It's spring again. This is traditionally when I've planned the following year and tradition holds firm here.
It's been a while since I've included weekly wrap ups or anything but since my eldest is going into 6th grade I would like to again for posterity.
I don't have a perfect plan, yet, but I think I have the basics set.
My kids in the fall will be 11, 8, 5, 2 (turning 3 in October).
Math
I have the younger kids doing CLE, Eldest is doing Khan Academy, second doing Khan and CLE.
Language Arts
In order of youngest to eldest is probably easiest. #4 will do the Rod and Staff preschool books. This will be my fourth kid doing these! #3 will finish firming up phonics, handwriting, and grammar using a combo of Cursive First, Memoria Press, and some CLE. #2 will use CLE and Memoria Press. #1 is still somewhat up in the air. She has been using a combo of Memoria Press and CLE. I'm not sure if we will continue to use both together or use just Memoria Press, I need to really look at the samples and what is covered.
Foreign Language
Kids are doing Spanish. Big two are using Duolingo. Continue on.
Science
Still determining. Lots of nature study with field guides, more work on the Scientific Process.
History
Memoria Press, Child's History of the World, historical fiction to match time periods at carious reading levels.
Religion
I still really like Lutheranism 101 for kids, in a continual loop. Catechism. CPH's Story Bible. Hymn memorization.
I have the content areas roughly grouped together so the kids can work in a group at their own levels. Skill areas separately since those are impossible to really group at the varied levels.
And I think that's that.
Showing posts with label sweet pea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sweet pea. Show all posts
Monday, March 16, 2015
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Mathiness
Only a few weeks into our math book, and I think Sweet Pea is nearly finished. While I'm proud of her I wasn't planning on shopping for the next level yet!
Monday, November 7, 2011
How a day looks
For quick reference, I have a 7.5 year old girl, a 4.5 year old girl, and a 20 month old son.
My oldest is doing a sweep through American history this year. She's also studying Norse mythology. We're doing this with a lot of living books and reading time together.
My middle child is diligently working on reading and developing patience and listening skills.
My toddler is working on how many things he can possibly destroy in each moment.
Morning begins with breakfast and then free play time for the kids. I drink coffee and relax for a little while, then everyone gets dressed/teeth brushed, ect.
Then we sit together and I read to them. Sweet Pea needs to listen closely, the toddler doesn't listen at all unless it's a picture book, and Little Bird wavers between the two. Right now we are reading the Witch of Blackbird Pond. This book is about Puritans and has been a good look at the different way of life the Puritans followed. We've marked the time in Sweet Pea's timeline book. Today the places in the book that came up were Boston, and the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. We brought out the map and found and marked the places.
After we did our reading together I made a snack for the kids. My kids love to snack. Sweet Pea took her snack and her reader- the Matchlock Gun- and went and read it by herself. Well, not totally alone- she snuggled with the cat who is always happy to keep her company.
While she was doing that the two littles and I read picture books while they ate. Once their food was gone Moose played with playdoh, then colored with crayons. Little Bird read me a short book. She colored me a picture then, too.
By the time they were done with that Sweet Pea was ready to come down and tell me about what she read. This is called narration when done a specific way and is part of our language arts approach. We alternate this with dictation. The dictation and copywork we do comes straight from the books Sweet Pea is reading. After she does her writing we dissect the sentences for their parts of speech and how they are put together. This is how we are doing grammar right now.
After that today Sweet Pea pulled out her math workbook and did four lessons.
I think she would have done more, but her father came home for lunch then and math can't compete with that!
After we have lunch together as a family, the girls went upstairs to play. They are making a play together and enjoy putting on costumes and coming up with songs.
The toddler practiced throwing a ball with my husband and I cleaned up lunch. We chatted about our mornings, and enjoyed coffee. Then he had to go back to work.
After lunch every day we have quiet time. The toddler usually sleeps for two hours. I will make a confession here- he often sleeps in my arms as I rock him. My 4 year old usually sleeps for 30 minutes or so and then she plays with her baby dolls or builds with her legos. I expect her to be quiet for 2 hours but I am pretty open to how she spends that time at this point. My 7 year old reads during this time. Sometimes she also works on a puzzle, does legos, or draws. She also uses this time sometimes to knit or make pot holders with a small loom.
When nap time is done I am planning on science. We are reading books about our planet and our solar system. We are also making a scale model of the solar system out of clay. So far we have made Mercury and Venus, so this afternoon we will be making Earth.
After that, it's more snack. During afternoon snack we do Bible and Catechism. The girls have piano practice to do, too, and then the rest of the afternoon is theirs to do whatever they want. At this time, too, we work on Latin and French.
And that's how our days go.
