Final Friday

To practice true religion:James 1:27
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Being Final Friday, Student set out on her mission to look after a certain widow loved dearly by the Homeschool. Student spent a snowy morning inside Miss Jane's farmhouse dusting spots just her size!
Dining table legs
Shutter slats
Dining chair spindles



Student and Miss Jane completed their time together preparing lunch for the Homeschool. Packing ourselves over the creek and past the woods, we landed at her dining table for a classic winter luncheon: grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup!

After giving thanks to God for the food, Miss Jane shared about Student's helpful heart. When Principal asked Student how she responded when asked to complete a task that morning, she said...
"I thought I could be polite and do it right. I didn't complain, she's not my MOM!" All laughed, and laughed some more. Yes, we know we often save the illest responses for our loved ones, we all fall short there! Lord forgive us.

Re-booting each foot that walked, the Homeschool headed home just in time for the arrival of little blonde guests for a Kansas Day activity.




Celebrating God's provisions for both the birds of the air and our families, we used Miss Jane's hog lard and mixed up some suet-stuffed oranges to provide for the local birds during these cold days.



Finished and resting in the freezer until tomorrow, Student will eye just the perfect places for her feeders. For this we know is true: God is the source of all we need, and He works through many channels. The girls were delighted to be a channel of provision for the Kansas birds...HAPPY 149th KANSAS DAY!

Connecting to Kansas Day, History taught Student of Lewis & Clark. She was so excited to connect her newly acquired tooth-traded golden coin to the lesson. Checking the map for the Kansas locations Lewis & Clark traveled along, and just what significance Sacajawea is thought to have. Officaially, we have skipped from the 16th president doen to the 3rd, and will continue a steady countdown to prepare for President's Day.

February, yes, the month that begins MONDAY! Where will the semester go? Student is the furthest along in Math & Science. As for the rest that First Grade is to hold, the Homeschool relies on the sufficient grace of God!

Recycled Learning

Toddler was the first to try out the newest Homeschool learning tool: recycled lid counters! We cut and glued circles atop the lids and Student wrote a single digit on each.



From 1-9 Toddler used each as the foundation for his buildings to complete his city. The foundation number indicated how many blocks high the building should be. Toddler caught right on...




AnRecycledd the city was complete...in an awesome effect, of course.
He loves choosing CRAZY PICTURES!



All the while...One fish, Two fish...and on and on Student read. Mascot listened intently and chomped his wet washcloth. What a delight to have all three together for Homeschool this morning, before minds were awake enough to give in to selfishness!

Student then put the lids to work creating random 4 digit numbers and reviewing place value. Then, picking lids from the bowl-full, Student computed each pair of numbers in adition and subtraction. Toddler chimed in and identified single digits. What a pair, what a motivation a new toy can be! Free and fun, the Homeschool's secret ingredients!



The ocean, as a habitat, was introduced in Science today. Student had no problem remembering the four major oceans, and chose the first animal to study:
Giant Manta
Facts:
God made them to live in warm tropical water.
They eat something on the bottom... plankton. Plankton means many animals
that live on the bottom, the floor. We would have to take a water sample to a microscope to see them.
The pictures of the Giant Manta are the top two in the sequence, the last, was Student's favorite of the examples of Plankton shown. Of course she picked this particular one because it resembled fabric yo-yo's! That's our girl! I guess we'll have to work a sewing project into this unit where Teacher never imagined!

Designing on the computer, she chose the colors for Nancy's dress. Fashion will have to fit into the curriculum somewhere...one of these days!



Violin brought new ideas and theories for Student. She is adding to her symbol recognition:
sharp sign
natural sign
flat sign...where are those keyboard symbol short-cuts? We'll have to consult Principal for that.
And to help Student read the sharps and learn the arrangement of the symbols on the staff, she can tell us all...
Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds!

The Digestive System completed it's last day...yes, having no other option but to end with talk of the toilet...Teacher was SO GLAD this wasn't a classroom full of 27 first graders!

Not Accepting Calls Today

Yes, to our beloved rock, strength and encourager...
Happy Birthday!



