Feb. 11th 16th 2013 Core E Week 17

 Feb. 11th 16th 2013 Core E Week 17

Who needs a better camera?!

We were suppose to take a LOW this week ("Left-Over Week"); but I didn't feel like it--we weren't really that behind.  So, we went ahead with doing Week 17.

We had nice weather Mon. thru Thur. so we played a lot of basketball in our driveway each day at lunch; for about an hour each time.  We went over a lot of basketball skills.  So, we didn't get as much done this week on our lessons.  It was really nice to be outside and having a little sunshine.  

The Sandhill Cranes were migrating like CRAZY this week!!!  I lost count how many clusters past by our house this week.  Dh says that is a good sign that spring will be early; but I haven't seen any robins yet....so I am undecided!!!

Thursday we had our co-op classes; which were a lot of fun. Dd has Gym, then Health, then French class.  Dd had basketball practice--so Dh and I celebrated Valentines evening sitting in a gym at a church watching her play!!!  How romantic!!  She played on Sat. Feb. 16th and her team won!  Her grandparents drove up to see the game.  It was nice of them to come and see her play.  It is sad none of our relatives have come to see her though---of all the games Dh and I have gone to and driven out to see of our nephews over the years; they have NEVER come to any of her games ever.  Pity party over. 


Friday we went to a book sale.  I felt so sick afterwards that I called it a sick afternoon and we only did prayers, audio, reading, and math on Friday.   All in all that made for a light week--but small progress was made.


Bible:
We had already read all of the Parent Reading of 2 Chronicles from the Bible portion, so we could focus all our attention on the Student Portion--which was on Job.  We were suppose to only read Job 2, 4, 18, 32, and 42.  But, there was no way I could skip that much of Job and really feel like we were covering the book of Job.  

 

What the Bible Is All About Handbook for Kids: Bible Handbook for Kids by Frances Blankenbaker and Henrietta C. Mears

So, we read the chapter on Job from this book I have that gives us a good 'gist' on each book of the bible as well as the following chapters from Job: 1-9, 18- 19, 23-27, 29-30, 32-34-36, 38, 40-42.  Some of the chapters I didn't read the whole chapter, I just read the important part and didn't count that as reading the chapter.  I am liking focusing on one book per week instead of switching around like we were doing before; and adding in more chapters.

History:
Landmark history of the American People

Read Alouds:
We started: Little Britches by Ralph Moody

Reader 1: finished

 

The Terrible Wave by Marden Dahlstedt

Dd finished: Terrible Wave 
Amazon says: During the disastrous flood of 1889 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a spoiled teen-age girl learns to accept responsibility as she and her companions search for their families and friends.

Reader 2: finished 

 
 Helen Keller (Scholastic Biography) by Margaret Davidson and Wendy Watson
 Amazon says: The bestselling biography of Helen Keller and how, with the commitment and lifelong friendship of Anne Sullivan, she learned to talk, read, and eventually graduate from college with honors.

Language Arts:
WWE 2: Week 35: Day 1,2,3,4
*we had moved onto WWE 3; but I decided to go back and finish the last 3-4 weeks that I had thought it was okay to skip; but have since reconsidered that decision.

FLL 4: Lesson 39, 40, 41

AAS: Step 9 --completed and passed
reviewed many of the previous test words/concepts from this book; and reviewed the Find Gold rule from Book 2.

Adverbial Clause Chant: 3 x (Dd has informed me "she KNOWS this, and no longer needs to be drilled on this!! it's true!!!

Grammar Flashcards: 2x


Math:
Math U See: 12 A, B, C, D, E, F
Skip Counting Family: 7 family 3 x (m,t,w)

Life of Fred: Farming
Chapters 15-19--finished the book


Typing Instructor:
20-30 minutes 2x (T-Th)

Rosetta Stone--French
Lesson 2 Vocabulary
Yay!  We got the headset all fixed up and everything loaded and going again!  And it is still winter!  Hopefully we can get this back into our normal rotation again!


Activities & Art:
Knitting--she found some gizmo that makes small tube knitting; like fingers for knitted gloves??  She loves making the long tube of knit though--I think she is going to turn it into a "scarf" for Aunt Marilyn's "Sister Bear".  Sister Bear goes to chemo with her and helps her with her cancer.  Everyone gives things to dress up Sister Bear and Dd wants to contribute.

