1850MOD Week 17

Well, seeing as how I haven't been a good blogger...

Just a quick update. We're on Week 17. We have a pretty good rhythm for things. And overall things are going pretty well. 

Rabbit struggles with Math, and sometimes it is hard to get those science experiments done, but we're getting there. (What do you do with a batch of worms from Walmart, after you're experiment is done and it is too cold to put them out in the garden?) We are doing the Johnny Tremain Progeny Press guide this semester. This time I'm having her write her answers in the book. She does pretty well with that. We decided to switch to Essentials in Writing for writing. I have liked Writing Strands until we got to Level 5. I really feel that Essentials in Writing will prepare her a little better for writing papers in high school. 

Pooh and Tigger finished their Singapore 2A books a couple of weeks ago and are now on 2B. We're reviewing subtraction facts most days. I'm amazed how they can do the mental math. All About Spelling is going really well for Tigger. Pooh struggles with each step at first, but usually by the time we finish all the sentences for a step, he gets the rule we're learning. The boys seem to enjoy the See the USA and U.S. Facts and Fun books. I've added in doing some practice testing (we have to submit standardized test scores this year) once or twice a week. I've also added in some writing exercises on the days we don't have English.

I think my biggest frustration is that we don't get to do hardly any of the activities from Story of the World with Rabbit. There just isn't enough time in the day.

Well, maybe next week I'll start updating weekly. Then again, maybe not! :)

1850MOD: Week 8

We finished up Week 8 today. This week had more times where the boys sat in on the older reading. The boys really like the See the USA and the Fun Facts workbooks. They like to read the paragraph on the one page and then answer the questions on the next. Yesterday there was a question and although the boys couldn't do the math, they recognized that they needed to do multiplication to solve it. I think they like the challenges the books present, but the lessons only take 5 or 10 minutes. This week I've really tried to make sure we play the state games in the teacher's manual. The State Food game was a challenge. There are only so many "n" foods we could come up with: nachos, noodles, nectarines, nuts. The letter "m" was also a challenge. 

The boys are really enjoying the science, too. They love the experiments. We had to be a little creative on yesterday's experiment because we don't have rectangular margarine tubs here. So, I had them find one of their smaller Lego boats. Then we found a couple of rods from their Legos and K'nex blocks. We duct-taped those to the side of the boat, and then made the paddle as suggested in the book. It didn't seem to work as well as the book said, but we did get the paddle to turn and move the boat some.

The history for Rabbit seemed a bit lighter this week - I think because there was no reading on day 2. But that was good, because some of the chapter in Across Five Aprils have been long! We've been listening to the audio book (from the library) at lunch - I highly recommend doing that. I've been reading On the Banks of the Plum Creek to the kids at lunch, too.

We started up multiplication this week. The boys are kind of liking it because it is something new. They are not liking having to memorize the facts, though. I have made several different helps. The first is a multiplication table, with the numbers across the sides and top. The second is a book with each set on a different page. So all the times 1 are on the first page, times 2 on the second, etc. I dug out my multiplication flashcards, and I found some multiplication drill sheets in my Calculadders. I'm not timing the drill sheets yet, but I do think the idea of just writing the answers, even if they are looking at their multiplication table or book for the answers, will help them memorize it. Today Tigger figured out that times 2 just means to double the other number. He knows his addition facts pretty well, so that made the times 2's easy. Not so much on the times 3's.

The last couple of days, Rabbit has listened to her science by herself. She said today she took lots of notes because she found it really interesting. She has also been trying to read through the math lessons on her own and at least attempt them. Today was working with decimal numbers. She said at first she had trouble understanding about where to place the decimal point after multiplying, but then after she copied the problem from the book it finally made sense to her. I'm really proud with how hard she is trying.

We're still having trouble working the Progeny Press guide and Writing Strands into our day. We finally finished a Writing Strands lesson and moved on to the next section in the Progeny Press guide. Not only do the kids need check-lists, but I need one to remind me what I need to work on with her each day.

Over all it's been a good week. Tomorrow we have Presentation Day with our homeschool group. That always messes up the schedule. Plus we have piano lessons. We may end up doubling up some assignments on Friday just so we don't get our days off.

1850MOD: Up to Week 7

We're really in the middle of week 8, but I thought I might get things updated.

Let's see... Bible is going fine. Some weeks the kids do better at memorizing the verse, than others. But, since they are already memorizing for AWANA I don't make it a big deal. Tigger has decided he wants to do all his copywork and dictation in cursive, even though he hasn't learned all the letters. That's fine, it just takes him longer to write in cursive, but he has the neatest handwriting. 