My oldest is doing a sweep through American history this year. She's also studying Norse mythology. We're doing this with a lot of living books and reading time together.
My middle child is diligently working on reading and developing patience and listening skills.
My toddler is working on how many things he can possibly destroy in each moment.
Morning begins with breakfast and then free play time for the kids. I drink coffee and relax for a little while, then everyone gets dressed/teeth brushed, ect.
Then we sit together and I read to them. Sweet Pea needs to listen closely, the toddler doesn't listen at all unless it's a picture book, and Little Bird wavers between the two. Right now we are reading the Witch of Blackbird Pond. This book is about Puritans and has been a good look at the different way of life the Puritans followed. We've marked the time in Sweet Pea's timeline book. Today the places in the book that came up were Boston, and the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. We brought out the map and found and marked the places.
After we did our reading together I made a snack for the kids. My kids love to snack. Sweet Pea took her snack and her reader- the Matchlock Gun- and went and read it by herself. Well, not totally alone- she snuggled with the cat who is always happy to keep her company.
While she was doing that the two littles and I read picture books while they ate. Once their food was gone Moose played with playdoh, then colored with crayons. Little Bird read me a short book. She colored me a picture then, too.
By the time they were done with that Sweet Pea was ready to come down and tell me about what she read. This is called narration when done a specific way and is part of our language arts approach. We alternate this with dictation. The dictation and copywork we do comes straight from the books Sweet Pea is reading. After she does her writing we dissect the sentences for their parts of speech and how they are put together. This is how we are doing grammar right now.
After that today Sweet Pea pulled out her math workbook and did four lessons.
I think she would have done more, but her father came home for lunch then and math can't compete with that!
After we have lunch together as a family, the girls went upstairs to play. They are making a play together and enjoy putting on costumes and coming up with songs.
The toddler practiced throwing a ball with my husband and I cleaned up lunch. We chatted about our mornings, and enjoyed coffee. Then he had to go back to work.
After lunch every day we have quiet time. The toddler usually sleeps for two hours. I will make a confession here- he often sleeps in my arms as I rock him. My 4 year old usually sleeps for 30 minutes or so and then she plays with her baby dolls or builds with her legos. I expect her to be quiet for 2 hours but I am pretty open to how she spends that time at this point. My 7 year old reads during this time. Sometimes she also works on a puzzle, does legos, or draws. She also uses this time sometimes to knit or make pot holders with a small loom.
When nap time is done I am planning on science. We are reading books about our planet and our solar system. We are also making a scale model of the solar system out of clay. So far we have made Mercury and Venus, so this afternoon we will be making Earth.
After that, it's more snack. During afternoon snack we do Bible and Catechism. The girls have piano practice to do, too, and then the rest of the afternoon is theirs to do whatever they want. At this time, too, we work on Latin and French.
And that's how our days go.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Reading progression explained
I'm on my second run through from the ground up teaching reading.
My general method goes something like this:
I spend lots of time teaching the letters, their sounds, various ways they look, and getting the child really comfortable with them. This stretches from toddlerhood to about 3-4.
We spend lots of time reading out loud. Picture books, chapter books, anything and everything. We attend story time at the library for more oral reading exposure. Infancy- childhood.
I also spend time on oral blending games and rhyming. For example, "C AAAAA T says what?" When they can hear the separate sounds and blend them together, we're ready to move on. I also think that rhyming is very important. Lots of silly songs and nursery rhymes help develop the ear for this. We work on this from the time they talk well until it clicks- about toddlerhood- 3/4.
After they can do the above easily, without stress, we start working on reading words on paper. I start with short vowel words, specifically short A words. I also introduce a very few "helper" or sight words, but I also explain the phonetic sense behind them. I believe that too many sight words leads to troubles later on. This has happened between 3/4 for both of my girls.
When they can confidently read CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words, we move on to digraphs and more complicated words. This is the most variable part- Sweet Pea blew through phonics as a whole in less then a year and was able to read on a meaningful and good level in that time. Little Bird hasn't moved to this phase yet, so I don't know how quickly she'll progress.
After this I address reading a little differently- I enforce reading time throughout the day. This falls in three categories- books I read to them (even after they are fluent readers), books they read silently to themselves, and books they read out loud to me.
Having a child read out loud allows you to keep up with combinations that they are having issues with. It also lets you catch sloppy habits, mistakes, and can clue you in on vision issues. I think it also helps self confidence.
Reading out loud to a child who reads well allows you to read books together that they might not pick up on their own. It also allows you the chance to stop frequently and discuss vocabulary and themes, look things up on maps and check comprehension without tossing out worksheets.
