Mapping

We're working on mapping in three ways this year. First, we locate things involving multiple countries or sea voyages on the globe. We find the places, trace where people went, and talk about it.

We also have a laminated map that we locate things in the US on. This works well for finding reference points like cities, mountains, or rivers.

We're also learning to draw maps.

Above is Sweet Pea's first attempt at drawing the continental US. She did a really good outline of the country, keeping the shape pretty true. She added a few states. Next time, I'll have her add a few more and maybe a river. By the end of the year (and the end of our study of US history) I'd love it if she could dry a map of the US with some major points by heart.

Just for fun- this is Little Bird's map. Little Bird at 4 very much wants to follow in her sister's footsteps and can almost always be found with us during school time, trying her hand at whatever we are doing.


I'm so proud of them!

Curriculum changin'

We are going to be dropping a fairly major part of our curriculum for next year. I feel badly about it. I've been trying and trying to make it work, but it's just not right anymore.

I'm dropping Story of the World. I'll say it again- I'm dropping Story of the World.

I've had some complaints and things that didn't fit well through the first volume, but looking at samples and reviews of volume 2 solidified for me that it's not going to work. Volume 2 covers 300- 1600 and leaves out parts of history that I think are important.

I've also grown uncomfortable with the slant and presentation of certain historical people. I also think it's very Eurocentric. Amazon has some reviews that share some of my concerns. It's interesting to note that people are complaining about the massive amount of church history omitted as well as secular people complaining there is too much. It seems like both sides dislike this volume.

It's like saying goodbye to a friend. I really loved SOTW. I really wanted it to work. I liked the idea of it.

It's something that bothers me, too, because I've so enthusiastically reccomended it to people as the be all, end all in elementary history. I'm removing my unconditional recommendation.

Book review

Of the Odyssey, by Mary Pope Osborne. We picked up both books for Sweet Pea. We got the two volume set instead of the six.

I'm really impressed! It's not for the faint of heart, the cannibal giant is left in, for example.
The illustrations are nice, the words are well chosen and easy to read without being condescending.
Sweet Pea has been devouring it. It's a great addition to the study of the Ancient World.

Daily reporting continued + pie!

Not pictured but also done today was Spelling First. I'd like to do some extra lessons in spelling, phonics and grammar to get to where I thought we'd be in my preplanning. If we don't we don't, but it's a nice goal, isn't it?


I restarted the phonograms from Cursive First. I had been just correcting Sweet Pea's handwriting as we went, but I'm seeing now that what she really needed was just a few minutes at a time of practicing individual letters and sound combinations again. I was really inspired by Hunt Classical Academy and how great her son's handwriting is. So here we are again. Good news is that sheets that 6 months ago met a lot of resistance and whining now are easy and quick and joyfully done.


We finished Earlybird 2A yesterday so today we began Earlybird 2B! Sweet Pea was very excited to have a new book.


Today we finished Chapter 2 of Story of the World. Obviously about Egyptian mythology. I saw some interesting parallels with the Cain and Abel story we talked about last week. I'm pretty sure this is NOT a traditional Egyptian coloring scheme.


We are eight weeks in! That means we're almost one quarter finished with our school year! I can't believe how fast it's whizzing by.


And just because this turned out really well and a lot of other blogs I read have been talking about pie lately- this is a panless apple pie. It was SO good and very easy to make.