Friday, January 16, 2009

Weekly Report...Week 14


Holy smokes! Another week...that almost wasn't...to check off. I have officially hit burn out. Even so, we got stuff done.
Tapestry of Grace (Both)

I am so happy to hear that Y3 pre-orders are going to print! Yea!! Now if only Y2 would get enough orders...(See...I am not myself. Something good happens and I only wish for more. Ugh!)

History...We read about the Mongols and Marco Polo. I didn't know much about either one and all I can say is that Marco Polo's mom was _____________ (feel free to insert "nuts", "crazy", "strong", "honorable", "secure", "timid"). Her husband was gone, as in not around and in a different country, for most of Marco's younger years (he left when she was pregnant with Marco). And then he comes home and takes young Marco to China and they are there for 20 years!?! (Some sources have said that Marco's mom had died before Marco went to China so does that mean that her husband wasn't around for that too!?) Still trying to wrap my mind around that. Anyhow, not the sort of thing you can discuss with you 5 & 7 year olds.

Maps...completed a map showing the Mongolian Empire and Marco Polo's journey.

Language Arts (Magnus)
Grammar...working on antonyms.

Spelling...I love All About Spelling and the way it teaches spelling. I think it is a great program for Magnus. However, I have been giving some thought on how I can review more with him. I need to figure out a way to make the spelling rules "stick".

Phonics...see last week.

Phonics (Thane)
Reading is going well with him. We continued working on "short e".

Math
Magnus...We worked more on mental addition. The more we practice it, the better he understands (what a concept, I know.) We also introduced separating the "whole" into three "parts" instead of just two. We also learned a new game today but all I got was, "This is boring." Whatever.

Thane...This boy is amazing me! He was able to figure out one of his brother's problems...36+36...in his head before Magnus got the answer! He did it using the technique Right Start uses and that I have been teaching Magnus! So, think I am going to do a couple lessons with Thane a day and finish out Level A soon. He just "gets it"! Today's lesson was adding number like 3+3 but using tally marks instead of the numbers. Great approach for someone who needs the remedial, but that is not Thane.

Science (Both)
Finished reading One Small Square Desert Cactus by Donald Silver. I have said it before and I will say it again..."We love the books in this series!" Magnus has also read Around One Cactus by Anthony Fredericks and The 100-Year-Old Cactus by Anita Holmes during his free reading time. We have some catching up to do on our lapbook so we may do some of that this weekend. Don't hold me to that though. The temperature has been in the mid to upper 60's so the boys have been outside most of the day. I guess CA isn't all bad!

Latin (Magnus)
Didn't get to it this week

Today...Friday...we met some other moms from our charter school at the park. I wasn't sure I wanted to go because I didn't know anyone and frankly, I am tired of having to put myself "out there" to either be accepted or rejected by people. It has been extremely difficult and lonely here so far. But, I sucked it up and went AND I AM SO GLAD I DID!!! I met some great moms...Christian moms even...who have boys around the same age as my boys. So, now I "know" some people! Oh, and I found out about an AWANA Club that a lot of the kids attend so now Collin and I have a standing date night on Tuesdays! Yipee!

Oh, I forgot something. I spent the entire day of Tuesday and Wednesday unpacking and organizing the Resource Room in our charter school's new building. (So, yes, I still got that much school work done and even with my bad attitude.) Let me just say, our new space is fantastic and I was in heaven looking at all of the books, manipulatives, games, lapbooks, videos, ect that are available to me!!!!! I can't wait to go on Tuesday and come out with an arm load of stuff! And I am excited for the boys to be able to finally start their classes!

2 comments:

Lori C., Texas said...

Sounds like a great week to me! I am so glad you got to meet some new people!!:)

Lori

Michelle said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and recognizing the humor in the Monday portion of my post, especially my vindictive Scrabble win! Boy, I'd be in trouble if I didn't have a sense of humor!

I enjoyed reading about your week, too. I'm glad you found a group with some families you can make a connection with. It is so important for Mom Morale to have people who understand and accept you!

Now, about the temperatures you are experiencing...I'm feelin' a little jealous about that..