapter

Gone Away Lake - 1/2 of a chapter

(Hope had to leave to go help at the shop so our readings were cut short today.)

ABC Book of Rome - Luke and Abel worked on their ABC books which covers history, art and writing. They mostly use Usborne's The Romans. The assignment is to make a notebook page for each letter of the alphabet including an illustration and some writing about the subject. The girls did this when they were younger and I was amazed at how much they learned. Not only do they learn about 26 topics but they read about others topics while making their choices.

Annalise did a drawing from her Draw Write Now book and wrote some of her own sentences. I read her some of The Fairy Chronicles.

Then we got a surprise phone call from some extended family members who wanted to come visit. We spent the rest of the morning making cookies, tea and other snacks for their visit.

(Kezzi did her Geometry and History, but I'm normally not going to record what the kids do on their own)

Monday, May 21, 2007

I'll try to keep a daily record here of what I'm doing with the kids. Remember this is summer vacation so it won't be near what our normal routine looks like.

Bible

Gone Away Lake - 1 1/2 ch.

Kamana work - Abel has been pretty consistently frustrated with some of the work required for this program so I ordered some of their materials for younger children and plan to do that with him and Annalise. When I went back to the website I read that the program was recommended for 12-13 and up. That explains it. So Kezzi is going to lead the Kamana One program with Hope and Luke and I'll work with Abel and Annalise with the younger materials. I'm looking forward to that and hope to keep it fun and interesting.

We spent the rest of the day preparing for some guests we had for lunch.

Week Two of the Experiment

This past week we have worked a lot, especially outside. We now have 9 chickens and our garden is almost completely in. And the girls had their end-of-the-year dance recital so that took up quite a bit of their time this week. Overall, it was still a good week.

Kezzi is doing very well continuing on with her routine. The rest have been forgetting to write down their activities and they often forget to read unless I remind them. I may not require the writing down of everything and keep some notes of what I see happening. Another thing we are going to adjust this week is getting our required things out of the way in the morning because it's too hard to reign everyone in after lunch. Many times The Cousins are available to play or Dad is wanting boys to help down at the shop or go do errands with him. Luke requested we do our two hours together in the morning so the afternoons are completely free and I think I'm going to try that.

-

We played some fun math games last week - Smath (which Luke was surprisingly good at) and a card game from Number Jugglers. I also read some of our MathStart readers to Annalise. I'm getting a lot of inspiration from lurking on the Living Math email group and I've got quite a few books from the Living Math website on hold at the library. I ordered Noble Knights of Knowledge this week and we can't wait to get it. I think Annalise is really going to benefit from this more relaxed approach. I'm going to use more games and "living books" with her and hold off on requiring too much in the way of a formal text. I do have quite a few workbooks (Miquon, Math U See and some Singapore) for her to use when she wants to. I've really been enjoying having FUN with math.
-

We have almost finished up our Ancient Greek studies and we are heading into Rome. We hope to read Augustus Caesar's World this summer. I'm planning on having Hope and the boys make an ABC Book of Rome. We only have one day of our Kamana daily exercises left and then we are going to focus on finishing the Resource Trail section, which looks mostly like making notebook pages on different things. We are still plugging away at It Happened in America. Last week we did Massachusetts and I'm supposed to make a Boston Creme Pie from our fifty states cookbook next.

-

Current Read Alouds: The boys and Annalise are in the middle of listening to The Tale of Troy on audio and also Kidnapped. I was reading Kidnapped aloud - and hating it - so I switched to an audio book of that too. I finished D'Aulaire's George Washington to Annalise and as she is always twisting my arm for fairy tales, I started The Wonder Clock with her and the boys listened in. Dad is reading The Swamp Robber (Sugar Creek Gang) to the boys before bed. I'm also still working through Education of Little Tree and we just started Heaven For Kids by Randy Alcorn. Plus our family read aloud of The Master Plan of Evangelism.

Results of The Experiment

I really enjoyed the home atmosphere this week and I think this plan may work for our summer. It was very relaxed and fun and seemed to be an atmosphere that encouraged creativity. Every day everyone was up on time and getting started with the routine without any prodding from me. The days seemed to flow more naturally instead of a drastic division between school and play.

-

I liked that I had some time every day to direct their attention on what I wanted them to do and that they seemed very alert and cooperative because they had so much freedom the rest of the day. Past summers without any structure led to a lot of boredom, wasted time and bickering. Other summers, when we plodded along with the same schedule, left us longing for some variety and freedom. I love change so this is nice for me too. The only drawback was getting some of them to write down their activities. We'll have to work on that as a habit.

-

There were so many different things going on that I won't list them all here but here's a sampling:

-

The Boys

lots of state maps colored and state flag stickers applied

reading

lawn mowed

making paper puppets and entertaining Annalise and younger cousins

listened to books on tape

a little math and dictation

nature observations

housework

various read alouds

lots of play with fishertechnic building set

lots of play with younger children

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The Girls

journal writing

writing songs and poems

creating a thank you card

lots of outdoor nature study

music practice

reading - history and literature

various read alouds

housework

drawing

singing

(Kezzi did 5 math lessons in her geometry book)

-

I think I will give this another week. I have made a short list of things I want to do with them next week. I'll report in at the end of next week.

An Experiment

This week I decided to do an experiment. Sort of Unschooling. I am going to have two hours of the day when I direct their activity and the rest of the day they will have plenty of time to be on their own choosing what they do. There are a few stipulations. They must read and write something and they must record everything they do in a spiral notebook.

I posted a list of ideas on the refrigerator. I brought home several goodies from the homeschool convention. For the boys I got comic books, a couple of books about Runt the Brave, a packet of state maps with the state flowers and birds and a couple of packs of state flag stickers (the boys are really into maps), a cut-out medieval castle, The Field and Forest Handybook with instructions for a bridge over a creek that Luke has been interested in making. A nature book, a soft dolly with clothes in a purse-like case, and a US state coloring book for Annalise. I also got a state bird and flower coloring book for Hope. Kezzi bought her own stack of books while we were there.

I'm going to attempt what is sometimes called "strewing" in unschooling circles, which is leaving interesting things to do lying around. I'm going to get down that cool puzzle on the Revolution that I've been saving until we formally study that time period. Why wait when they have been begging for it? If this works, I will be watching for areas of interest and try to provide materials that they need and looking for creative fun ways to introduce other things too. I'll still have my 2 hours a day to read aloud or require other kinds of work.

So far this morning I am happy with what I see the boys doing. They have each already read their comic book and have plans to trade and read each other's. They are currently happily engaged with their state maps at the table. The bird field guides are out and the colored pencils. So far, so good.

Because this will be too much to keep track of here, I'll be taking a break this week on this blog. I'll evaluate their records at the end of the week and see if this is a routine that will work for us this summer.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Bible

US Geography: It Happened in America - Maryland

Current Events with Good Morning America while eating breakfast

Science: Kamana daily exercises

Math - boys only

Reading: Hope - Fallacy Detective, boys as usual

Busy day - Annalise has to be at a tea party at 11:00 and Kezzi is going with her. Priscilla, Candace and Annalise have to be at a neighbor's at 1:00 to get some pictures taken for the fourth book in Grandmother's Hope Chest series. Then as soon as they are done Pris, Kezzi and I are leaving for a trip to Missouri. We will be at the SHEM curriculum fair in Springfield, MO, where Pris will have a table selling her books and the accompanying kits.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Bible

Classic: Kidnapped - 1 ch.

