Saturday, January 30, 2010
Emergency Alert! South Eastern Virginia has SNOW on our 100th Day of School
Well we've reached a special day in our 4th year of homeschooling. Today was our 100th day of school for the year. The kids were so proud to reach this milestone. To make the day even more special Mother Nature dropped about 6" of the white stuff on us last night. That's right South East Virginia was snowed on last night. It doesn't happen often and when it does it usually is only an inch or two. It usually doesn't stick around very long. It's not wet enough to make a snowman, but still fun to play in.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Week 19 in Review -- Jan 25-29
This week started out great and slowly fizzled as I got a pretty ugly cold. We're hoping a weekend of rest will help and we'll be raring to go for next week.
Everett:
Grammar: He started Junior Analytical Grammar and completed Unit 1. He did a great job, I really think he's ready for it now.
Spelling: Spelling Workout Lesson 6 was completed.
Writing: None this week
Reading: He finished Howliday Inn and has started The Celery Stalks at Midnight. I can't believe how much his interest in reading has turned around. He now reads every night without fail and there is no more prodding from Mom.
Math: Teaching Textbooks lessons 17-19 and Quiz 3 were completed. These lessons covered division and he did a really good job with it. He's cruising right along.
Annika:
Language Arts:McRuffy Phonics and Reading K lessons 162-170 were completed. She will complete this level of phonics and reading by the end of next week. She's doing so well, I'm so proud of her.
Math: McRuffy Math 1 lessons 130-148 were completed. This week included addition with carrying (or regrouping) and she did really well with it. She's doing great in math and should wrap up this level by the end of next week.
BOTH
History: We covered Peter the Great and his great trip to explore Western Europe.
Science: We started learning about the 18 naturally occurring elements. We did an experiment where we made muffins with and without baking powder to show that not having that chemical reaction in there makes a big difference in the end result.
Lucas:
Preschool: He's trucking along through his My First book of Mazes and My First Book of Coloring. He enjoys his worksheets and is doing really well.
Tune in next week for Week 20 in Review
Grammar: He started Junior Analytical Grammar and completed Unit 1. He did a great job, I really think he's ready for it now.
Spelling: Spelling Workout Lesson 6 was completed.
Writing: None this week
Reading: He finished Howliday Inn and has started The Celery Stalks at Midnight. I can't believe how much his interest in reading has turned around. He now reads every night without fail and there is no more prodding from Mom.
Math: Teaching Textbooks lessons 17-19 and Quiz 3 were completed. These lessons covered division and he did a really good job with it. He's cruising right along.
Annika:
Language Arts:McRuffy Phonics and Reading K lessons 162-170 were completed. She will complete this level of phonics and reading by the end of next week. She's doing so well, I'm so proud of her.
Math: McRuffy Math 1 lessons 130-148 were completed. This week included addition with carrying (or regrouping) and she did really well with it. She's doing great in math and should wrap up this level by the end of next week.
BOTH
History: We covered Peter the Great and his great trip to explore Western Europe.
Science: We started learning about the 18 naturally occurring elements. We did an experiment where we made muffins with and without baking powder to show that not having that chemical reaction in there makes a big difference in the end result.
Lucas:
Preschool: He's trucking along through his My First book of Mazes and My First Book of Coloring. He enjoys his worksheets and is doing really well.
Tune in next week for Week 20 in Review
Friday, January 22, 2010
Week 18 in Review -- Jan 17-23
We're half way through the school year and it feels great! The kids and I decided to change up the schedule a bit for the 2nd semester and we well be doing Math and Language Arts daily during the week and History and Science will be done on the weekends. We did this last year for a while too and they really enjoyed it. This way we get to dive a little deeper in both subjects and not feel like we need to rush in order to get it all done during the day.
Here's what we did this past week.
Everett:
Grammar: The remaining lessons in GWG 5 unit 1 were completed. We'll now start Junior Analytical Grammar, we had tried it in the past and he just wasn't ready, but I think he is now.
Spelling: Spelling Workout Lesson 5 was completed.
Writing: He did a Keyword Outline and paragraph report on Cephalopods this week, he's really enjoying this and I think next week I'll start teaching him to type his final drafts.