Silent reading is important here, too. It lets you assign school reading, helps reinforce the idea that reading is pleasurable and a worthwhile use of time, and builds the volume of ideas that they carry around. A widely read child has images and vocabulary bouncing around that will benefit them indefinitely.
When is a child reading? This is pretty hotly debated. Some people say their child is reading as soon as they sound out or recognize that first word, others wait until a child can pick up a book, decode the letters and tell you what they just read. I fall kind of in the middle. I don't call a child who can pick a few words out or blend a few words a reader. That misses the nuances of being able to use language. I also don't wait until they are able to pluck a book from the shelves and use it meaningfully, either. I would say that my four year old can read- she can pick up an easy reader, sound through all the words, and then retell the story.
But this is the beginning, not the end.
My general method goes something like this:
I spend lots of time teaching the letters, their sounds, various ways they look, and getting the child really comfortable with them. This stretches from toddlerhood to about 3-4.
We spend lots of time reading out loud. Picture books, chapter books, anything and everything. We attend story time at the library for more oral reading exposure. Infancy- childhood.
I also spend time on oral blending games and rhyming. For example, "C AAAAA T says what?" When they can hear the separate sounds and blend them together, we're ready to move on. I also think that rhyming is very important. Lots of silly songs and nursery rhymes help develop the ear for this. We work on this from the time they talk well until it clicks- about toddlerhood- 3/4.
After they can do the above easily, without stress, we start working on reading words on paper. I start with short vowel words, specifically short A words. I also introduce a very few "helper" or sight words, but I also explain the phonetic sense behind them. I believe that too many sight words leads to troubles later on. This has happened between 3/4 for both of my girls.
When they can confidently read CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words, we move on to digraphs and more complicated words. This is the most variable part- Sweet Pea blew through phonics as a whole in less then a year and was able to read on a meaningful and good level in that time. Little Bird hasn't moved to this phase yet, so I don't know how quickly she'll progress.
After this I address reading a little differently- I enforce reading time throughout the day. This falls in three categories- books I read to them (even after they are fluent readers), books they read silently to themselves, and books they read out loud to me.
Having a child read out loud allows you to keep up with combinations that they are having issues with. It also lets you catch sloppy habits, mistakes, and can clue you in on vision issues. I think it also helps self confidence.
Reading out loud to a child who reads well allows you to read books together that they might not pick up on their own. It also allows you the chance to stop frequently and discuss vocabulary and themes, look things up on maps and check comprehension without tossing out worksheets.
Silent reading is important here, too. It lets you assign school reading, helps reinforce the idea that reading is pleasurable and a worthwhile use of time, and builds the volume of ideas that they carry around. A widely read child has images and vocabulary bouncing around that will benefit them indefinitely.
When is a child reading? This is pretty hotly debated. Some people say their child is reading as soon as they sound out or recognize that first word, others wait until a child can pick up a book, decode the letters and tell you what they just read. I fall kind of in the middle. I don't call a child who can pick a few words out or blend a few words a reader. That misses the nuances of being able to use language. I also don't wait until they are able to pluck a book from the shelves and use it meaningfully, either. I would say that my four year old can read- she can pick up an easy reader, sound through all the words, and then retell the story.
But this is the beginning, not the end.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Confession
We've throw the Well Trained Mind over completely. And I wish we'd done it sooner.
Far sooner.
When I think of all the trouble and issues we could have prevented...
Hindsight really is 20/20!
Far sooner.
When I think of all the trouble and issues we could have prevented...
Hindsight really is 20/20!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
PE
Sweet Pea starts the second session of swimming this week. Over the summer she took swimming at the community college and "graduated" into the higher class.
Our homeschool group also offers soccer, but I am unsure if we will join or not.
Our homeschool group also offers soccer, but I am unsure if we will join or not.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
2nd grade goals
Academic/ School goals:
-Write a good paragraph
-Memorize multiplication tables
-Draw the US and locate all states
-Keep reading well
-piano
Around the house goals:
-Simple meal prep
-Wash her own clothes
Character goals:
-less complaining
-no longer screaming when angry (sigh)
My goals:
-be more willing to deviate from a schedule
-Do more art
-Write a good paragraph
-Memorize multiplication tables
-Draw the US and locate all states
-Keep reading well
-piano
Around the house goals:
-Simple meal prep
-Wash her own clothes
Character goals:
-less complaining
-no longer screaming when angry (sigh)
My goals:
-be more willing to deviate from a schedule
-Do more art
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Piano
Sweet Pea started piano lessons this week. I really like her teacher, and so did she!
I think that Little Bird may start slow lessons, as well.
I'm really excited because this is something that we'd really wanted to add in for quite a while and it really clicked.
I think that Little Bird may start slow lessons, as well.