Principal agreed with the administration that his birthday celebration should continue all-the-day-through, thus canceling Homeschool for this midweek day. All are in agreement, as they thank God for this holiday & wipe the chocolate cake from their lips...to return clean and sugar-filled for lessons tomorrow.

Yes, Principal was quite honored to share his day with iPad. A big day for both of them. Shall we consider re-naming our Mac-loving principal: iPrincipal? We shall put it to a vote...

Life Skills

Since beginning the Homeschool journey, the eyes of Teacher and Principal have been opened to just how many teaching opportunities there are in a day. When the questions come from little mouths and older brains are tired, there is a temptation to answer with "I don't know..." or "...ask your teacher!" But, when you are the teacher, it all works together to create a life-long environment of learning. Is there ever a time when little brains are NOT sponging info?

Today's info came while expanding life skills. Student worked more on dishes than ever! She insisted that she was ready for more chores, as a friend of hers helps with dishes, so can she! During this wet and wild experience, Student practiced skip-counting, addition and subtraction combinations and ended Math with 2 new card games.

Student reviews the new games: "I like solitaire better than speed. Both were fun."

And continuing to wrap up the human body systems introductions, the digestion system introduced paper-dolly's new parts today.
"I guess I was mixed-up with the liver and pancreas yesterday. Now I know the liver is for getting out poisons, and making bile. But the food destruction happens in the pancreas. The small intestines is like 22 rulers...on an adult!"

Spelling and Phonics brought au and aw...



Toddler identified the letters each time Student decided which letter combination was used in the word examples. Waiting for one's own turn was quite the ordeal today! The Homeschool can't wait for the new load of mercies God promises each morning!

Transforming yesterday's still life into a new medium, Student worked with compressed charcoal today...and directly afterwards, took the map picture for our History and Geography lesson. Yes, how Teacher remembers such scrubbing...quite the job for a first grader! However, Student did think the blending was fun.



Computer time was spent on kidshealth.org. Student colored this outlined astronaut, a girl of course, cuz GIRLS ROCK!



And a joke from Student's latest list online that brings her fashion sense to laugh:
What did the zero say to eight... nice belt!

Tune This

"OOhhh, I like it!" Student confessed about violin practice, today.



Teacher thought the once-lost-now-found electronic tuner would bring back the proper sound to Student's violin practices...the dust aliens who had captured the unit, must have extracted some certain needed part...it's not what it used to be!

So, this video was made of Student's redirected practice. Learning what all it takes to earn the name COMPOSER, she worked on rhythm, lyrics, pulse and pitch. Her musical rhetoric is rapidly growing, as Toddler nabs bits and pieces whenever he chooses.

Truly, it was Principal that began the Homeschooling day at work. He was Yahtzee-Memory- Candy Landed out! Games 'r' us at 8:30am! What a fun Monday he brought!



Teacher, on the other hand, scrambled to finish the lesson on The Human Body Systems. Student got an overview of the digestive system with videos and quizes. But, to diagram, Teacher used an old paper-project stand-by...



Today's science vocab:
Mouth: put the food into Esophagus: food carrier Liver: food destroyer with saliva machine

Tomorrow, we'll add the names to the parts pictured on the next doll, and so on until Friday we'll review the completed system model! Hight-tech and complicated, but Student can do it!

Science didn't end there, as Student was so excited to begin the Ocean unit, off to Grandmother's she went. No, Grandmother doesn't live near the ocean, but she has quite the collection of shells and other ocean artifacts. Student studied them, and arranged her first still life for Art tonight.



Reviewing the kinds of shapes and lines, Student completed 2 drawings that she'll transform into other mediums this week, and learn about the mollusks and other living creatures that once inhabited the artifacts she drew. Her 10 second sketches were a nice cool-down for tired first grade hands.

Seat work in Math reviewed skip-counting by 3s and 50s. With the loss of another tooth, Student is skip-counting in her mouth as well!

Thanks be to God for our day together. As a family, as a learning group, we are the Homeschool.

Friday Courage

The wonderful Home & School Association began a new Art class today, and ALL of the other homeschoolers were busy. So busy, in fact, that Student was the only show at a performance this morning at a local Catholic school. Yep, that's our little Christian soldier. Looking out at her Christian brothers and sisters from stage, and playing her working piece SOLO!
GO STUDENT!



