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Hi, my name is Melissa. Pour yourself a cup of tea and stay a while. I'm completely devoted to my Savior, madly in love with my husband, and joyously raising my daughters. I'm so glad you stopped by and I hope you enjoy your time here!

Friday, February 8, 2013

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!


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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!





4 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting. I love to see how someone else is doing and their organization arrangements. I may use an idea from someone or tweak it a bit to fit our family. Also, I would love to more about the Latin and Greek cards. I am looking into a program for my children and like to know all options.

    Blessings,
    Sherri

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    1. I will be posting a review on those early in March. They are from Lone Star Learning. They are not an entire program, but more like beginning. We have worked on 20 roots in the last 2 weeks and my girl memorized them SO fast. At the very least I think this would be a great supplement to a full program.

      I love reading other homeschool blogs too! It's great for getting ideas as long as I keep in perspective that my family is unique and I can't compare myself to anyone else :)

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  2. How fun it must be to be on The Crew to review products! :)

    Looking ahead in HOD (I'm considering going back to it in two years or so when Evan gets older), there is a lot of creative writing, I believe, in Preparing.

    So funny you mentioned Greek and Latin roots. I downloaded a freebie from TOS directory yesterday, and now I am thinking we need to add some of it into out weekly lessons.

    Have a blessed week!

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    1. I'm getting spoiled :) I am LOVING getting to review all this great stuff! I didn't realize Preparing had creative writing that is good to know!

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