Reading: He read about half of Howliday Inn this week and is really enjoying the book. I love that he's finally found his love of reading. Now I just have to make sure to keep lots of good reading options available for him.
Math: Teaching Textbooks lessons 12-16 covering a review of multiplication were completed. He's still doing really well and finally got the hint that his math notebook where he writes out his problems should have some sort of order to them. He places the problems in columns instead of rows like I was taught in school, I'm ok with it because at least they are all scrambled up on the page.
Annika:
Language Arts:McRuffy Phonics and Reading K lessons 151-161 were completed. She learned about long E and the /mp/ consonant blend. She's doing so well, I can't believe that just 5 months ago she was an almost non-reader.
Math: McRuffy Math 1 lessons 121-129 were completed. She began working with the concept of "half" and continues to work on simple subtraction and adding 3 single digit numbers.
BOTH
History: We reviewed a little on the Pilgrims and colonists. They look forward to next week when we cover Peter the Great.
Science: We worked on the concept of Mass, and why they call it the Periodic Table of Elements.
Lucas:
Preschool: He began a new maze book as well as starting "My first book of coloring" He really enjoys doing school and runs to his desk each day.
Tune in next week for Week 19 in Review
Grammar: The remaining lessons in GWG 5 unit 1 were completed. We'll now start Junior Analytical Grammar, we had tried it in the past and he just wasn't ready, but I think he is now.
Spelling: Spelling Workout Lesson 5 was completed.
Writing: He did a Keyword Outline and paragraph report on Cephalopods this week, he's really enjoying this and I think next week I'll start teaching him to type his final drafts.
Reading: He read about half of Howliday Inn this week and is really enjoying the book. I love that he's finally found his love of reading. Now I just have to make sure to keep lots of good reading options available for him.
Math: Teaching Textbooks lessons 12-16 covering a review of multiplication were completed. He's still doing really well and finally got the hint that his math notebook where he writes out his problems should have some sort of order to them. He places the problems in columns instead of rows like I was taught in school, I'm ok with it because at least they are all scrambled up on the page.
Annika:
Language Arts:McRuffy Phonics and Reading K lessons 151-161 were completed. She learned about long E and the /mp/ consonant blend. She's doing so well, I can't believe that just 5 months ago she was an almost non-reader.
Math: McRuffy Math 1 lessons 121-129 were completed. She began working with the concept of "half" and continues to work on simple subtraction and adding 3 single digit numbers.
BOTH
History: We reviewed a little on the Pilgrims and colonists. They look forward to next week when we cover Peter the Great.
Science: We worked on the concept of Mass, and why they call it the Periodic Table of Elements.
Lucas:
Preschool: He began a new maze book as well as starting "My first book of coloring" He really enjoys doing school and runs to his desk each day.
Tune in next week for Week 19 in Review
Friday, January 15, 2010
Week 17 in Review -- Jan 10-16
It was another good week here. We took off Thursday because of Lucas's outside classes and Annika's speech therapy. We'd been trying to do a little school in between them, but it was getting to stressful. We still got a lot accomplished.
Everett:
Grammar: Lessons 1.7-1.11 in Growing with Grammar were completed. They covered compound subjects and predicates, the types of sentences and avoiding run ons.
Spelling: Spelling Workout Lesson 4 was completed.
Writing: We started back with Institute for Excellence in Writing's Student Writing Intensive B. He reviewed Unit 1 on Keyword Outlines. His subject matter was Sea Wasps and he really enjoyed watching Mr. Pudewa on the DVD. He did rather well and I think this will help him come out of his shell a bit more with writing.
Reading: He finished The Last Olympian on Sunday and then on Monday started and completed Magic School Bus and the Penguin Puzzle. He's now started reading then 2nd book in the Bunnicula series, Howliday Inn.
Math: Teaching Textbooks Quiz 1 and lessons 9-11 covering a review of long addition and subtraction with regrouping and carrying were completed.
Annika:
Language Arts:McRuffy Phonics and Reading K lessons 139-150 were completed she has read a few readers over the week and is doing well.
Math: McRuffy Math 1 lessons 109-120 were completed. She worked on adding a string of 3, single digit numbers as well as continuing subtractions with no regrouping. She is doing well although we do need to focus on basic facts a bit more to help get them mastered.