Math

Reading: Kezzi - Sophie's World, Hope - Shadow Spinner, Luke and Abel - same as last week, Annalise - Beginner's Bible

I read Annalise a story from James Herriot's Treasury for Children (she always begs for this)

Copywork for all

History: boys and Annalise listen to side 5 of D'Aulaire's Greek Myths book, Hope - Ancient Romans, Kezzi - Carson's Basic History of US

Science: Outside observation time

Luke and I spent considerable time supervising the chickens free range time so we could see how the dogs are going to react. We also planted about a dozen tomato plants.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Bible

US Geography: It Happened in America - Maine

Math: short math time today

Poetry/Music/Writing: drew names and copied and illustrated a poem for the person whose name we drew, listened to Mozart and had tea with lunch. Luke drew my name and copied When Mother Reads Aloud . This is from the boy who hated to have to listen to ANYTHING when he was younger, and even now rarely expresses any excitement over books.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

We watched the news and read some blogs about the Virginia Tech shootings and discussed current events and cultural issues, one issue being the duty of men and bravery.

Kidnapped- 2 ch. (which tied in perfectly with our previous discussion!)

Math

Reading: Kezzi - Elements of Style & Ourselves, Hope - Daughter of the Land, Luke and Abel - same; Annalise read a picture book

Science: Kamana day 7 morning session

Read Aloud during lunch: Education of Little Tree - 1 ch.

Art: Luke and Abel - lesson from Feed My Sheep

Priscilla read to Annalise - All of a Kind Family

Before bed Luke, Abel and Annalise listened to side 4 of D'Aulaire's Greek Myths.

The girls all went to a presentation at a local college about a battle that took place in our town.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

No books today for the boys and Annalise. We spent the day getting some chickens and finishing their pen. By the evening we had 3 eggs!

Kezzi and Hope did some work in the morning while we were gone.

Kezzi - Math and Reading with Learning Log; Hope - Biology and Reading with Learning Log.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Bible

Math

Writing: copywork for boys and Annalise, Learning Logs for Kezzi and Hope

Reading: Hope - Fallacy Detective, Luke - Ginger Pye, Abel - Charlie and Chocolate Factory, Annalise - Beginner's Bible

Historical Fiction: D'Aulaire's Greek Myths audio

We spent a good part of the day cooking for a women's gathering at church tonight.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Bible

Classic: Kidnapped - 1 ch.

Math - except Hope who worked on her Biology text instead

Typing for boys

Reading: Kezzi - Sophie's World, Hope - Shadow Spinner, Luke and Abel - same as last week

History/Writing: ch. 22 SOTW with boys and they listed the differences between Sparta and Athens; Kezzi - Never Give In, Hope - Ancient Romans; the girls wrote in their Learning Logs

Science: Kamana studies - poisonous spiders journal page AND sack lunch outside at secret spots

Dad read The Swamp Robber to the boys.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Church History: Trial and Truimph (switching to this from Saints & Heroes)

Music: finished Mozart the Wonder Boy and listened to Mozart music during breakfast

Reading: Kezzi - ABC's of Human Body, Hope - Screwtape Letters , Luke and Abel continue with their books

Typing and cursive practice for boys

Grammar workbook page with Luke

Math: Kezzi - Geometry

History: ch. 21 of SOTW with boys and Annalise and they listened to audio book of Greek Myths in the car; Kezzi read a little of Never Give In

Science: Day 6 of Kamana and outside secret spot observation time

Extra Freetime activity: the boys asked me for extra binders this morning in order to have a place to keep all of the maps they are making.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Bible: the dedication of the temple

US Geography: It Happened in America - Louisiana. Every day when we do this we review previous states and capitols.

Math - Annalise did some in MUS Alpha, Abel has been working in Miquon's Yellow Book, Luke has been skimming through MUS Delta, with lots of skipping pages when he's got a concept. Kezzi and Hope are still doing great with their Teaching Textbook programs.

Typing with Typing Instructor(boys)

Reading: Kezzi - Ourselves & Elements of Style, Hope - Daughter of the Land < both enter something in their Learning Log, Luke - Ginger Pye, Abel - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annalise - The Beginner's Bible

History: D'Aulaire's Greek Myths audio with boys and Annalise, they look at the pictures in the paperback copy while listening; Kezzi - Never Give In; Hope - Ancient Romans

Science/Writing: Kamana studies - time at secret spots then they came in and divided their notebook page into 4 columns - sight, sound, smell and touch - and recorded things they observed in those columns.

Language Arts: Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue and Format Writing

Read Aloud: Education of Little Tree - 1 ch. Quite a bit of the word "damn" in this and the last chapter was all about whiskey making - just to forewarn anyone who might read our daily log and choose some of the same books.

Candace came home and whisked everyone away to the park for a little P.E. playing frisbee.

Film: Hoosiers

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Bible: The Narrated Bible - Solomon's time

Classic: Kidnapped - 2 ch.

Math

Typing (boys)

Reading: Kezzi - Amy Carmichael, Hope - Book of Ancient Romans, Luke - Ginger Pye, Abel - Charlie and Chocolate Factory, Annalise - Beginner's Bible

History: D'Aulaire's Greek Myths audio book - the boys and Annalise, Kezzi - still working through Never Give In (she's going slowly through this but I was thrilled to hear her quote Churchill at my parents' house the other night.)

The girls had dance this afternoon.

Dad read Swamp Robber to the boys at bedtime.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Bible: everyone on own

US Geography: It Happened in America - Kentucky

Math - except Hope who worked on her biology instead

Typing (boys)

Grammar: Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue, Luke - Keys to Good Language

Reading: Kezzi - Microbe Hunters, Hope - Fallacy Detective, Luke finished Mystery at Smoky Mountain and started Ginger Pye, Abel - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annalise - Beginner's Bible (and she finished Greg's Microscope on her own last night).

Kamana: everyone went outside to their secret spot for 1/2 hour and then drew a bird's eye view and journaled about it.

History: SOTW ch. 20 with the boys and Annalise, Kezzi - Never Give In

Monday, April 9, 2007

Bible: more verses on creation for our nature studies

Classic: 2 ch. of Kidnapped

Math

Reading: Kezzi - Sophie's World and Never Give In, Hope - Shadow Spinner, Luke - Mystery at Smoky Mountain, Abel - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annalise - Beginner's Bible

Art: Picture Study with Annalise in Come Look With Me and she drew a picture from Draw Write Now.

Language Arts: Hope and boys - LLATL, Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue and Format Writing

Read Aloud: Education of Little Tree - 1 ch.

Kamana Studies: did the morning exercise and discussed how our studies were going

Read Aloud: finished Mr. Popper's Penguins with Annalise

Friday, April 6, 2007

Bible

Classic: Kidnapped - 2 ch. We are all enjoying this.

Picture Study: Brugel's Peasant Wedding.

Language Arts: Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue and Format Writing, Hope and boys - LLATL and Luke did a page in Keys to Good Language, Annalise copied a sentence from Keep the Lights Burning Abbie.