Like a true lady, she plopped her shoes off when she arrived! And that superstar Mrs. S? Oh, she just encouraged encouraged Student and sat close-by awaiting their turn. What a blessing to us she is! Then, activating her own bow, she played a duet that brought a smile to Student!





Yes, the rest of the day existed. But the Homeschool scrambled to use their brains after such a wonderful 8:30am performance!



Art was Student's main love today. Making use of the Homeschool's new vintage books, 1965 encyclopedia set, Student began learning of Abe Lincoln. It was her self-lead Art project that ended the lesson. A classic silhouette? How is that Art? It's NOT in Student's brain, so she created the Abe: I want to paint him!



Preparing table decorations for the after-church luncheon on Sun will spread Art throughout the weekend, too!


Student taught school to her stuffed animals more than Teacher taught today! Thankful for Homeschool, Student, with a smile, reported to some friends that her First Grade Teacher is forgetful today!

Seatwork in Phonics, Language and Math was enough for Student: IT'S FRIDAY!

Multiple-Digit Brain

The Homeschool hosted a sweet visitor, two actually, this morning. Grandmother brought her darling little friend to play! Well, Toddler didn't think in positive exclamations, though... and visitor only validated his feelings when she called Evel Kenievel "Bobby!" (Barbie.)



Grandmother did sit, beneath the dining chairs in their cave, and listen to records of Hans Christian Anderson Tales with Toddler, and that made up for his hurt feelings of having to share his toys! Alternate remedy: Computer time!



Math brought new concepts in addition. Student conquered adding with 3 addends. The vertical being more challenging than the horizontal. Also new to the brain, was adding double-digit numbers and skip-counting by fifties. It would have been nice to have a prepared Teacher with 50 cent pieces...Seatwork was dragged on for quite the while today, but all was completed before midnight with the help of CHOCOLATE CHIP rewards!

Principal and Student worked together to complete Phonics and Writing seatwork. Student reviewed alphabetizing and sentence structures. A comprehension exercise was the first of it's kind, but no match for the cooperative effort of Principal and Student. What a team!

US History was supposed to happen today, but didn't! Teacher is actively checking the requirements for this year's History so as to keep on track for Spring Break! It's coming, coming, and soon to be here! The Homeschool may have to call out the History Guru, Uncle Toby, to restore lost time!



Science's circulatory system came to life with kidshealth.org which Student used as a basis for her heart diagram of the four chambers. To-be-water-colored tomorrow, and labeled, then shown-off to nurse Auntie!

Mrs. S had to cancel lessons today, no violin when there is a stomach-sickened toddler in her home... prayers for their curly-daughter going up! Tomorrow morning, at 8:30am Student will play at a local school with other Suzuki buddies! Bright and early with the black & white duds on...pictures to post tomorrow...FRIDAY! Blessings of rest for the Homeschool until then.

Migration

Video fun for all!
Student created her own play to help remember the lyrics
to her next working piece for violin class with Mrs. S.

Also in Homeschool, Toddler and Student took their sack lunches
and headed to the Rec Center. Jo and Nolan met them for
some ball-gun-matchbox-run-fun! That gym hadn't seen action like
that all day!

Back to the Homeschool, Student eagerly worked on her Awana memorization. She has now earned her jewel for knowing all 27 books of the New Testament! That vest is slowly looking more and more like a princess fashion accessory!

As for Toddler, he was still for the majority of his lesson. He caught up his verses and hid his new on in his heart, too. It was the Apple tree activity that threw him overboard! Making use of the sit-and-listen times he has during the day is a constant puzzle Teacher is trying to solve. His best learning times, differ from day-to-day. His interest peeks at different incriments. But, trying to check-off Awana from our list today, Teacher hurried the activity, and it lasted for 2 minutes!



We were trying to create a good-smelling spice blend like the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus. Teacher was hoping he'd smell some that weren't his favorite and then others he did want to include in his mixture. And, he got a waft of 2, including garlic powder and cinnamon, and called it GOOD! (The fuzz in the left corner is his hair...that's as still as he stood!)

