Thursday: Feet on the Ground

On the ground and off campus. The Homeschool ventured out for the weekly local library excursion. Changing from our original plan of Wednesday library day, it's majority rules... on Thursdays we shall go.

Having fun with toys, books and room galore, the Homeschool made their presence known!



While the boys rocked slowly for the picture, they turned up their voices...
...increased in their lack-of-courtesy...
... exaggerated their selfishness...
and reached their terget heart-rate in a matter of minutes with their running allover!

And we wonder why people think homeschoolers are WEIRD!?

Student, on the other hand, displayed her maturity and packed up her treasures before we exited with embarrassment amplifying at each passing second!



Upon returning to school, Principal took over for a tactile lesson of vocabulary.



Sprocket
Washer
Bolt
Nut
Oil
Lubricate

All in the manly-lessons that Warrior was craving today! God brings Principal just when Teacher knows an implosion is near! His presence is so needed! And next week, with the finance unit beginning, Principal's presence will increase, as he will be assisting with the teaching!

Settling in for reading of astronauts, letter M & L and the number 6...Warrior completed his day by refusing a nap. Laying down for an hour and then playing puzzle for the rest of his scheduled rest time, God is teaching Teacher just WHO is in charge!

Student, on the other hand, began her new book an journaled on her thoughts:
Title: The Carnival of Secrets
Ch 1-7
It's ok.
And it raely is a carnival of secrets!
Now i realy like it!
My book is as misteres as a map!
I love it!

And so she was assigned to use a simile in today's writing, and complete 5 lines. So interesting to see her feelings progress to fill in each line. Teacher will have to specify to include feelings on a particular event in the story! Sweet pea that she is, she and Warrior are riding bikes and pumping their arms at the passing-by semis to complete their day of learning! Got to smile, as each day is a mile closer to the prize!

Introduction to Electricity

Thanks to Principal, Student's introduction to electricity was completed in Computer. Uncovering some visuals through a handy-dandy site, Student's brain began to complete the circuit of learning! Getting some extra practice on engineeringinteract.org, she began connecting definitions of new words and symbols for diagrams.

WooHoo! Student has begun a new journey in Science! And a Homeschool lesson can only be complete with School House Rock!

"It's Schoolhouse Rocky. That chip off the block Of your favorite schoolhouse. Schoolhouse Rock!"

As for Toddler, his Awana lessons are getting caught up, little by little. His verse memorization is trying not to overload!

He is trying to master his letter flashcards. And yes, those are alien fingers floating on the side...Principal and Student love their air-time!

Preparing for her weekend interview, Student has completed her list of questions for our Brazilian-native friend. I can't wait to hear more from this annointed follower of Jesus. She always has such grrreat God stories!

Seatwork applause in Math and Phonics today. Student continued work on the clock and skip counting. It's so encouraging to see the ways of her God-given brain suck up all the information. Story problems are her favorite! Gotta give God credit for that!

History began the adventure of King Solomon's reign in I Kings today. Student was so excited to hear of The Queen of Sheba. Royalty is always welcome in her book!

With the influence of Principal, Student etched her version of a race car today! Art takes form in everything.

"A tool is what you make it!" said Mr. Olais. And that is our newly adopted motto at the Homeschool.

Finishing a cozy day at Homeschool, the snow began to fall. Out came the caroling books, and Student's voice filled the air. Toddler covered Teacher's mouth, Mascot nursed and Principal took it all in. That's another blessed day on the thankful list at Homeschool.

Halfies

In the words of Roosevelt Franklin, Halfies.

Half for you, half for me!

Here's to half a Homeschool day for Friday!

Student's vocab test is now complete. She will continue with new words from our reading in History beginning Monday with I Kings.

For a change in violin practice today. Student & Toddler tossed the beanbag onto the staff to practice note recognition and then rhythm exercises. Toddler was so delighted to partake in anything violin. Oh, to be just like big sis, right?