Reading: Kezzi - ABC's of the Human Body, Hope - Screwtape Letters and both girls used their Learning Logs, Luke - nearing the end of Mystery on Smoky Mountain, and Abel - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (and really enjoying it!), Annalise read some from Riding the Pony Express.

Nature Read Aloud - Education of Little Tree - 2 ch.

History: SOTW ch. 19 with the boys, Hope read her chapter in Ancient Rome book and we worked on our timelines; Kezzi read Never Give In

I worked on putting together grade-level reading lists for the boys and I'm happy to see that it looks like both of them are finally reading at grade level. Yeah!

Movie afternoon: Jump In

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Bible

Classic: Kidnapped - 2ch.

Math

Grammar: Kezzi did Our Mother Tongue and Format Writing, Luke did a page in his grammar workbook

Science/Writing: Kamana Studies - we did the day's awareness exercises, journaled, and worked on the resource trail section about poisonous spiders.

Reading: Kezzi -Elements of Style and Oursleves , Hope - Daughter of the Land, Luke and Abel contine on..., Annalise read Keep the Lights Burning Abbie and a chapter from Riding the Pony Express.

History - SOTW ch. 18 with the boys and we started listening to the audio of Tale of Troy. Kezzi is still reading Never Give In and asking for Churchill's autobiography and the movie on his life.

Dad took us all out to dinner and we brought Eragon home and watched that together.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Bible

Math

**another chiropractor visit interrupted the morning

History: Kezzi read Never Give In, Hope read chapter 14 from Ancient Romans book, and I read ch. 18 of SOTW to the boys (beginning Ancient Greece)

Science/Writing: Kamana daily exercies

Dad read The Swamp Robbers (Sugarcreek Gang series) to the boys

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Bible

Classic: Finished Through the Looking Glass (Thankfully, it's over)

**Kezzi had an extended trip to the chiropractor and missed school except for her Kamana studies.

Math

Science/Writing: last night's Kamana exercise and today's morning exercise and the girls and I listened to tape one of Seeing Through Native Eyes on the way to the lake - it's got so much "one with the earth" kind of stuff in it that I didn't care for the younger kids to listen to it.

Reading: Hope - Fallacy Detective with Learning Log, Luke - Mystery at Smoky Mountain, Abel - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annalise - Greg's Microscope

We went to the lake to enjoy the last warm day for a while. We saw all kinds of LIFE, which was our Kamana assignment today. I identified a wildflower I had never seen before - dwarf blue flag. It was so cute, like one of my irises in miniture. We also saw salamander eggs, a huge toad, a large mouth bass, violets, fire pinks, buttercups, and some small mammal tracks that we couldn't identify right near the edge of the lake.

Bedtime Read Aloud: dad finished The Great Brain with the boys

Monday, April 2, 2007

Bible: We started working through the scriptures from Timothy Keyes Nature Study lecture, which he gave last summer at the CM conference. We will continue to work through these while we are focusing on our Kamana studies this month. I want to turn their attention from thanking the creation and glorifying the Native Americans and focus their thinking on thanking God and seeing His glory and character in His creation.

Classic: Alice in Wonderland - 1/2 chapter

Science: Kamana studies - Day one morning exercise

Math

Language Arts: Kezzi - Format Writing and Our Mother Tongue; Hope - LLATL dictation , Luke - grammar workbook page and copywork from LLATL, Abel - LLATL , Annalise - copied a sentence from Mouse Tales and wrote the title in her reading journal.

Reading: Kezzi - Sophie's World, Hope - Shadow Spinner (both girls wrote in their Learning Logs), Luke - Mystery at Smokey Mountain, Abel - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annalise - finished Mouse Tales

Read Aloud: The Education of Little Tree- 2 ch.

March 30, 2007

Saints and Heroes - ch. 2

Classic: Alice in Wonderland - 1 ch.

Math

Reading: Kezzi - ABC's of Human Body; Hope - Screwtape Letters (both wrote in Learning Logs); Luke - Mystery of Smokey Mountain; Abel finished CFA Mark Twain (YEAH!) and he dictated a written narration to me while I typed it on the computer

History: Hope and boys - ch. 17 in SOTW and we looked up images of the Ishtar gate and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; Kezzi read Never Give In

Historical Fiction: finished God King

March 29, 2007

Bible

Classic: Alice and Wonderland - 1 ch.

Math

History/Writing/Historical Fiction: Hope and boys - ch. 16 of SOTW and written narration; God King- 3 ch.; Kezzi - Never Give In and lesson in Our Mother Tongue.

Reading: Kezzi - Elements of Style & Ourselves, Hope - Daughter of the Land, both wrote in Learning Logs; boys continue with their books

Typing for boys

March 28, 2007

Bible: everyone on their own - boys are reading from Rod & Staff readers (which are all Bible stories) and Annalise read 2 sections out of her Beginner's Bible; Kezzi and Hope read from their regular Bibles and Kezzi looked something up on blueletterbible.org

US Geography: It Happened in America - Kansas and looked up Kansas in our Atlas of America

History: SOTW - ch. 15 with boys and Hope and Annalise; Kezzi read Never Give In; I read a chapter from 50 Famous stories to Annalise and typed out her narration

Language Arts - Hope and boys - LLATL;

Reading: Kezzi - Sophie's World, Hope - Elements of Style & Ourselves, boys continue

Historical Fiction: God King - 2ch.

(I am pausing in Apologia's Swimming Creatures with the boys in lieu of our intense nature study next month with Kamana. We will probably pick it back up in May. We need the rest of this week to get ahead in our history studies, so we'll be doing that every day instead.)

Film: March of the Penguins.

Annalise and I did a lesson in her Right Start math book and played go fish for matches that make 10.

Bedtime Read Alouds: The Great Brain by dad to boys, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi to Annalise

March 27, 2007

Bible

Classic: Through the Looking Glass - 1 ch.

Math

Reading: Kezzi - Amy Carmichael; H - Fallacy Detective; Luke and Abel -same as before

Language Arts: Abel, Luke and Hope - LLATL; Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue and written narration on Winston Churchill; Luke - grammar workbook

Science: Kezzi worked on her Bird Biology

History: Hope & boys: SOTW ch. 13 and we looked at various pictures in the National Geographic magazines, Kingfisher and Usborne books

Historical Fiction: God King - 4 ch.

Luke spent a lot of time studying a book on forts and the American Boys Handibook, looking for ideas for his fort and a bridge he wants to build.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Saturday, Luke and Abel began golfing with their dad, uncle and cousins. Since they are not playing baseball this spring, we joined the golf club down the road. This will be a nice addition to their sports/P.E. resume. And I'm excited that it will give them something healthy to do now and when they are older.

Bible

*Day interrupted by trip to the doctor for Kezzi

US Geography: It Happened in America: Illinois

Math

Writing: Hope - LLATL; boys worked on cursive in their Reason for Writing books

typing for boys

Reading: Hope - Shadow Spinner, Luke and Abel continuing on...

Historical Fiction: God King - 2 ch.

Hope started teaching Annalise sewing

Dad and boys have been working on fencing for some goats. The plan is to work on things around the property every other night, and golf on the alternate evenings.