In history we had to learn the capitals. Rabbit and Tigger memorized them all. Pooh got 40 out of 50. I bought the Stack the States game for my iPad and I think that will help Pooh learn his states and capitals a lot better. 

I've been trying to make sure we get in the science for the boys. Pooh really enjoys science and thinks it is fun. We had one experiment (where you put a paper towel between two rulers and stick it in water) that at first we didn't think was working, but we left it for a couple of hours, and when we came back to it, it had worked! I wish the book would have given some indication on how long to wait. 

Most other things are going pretty well. Pooh's reading is gradually improving. At the beginning of the year he was only reading 5 to 6 pages in 10 minutes, and now he is up to 8 or 9 pages. So that's a big improvement. Math is going well with the boys. Tigger seems to have most of his math facts (at least addition) down. I'm not sure Pooh will ever be speedy on his math facts. I have them do xtramath.com and Math Blaster (on my iPad) every day as practice. We start multiplication soon, so I really want them to get these.

I feel bad for Rabbit some days. I'm having a hard time working in going over the Progeny Press guide with her, Writing Strands, and then checking her English and Spelling. And then, when I finally do, I see how many mistakes she's made. It is very hard to do her General Science and the regular science with the program for the boys. Plus, her math takes about 1 hour every day. We're not getting done with the core stuff before lunch, so that makes the days quite long. I keep thinking we'll figure out a better way to do this, but it never seems to work. Sigh.

Oh well, we're plowing along and getting school done. This week we have Presentation Day with our homeschool group, so that is going to mess a bunch of stuff up. Hopefully I will remember to get the kids prepared before Thursday morning.

1850MOD: Week 4

Well, to be honest, I didn't post about this week because this last Monday was one of my worst days ever as a mother and homeschooler. The little school around the corner was highly appealing, and I didn't want to have a pity party on my blog, so I decided to cool off before posting.

We are enjoying the Bible lessons. It is mostly me explaining, but sometimes the kids jump in. We don't always answer the Young Person's Guide to Knowing God questions out loud, but I can tell it is making us think. And Rabbit is asking me hard questions like, "How do I grow up to be a godly woman?"

Spelling has been a struggle for Pooh. A combination of writing neat and then not hearing the words right gives him trouble, but as the week has progressed, he is getting better. Tigger keeps bounding along. Rabbit is doing pretty well in her spelling book, and I noticed in her writing she is trying harder words (but usually spells them wrong).

For the English lessons for Tigger and Pooh, I made little worksheets for them to fill out. Pooh complained, but did his. Tigger was glad to get something done quickly. Rabbit did okay with Capitalization. I was trying to figure out how to grade her page. She got all the things that needed to be capitalized right, but she also added 2 more things that didn't need to be capitalized. They are wrong, but how many total possible do you count?

Both Tigger and Pooh finished a reader this week. Rabbit is still working on the Progeny Press guide for Bronze Bow. We've been doing much of it orally. I do have her write down the vocabulary words and such. The boys got their T-n-T handbooks this week, and so have started working on them. I need to make time to go over their verses with them and make sure they are understanding the sections.

The boys learned how to borrow this week. I really need to add in subtraction math facts, but I'm not sure when/how. Math facts just don't seem to stick in Pooh's head. Tigger usually gets them after a while of just solving problems. I get frustrated trying to squeeze more into the day. They are already using xtramath and MathBlaster to drill math facts on their own.

I'm managing to squeeze history in with Rabbit before lunch, but sometimes that means the regular science doesn't get done, and then I forget to do it later (that and God and the History of Art book). The boys get their read aloud at bedtime, but have enjoyed the pages in the U.S. Facts and Fun book.

Speaking of read alouds, we are behind on Courage to Run because I misplaced it. I did find it, but we're now about two days behind. Not sure how to squeeze them in.

I also feel like I'm going to need to spend a little time on Saturdays with Rabbit. There is some new vocabulary in Saxon that she needs to learn, and she needs to spend a little time studying for Science. Plus, I find it hard to squeeze Writing Strands in during the week. 

I've been rearranging the days the last two weeks and making the light day be on Wednesday. I really wish I didn't have to switch days around like that and that it would just fall on Wednesday. Oh well.

It hasn't been bad after that horrible Monday, but I do wish things would get easier for my dyslexic kids.

