Week in Review: January 20-24

So this is the first week I haven't been running three guides from Heart of Dakota at once...I missed it! I'm now down to two guides for the rest of this school-year. I honestly didn't feel any less busy even though I expected to. I really did miss having activities and things laid out for me. The girls were great, we stayed on schedule, and this was one of the nicest weeks we've had in a long time. This year has been extremely challenging for me for lots of different reasons and I think we're in a good place right now...at least for this week!


Preschool

Grace finished up Little Hands to Heaven last week and we are moving right into Rod and Staff's ABC series keeping in line with the feel of Heart of Dakota. She loves these sweet little workbooks and was so excited to begin! This is the first time we're doing all of them and I anticipate a lot of fun ahead!

She also started the first of the now out of print Earlybird Kindergarten books from Singapore. I still have 1A and 1B and wish so much I could find a decently priced copy of 2A and 2B! She is also really excited about this new book all full of bright colors.

Reading keeps her on the edge of her seat! She is so excited about our reading lessons and will sometimes be dragging her reading book around while still in her jammies because she is so ready to start! She's charging ahead and finding the stores to be quite funny in Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She giggles and laughs and the best part is it means she understands what she is reading!

This week was also the start of Grace being extremely cooperative about her alone time playing while I taught her sisters. She's always been good, but just wanted to do school with me all the time and didn't like it when I gave her older sisters my attention. This week she was so amiable and patient! When i came into the living room and found her with her babies, named Strawberry and Blueberry, she told me, "I'm teaching my babies Mommy! They're homeschooled!"

This is something else she does while I teach her sisters. I made a light box which sets under our science table. She doesn't play with this all the time, but enjoys it every once in a while.






Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory: Unit 14

Beth had a really fun week! I remember how fun this particular history was for Rose a couple of years ago and I think Beth enjoyed it even more! We learned about the Dutch importing cattle, pigs, and chickens to the island of New Amsterdam as well s how it became New York. We played a fun game of capture the livestock where Beth had to protect all her animals from me!

Making butter was the highlight! Beth had already read how to make butter so I let her explain how it worked in the olden days. Then we put some heavy whipping cream into a jar and shook shook shook! It finally turned into golden yellow butter and was absolutely delicious. Rose remembered this and was so excited to get to make butter again!

Bible this week focused on the Parable of the Talents. Beth memorized her Scripture verse in just one day and was very excited to act out the parable at the end of the week. She quoted her part beautifully and we had some nice discussion about doing good with the things God has blessed us with whether they are objects, money, or abilities. 

Beth loved poetry this week. She really enjoyed drawing a picture of her milking a cow to go along with the poem. She used our Draw Write Now books and did such a great job! She gave this to our neighbor, Diego, because one of his Chemo Angel's name a cow on her friend's farm after him! 

She did a great job with cursive F this week and also learning about initials. 

The timeline is a highlight of our week. There are a handful of units which don't include a timeline entry and boy is Beth disappointed! She really loved this. Quite often I'll draw an example of the picture first because it gives her more confidence, but this week she was totally into drawing her own cow!

Preparing Hearts for His Glory: Unit 9 (1st half)

Grandpa's Box is just amazing. Even if you are not using Heart of Dakota for your curriculum, this book is so good for a read aloud or devotions. I know eventually I will not have all the school books I do currently, but this one will never be sold. It is just that good!

Rose finished up Toliver's Secret this week. She absolutely devours books. She is usually reading 2-3 at a time. I'm not at all like this. I love reading one book at a time, but she loves to have lots of things going at once! She told me this week, "I love to read. When I read I imagine the scenes in my mind and it's like a movie, only better, because I get to add in all the extra stuff!" 

Rose loves to draw and so her independent history. I reminded her to draw lightly with a pencil first because all artists do to begin with. She giggled shyly and said, "Mommy, you just called me an artist!" I'm learning how to meet my girls' needs and intentionally love them the way they feel it most. Words of affirmation are definitely key for my oldest!

Quite often Rose will do her independent work in a different room from us. She is easily drawn into whatever lessons I am doing with her sisters and I've encouraged her to work where she can focus if needed. She's reading A Mouse Called Wolf here and then getting ready for math. Such a diligent worker this week! 

Dictation is going very well. It has taken some time, but switching letters is happening less and less! This is a great success for Rose. We've struggled with spelling even though her reading is off the charts. I really feel All About Spelling has been a huge help with this. 

Mid-week we had a fun break with just a little snow. We skyped the grandparents and had fun with the light dusting. 

I also had two great reviews post this week! Here they are if you missed them...

The Galapagos Islands: A Different View

and

STEM Science Station - Magnets