Bedtime reading: Dad read Great Brain to the boys and I read 1/2 of Riki Tiki Tavi to Annalise.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Saints and Heroes - ch. 1

Math: Hope played Presto-Change-O with the boys; Luke did his MUS page; Kezzi - geometry

Reading: Kezzi-ABC's of Human Body and notes in Learning Log, Hope - Screwtape Letters with notes in Learning Log, boys continue on...

Game: Bible Trivia

Nature Read Aloud: The Education of Little Tree

Science/Writing/Art: Nature Journals

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Bible

Classic: Through the Looking Glass - 1 ch. [Kezzi has taken over reading this aloud because I hate it...]

Math

Science: Kezzi - Bird Biology notebook page, Hope - Biology notebook page, Luke - Nature Reader #5, Abel - My Listening Ears

Language Arts: Abel - copywork and spelling test from LLATL; Luke - written narration and grammar workbook; Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue and learning log ; Hope - learning log

Reading: Kezzi - Shakespeare Stories, Hope - Daughter of the Land, Luke and Abel still continuing on with their same books

Historical Fiction: God King - 4ch., read outside on a blanket

Read to Annalise: 50 Famous Stories Retold, poem from Child's Garden of Verses, and a picture study from Come Look With Me

Hope had a tea party outside with Annalise.

Everyone went to the park and I enjoyed an evening at home alone talking to Candace, who is in Massachusettes, and I finished reading Anne of the Island.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Bible

US Geography: It Happened in America: Indiana

Music Biography: Mozart, The Wonder Boy - 1 section

Language Arts: LLATL, Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue

Typing for boys

Science: boys painted clay walrus and seal for ocean box

Historical Fiction: God King - 4 ch. ; Kezzi - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Reading: Kezzi - Amy Carmichael and Never Give In, Hope - Elements of Style & Ourselves, Luke - Mystery at Smoky Mountain, Abel - Mark Twain

Boys played at the creek and had air-soft gun fights all afternoon. Some of the girls and I went to help our friends organize all of the stuff they have received after the fire.

Bedtime Read Aloud: The Great Brain

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Bible - The Narrated Bible

Classic: Through the Looking Glass - 2 ch.

Math

Typing for boys

History - ch. 12 in Story of the World and a section out of Streams of Civilization about the Middle Kingdom of Egypt; Kezzi read Never Give In

Science: Kezzi read from Bird Biology; the kids found a mole that one of the cats had and they rescued it before it was hurt. They created a habitat in Luke's terrarium for it and it is being kept as a pet. They really enjoyed feeding it some earthworms.

Historical Fiction: God King - 2 ch.

Reading: Kezzi - Microbe Hunters, Hope - Fallacy Detective, Luke - ...Smoky Mountain, Abel - Mark Twain

Writing: Kezzi and Hope started Learning Logs (we read and discussed these in Writer's Inc), boys did copywork of choice

Film: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Monday, March 19, 2007

Well... late start today. Everyone is wiped out from the weekend performances. The girls really need to spend the day resting. Most of the "school" that happened today was with the boys and Annalise. Our goal is early bedtime tonight and start regular schedule tomorrow. We'll probably spend our afternoons helping our friends who had the fire.

Bible

Math

Writing: boys did Freewrite on weekend fun

Reading: Luke - Mystery on Smoky Mountain, Kezzi - Sophie's World, Annalise read Round About and The Itsy Bitsy Spider aloud to me

I read Annalise The Christmas Kitten from James Herriot's Treasury, also a poem

Historical Fiction: started God King - 2 ch.

Abel went to his Contenders for the Faith meeting. Today's topic is birds.

March 12 to March 16, 2007

We are taking off this week for Spring Break in order to help our friends who had the house fire. Also the girls will be spending a lot of time rehearsing for the big dance production this weekend.

So, until next week....

Friday, March 9, 2007

Morning Time: Hymn, prayer and I read a post from the Rebelution site (Understanding Do Hard Things) I had printed off.

Read Aloud: Through the Looking Glass - 2ch.

Math: boys did Pet/Sports store math, Kezzi did geometry

Reading: Luke finished The Missing Video, Abel - Mark Twain, Kezzi - Amy Carmichael, Hope - Screwtape Letters, Annalise - The Beginner's Bible

Science/Writing/Art: Nature Journals and I read aloud a chapter from Audubon's book of True Nature Stories; Luke drew the bones they found on yesterday's walk - Kezzi wrote about it here.

Dad read The Great Brain to the boys and I read Mr. Popper's Penguins to Annalise.

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Bible

Poems

Read Aloud: finished Alice in Wonderland 3 ch. (Through the Looking Glass is next)

Math

Science: everyone their Apologia texts, the boys did the experiment at the end of ch. 3 and filled out a speculation sheet, Luke also made his clay walrus, Kezzi Bird Biology

Language Arts: LLATL, Kezzi - Our Mother Tongue lesson, Annalise copied and illustrated a poem

Reading: boys continue on, Hope read Ourselves, Kezzi read ABC's of Human Body

Historical Fiction: finished Hittite Warrior - 4 ch. today

Watched the last episode on Magic School Bus: Human Body.

The boys and I went to visit some friends this afternoon. When we got back Kezzi, Hope and Luke played around at the creek and explored around the woods.

Bedtime Read Alouds: boys-The Great Brain read by Dad; Annalise - The Best Loved Doll & Crysanthemum, both read by Priscilla

**I actually finished a book, Anne of Avonlea. Started Anne of the Island.

Wednesday, March 7th, 2007

First thing this morning the three younger kids ran out the door to go down to dad's shop to watch the concrete being poured for the new addition.

Today, for some reason, it's easier to record what each person did individually.

BOYS
Science/Writing: Watched Magic School Bus: Human Body - the segment on the bloodstream, Inside Ralphie and For Lunch. Written narration of Magic School Bus' For Lunch and colored and labeled diagram of the digestive system.

Reading/History: ch. 11 of Story of the World

Read Aloud: by Dad - The Great Brain


ALL (except Kezzi)
Historical Fiction: Hittite Warrior - 4ch.

KEZZI
Elements of Style
Geometry
Never Give In (biography of Winston Churchill)
Dance

HOPE
Wild Animals At Home
Journal Writing
Dance

ANNALISE
Reading
Copywork
Math page
Poem memorization
Read Aloud: (by Priscilla) Ordinary Princess and (by Mom) Mr. Popper's Penguins
Helped prepare dinner

Outside Work: Cleaned out another flower bed. We also went to town today and bought some things to start our garden.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Today is Dad's birthday so we are light on school to prepare for his dinner and our company tonight.

Bible

Read Aloud: Alice in Wonderland - just 1 chapter

Math and Typing

Reading: Kezzi started Never Give In, Hope read Fallacy Detective, boys and Annalise continue with their books.

Writing/Art: card making for Dad's birthday

Outside Work: cleaning out flower beds

Luke went down to help at the shop for a while this afternoon. I'm so glad he has the ability to learn to work alongside his dad and uncle. Abel went to big cousin David's for a game of basketball and Annalise got to have her dear friend, Grace, over to play.