BOTH
History: Chapter 10 and 11 in Story of the World were completed. In chapter 10 we read about the Japan and how the emperor closed off the country and how the Manchu fought the Ming dynasty. In chapter 11 we covered the Moghuls of India. We looked at some pictures of the Taj Mahal online and discussed it. Science: We continued our study of elements and completed an experiment with milk and lemon juice to demonstrate that milk was not an element.
Lucas:
Preschool: He continued to work on his fine motor skills and finished his Kumon first book of mazes.
Tune in next week for Week 18 in Review
Everett:
Grammar: Lessons 1.7-1.11 in Growing with Grammar were completed. They covered compound subjects and predicates, the types of sentences and avoiding run ons.
Spelling: Spelling Workout Lesson 4 was completed.
Writing: We started back with Institute for Excellence in Writing's Student Writing Intensive B. He reviewed Unit 1 on Keyword Outlines. His subject matter was Sea Wasps and he really enjoyed watching Mr. Pudewa on the DVD. He did rather well and I think this will help him come out of his shell a bit more with writing.
Reading: He finished The Last Olympian on Sunday and then on Monday started and completed Magic School Bus and the Penguin Puzzle. He's now started reading then 2nd book in the Bunnicula series, Howliday Inn.
Math: Teaching Textbooks Quiz 1 and lessons 9-11 covering a review of long addition and subtraction with regrouping and carrying were completed.
Annika:
Language Arts:McRuffy Phonics and Reading K lessons 139-150 were completed she has read a few readers over the week and is doing well.
Math: McRuffy Math 1 lessons 109-120 were completed. She worked on adding a string of 3, single digit numbers as well as continuing subtractions with no regrouping. She is doing well although we do need to focus on basic facts a bit more to help get them mastered.
BOTH
History: Chapter 10 and 11 in Story of the World were completed. In chapter 10 we read about the Japan and how the emperor closed off the country and how the Manchu fought the Ming dynasty. In chapter 11 we covered the Moghuls of India. We looked at some pictures of the Taj Mahal online and discussed it. Science: We continued our study of elements and completed an experiment with milk and lemon juice to demonstrate that milk was not an element.
Lucas:
Preschool: He continued to work on his fine motor skills and finished his Kumon first book of mazes.
Tune in next week for Week 18 in Review
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Week 16 in Review -- Jan 4 - Jan 9
Fawkes Academy is back in session! We started the week pretty well considering Matt left on Friday night for deployment. We won't see him again until sometime in August, we will miss him a lot, but will try to focus on school to help keep us busy.
Here's the rundown of what we accomplished this week.
Everett:
Grammar: He's begun using Growing with Grammar grade 5 and completed lessons 1.2-1.6 this week. It's focusing on simple subject/predicate, diagramming subjects and predicates, and began compound subject/predicates.
Spelling: Spelling Workout C lesson 3 was completed, things are going well with this and he enjoys the program. We've decided to continue with it through the year and then we'll use Phonetic Zoo over the summer for "Spelling camp"
Writing: Nothing this week, he'll begin Student Writing Intensive B from Institute for Excellence in Writing next week.
Reading: He has almost completed The Last Olympian which is the last book in his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I sure hope Rick Riordan gets working on those Camp Half-Blood books he mentioned on his blog. I have to admit Everett was right, I'm now hooked on Percy myself and can't wait to start The Battle of the Labyrinth now that I finished The Titan's Curse last night.
Math: He completed lessons 2-7 in Teaching Textbooks grade 6, which covered Place Value,Writing and Saying Numbers, Really Big Numbers, Comparing Numbers, Number Sequences, Addition, and Subtraction.
Geography: He completed Week 16 of Daily Geography Grade 5, which covered reading a Physical Map of Canada.
Annika:
Language Arts: McRuffy phonics and Reading Level K lessons 127-139 were completed. She covered reading long "O" and "Qu". She's really coming along nicely and getting more confident in her ability. Her penmanship is also included in this program and her printing is getting much better after a bit of a slide downhill.
Math: McRuffy Math Level 1 lessons 97-108 were completed. She learned basic subtraction, and reviewed 2 digit addition without regrouping, as well as reading a clock to the hour and half hour, and reading a thermometer.
