Sunday, September 20, 2009

Weekly Report...Week 4


After spending last week with our friend (Wes) who came to visit, we picked up right where we left off.
History (Both)
We are having such a great time with this! We are using Homeschool In The Woods Times Travelers-Colonial Study, but we haven't started it yet. It is mainly about life during that time. What the colonists ate, what they wore, their hardships. I wanted the boys to learn about the Colonies themselves, as well as go more in depth about the Pilgrims and Native Americans. We'll be spending the next 4-5 weeks doing just that. We'll be mapping the colonies, completing a biography page, and creating a timeline as we go throughout this study.

This week we read about the Roanoke Settlement. These settlers disappeared without a trace! No one knows what happened to them. Of course there are different theories...Indians, disease, hurricane, ect, but after discussing them, we found "holes". Thane thinks that since England was at war with Spain at that time, the Spanish settlers who were in FL attacked and killed the Roanoke settlers. Magnus believes that Indians did indeed kill the settlers but left the two cannons because they did not know how to use them. Magnus...being the "ideas man" he is thought to do a video for their narration. It is in post-production right now and will be posted as soon as he and Collin finish it.

We also read Three Ships Come Sailing, a book recording the Jamestown settlement. We completed a really simple lapbook and created a 3-D map of Jamestown.

Science (Both)
We have been reading through How To Think Like A Scientist and narrating as we go along. If you are looking for a simple explanation of the scientific theory, I highly recommend this book. It uses story to explain the process. The boys and I have really enjoyed reading it. NOEO didn't schedule any experiments for this week and I just didn't have it in me to conduct any. So, no Mad Scientists posts this week.

Bible (Both)
We are still learning about Joseph and loving Bible Study Guide For All Ages! I love that we read right from the Bible and not from a watered down story someone decided would be easier for kids to understand. The boys are having no difficulties with it.

Language Arts (Magnus)
Grammar...He completed a lesson a day. He is working with present and past tense verbs.

Spelling...He got list 3 ("When two vowels go a walkin' the first one does the talkin') correct (twice) in only 3 tries! He was pumped! He'll be moving onto list 4 ('ough' words) next week.

Writing...I finally received IEW US History Based Writing Lessons. After looking through it, I think it'll have to sit on the shelf this year. It may be too advanced. IEW recommends it for 4th grade + anyhow. I'm going to spend some more time looking at our IEW SWI Level A and figuring out our writing lessons from there.

Copywork...still loving our process! The boys are really doing well.

Literature...Our advisor from our charter school gave Magnus a test to figure out his reading and comprehension level. He is at a 9th grade level! The past few weeks he has chosen to read King Solomon's Mine, The Wind in the Willows, and several others I can't remember. In a few weeks, his literature selections will start reflecting our history subjects.

Language Arts (Thane)
Grammar...So far, First Language Lessons is a great fit for Thane. The slow pace and short lessons are just what he needs.

Phonics...Alternating between OPGTR and ETC is working well. He isn't feeling overwhelmed with all the reading of "nonsense" sentences. He is also reading a couple paragraphs from his Pathway Reader, Days Go By.

Copywork...His writing is beautiful for a first grade boy!

Math
Magnus...He had a bit of an attitude with this subject this week, but it made for a great life lesson. I asked him to explain to me how he got his answer...we were working on mental math...and he refused. Collin took over (I was getting WAY too frustrated with Magnus) and was able to get to the issue. Magnus was having trouble doing things he didn't want to do. He didn't want to work. Collin was able to talk to him about Adam and Eve in the Garden and how their disobedience created work and labor pains. Collin is real good at teaching. It really got through to him and his attitude towards math and other work has really taken a turn!
Thane...worked more on side 2 of the abacus.

Latin (Magnus)
We did it! Well, sort of. We completed the first half of chapter 12 in Song School Latin. Hey...it's a start!

Nature Study (Both)
We didn't do anything "formal" this week, but the boys did go searching for lizards and were able to catch two of them. Magnus was able to identify them as Western Fence Lizards because he "reads all them time" and he "just knew". I wasn't so sure, but after I researched on the internet I discovered he was indeed right! We set up a habitat for them and have been observing them all week. We're going to set them free soon.

Fun Day Friday
Again, this week proved to not be "fun", but that is because we had to meet with our charter school advisor. We did meet our homeschool group at the park for a water gun fight...it was almost 100 degrees! Oh and Thane is now taking fencing lessons! He is too young for the class, so the instructor is working with him in a private lesson. Magnus is also getting some one-on-one time with him. Now I have two boys who "officially" play with swords!
Activities
Monday...Library
Tuesday...AWANA...Magnus is in TNT this year and Thane is still a Spark.
Wednesday...Fencing (Magnus)
Friday...Park Day and Fencing (Thane and Magnus)

1 comment:

Just some guy... said...

Looks like you're keeping up a great start to the 2009-2010 homeschool year.

Someone needs to contact Google and let them know that "homeschool" doesn't deserve a red squiggle under it.