Week in Review: February 4-8

Wouldn't you know it? One fabulously healthy week and then we're back with colds again! My little Grace came down sick first, mid-week it was Beth's turn, and last night Rose started coughing and sniffling. It's just part of life I suppose. I honestly thought homeschooling would keep at least some of the germs at bay. Then again it would mean we were isolating ourselves and that's not going to happen!

I've had the chance to review Apologia's Zoology 2 over the last few weeks and it has been great. Take some time to check out my review, then click on the link at the bottom to read some other reviews by my fellow TOS Crew Review bloggers! This is my first official review for the Crew and it has been so much fun! Look forward to some great reviews in the coming weeks for everything from a full pre-K (birth and up) curriculum to math to music!

I also have a giveaway for a fabulous manipulative for pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade! Click on the picture to see my review. Even if you don't win the price for this manipulative packet is very reasonable and well worth it since it can be used over and over again! 

And here is our week...

Little Hands to Heaven: Sick Week...ugh!

I'm really not thrilled to have been off schedule again, but what can you do? So we didn't have a lot of school for Miss Grace, but we did have a lot of coughing, sniffling, and chilling out!

Poor baby felt really crummy...

By the end of the week she was feeling better enough for some fun! "Hey Mommy...I need a football. I'm a footballer!" Yes, that is the Armor of God...and a Redskins football!

Little Hearts for His Glory: Unit 18

Beth didn't start feeling badly until the end of the week so we completed most of her work without too much trouble. She's working on her Rod and Staff books here. I really love the newest books, G, H, and I. Beth also works in Thinking Skills 1 as recommended by Heart of Dakota, but I honestly haven't liked it as much as these Rod and Staff books. She completed G and F in preschool and I plan on Grace doing the same, but not using Thinking Skills 1 with her.

I started using a new journal book I purchased during the last dollar sale at Scholastic. I love their dollar sales. The only area I wish HOD focused on more earlier is creative writing...probably because I am an English teacher! My girls love to write stories and be creative anyway so adding this in is not a chore for them. Beth drew a Penguin from directions and then finished a few sentences I love how she is learning to write in such an interesting way. Do you see the stick-figure girl? She felt the penguin needed an owner to take care of it, so she drew herself. Beth is our storyteller! 

Here are Rose and Beth working oh so diligently in the morning sun!

Bigger Hearts for His Glory: Unit 19

Since I teach my girls all at the same time there are frequently times when it can be extremely distracting for Rose to focus on independent work, like math. When this is happening she will often ask if she can move to the kitchen table so she can focus. She doesn't seem to mind if I suggest it either and she typically finished very quickly. We still are loving the simple style of Rod and Staff and Rose is genuinely mastering her addition facts this year. She is gaining confidence in math and it is wonderful to see!

I loved the poem we studied this week along with our unit about Lewis and Clark. Rose did too. She said it was her favorite so far this year. As an English teacher I love seeing her learn how to interpret and understand poetry and poetic language. She highlights the end of the stanzas in order to visually see the rhyming patterns. Rose has started writing her own poetry and was even accepted to be published in a poetry contest! I'm so proud of her!

We have also been studying Greek and Latin roots! You'll hear more about these fabulous flash cards in a few weeks. Rose loves learning Greek. Her grandpa teaches Greek at a seminary and has taught her how to write her name in Greek. She can't wait to show off her new knowledge to him!

So this was our week! While Heart of Dakota curriculum is incredibly easy to use because it is already laid out and planned with cohesive units for an entire year, I make a weekly checklist. I do include a few extras in our day, but not very many. This is mostly to make sure I don't miss anything! I'm using a different guide for each of my girls and I feel that is the best for our family, but without my weekly checklist there is no way I'd remember every subject every day! So on Thursday or Friday (and sometimes Sunday night!) I sit down and fill out our grid. It only takes about 30 minutes...if I'm uninterrupted...and it is well worth the time I spend. The best part is my Hershey Kiss pencil...I love chocolate...sigh...

I hope you had a lovely week!