Monday, November 25, 2013

Learning about the Tree of LIfe

No pics of last week's work! But we got it done...........

We also started doing some with learning about the Tree of Life while we are doing an Art Appreciation study of Gustav Klimt. I'll try my best to update here. I think this is going to be their best collaboration of project work that they have ever did.

                                                                               

I am absolutely excited in how we are able to incorporate all of this while doing our genealogy studies too.. Everything in our homeschool is starting to connect!!

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Our Weekly Plan for November 18, 2013


I am going to intentionally document our work here daily to help me with accountability. The kids and I are about to begin some time consuming project work and I am going to have to stay on top of things so required work will still be done.  Our daily schedule has consistently consisted of Math work, Grammar work with First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind, and Reading.

Required Work: This week the kids and I will be reading independently for 20 minutes a day, after we are all done reading our own books we will orally summarize what we just read. Ken and DJ have been doing math using workbooks, Ken will continue to do this as it is working for her and she is almost done! DJ will be reintroduced to the Montessori Math materials with The Division with Rack and Tubes, this is where he is at and I will add fraction materials back into the mix. I hope that Ken will be finished with her workbook when the time comes to reintroduce the materials so she can delve into a Fraction Unit too. Grammar lessons continue the same, we love the well roundness of First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind.

                                                     Our Daily Group Work
On Sundays we will cover History. In History we are still doing our genealogy studies, and using the Roots Movie/ Book,  as well as reading from The Story of Us: Volume 1. I will document the specifics in another post.

On Mondays we will be starting doing Japanese. DJ and Michelle are using Skype to learn Japanese with their Aunt Mai and on Mondays they will teach me.
                                                                         

On Tuesdays we do Civility and Etiquette work. This is a project that I am working on and the kids are helping me. So far they have been learning lots and we are all having a ball. Also I scheduled in our weekly philosophy discussion to be done.

                                                                       
                                                                         
On Wednesdays we have sewing class and do our geography lesson.
                                                                     
                                                                     

On Thursdays Ken teaches us what she learned while doing her project work, and we enjoy tea time.

On Fridays we do Science.

                                                                   



On Saturdays Ken and DJ report what they have been writing about while working on their monthly writing project.

                                                                Extras
Ken attends Drama classes on Tuesday mornings. DJ attends TaeKwonDo on Mondays and Wednesdays evenings, and Michelle attends ballet lessons on Thursday evenings, and piano lessons with my father on Friday evenings. That just reminded me that Michelle practices her piano at my parents house on Mondays and Wednesdays evenings, my father drops her off when he picks DJ up to go to TaeKwondo. I am so blessed to have the supportive parents that I have!
                                                                         
Here are a list of sneaky math games we will play this week to keep math interesting.


  • Target Addition- To provide practice in mental arithmetic and strategic planning
  • Bridges-  To practice, planning ahead and keeping a watchful eye on opponents move
  • One Hundred Cards- To add a new twist for flashcards, which can help extend number sense beyond basic facts.


* All of these games are found in Family Math.

                                                   

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Cereal Again?

One of things that still is being worked out is what to eat for breakfast before we live for the Studio. Also what to pack for lunch, or how should we pack our lunches. Sounds easy, but not for a family who hasn't had to leave the house for work in over ten years.

Well pancakes are what has been on the menu this week and it has been been done in a easy and independent way for the kids, so I can get dress without any interruptions and sleep a couple of minutes longer. LOL. Why is pancakes worth writing a post about? Really it isn't about pancakes. We were strolling through Meijers and Ken spotted a pancake maker on sale for just $6.25. 

                                                                                 

I thought how perfect size this is and how DJ wouldn't be intimidated by the flames on the stove, and in the cart the pancake maker went.

                                                                              

This week it solved the cold breakfast dilemma.


They are coming up with new pancake recipes, but for now it is instant pancake mix because we have to start somewhere right. This should last for awhile:)