We had a little fire on top of the hill tonight, looked at the stars and talked about the constellations.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Bible: On Own

Geography: It Happened in America - Illinois

Math: regular programs, Annalise did her MUS workbook too

Reading: Abel - Mark Twain, Luke - Mystery at Smokey Mountain, Hope-Shadow Spinner, Kezzi - Sophie's World, Annalise - Round About (Alice & Jerry reader)

Writing: LLATL for Hope, Luke and Abel, Kezzi - written narration/book report on So Far From the Bamboo Grove (which was not favorable...boring, badly written, indifference to the characters), Annalise copied a sentence from her Beginner's Bible

History: a chapter from 50 Famous Stories Retold to Annalise, Hope and I read ch. 4 in Rushdoony's World History. I didn't get to SOTW today with the boys :(.

Historical Fiction: Hittite Warrior- 2 ch.

I took Abel and Annalise to our library so Abel could begin participating in a Contenders for the Faith group. Today they learned about tools and spent time hammering nails, which Abel knew plenty about from time with Dad but I thought he might still enjoy the time with other boys. We'll see. Annalise got to spend some time with one of her little friends. Annalise read a story to her in the cozy children's room.

Our Kamana I came in the mail today and I started looking through that. It looked pretty good except, of course, I'll have to change the native american emphasis, ie. thanking the earth, to thanking God. Can't wait to start that.

Annalise and I went for a walk this evening. We are really looking forward to next week when we will have an hour more of evening daylight!

Friday, March 2, 2007

Hymn- Fairest Lord Jesus

Devotional reading: ch from Boyhood and Beyond

Reading: Kezzi - Amy Carmichael, Hope - Screwtape Letters, boys continue on with their books
(Kezzi also finished So Far From the Bamboo Grove)

Boys listened to Homer Price while cleaning their rooms

Math: Kezzi - Geometry, boys work on their Pet/Sports Store Maths.

Read Aloud: Shakespeare story - 12th night (last half). We ordered a Twelfth Night movie from netflix.

Finally changed the Latin/Greek root, which hangs on the refrigerator. The new root is thesis.

Science/Art/Writing: Nature Journaling- some of the subjects were bluebirds, wild onions, chickweed, some kind of speedwell flower, some kind of left-over yellowish berry-like fruit that grows on a thorny vine.

Make up read aloud: 2 ch. of Alice in Wonderland to Luke who missed it yesterday

Thursday, March 1, 2007

*Now Luke was sick last night and didn't do much today except for reading

Bible - on own

Read Aloud: Alice in Wonderland

Math

Writing: girls copy poems into poetry anthologies, Abel made another notebook page from chapter 3 of Swimming Creatures (walrus)

Science: Kezzi - Bird Biology, Hope-Biology, Abel - read chapter from My Listening Ears and made clay creature for ocean box

Reading: Kezzi - ABC's of Human Body, Hope - Ourselves and Elements of Style, Luke - The Missing Video, Abel - Mark Twain

Aunt Lori and I got roped into a few rounds of Whoonu with Abel and cousin Paul this evening.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Bible

Geography: It Happened in America (Idaho)

Music: Mozart biography

Language Arts: LLATL, Kezzi did a lesson in Our Mother Tongue

History: the boys and I read ch. 10 in SOTW, Hope and I listened to one of Rushdoony's taped lectures, Kezzi read her history book

Historical Fiction: 3 ch. of Hittite Warrior

Reading: boys still working on Mark Twain/The Missing Video, Hope read Wild Animals At Home, Kezzi read Elements of Style

Annalise was sick - again...we laid on the hammock to try to soak up the nice weather before the rain sets in tomorrow. I read her a couple of chapters of Mr. Popper's Penguins. Then she heard a bird song that she thought sounded like "tink-er'-toy, tink-er'-toy" and asked me what it was. I dragged my laptop outside and though I've searched high and low on different bird sound sites, I can not find what makes that sound. As usual, she started feeling well in the evening and brought me the Beginner's Bible to read aloud to me.

Mr.Potts read from The Great Brain to the boys before bed again.

Tuesday, Februrary 27, 2007

*Kezzi and Pris still recovering

Bible - everyone on own

Read Aloud: Alice in Wonderland, 2 ch.

Math: regular

Science/Writing/Art: finished chapter 3 in Swimming Creatures with boys, they made a page for their science notebooks using a drawing book on Sea Creatures, Annalise also drew a seal using a Draw Write Now book; Hope read her Biology book and worked in her LLATL book

Reading: boys continue with books, Hope reads Fallacy Detective

Historical Fiction: Hittite Warrior- 3 ch.

Annalise also worked on copywork and poem memorization. We looked at the first picture in our Come Look With Me (Animals in Art) book, and she did a page in her Math U See Alpha book.

This evening my brother and his family came to my sister's house, where we all hung out together. He played his banjo and his guitar for us and then the kids sang some songs for him. We had a fun evening of music and fellowship.

Monday, Februrary 26, 2007

*Kezzi and Pris are sick so they are just lying around today

Bible

Geography: It Happened in America - chapter on Hawaii, also we looked at the Hawaii pages in Atlas of America

Math - regular

Typing - both boys practiced their lessons

History - I bought each of the boys their own copy of SOTW volume 1 and we sat together today and read ch. 9 reading group style, each one taking turns reading aloud. I was surprised that the boys were so cooperative about it, even excited somewhat. Hope read another chapter in the Rushdoony book and now she is ready to listen to the first lecture.

Language Arts - Hope and the boys continued with LLATL. I am really surprised at how good this is going. No complaints or moans. (Well, Hope never complains.) The boys came cheerfully to their lessons.

Historical Fiction: I read 3 ch. aloud from Hittite Warrior

Art: The boys and Annalise more creating clay figures with the polymer clay

Reading: the boys read from their books, Hope read from Elements of Style and Ourselves

Annalise didn't want to "do school" today. At six years old, she can still opt out, especially since she is already reading well, able to do her math work easily and gets read to all of the time. Instead today, she went next door to visit Grandma and Grandpa, who just returned from a two-week long trip and then played outside with her cousins. She did end up reading to me while waiting for dinner to come out of the oven.

Dad read aloud The Great Brain to the boys before bed.

The sick girls, Hope and I watched Children of Heaven this afternoon. And then to console the sick again late that night, Napoleon Dynamite was played while the girls laid around recovering. It seems like Napoleon would be the last thing you would like to watch when you are already sick.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Bible: Listened to Hymn Fairest Lord Jesus, read a Psalm

2 ch. in Alice in Wonderland (this one is prompting lots of giggles)

Reading: Kezzi started a biography of Amy Carmichael, Hope read Daughter of the Land and the boys are still working on their books. Abel was noting the hardships of Mark Twain's early life. A good result of reading about the lives of others is sometimes realizing how good you have it...

Science/Art/Writing: Nature Journaling - we chose a tree to study through the seasons and today they went outside, sketched the bare tree, wrote down their observations and painted a twig in their journals.

Girls had dance again. The boys ran wild outside while Candace and I did some house cleaning and got the house ready for our guests Saturday night (with whom we had a blast with, btw).