1850MOD Week 3 Day 5

Today I was very glad we had switched from Math-U-See to Singapore Math. Not that Math-U-See is a bad program. But, today had to be our light day because of all the outside activities. I was about to start Math with the boys, and asked Rabbit what she was doing. She said she was doing her math. I was quite surprised, and she said, "Yeah, Mom. It's perimeter. I know how to do that!" And we had done a ton of perimeter problems in Singapore Math the last few years. So, I worked with the boys - the were learning regrouping in Subtraction problems. I would say we only got about 1/2 way through the lesson in 45 minutes. Then Rabbit asked for some help, so I told the boys they could take a short break while I worked with her. She had two problems she needed help on, and then we went back and checked her work - she had only missed 2. I am so proud of her.

So, we basically only did Bible (worked on our verse, and read and listened to our hymn), Spelling, Math Drill, Reading, studying AWANA verses, Math, and played State Rummy. They all had P.E. today, and Rabbit had worship dance. Plus, we spent time at the libraries today. They always spend a good hour or more reading on the days we go to the library.

I don't think we'll be doing school tomorrow - we have some things coming up that I need to prep for. So, our days will still not line up so the light day falls on Wednesday yet, but eventually it will.

1850MOD Week 4 Day 1

Not bad, considering we started late... We finished by 2:15!

We got started 15 minutes later than my intended start, and then reading about David Livingstone took longer than expected. No problem, though. Then we did our regular routine through the morning. It was funny, when we got to Math and Handwriting time, Pooh wanted to do Handwriting first, and Tigger wanted to do Math first. Since it was a Practice page from the text book, it wasn't a problem. Tigger took his math notebook and went outside (I wrote all the addition problems down last night, and then copied the page from the textbook so they could work the word problems on their own). Pooh did his Handwriting and then started on Math. Eventually Tigger needed some help, so I went out and helped him on the last 3 word problems. He only missed 2 of all the problems. Then I showed him how to write his letter for Handwriting Without Tears, and made sure he could do it correctly and he went back outside to work. (We have a picnic table he can work at.) Pooh plugged away, and then I helped him on his word problems too. He only missed one problem. The amazing thing was, I expected that Pooh would take way longer to do his math, but he was done in about 5 minutes after Tigger came in with his handwriting book. 

We did the U.S. Facts and Fun book - I read the story, and then they answered the questions themselves. They did book basket while Rabbit and I read our History. Over the weekend, I went through the T.M. and wrote the disc numbers and track numbers from the Story of the World on CD so I can find those faster. Rabbit did a great job answering the Review Questions and the Outline. She's picking this up quickly. We didn't do the science project, but we did read it. I could see 4th and 5th graders doing that one, but not so sure about 6th - 8th graders.

After lunch I had the kids watch a video on Florence Nightingale that was listed in the Book Basket list - it's due back tomorrow, so I wanted to make sure they had watched it. Then Rabbit and I did math and I checked her Reading, Spelling and English. She did her science this morning (there were no experiments), and I had a short moment where I could go over the On Your Own questions with her.

They all finished piano after Rabbit was done with math, and the boys did some time on the typing software, too.

Overall, a good day. (Well, except the boys lost Wii privileges.)

1850MOD Week 3, Day 4

So I'm not always great about keeping up. 

The main thing from today is the Capillary Action experiment. We set it up like it said, but we didn't see any Capillary Action right away, and the book didn't say how long it would take for it to work. So, we left it on the counter and went on to other things. Later that afternoon I checked it again, and there was red stain on the paper towel. So, if you do that experiment you might have to give it quite a bit of time to see the results. I wish the book would have been more clear on that one.

For the history portion, we still have yet to do any of the Story of the World Activity Book projects. I realize the T.M. says they're optional, but am I short changing Rabbit by not doing any. We read through them, but that's about it.

Looking back at my T.M. I realize that we didn't do our God and the History of Art lesson. Oops!

Everything else for the day went as usual.

For this next week, things are going to be weird. I'm actually going to do Week 4 Day 1 on Tuesday (we took Memorial Day off), and then do Week 3 Day 5 on Wednesday. This week we start P.E. and Worship Dance, and so we really must be done by 11:00am on Wednesday in order to eat lunch, pack up our books and head out. Also, I may not get to school on Thursday, depending on some other things going on, and will definitely not do school Friday. I really need those light days to be on Wednesday. I may need to do some juggling to make stuff work this year.