Student was moving today, too! She moved her bike for 3 miles along the creek path! She had the blessed-sight of observing the geese flying patterns above, hence, she picked the blog title today.What a girl, what a pixie! She loves to note the name of her vintage schwinn, pixie it is! One pivk pixie that's preparing her legs for indoor soccer season!



Reviewing how many more story problems in Math, Student moved on to discover the thousands place. Reviewing calendar facts as well, she was sure that their 10 months in a season, til she was assured by Teacher that if Winter lasted 10 months, we'd have to pray about MOVING!

Season Confusion

Really, if this weren't Homeschool,
Teacher wonders about how by the book
the Season answers must be in today's Math test.
Confusing a Midwestern child on the seasons is no trick,
it's the understanding that is the true challenge.

Student was asked in what month the following activities might occur, and her answers follow.
Build a sandcastle?
Remembering Toddler's hotter than hot birthday parties...she answered: July
Roll a snowman?
Easy, fresh in her mind...she answered: December
Fly a kite?
This was the kicker, so after her January answer we discussed windy Spring roaring in like a lion...and forever continuing to blow!

To finish Math today, Student had speed drills. The biggest obstacle during this exercise, was keeping her attention! She knows that her language of love is time, but distinguishing it's needed separation from speed drills is still to come.

Student read to the Mascot some of her Fancy Nancy books from Christmas.
This same book was Toddler's choice for naptime reading. I think they have camping fever, as the title of this Nancy book was: Poison Ivy Expert.



Computer time seems to be quite the popular affair, lately. Auntie Ang connected the kiddos to ReallyWooly and we all have fun taking part in their online live events. Toddler is building robots a lot lately, too. Student has enjoyed decorating Holly Hobby's house.

Spelling words were recorded on a stray piece of cardboard recycling in the shape of a hexagon. Teacher is delighted to keep Spelling morale up with such FREE supplies!

The I CAN can was added to:
Student wrote that she can do all 3 of these:
sing
sew
catch

History opened Teacher's eyes when reading skipped from Psalms to the New Testament...and we were so proud to attempt the Bible in a year. Student has really connected to the footnotes and maps, but we'll have to STOP claiming to be reading the complete Word and finish what we started with curriculum override for next year!



Thanks to God for the blessings of having Principal at the Homeschool during the day! They went to some local trails for Activity today.



Meanwhile, Teacher and Mascot cleaned and played! Praise to the Lord for His new mercys every morning! Resting on this promise, the Homeschool closes for the day.

Halfies

If Roosevelt Franklin isn't a familiar character in the home, he should be. He is the inspiration for the title of our Half-days of Homeschool. And thanks to Grammie, it was a halfie to end our struggling week! Roosevelt sings a grrrreat song about days of the week! We can sing along and count the days we were sick this week and pray for restored health for next week!

Student is currently working on this piece with her violin instructor. She was excited to share on the Homeschool blog, though it isn't completely learned, yet. Toddler, on the other hand, begs "...don't put me on the blog!" This is parallel to the phrase "I don't want to take a picture!" from previous generations! Fun how things change!




Closing her eyes and finding a country to pray for, Student's finger landed upon Egypt. Noting the country's current status as a restricted nation on her map, we prayed. Over 82% Muslim in belief, Student prayed they would turn to Jesus.



Completing lessons in Math, Phonics and Spelling, Student then packed her bags for a night's stay with Grammie. She was promised a Math test upon Monday's return!

The Mascot enjoyed this weeks developmental exercise that used some of Teacher's empty thread spools. They rolled, and snapped togetther to make niose, as they are connected with elastic,,,but NO ROLLING OVER for the Mascot! Poor baby, everyone is so adamant he do tricks!



As for Toddler and Mascot, they went on a geese-feeding expedition! Toddler expressed his new found knowledge:
"Now I know what geese eat: bread AND bird food!"



Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

This we shall remember over the weekend!

Must Hang On...Longer

Attempting more than life skills for lessons today,
the Homeschool dug deep and wide
to discover the homework elves didn't
complete our lessons while we were covered
in blankets of Kleenex!

Student, working on bridging the gap between
her sharp Reading skills and developing Spelling skills,
worked through "ou as in out" and "ow as in owl" in Phonics.
Her connections are becoming more closely
woven between the auditory and tactile. Seatwork always helps, too.