I'm really excited because this is something that we'd really wanted to add in for quite a while and it really clicked.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Sweet Pea can ride a bike!!!!!!!!!!!
Using the method on this site.
Seriously- I had despaired of ever teaching her how. She could fall with training wheels!
A few weeks ago we tried without training wheels and she was so wobbly that I had to literally hold her up.
Three times of trying it this way and she's riding!
I am SO PROUD!
Also, I think it's kind of a classical approach.
Work on skills in isolation, then combine and reap the rewards.
I'm so proud. :)
Seriously- I had despaired of ever teaching her how. She could fall with training wheels!
A few weeks ago we tried without training wheels and she was so wobbly that I had to literally hold her up.
Three times of trying it this way and she's riding!
I am SO PROUD!
Also, I think it's kind of a classical approach.
Work on skills in isolation, then combine and reap the rewards.
I'm so proud. :)
Friday, June 3, 2011
Practical Skills
Both of my sweet girls are working on riding a two wheeler bike. Sweet Pea is working on balancing (not pedaling yet) without training wheels and Little Bird is having a blast riding with training wheels.
We also bought some small strawberry plants and a mint. Tomorrow we'll put them in and hopefully soon they'll take off.
We also bought some small strawberry plants and a mint. Tomorrow we'll put them in and hopefully soon they'll take off.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Day in the life of Sweet Pea
As narrated by mom.
About 6:00 am Little Bird runs into my room and wakes me up. I am not a morning person, so I lay in bed and grumble for a while.
6:15 I venture downstairs for breakfast.
After I eat I play with mt sister and brother for a while, then mom tells me it's time for school.
8:00 am I finish math and science.
8:30 I make a batch of chocolate chocolate chip muffins. Mom puts them in the oven for me, but I do the rest.
8:45 Copywork and a written narration done while muffins bake- then I eat two. Yum!
9:00 am Mom sends me outside with a pencil, box of crayons and a sketch pad. I swing, draw pictures of ants and leaves, and run around.
11:45 am I come inside for a drink. Mom is making lunch so I decide to do some playdoh with my sister. My brother pulls all the pans out of a cabinet and bangs on them with spoons. My mom puts on a CD in French and I practice phrases with my sister.
Noon Dad comes home to eat lunch and see what we worked on. My brother is grumpy and instead of eating lunch pores it on himself and then yells. Naptime for him.
1:00- 3:00 pm I lay in bed somewhat quietly and read. I'm currently reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. When I'm tired of reading I jump around my room and stare out the window.
3:15 pm Up from not so quiet time I run outside with a snack- more muffins, an apple, and a glass of water. I eat my snack while staring at the clouds and catch some ants.
4:30 Mom calls me in to read history. I narrate it back to mom and then run back outside until supper.
5:00 pm Supper with dad, mom, and my siblings.
6:00 Back outside to run more. Mom lets me play until it's time to come in for a snack.
7:00 Snack. Mom reads another chapter from the Little House on the Prairie.
7:30 pm I lay in bed and read for a while, then fall asleep.
About 6:00 am Little Bird runs into my room and wakes me up. I am not a morning person, so I lay in bed and grumble for a while.
6:15 I venture downstairs for breakfast.
After I eat I play with mt sister and brother for a while, then mom tells me it's time for school.
8:00 am I finish math and science.
8:30 I make a batch of chocolate chocolate chip muffins. Mom puts them in the oven for me, but I do the rest.
8:45 Copywork and a written narration done while muffins bake- then I eat two. Yum!
9:00 am Mom sends me outside with a pencil, box of crayons and a sketch pad. I swing, draw pictures of ants and leaves, and run around.
11:45 am I come inside for a drink. Mom is making lunch so I decide to do some playdoh with my sister. My brother pulls all the pans out of a cabinet and bangs on them with spoons. My mom puts on a CD in French and I practice phrases with my sister.
Noon Dad comes home to eat lunch and see what we worked on. My brother is grumpy and instead of eating lunch pores it on himself and then yells. Naptime for him.
1:00- 3:00 pm I lay in bed somewhat quietly and read. I'm currently reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. When I'm tired of reading I jump around my room and stare out the window.
3:15 pm Up from not so quiet time I run outside with a snack- more muffins, an apple, and a glass of water. I eat my snack while staring at the clouds and catch some ants.
4:30 Mom calls me in to read history. I narrate it back to mom and then run back outside until supper.
5:00 pm Supper with dad, mom, and my siblings.
6:00 Back outside to run more. Mom lets me play until it's time to come in for a snack.
7:00 Snack. Mom reads another chapter from the Little House on the Prairie.
7:30 pm I lay in bed and read for a while, then fall asleep.
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