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Bible: everyone on own

Classic Read Aloud: started Alice in Wonderland

Math: all as usual

Typing practice for boys

Science: Kezzi - Bird Biology, Hope - worked on Biology notebook page, Luke - Nature Reader #5 (ch. on blood)and narrated to me, Abel read some of ch. 1 (bones) of My Listening Ears out loud to me and I read the rest to him and he also spent some time looking at our Magic Schoolbus Explores the Senses.

Language Arts: Hope and boys -LLATL, Kezzi wrote a narration of what she learned from her Health book

Historical Fiction read aloud: Hittite Warrior

Reading - boys continued on with their books, Kezzi finished How the Heather Looks, Hope read Screwtape Letters

We spent a good part of the afternoon on various cleaning jobs, many of which were outside.

Mr. Potts and I played Whoonu with the boys in the evening. Then the boys played Name That State with Mr. Potts.

The girls went to see The Bridge to Terbithia. Priscilla came home and read to Annalise, who was so tired of being in her bed for the last two days.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Bible: started Psalms today

Geography: Read a section out of It Happened in America (Georgia)

Reading: Everyone read for a while...Hope chose a nature book to read today: Wild Animals At Home and the boys continued on with their books...Kezzi finished her health book

Music: We read a couple of chapters in a biography about Mozart and listened to some of his music

Language Arts: Hope and the boys worked in the LLATL books. Hope is beginning the gray book, Luke the tan book, and Abel the purple book - all old editions. Kezzi did dictation from Spelling Wisdom.

History: Hope read a chapter out of the Rushdoony text on Ancient Egypt. Luke and Abel read chapter 8 from SOTW v.1

Annalise has a stomach bug so she was down for the morning but by afternoon was feeling a little better. She enjoyed looking at one of our bird field guides and I am amazed at how effortlessly she has learned the names of so many birds, mostly because we have an extremely active bird feeder. I read her a story from James Herriot's Treasury. We also worked on an easy poem she is supposed to memorize.

Abel spent some time working with his polymer clay.

Luke had fun looking at things under the microscope that I set up on the desk in the corner of the dining area. He was especially facinated by the slide of blood. I knew if I made this more available, it would get used more (especially by Luke).

The girls had dance this afternoon. It's almost 70 degrees outside so the boys spent the entire afternoon outdoors enjoying the weather.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

I'm realizing that there are quite a few things that happen throughout the week that I forget to record and the kids do things on their own and often I don't even know about it. For example, both Kezzi and Hope do a lot of extra reading and journaling and some blogging. But at least this is giving me a look at our official "school" type activities.

Also, I've been trying to find a balance between doing things together, where I mostly do the reading aloud, versus the kids doing their own reading. These last couple of weeks it's been too heavy on me reading aloud too much. By the end of the morning, I'm usually too tired to do much with Annalise and even though Priscilla is reading with her every morning, I still want to be available to do things with her too. This week we are making some adjustments and the kids are going to do more of their own reading. This will be especially good for the boys, who need a lot more practice reading their own books.


Bible - everyone read from their own Bibles today; the boys used their Rod and Staff readers and Annalise used her Beginners Bible. We are thinking of switching on and off every other day, one day reading together, the next on our own. Everyone likes both ways so we thought maybe this would give us the best of both worlds.

Read Aloud - another chapter of Swallowdale,which the boys and I are bored to death with. We are quitting it and thinking of starting Alice and Wonderland tomorrow.

Math - everyone as usual. Annalise did a page in her Miquon orange book.

Science - Hope worked on a notebook page, the boys and I read Swimming Creatures together

Writing/Grammar - Great Editing Adventure with the boys, Hope worked in Learning Language Arts Through Literature's gray book (old version) and Kezzi worked in Our Mother Tongue

Reading: Abel and Luke continued on with their books, Hope read Fallacy Detective, Kezzi- Mircrobe Hunters

Historical Fiction - Hittite Warrior, Kezzi read So Far From the Bamboo Grove again today

This evening we went to a play that our cousin's cousin wrote and starred in. The kid's cousin, Joshua was also in it. It was put on by all of the kids in our former church. It was real cute and funny. We all enjoyed ourselves.

Monday, February 19, 2007

The Weekend:

We finished The Golden Goblet.

Personal Reading: This weekend I made progress in Anne of Avonlea, read a chapter of What is a Family, and started rereading Moon Journals, which I am determined to try with the kids this spring some time. I also read about 2/3 of chapter 2 of How to Read Slowly. Driving to church yesterday and around town I was able to listen to most of tape 1 in the audio book Digging To America (recommended by Granny).

Today:

Bible - finished 2 Samuel

Poem

Read Aloud: 1 ch. of Swallowdale

Picture Study: Landscape in The Parable of the Sower by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Math: MUS for boys and Teaching Textbooks for girls

Reading: Abel - Mark Twain, Luke - The Missing Video, Hope - Shadow Spinner , Kezzi - Sophie's World

Writing: copied poems

History: SOTW ch. 6a and 7 and started read aloud - Hittite Warrior, looked at map in Streams of Civilization of the Hittite empire in relation to Israel, Egypt, and Sumer; Kezzi - So Far From the Bamboo Grove

Science: Boys- Painted their clay whales for the ocean box, Girls worked on their science texts

Friday, February 16, 2007

(I'm down today with a mean cold, so not much school was done today.)

Bible

Poem

Read Aloud: Swallowdale

Math - regular math

Writing: Freewrite on Ancient Egypt; Kezzzi wrote about Hiroshima; Annalise copied her name, address and phone number

History: Egypt notebook page; Kezzi finished Hiroshima - yeah!

Music: listened to Mozart while doing notebook pages

Girls go to dance this afternoon.

My personal reading: last night I skimmed through Anne of Green Gables to find once again, that it is virtually word for word the same as the movie so I moved on to Anne of Avonlea. I have never read the Anne series mostly because I did not enjoy reading what I had already heard and seen. I'm not one of those who usually enjoys rereading anything. I also read the first chapter of How to Read Slowly but I should find a book called Finish What You Start. Maybe if I also use this blog to record my personal reading I will be inspired to reach higher and possibly finish something. I've been in a terrible rut lately of reading a little here and a little there of a variety of things, but never really reading through anything. There are about ten books on my nightstand right now and many of them have been started....

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Kezzi and Hope stayed home, while I took Candace and Priscilla to the airport this morning. The boys and I spent the rest of the morning browsing in a couple of used book stores and the library. The boys love one bookstore in particular because in addition to lots of great books they have cats roaming around. We didn't do any school today but we did listen to some of Homer Price on the way home and they spent some time reading their books.

At home the girls worked on math, science and reading and did some painting.

I read the first story in James Herriot's Treasury for Children to Annalise. She finished her reading of Day In and Day Out (an old Alice and Jerry reader).

Wednesday, Februrary 14, 2007

Bible

Poem

Read Aloud: started Swallowdale, the second of the Swallows and Amazons series

Math: regular programs for everyone

Reading: everyone reads book of choice

Science: (and writing) boys make notebook page on whale movements, Hope reads some of her biology book and Kezzi read some bird biology and worked on a notebook page

**Luke read Mystery of the Night Woods voluntarily during his break

History: working on coloring timeline figures while listening to a chapter from Tales From Ancient Egypt and The Golden Goblet.