Valentines cards--she made some really incredible value scale, abstract contour line drawings for Dh and me each, on our cards! very cool! 

She made 4 hemp bracelets weaving for her friends for V-day gifts
Cooking: no real cooking this week- 2 puddings, though!

BIG PIANO WEEK!!!! BIG TIME!!!  Plus, Giz got her a new piano book and she played the whole book already.  She had 2 major long lessons with Giz (one on phone, one in person)

One clay/play dough stuff kit that Giz got her project--flowers and a vase thing she made on Valentines.

Lots of craft-stuff this week...very busy with making things this week; but not in the kitchen.

Sewing--Made a pillow.  She is a whiz on the sewing machine and wants to teach me!


Audio:
 
We have listened to By The Great Horn Spoon, Disc 1, twice in the van now---as we can't find disc 2 !!!!!!  


Fellowship of the Ring:
Disc 3 completed--ordered the next audio in the series The Two Towers!!!





Music: 3x (M, T, W)

The Living Clarinet by Barrie Carson Turner

*This is wonderful!!!  I love this series of books with CD's, we have 3.

DVD:
Magic School Bus:
Taking Flight

ParaNorman
We liked the Special Effects better than the movie actually.  We are big Wallace and Gromit fans here and love "STOP ACTION" films, and ParaNorman is a stop-action; plus they added in lots of high tech effects as well.  Artistically it was a cool movie to see.  But, the quality of the story was very sub-par.  The story was.....eh.

                 

Homeschooling Methodology

Homeschooling Methodology

In one of my friendly Sonlighting chats my friends were discussing which 'homeschooling method' do we use....Hmmm.  Such a good question!  The answer to that question has changed and remained under the same umbrella "eclectic"; all these years.  Although, I guess I kind of declare it a "Sonlighting Umbrella" now. 

Here is my small portion of the dialog - not well thought out or rewritten; just some basic thoughts off the top of my head.  I thought it might be interesting for me to look back on and read in a few years time to see where I am today.

"When Dd was born I was all into sign language and we did that until she began to talk; then see moved on and didn't want to sign with me anymore (huge bummer for me b/c I am fluent)...the it was the Montessori method and we did LOTS of that. Dd had her own brooms and dust pans, and helped with all our chores---we did it all, bought the books--the whole 9 yards.  Then it was Charlotte Mason through and through!  Then we went towards Raymond Moore, and the Better Late Than Early phase--now that we are older and Larkin is finally ready and old enough for some of the Classical Education we are definitely incorporating that into our lives.

I think all of those methods are STILL apart of who we are and what we believe; and are important.  They each had a significant part in helping us where we were and where we are going.  I don't think we could be whole without the combination of "all of the above"!!!!

I would feel like a HUGE failure if I was a die hard 'classical educator'!!!  Boy, oh boy!  I've checked out TWTM (The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer) at least 3-4 times and I do pull out some gems each time I read it; but I absolutely get the feeling that if I were to be a "success" with that program I would have to change how I parent.  At my core, I am an "attachment parent" that has had to draw lines and be firm and resolute as I encouraged growth with my daughter.  But, to incorporate THAT level of dedication to achieving that high level of academics with MY child, I would have to buy a whip!  It may work for some children.  I do hear that some children get up early and get on their homework by themselves, and are self motivated....but this is not (at all!) the type of kid I have.  I have a very artistic, creative, 'outside the box' type of thinker.

I like to incorporate the best things I see from the classic education format and put in as many as I can; while still keeping our lessons not SO intense.  I really do think that Dd needs hours each week to play.  We have spells of doing a lot and spells of playing a lot.  She thrives much better when she gets to play--which for her is when she will go build things, and paint things, and play piano...it isn't on a screen or out of a box...she creates stuff.

In the warmer months we move towards being outside and nature/growing things and Charlotte Mason.  Right now, in winter, we are doing a lot of TWTM type of things, but I still wouldn't say I am more one method over the other.  I think "Sonlight" homeschooler seems like a one-word description that can fit in all the different types of styles, plus being a CHRISTIAN, plus loving BOOKS, and music, and science --all at the same time!"