Weekly Review -- April 11-15, 2011

This week we got a lot done, not as much as I had hoped but all in all it was a good week.  

Everett...

completed a few grammar quizzes which helped me see where we need to review more.  We'll start up First Language Lessons 3 again next week.  He also completed the rough draft of his Story Sequence paragraphs about his Paul Bunyan story and will type up the final draft next week.  He also asked if he could add Writing With Ease back in because he likes the narrations and dictations from that.  A year ago I never thought I'd hear that from this boy, because he hated to pick up a pencil for any reasons.  He completed 4 pages in his Universal Handwriting Level D book.  He's enjoying this cursive style a bit more than Handwriting without Tears, so we'll go with it.  He finished steps 3 and 4 in All About Spelling Level 3 and was really excited about the Silent E book.  He also completed Lessons 12-15 in Teaching Textbooks 7.

Annika...

completed steps 21-23 in All About Spelling Level 1, one more to go and then we're on to level 2.  She worked through lessons 48, 54, 60, and 61 in The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading.  We were reviewing some trouble spots she was having with the ending blends of "ng" and "nk" as well as introducing then ending blend "ength", and the beginning blends of "ph" and "wh".  She did really well with them, but we'll be taking her to a COVD.org Optometrist to check on any vision issues that may not show up on a normal vision test.  She completed pages 17-24 in Explode the Code book 4 and did a grammar test and two grammar worksheets.  I've decided to go back to using First Language Lessons for grammar since she is still struggling with reading, but does so well with the oral approach of FLL 1.  She tried the Universal Handwriting book like Everett is using, but said she prefers the method and style of Handwriting Without Tears cursive, so we'll stick with HWOT for her.  She also completed Lessons 12-14 and Quiz 2 in Teaching Textbooks 4 and is really loving the program.  She's doing really well and even earning quite a few extra points in the math fact bonus rounds that come up every few lessons. 

Making Pattern Block Animals

Lucas...
completed lessons 5 and 6 in All About Reading Level pre-1 and lessons 8-13 in McRuffy Color Math K, he also joined in on some history reading and observed Ev and Annika's science experiment.

Working on the turtle pattern

Science and History

Watching the marshmallows to see what happens to the
carbon in them when they are heated.

For History I finished Walk the World's Rim aloud, and Everett finished reading Pedro's Journal.  We'll be returning to Story of the World next week, but will add in many of the Sonlight historical fiction books when they fit in. 


For science the kids learned about Carbon and Silicon from Group 14 of the Periodic Table and did an experiment called S'more Carbon.  It involved observing a marshmallow as it baked in the oven for 10 minutes.  They completed their Group 14 page in their element books. 

Recording their observations on their lab sheets
as the marshmallows bake to total annihilation.

I hope you enjoy the pictures, I know it's not a lot, but at least I took some this week.  We're hoping next week will be productive. We will be taking a field trip to the movies one day next week to see Hop and Rio.