Writing: Hope- book report on The Giver; Kezzi - Format Writing

movie night: we watched Mrs. Brown about Queen Victoria

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Bible

Read Aloud: The Golden Goblet - 3 ch. The kids begged for more of this today so I obliged.

Math - regular programs, Annalise worked on Math U See's website using the online drill and I printed a couple of worksheets for her.

Reading - everyone continues on in their books

Science - boys made their toothed and baleen whales out of clay for the ocean box

History - Hope and I read chapter 1, God and Israel, of Rushdoony's A Christian Survey of World History, in preparation to listen to tape 2 in his lectures. We need to read the first three chapters before we listen to the tape. Kezzi plodded on with Hiroshima, which she is not enjoying, thus the slow pace. She should finish it this week though.

Physical Activity: The kids enjoyed the 60 degree temps today, especially since we are expecting cold the rest of the week. The girls and I went for a walk and boys played outside all afternoon.

Movie: We watched Lassie this evening. It followed the book somewhat. I was a little disappointed that Mrs. Carraclough was not at all like the book. And the ending in the movie wasn't near as good as the ending in the book. But you can't expect to watch a movie based on a book and not have some complaints.

After the movie I read the three youngers 4 chapters of Mr. Popper's Penguins and they were all begging for more - of course, it tends to go that way most often when the choice is bed or continue with the reading. :)

Monday, Februrary 12, 2007

*This weekend I did finish reading The Year of Miss Agnes to Annalise. And last night at bedtime Mr. Potts and I started reading The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. We took turns reading aloud to each other. I'm excited about the two of us reading together and I hope we keep it up.

Bible

Poem from Poetry for a Lifetime

Read Aloud: 1 ch. of The Golden Goblet

Priscilla read Best Christmas Pageant Ever to boys and Annalise

Math: regular math for everyone

Science: Swimming Creatures with boys, Hope worked on Biology, Kezzi - Bird Biology

Writing: boys - science notebook page on baleen whales, Hope - copied poem into her poetry anthololgy. Kezzi's assignment was to use Writer's Inc to choose some new writing form to try. She chose story writing and worked on a story that she had previously started. She was excited because she said Writer's Inc helped her and gave her some new ideas. I think I will let her work on that as much as she would like during her writing time this week, and probably even until she is finished. She spent a lot of school time today on this, along with quite a bit of her free time.

Reading: Abel - Mark Twain, Luke- Toliver's Secret, Hope - a chapter from Shadow Spinner and The Giver

History: with Annalise, Abel, Luke and Hope - SOTW ch. 5 and pg. 33- 39 of Streams of Civilization about Sumer; colored map of Sumer/Mesopotamia, looked at the Sumer sections in some of our Usborne books

It warmed up nicely today and we all enjoyed some outdoor time. Priscilla and I even managed to squeeze in a walk this afternoon.

Friday, February 9, 2007

Bible

Read Aloud - finished Lassie Come Home. I enjoyed this book, especially the last couple of chapters. The dog traveling home got a little slow at times but I think what I enjoyed were the parts about the family dynamics between the Carracloughs, Lassie's original owners, and also between the Grandfather and his granddaughter.

Math - regular for everyone: Abel only completed one long multiplication problem today at the end of the Gamma book but I think he's getting the hang of it, Luke did a review page from lesson 13 in Delta, Hope completed lesson 38 in her algebra book. I am aiming for her to only complete half of the book this year and finish the rest next year when she is in 9th grade. She only has about 25 lessons to go, so I'm considering having her lead the boys in some of their fun-type math activities on some days and/or reading some math books like The Story of Geometry.

Typing practice for boys

Reading - Abel - Mark Twain CFA (This was funny as he was impatiently waiting for the book to start telling about Twain...they kept talking about someone named Sam Clemens... until I told him that was Mark Twain's real name :) , Luke - Toliver's Secret, Hope - (did not read today because she needed time to get ready for dance), Kezzi - short reading from Microbe Hunters, getting ready for dance too

Writing - Dictation from Bible verse: all kids together with youngers stopping sooner

History - Tales From Ancient Egypt with oral narrations. We discussed the Biblical similarities in the story; Kezzi reads Hiroshima

The girls went to dance rehearsal this afternoon - 6 hours of dancing to prepare for their performance in March!

Science/Art with boys - Nature Journals. We looked at our Nature Journaling book. I was hoping to inspire the boys that their nature journals could contain sketches, not always perfect works of art. Poor things. They are always feeling pressure to keep up with their sisters. We have so much bird activity... mourning doves, bluebirds, robins, titmice, nuthatches, flocks of finches: gold and house. We saw at least four pairs of cardinals at the feeders at the same time. They are eating us out house and home. Now if we can just keep our cats from trying to eat them! I painted the cardinals in my nature notebook today. I've really been enjoying playing with the watercolor paints.

Music - playing Mozart

Once again, the Whoonu game makes it's way into the daily activities. This time Candace plays with the boys and Annalise.

Candace also showed the kids how to make a yarn doll and then taught them some string games.

I read a couple of chapters more of The Year of Miss Agnes tonight to Annalise and Abel, but Annalise says it's boring. I'm afraid she's spoiled with good literature and this is worded like a kid is telling the story. She is not appreciating it. I am appreciating some of the Charlotte Mason elements of the teacher in the story but it is not great. I think I'll just skim the rest myself and maybe start Mr. Popper's Penguins as an evening read aloud with her and Abel next week.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Up late today, recovering from THE BIRTHDAY and our late bedtime last night. And our day is cut short by our nieces and nephews arriving to stay with us today before going to Grandma and Grandpa's because of their parents leaving for a funeral in another state. Added to all of this, we needed to do some housecleaning in preparation for some house guests this weekend.

Morning Read Aloud - a poem and 1 ch. The Golden Goblet

Math - regular math today: MUS and TT

Reading - Abel - Mark Twain, Luke - Toliver's Secret, Hope -Daughter of the Land , Kezzi - health book

Science - watched The Blue Planet Deep Ocean DVD

Luke spent some sweet time with his cousin Lily, entertaining her with drawing-on-command, sharks and aligators attacking people and such. They both had a great time. When she started talking about wanting to go to Grandma's he told her he didn't want her to go, he wanted her to stay here. This really touched me, especially coming from Mr. Little Macho Man himself. Abel also played nicely with all of the younger children, keeping them entertained all afternoon.

Three of the girls had an art class tonight. It's wonderful to see them inspired to try new things.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

We have a tradition of taking off school on birthdays and today was Priscilla's 18th. So we slept in a little and then spent the morning playing games and preparing for the birthday dinner. A couple of the girls had to go to dance for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

Then we had extended family over for dinner and rushed out the door to go ice skating. We all had a grand time. I had not been iceskating for 20 years! Some of my younger kids had never been but took to it quickly. Annalise cried when she had to come off the rink because she didn't want to leave.

Since we traded in our big 15 passenger van for two minivans, I enjoy travel time talking with the children who are riding with me. The girls and I had a nice time last night talking and listening to music.

When we came home, at around 11:00, Priscilla performed a dance for all of us to this song. It was very beautiful and touching. Everyone went to bed, but Candace, Priscilla and I stayed up until about 2am laughing and talking.