Geography: She completed week 16 in Daily Geography grade 2 which covered reading a Land and Water Map of Hawaii.
BOTH
History: We've decided to go back to Story of the World for History, so we did a quick review of chapters 1-6 which we'd covered in various History Odyssey lessons and then completed reading, mapwork and coloring pages for Chapter 7 of Story of the World Volume 3 which covered the spread of Slavery from the Caribbean and South America to the Jamestown settlement.
Science: We made a change here too, the Animals and Their Worlds program turned out to be not as exciting as we thought. Everett decided he'd like to do Science with Annika as a group, so we're back with Real Science Odyssey Chemistry Level 1. We completed lessons on Atoms which included building simple models of the first 10 elements on the Periodic Table out of marshmallows. They kids had a lot of fun and really enjoyed eating their "atoms" when we finished. Lucas even joined in and is proud to know the words Proton, Neutron and Electron now. Here's a few pictures of our marshmallow atoms.
Lucas:
Preschool: Other than joining us for Science he completed pages 13-24 in the Kumon My First Tracing Book. His fine motor skills are getting much better and he's starting to trace lines really well. He also played quite a few rounds of Counting Bugs (a new math board game we got for christmas) with his friend (stuffed animal) Clean Piggy.
Tune in next week for Week 17 in Review
Grammar: He's begun using Growing with Grammar grade 5 and completed lessons 1.2-1.6 this week. It's focusing on simple subject/predicate, diagramming subjects and predicates, and began compound subject/predicates.
Spelling: Spelling Workout C lesson 3 was completed, things are going well with this and he enjoys the program. We've decided to continue with it through the year and then we'll use Phonetic Zoo over the summer for "Spelling camp"
Writing: Nothing this week, he'll begin Student Writing Intensive B from Institute for Excellence in Writing next week.
Reading: He has almost completed The Last Olympian which is the last book in his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I sure hope Rick Riordan gets working on those Camp Half-Blood books he mentioned on his blog. I have to admit Everett was right, I'm now hooked on Percy myself and can't wait to start The Battle of the Labyrinth now that I finished The Titan's Curse last night.
Math: He completed lessons 2-7 in Teaching Textbooks grade 6, which covered Place Value,Writing and Saying Numbers, Really Big Numbers, Comparing Numbers, Number Sequences, Addition, and Subtraction.
Geography: He completed Week 16 of Daily Geography Grade 5, which covered reading a Physical Map of Canada.
Annika:
Language Arts: McRuffy phonics and Reading Level K lessons 127-139 were completed. She covered reading long "O" and "Qu". She's really coming along nicely and getting more confident in her ability. Her penmanship is also included in this program and her printing is getting much better after a bit of a slide downhill.
Math: McRuffy Math Level 1 lessons 97-108 were completed. She learned basic subtraction, and reviewed 2 digit addition without regrouping, as well as reading a clock to the hour and half hour, and reading a thermometer.
Geography: She completed week 16 in Daily Geography grade 2 which covered reading a Land and Water Map of Hawaii.
BOTH
History: We've decided to go back to Story of the World for History, so we did a quick review of chapters 1-6 which we'd covered in various History Odyssey lessons and then completed reading, mapwork and coloring pages for Chapter 7 of Story of the World Volume 3 which covered the spread of Slavery from the Caribbean and South America to the Jamestown settlement.
Science: We made a change here too, the Animals and Their Worlds program turned out to be not as exciting as we thought. Everett decided he'd like to do Science with Annika as a group, so we're back with Real Science Odyssey Chemistry Level 1. We completed lessons on Atoms which included building simple models of the first 10 elements on the Periodic Table out of marshmallows. They kids had a lot of fun and really enjoyed eating their "atoms" when we finished. Lucas even joined in and is proud to know the words Proton, Neutron and Electron now. Here's a few pictures of our marshmallow atoms.
Lucas:
Preschool: Other than joining us for Science he completed pages 13-24 in the Kumon My First Tracing Book. His fine motor skills are getting much better and he's starting to trace lines really well. He also played quite a few rounds of Counting Bugs (a new math board game we got for christmas) with his friend (stuffed animal) Clean Piggy.
Tune in next week for Week 17 in Review
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