Oh the first week after break...glad we're back at it, but I couldn't help but feel like I needed a vacation to recuperate from our vacation! Anyone with me? But, we persevered and got a good start in the new year.
Preparing: Unit 31
We are so close...
so close...to finishing up this guide. I can't help but feel a little anxious to get to the end. I always feel this way. Sometimes I forgo the last few units if I feel like I just want to move forward, but I'm not doing that this time. Preparing is such a sweet guide and we are both enjoying it immensely. Here she's reading about Peter the Great. We had to catch up from the previous unit learning about Shakespeare because our library had it at the beginning of the year, but not anymore when I needed it! I save a lot by using what our library has from the HOD books, but every once in a while I run into a situation like this. No biggie though. I hopped onto the ABE Books website and snagged a copy.
History vocabulary was once a pain to get through for various reasons. This year I'm letting Rose define what words she already knows aloud and only write out the ones she doesn't know. She likes this and does well with it. She still has to write her sentences, but this is working to keep her on task.
One of the things Rose is enjoying this year is writing poetry based from the Robert Lewis Stevenson poems we are reading each week. This week was supposed to be a multiple paragraph writing, but she chose to do a poem instead which was really liked.
Bigger: Unit 13
I really, really wanted to be to unit 17 by Christmas, but since that didn't happen I'm letting my original plan go and be okay with that. I'm really good at planning and not so good at keeping the plans loose. But Beth is doing great and doesn't care one bit we're behind where I'd planned to be so I'm taking her lead in that! She had some grammar tests to finish this week that I thought she had done before Christmas, but hadn't checked yet because of kids coming down sick and distracting me! No big deal to her though. She sort of sighed when I told her, shrugged her shoulders and carried on.
Dictation has been going quite smoothly...until right now. Beth suddenly got stuck on one particular set and we spent an entire week on it! Now we're past it and she's fine. Whatever mental block she faced, she overcame and I'm grateful she persevered!
Sometimes I feel a little jealous of Beth. Math makes so much sense to her and she easily handles new concepts and ideas. She loves nothing more than to work on new math concepts, as long as it doesn't take too long! This week she's working on geometry and building shape patterns with smaller shapes. Think pattern blocks, but for older kids. I found an app for my iPad which she enjoyed using to complete the pattern assignments.
My oldest girls really work well together and do a good job of staying on task for the most part. They have their moments of being distracted, especially Beth. Her biggest challenge is wanting to play with her youngest sister. They like to chatter while working which can be distracting for Rose so I have to get creative and sometimes send one or both out of the room to work alone. She hates this, so it is quite the incentive to settle in and focus!
Little Hearts: Unit 2
Well, after several months of waiting, Grace is finally in Little Hearts for His Glory! The first time I taught this was in 2008. I'm looking forward to this third time around and Grace is even more excited to have history and activities just like her big sisters. This is a picture of her working on her poetry for the week which she thoroughly enjoys.
This little girl is such an avid reader! She is working through the 1st grade readers for Abeka, but she's charging through chapter books like crazy. Magic Tree House, Imagination Station, American Girl...she just can't get enough of the written word and it makes my heart smile. She doesn't always understand a word, but she's quick to come and ask without being frustrated. Her older two sisters didn't accept help as easily and I see so much benefit in her easy way of handling both questions and corrections.
When we're done with her work for the day she begs for more, so to keep her occupied I pull out one of the many fun learning games I've collected through reviews, freebies, or friends who gifted them to us. This is one of her favorites currently, the
Cookie Sheet Challenge for sight words. Such a fun and simple activity which is already helping her build spelling skills. You can click the link to see my review, but forgive the lack of pictures. All of the pictures from my older posts have disappeared. Boo!
Here is another fun activity. I have no clue where these little cards came from, but they are like puzzles that spell three-letter words. She loved doing this and it occupied her happily for about 45 minutes!
Okay, so there was our week. It was great and I'm glad to be done with the first week of the new year. I'm anticipating the year more now!
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