Also in today's auditory learning experience, Student headed
back to the Academy to see Mrs. S for the beginning of Spring semester violin lessons.
Student had fun playing copycat and gave her ears quite the workout today!

After Mascot lead Student through much review, they ended with new skip-counting: by dozens!
Student: I really like how you taught me to count by 2's in the one's place and 1's in the ten's place...it works!




Counting groups of whatever we could fit in a 12 count row, Student was up for the task! Hearts and flowers were more popular than the corn kernels! And Toddler? He loves to add! Asking for "...more to add", he has Teacher hold up fingers on each hand, and pushes them down as he counts to get the answer. What is truly amazing, and amusing, is when he spouts out a number that is correct for the Math problem Student is working on! He's a seeming story-problem whiz! Laughing is allowed at all times in Homeschool!

Skipping a few days on the chart, Student took note of today's temperature and graphed it. Boy, what an easy Teacher to count a week-long charting event COMPLETED after 3 entries. On the other hand, Student and Toddler have been taking turns creating art on both the Magnadoodle the Computer, quite regularly.



Catching up in History, Student learned about fighting the good fight and the work of Thurgood Marshall. Teacher is hoping that jumping 100 years back from the Civil Rights Movement after MLK day will all tie-together in Student's mind. She had questions for Teacher in regards to History, though...
"When are we going to read about famous people. Like in my Wendy's Mad Lib it talked about Abe Lincoln and Dave Thomas. Who are they anyway?"

The circulatory system made it's debut today, as well. Student paid close attention to the chambers of the heart. She now sees how God healed her of the multiple holes she had in her heart. God is making connections all through Homeschool that we could never have foreseen! To Him be the glory!

Happy birthday Auntie Ang! You are the same number of years as the number of vertebrae God designed in our spinal columns...aren't we glad to know!

Administrative Overkill

Yes, we know it is Thursday.

Yes, there is hope to be found in the Lord.

Yes, there is sickness, of the masses.

Principal is included on the list of casualties.

This too shall pass.

It's a promise we stand firm on.

God is good.

Praying is up,

though Homeschool is down.

Bed School

Yes, we've had couch-school,

front-yard-school,

park-school, and even Dr. office-school...

but bed-school has just made it's debut today!

With the nebulizer, always by her side,
and pajamas being the dress-code for sick girls,
it made perfect sense to have bed-school!
So, with no boys around, in the privacy of her room,
Student worked on fractions in Math.
Using her new set of 12, yes 12 lip glosses,
she separated them into equal groups.
(Because what else did Walmart mean for soooooooo many lip glosses in one girl's possession?)
Today marks the first day Student is charting the temps...good week to do so!

Also in bed-school, Student read History from Daniel today. Her new vocab word guesses:
pale: all sick
plunder: I don't know!

Thanks to God's grace, we experienced the great outdoors, again!
And what to do with half-snow still sticking around?
Toddler was just sure it was UMBRELLA weather!



Student is loving her very own light-up-globe she received for Christmas! She has paired this with her Voice of the Martyrs Map.
She received this in the mail and has been using her new globe to locate nations to pray for.
There is a real presence of concern for her persecuted brothers and sisters-in-Christ. Praise God for His mysterious ways of working! May her heart never grow numb to the truth, Amen.

Homeschool Guest

Yes, the Homeschool has enjoyed sharing learning

with numerous guests, but NEVER a super hero!

Spider Man was spotted throughout Homeschool today...

Using his webbing skills in a friendly game of Memory...

Spider Man needed Teacher's assistance with the slippery cards.

Taking part in Student's History lesson, Spider Man remarked

that Mr. Luther King talked like Bill Cosby!

Yes, he's listened closely to the Cosby records previously, so his brain was probably just connecting one BAD sound recording to another! Who can pick the brain of a Super Hero?

For Teacher, however, the experience of listening to Dr. King's speech, was a tear-jerker. Even Principal was present, and it was a beautiful experience. How obvious it is to Student that the hate he spoke of was deception from the enemy and the dream he spoke of was the heart of God. Teacher is in awe of her.