Math, taking form in an auditory lesson today, Student reviewed skip-counting and opposites of addition & subtraction combinations.

playing, "What time is it Mr. Clock", Student is learning to tell time right down to the minute. Also, completing another test and speed drill, Student is really making a dent in that huge book!

Helping Mascot with his tummy-time, Studemt and Toddler played a game of eye-spy with the patchwork scraps in the quilt!

Finishing our Halfies day of Homeschooling, Student & Toddler whipped up some no bake cookies for the weekend road trip. They even shared the bowl-licking duty! And boy is Homeschooling the sweetest on Fridays! Thanks, Lord!

Alphabetized Life

Such a skill as alphabetizing is frequently used, but mastering it brings all the frustrations in life into one pot and it boils! At least this was the experience I had in my grade school library so many years ago. Student, on the other hand, does so well, and calmly so. I don't know if the one-on-one teaching of our homeschool is the difference, but we can be thankful that it is working. Maybe it is the presence of the Holy Spirit and lots o' love!. Not to knock Mrs. Wilson, but my first grade teacher couldn't have loved me like a mother can!

Today, we worked with these drawn, colored, and cut-out book spines to mock alphabetize the shelf of library books. Student also had practice when looking up her vocab words from our History lesson in the dictionary. A lesson that included war, favored by Toddler, and instruments, favored by Student. Good ol' Gideon to the rescue!

In the background of the picture? Just a game invented by Student. How else to teach alphabet recognition to Toddler than to involve jumping? Student placed all of the pillows from the furniture in a pattern on the floor, covered them with Mascot's blankets, and proceeded to print letters on the magnadoodle...with each letter Toddler correctly recognized, he could jump to a new pillow! What a teacher! And what a way to instruct the boy-spirit that God instilled in Toddler. I am so proud. Can't wait to play the respect clean-up game before Principal gets home!

And in seatwork, Student completed pages for Language, Phonics and a self-led Art Project. Language is focusing on sentence structure, so Student got her dose of cursive, too.

With so much to report on today, I tried out the new picture posting that our friend recommended...go photobucket!

Fall baking today brought Student yet another lesson in Life Skills. Pumpkin Pineapple Carrot Muffins...I still have to figure out how to download the scent! It's a yummy lesson for today!

Friday Fun

Student often complains that something isn't fun. Then the talk begins. Why can't everything we do be fun? How can the other things get done that aren't fun if we don't complete them? Just when is it time for fun?

All such questions seemingly silly to an adult with a hardened heart, like myself. So, through the eyes of a child, and from the mouth of a babe, I get the picture. I see the blessing from God that we have such opportunities to be children in homeschooling. Thank you, Lord. There truly is a time for everything. And so we complete our scheduled vocab test from History, and cursive review...and that's all folks!

The rest of our Friday is reserved for being a child. Student and Toddler dancing, pretending and practicing their sling-shots! Oh how we need the fun and wonder our children bring us. Happy Friday fun on our half-day of homeschool!

"In growing up, we learn to be self-sufficient and independent. We learn to cover up what we don't know and resist asking for help because we don't want to look like we're not strong enough. Or smart enough. Children give us the gift of honest, vulnerable dependency that helps us grow down and realize we can admit our need for help too. " Carol Koykendall.

Thanks for your constant help, Father in Heaven!

Student: My new poem of the day:

Oh Mama Oh Mama

I spilled my juice.

I can't find a towel.

But I found a little napkin

in the middle of the table.

I think it cleaned up better than a little towel!

Exodus

Beginning our new studies in History, we moved on to Exodus. Student was able to connect the workings of God through the story! What a critical thinker!

Student: "The name that Pharoah's wife named Moses means "to draw out" and she picked it because she picked him out of the bullrushes...but God had a purpose for Moses to draw out His chosen people from Egypt and slavery!"

