Get set...

Okay, since last time, I've been doing some more work. The Dollar Store had those tri-fold project boards, so I bought 2 for the boys to put their timelines on, and then 3 more for our annual geography fair. A dollar each is cheap for those. I went to a local teacher supply store and found one of those weather dials so we can track the weather each day and 2 math game books that were half price. I used Excel to make a weather chart that the boys can fill in each day, with the columns matching the dial. I already had charts up for Days of the Week and Months of the year from last year. I also have a wipe-off calendar that I bought last year for K. So, we have this closet door in our entry way and the wall next to it that now have all our 1st grade stuff. The blank white page at the top is for me to write the number of the day on. The three white papers in the middle have the boys names and our phone number.

Today I cleaned the house, printed out a paper calendar for each (from Donna Young), and printed out a few mazes and dot-to-dot things.

The toughest thing that I've noticed this summer is that Pooh is not at the same place in his reading as Tigger. After posting on the MFW message board and talking to some MFW employees, I'm going to teach them reading and math separately. I'm okay with that, except what do I have the other one do while I'm working with the other one?! Some ideas I've come up with (and I'd gladly take more):

• starfall.com (anyone know of an equivalent math site?)
• mazes
• dot-to-dot puzzles
• the MFW Lauri Pre-K toys
• math games
• looking at picture books
• working on their AWANA books
• have Rabbit read them

The other thing I'm not sure about is the MFW 1st grade manual doesn't really talk about how much time to spend on each subject, or how long each subject should generally take. I've got to remember to set a timer for 15 minutes so I don't wear them out. I may have Rabbit time us on how long each subject is taking.

We will start MFW 1st grade on Monday. Rabbit will only do math, math drill, typing and spelling this next week. Then, the next week she is going to spend a week with the grandparents. So, she'll be back August 16th, and hopefully by then I'll have figured out a real schedule for teaching everyone. I need her light days to fall on Wednesday too, so she might not start full school until Wednesday of that week.

One subject I want to add for the boys is Spanish. I haven't decided if I should do them separately with my old copy of Power Glide that I have, or just have them listen in on Rabbit's The Easy Spanish! I really think Power Glide is geared toward the younger set. And having Rabbit join in on Power Glide, well, I don't think that's a good idea, either. Like I said, I'll just have to see how these first 2 weeks go.