Rosa Parks was added to our Civil Rights timeline today.

Nothing connects to Student like the true story of

GIRL POWER!

Taking turns with our auditory quiz today,

Spider Man and Student thought through questions of

opposites and true/false.

Spider Man was increasingly confident with each question. It was the word FALSE, that was new to his vocab, which brought some confusion. He knew for sure if Teacher's statement was breaking a commandment and LYING, though! What a Super Hero, always focused on doing what is right!

During Spider Man's reserving of energy (nap) Student continued in her Journal, Math, Holy Bible, Phonics, and cooking. After his return, she graciously shared her strawberry muffins with our guest. And they ate the fruit-filled goody with anticipation of strawberry-filled summers, after all, He promises that He will bring a new season. Right about now, the Homeschool is awaiting the fulfillment of His promise, that always comes, but not a day too soon!

Sick Day

What is it about 4am?
Each of our bodies have their own
clock to run on,
and Student continued on her
early morning sick-schedule today.

An ear infection.

May The Great Physician restore health to the Homeschool. Amen



As for Student? Well, another day
of warm blankets,
pajamas,
extended bathtime
and art
would probably be just right!

Paperless and Sticky

How does Homeschool run with a lack of paper on a Wednesday morning?
Why, none other then:
Magnadoodle Math!



With the tissues in close-range, Student worked on before and after number sequences, Mr. Clock time, coin counting and calendar days, while Toddler worked on number recognition. When asked what number Teacher printed on the magnadoodle,
Toddler replied "Railroad Tracks!" which Teacher meant for a # 11.
And, yet again, with the ever-so-tricky #0,
Toddler replied "Letter O"!
Gotta love the 3 1/2 year-old brain! It's tough to sort out all the symbols that look identical...especially with train on the brain! And, it is a regular occassion that the kiddos play Pictionary with Principal on the Magnadoodle...so maybe I'll switch to a chalkboard for paperless-Math next time!

In cursive, Student had the opportunity to answer some questions about herself:
What is your favorite toy?
My dog! (The present pet on the table helping with the messy project below!)
What color is it?
Brownish.
Where do you like to play with your toy?
In the living room.

She completed her seatwork in record time with the ever-so-rewarding chocolate chip award!
6 for each paper...that's 12! She totaled in her excitement.

Student filled added to her I CAN can these 3 papers today:
Tell time
Read
Rite words
Not explained earlier, Teacher meant to say that this can is a positive record of all she is accomplishing this first year of Homeschool.

Upon Toddler and Principal's return from sweating-it-up at the Testosterone Center, aka: Rec Center, he took it upon himself to be on sharpening duty.



Really, this is a loooooooong activity, and it made time for Student to work on her
Skeletal Puzzle for Computer time. No complaints from Teacher about a busy Toddler AND sharpened pencils!



When nap overtook Toddler, Student began the messy Valentine Project.
Inspired by Heather Bailey's design, taken over by Homeschool's recycling, smothered in Modge Podge and Beautified by Teacher's fabric stash...Principal has taken a turn fine-tuning the project, as it deals with MATH! Tomorrow, we hope to complete this lovely recycled holiday decor for Student's room. She already has plans for it's permanent new home in her room!

Thank you, God

We know that God honors obedience.

We have seen the blessings.

We are reaping the benefits.

We are rolling around in the LOVE He has lavished us with

through many contributors to Homeschool.

We Thank each of you for aiding us to learn at the Homeschool.

Those on our favorite person list:

Mrs. Janet I.

Mrs. Dayna S.

Mrs. Sarah B.

Mrs. Shannon O.

Mrs. Beki H.

Mrs. Rebecca S.

Grammie

Gramma S2

Grandmother

Auntie Barb

Auntie Ang

Principal

Mrs. Tonya S.

Mrs. Heather D.

Mr. Ricardo P.

Mrs. Michelle P.

...and we'll update and add as we remember and God provides!

Halfies

As Teacher was warned the night before, Student came down the stairs at 4am, again.
However, this morning brought more symptoms and less desire for seatwork!
But, alas, as we are at the Homeschool, and not contaminating
others students, we continued as best as Student's cold would allow.