Connecting to History, The Prince of Egypt is on our to-do list today, or is that a t-watch-list?

Our last day of Genesis vocab review, we didn't introduce new vocab as not to confuse the brain! I know my own brain can only take so much! So, I was being thoughtful of her, right?! Or maybe just tired from sleep-interrupted nights? Maybe just a case of almost-Friday syndrome!

Reading in her first chapter book with only black and white illustrations, and few at that, Student begin reading by trading pages with me. Taking turns only lasted 2 pages, as her interest in the story peaked and before we knew it she had completed 3 chapters! :) Gotta love those Berenstain Bears!

Seatwork in phonics taught the new "u works with q" and onto QUACK, QUIZ, QUITE, and QUILT! The last word being my favorite! As for Student:

And another favorite of Student was the Egyptian section on their family life. Sure she thought it was cool that they ground minerals to make paint...but the make-up, that was the interesting part! That they used kohl to create eye and brow pencils! Any beauty info gets attention from this First Grader!

Cursive all the way! Finishing the alphabet, today, it is review from here! Whew!

And for the world's musical enjoyment, Student will play her pieces for Fall Fest., as our final dress rehearsal is tonight!

Speed Drill

Math mornings are the best! Student really has live-wires in the am. Our first attempt at speed drills went smoothly. Student thought it was fun to time the work! And on top of that, there were no complaints when we finished up with place value review and a test! Whew!

And readying ourselves for Awana, Student recited her verse and hid it in her heart... check out the video!

More review for Student's Genesis vocab test on Friday. And as for the rest of our day, we are off to spend time with Dad on his day off and read all the price tags and signs! As for the last time we went out, Student said:

" 'Please wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds before returning to work.' Hmmm. I'm reading everything!"

Suffix Delight

Delightful students are hard to come by, but The blessings of The Lord have provided me with one today!

Student is working on our magnet board that Principal put together for us. The frame was from an auction that nobody claimed, the metal from The Yard, and we made the magnets from our ever-so-loved yo-yos! It's home is in the laundry room, so there is a crisp presence of sun.

Now the real blessing comes in with the homeschool materials, as both the magnet letters and large flashcards were given to us by families that God provided through. Once the word gets out about homeschooling, everyone works together!

Suffix , root word, and verb were our focus in Language today. School House Rock was a grand part of this lesson! As well as skimming through History, Space, Vocab Review, Math & Reading, our load was light. Light days will probably continue as long as Teacher is up with Braxton-Hicks through the night hours. Though learning continues in every aspect of life, some are planned through curriculum and others are a renewing of the mind daily that only God can orchestrate!

Student's Space Thoughts: The first astronaut to put his foot on the moon, was Neil Armstrong. It took him 3 days to get to the moon, and 3 to get back to planet Earth with the other 2 astronauts. This happened in 1969!

Test Day

Our first test day! Student took both Math and Phonics/Language tests! She didn't even flinch when I informed her what today would hold. Test anxiety is not currently in her vocabulary, and I am not introducing it!

Snack time took us the neighborhood park. There, the morning coolness made our banana-chocolate-chip muffins even tastier! This was a Toddler and Teacher project from last night. As his favorite projects are taste-worthy, the process was all-too hurried just to get to the end! As our rule is this: One can taste the batter after all ingredients are mixed in.

During Math today, Toddler enjoyed counting the pennies just as much as Student! Counting anything and everything, in groups and one-by-one. Wherever we are, no matter how much time we have!

Cursive is continuing with the first 3 letters, and Student is patiently persevering.

Tonight we have some homework, that the Principal is in charge of helping with. Space facts, reading and some seatwork, what a guy! It is so helpful to have this option of help when our day gets filled with some things we hadn't counted on...God's little interruptions! His plan is best!

Student began review of her Bible vocabulary words, as we are in Genesis 22 and looking toward our vocab test at the end of Genesis. She chose which 3 words to review, listen up!