Tuesday, Februrary 6, 2007

Bible - 2 Samuel

Poem - Poetry for a Lifetime

Read Aloud - Lassie

US Geography - Name That State Game with homemade cards using information from our It Happened In America readings

Math - MUS for boys, Teaching Textbooks for girls; Annalise worked on her Math It- Addit it board

Science - each worked from their Apologia book

History - Story of the World ch. 4, looked at Mummies Made in Egypt and Pyramid, a chapter from Golden Goblet; Kezzi read Hiroshima

Reading - Kezzi - How the Heather Looks, Hope- Screwtape Letters , Luke - Toothpaste Millionaire, Abel - CFA Mark Twain

Writing - Annalise copied the titles of two books she has recently finished into her Reading Journal; boys finished Bible verse copywork; girls went to coffee shop with mom and did a lesson in Our Mother Tongue plus some freewriting

...AND the coffee shop hung the girls' artwork up! One painting by each of the girls plus the baby portrait of Candace that Priscilla drew.

Priscilla read Best Christmas Pageant Ever to boys and Annalise this afternoon while we were out, and read some of Ginger Pye to Annalise; then she taught the boys and Annalise how to play Whoonu...which has been the rage all afternoon and evening.

Monday, February 5, 2007

Bible - chapter from 2 Samuel

Read Aloud - The Golden Goblet

Math - Kezzi and Hope - Geometery and Algebra; boys - multiplication war, activity from I Hate Mathematics

Priscilla reads more of Ginger Pye to Annalise and Annalise started the third reader in the first grade set today.

Twelfth Night from Tales From Shakespeare - first half (with a hot cocoa, snuggly blankets and a fire in the fireplace) - the boys really got a kick out of this story

Picture study - introduced next print by Pieter Breugel The Elder: Tower of Babel, oral narrations, briefly discussed and read the Tower of Babel story in the Bible

Writing - Kezzi does written narration on her reading of Sophie's World, Hope does her written narration from the Shakespeare story, boys freewrite about sledding trip on Saturday then choose one freewrite to revise/edit later on this week

Science - bird paintings

Friday, February 2, 2007

Bible

Math - everyone as usual

Typing - the boys are practicing typing daily with Typing Instructor Deluxe. I forgot to record that the last couple of days

Science - a story in Audubon's True Nature Stories for the boys, Kezzi worked on her Bird Biology

Reading - Abel finished Annie Oakley today, Luke is still working on Toothpaste Millionaire(almost finished) , Kezzi read How the Heather Looks, Hope read Elements of Style and Ourselves

History - Story of Mankind ch. 5, SOTW ch. 3 and The Golden Goblet with Hope, the boys and Annalise; Annalise and Abel played with the Hieroglyphs template

Writing - Freewrite of choice with boys (I have a notebook of Freewrite ideas that I printed off from www.bravewriter.com)

Three of the girls went off to dance class this afternoon. The rest of us stayed home preparing for our sledding expedition to the mountains tomorrow.

The boys and Annalise watched Flipper and played Name That State game this afternoon.

All of the girls went over to my sister's house tonight to help her pack and get ready to leave to go out of town because of a death in their extended family. Annalise brought me her Pathway reader and begged to finish it tonight. Then I read her some of The Year of Miss Agnes.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

First thing this morning the younger kids went out to play in the 1" of snow that fell over night so we reduced the school load today.

Math - only Kezzi worked on her Geometry, everyone else skipped math today

Science - the wonder of snow! :)

Read Aloud - Lassie Come Home, 2 ch.

Reading time

History - Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs and ch. 2 of Story of the World; Kezzi read Hiroshima

Writing/Grammar - The Great Editing Adventure for the boys, Editor-in-Chief for the girls AND
copywork for everyone

I read a couple of chapters to Annalise and Abel listened in to The Year of Miss Agnes and she read to me from her Pathway reader. Priscilla also read some of Ginger Pye to her this morning.
Kezzi went over to help my sister with the babies this afternoon. The boys went down to help at the shop. And tonight we are going with a friend of mine who needs help shopping for new jeans. She has probably never shopped with four teenage girls since she's been an adult. She doesn't know what she's in for! :)

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Up on time today - started by 7:30am. It's very cold here - in the teens first thing in the morning. We all are enjoying our gas fireplace in the cozy morning hours.

Bible - continuing on in 2 Samuel and memory verse - Eph. 6:10-12

Read Aloud - The Golden Goblet; Priscilla read Ginger Pye to Annalise

Math - Sports Store Math/Pet Store Math with boys and Luke finished his Math U See test in the division book, girls worked on Algebra and Geometry

Science - continued on with chapter 2 of Swimming Creatures with boys, girls continue with their science books

Reading - everyone reads from their own booklist:
Abel - Childhood of Famous Americans Annie Oakley
Luke - Toothpaste Millionaire
Hope - Gene Stratton Porter's Daughter of the Land
Kezzi - Sophie's World

History - chapter 1 in The Story of the World Vol. 1, and chapter 4 in Story of Mankind; Kezzi reads from Hiroshima; Annalise colored an activity page from SOTW

Writing - everyone copied new states and capitols to add to previous list and we played our new game, Spinergy, for a short time

Friends are came over to play this afternoon.

Bible study at our house in the evening.

There is a "wintry mix" in the forecast so if we get anything remotely fun to play in, we will do that instead of all of our school tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Up a little late today due to late night conversation with two older girls.

Bible - continuing on with 2 Samuel - story of David

Read Aloud - Lassie Come Home

Priscilla reads aloud to Annalise (currently Ginger Pye) and then listens to her read. She is reading through the first grade set of Pathway readers and she also reads aloud from the various picture books.

Math - Math U See for boys and Teaching Textbooks for girls

Science - Kezzi and Hope worked on their science notebooks (Bird Biology & Apologia Biology respectively) and I read part of chapter 2 of Apologia's Swimming Creatures to the boys. Then we followed the links in the course website to listen to the songs of whales.

Reading Time - each child spends time reading from their own booklist

Lunch while watching Jacques Costeau on our DVD from netflix

History reading and Historical Fiction (currently The Golden Goblet) - Kezzi did some history reading on her own from the book Hiroshima

Tea Time - or actually hot mochas with Mozart, Mad Libs, and writing in their nature journals about the cardinal they found yesterday.

The girls and I went to church tonight for a women's gathering. Dinner, fellowship, a speaker and discussion time. I love that different people speak each month and you get a chance to spend time discussing the message with the women at your table. One of the scriptures that was shared just happen to be part of our memory verse this week - Ephesians 6:10-12.

Keeping Accounts

I got the idea to start a daily blog of our accomplishments from two places: The Bonny Glen and from my husband, Mr. Potts, who recommends writing down what you do accomplish instead of what you wish to accomplish. Thinking that might be a better way to go about it, I am going to attempt to keep up with our daily experiences on this blog. Hopefully, it will provide encouragement over what all we are doing and enable me to see what we may be neglecting. We'll see if I can actually keep up with it. I'm notorious for exuberantly starting projects that never get finished.

We currently have 5 official students:
Kezzi - 16, 11th grade
Hope - 14, 8th grade
Luke - 12, 6th grade
Abel - 10, 4th grade
Annalise - 6, K

and two graduates, Candace - 19 and Priscilla - 18.