Remembering student's last nine weeks at Christian School, last year, she missed 28 days because of lung infections! Whew! We are glad to be responsible with God's provisions and be at home where she can receive even, some, schooling on most sick days.

And so we began, with Math. Expanding the fraction logic to 1/4 and 3/4, Student has been dividing groups of things into equal parts. Today was buttons.



Toddler quickly detected the fun, and wanted to try out his counting skills! Before he could begin, Student had to finish her current activity...
This is when Toddler began swiping the buttons and Student became perplexed as how to figure 1/4 of 22...was Teacher tricking her? She slyly asked...

"Which hand?" Toddler proudly asked!

Resolving to wait his turn, Toddler cooperated and quit pocketing the buttons! And we wonder why the manipulatives can't be found for activities like these?! Toddler has used genuine ingenuity and transformed his firetruck into a catapult...Teacher will not complain, as they are less painful than legos when discovered in the dark night!



Creating a paper plate face, and showing both the drawing and then the blank, Mascot and Student had fun with his newest developmental exercise while Toddler crashed with Principal. Sinus infections running rampid through the Homeschool are tiring!



Lazing around after a good energy burning at the Rec Center with Principal, Student and Teacher sat down to read. That's the secret blessing of sick days: cuddle time! This leaves much room for Reading. History brought us to Josiah. This eight year-old King reclaimed the temple for the Lord! Destroying idols and such, he repented of he and his people's sin against the Lord, and in return brought peace from God to his people throughout his reign. Why did this story sound familiar? Teacher had to take a minute and think...then the light came on! :) Gotta love the name Josiah!

And for her new History Vocab: shabby, adjective, describing the temple after years since Solomom's building it.

Student's guess: ALL RICKETY?

Ending our reading session with Dr. Suess, Student wondered... OH THE PLACES
SHE WILL GO?! Oh, Lord, we pray that You would pour out Your Spirit upon our children and annoint them for all that You've called them to be and do. Amen----Stormie Omartian

Back To Homeschool

Back with a list long enough to frighten an First Grader!
YIKES!
However, Student just started checking off as she went, sneezing and emptying her nose and ever looking forward to the
intertwined Art throughout the first day back.



Enter, the reminder of the year being half completed: the I CAN can. (Thanks to Mrs. Tonya's Homeschool Smarts!) Student put her Modge Podge and fabric from Christmas to work (thanks Auntie Ang)! She didn't want to include the I CAN words, because she insisted...
"It will be used better another time, again, for something else without the words on it!"

Sound the trumpet, US History has begun! Teacher made the decision to begin where Student has some familiar ties. Stemming from Ruby Bridges and Black History Month,
we began our timeline of Martin Luther King today.

Student remembers: Dr.King got out of high school when he was 15. I don't think I will.



We set up the lesson cards and arranged them in chronological order. BIG and BOLD on the living room floor! And her blanket and pillow still on the couch from the 4am sick- feeling that brought her downstairs to rest... aside from this, Student enjoyed the activity.
We fit Ruby Bridges into the time line as well.
Plans for a field trip to the local College's King Day celebration
are being added to the calendar! And then when February brutes it's head,
we'll be in timely fashion to begin with George Washington!

And continuing in the Old Testament, we'll muster up the organization to attempt both each day! Got to love the lofty goals that are a direct result from being away from Homeschool for 2 weeks...we oft forget the trials and remember only the triumphs! All with the strength of Christ, to Him be the glory for ANYTHING that gets accomplished in the Homeschool!

Auntie Ang is on the Homeschool Favorite People List this week! She also gifted Student a timely First Grade Geography book: Throw Your Tooth on the Roof!
Student steered her fingers toward the correct continent and found Russia, precisely where we read that kids "...find an outdoor mousehole to drop their tooth into once they break it free..."!



And, smudging over from last semester, Student has begun her Human Body Unit. The first focus is on the skeletal system. Aside from the fun learning we've planned on Principal's iphone app, we discovered an educational use for pantry pasta:
SKELETAL MODEL!



Toddler and Student shared the pasta and the School House Rock video. Ahh, tis so sweet to see the love in Homeschool!

Panda Says

"Quite the cooperative effort of Principal

and Student on the new

banner!"