Weekly Homeschool Wrap-Up 3/6

I'll start with the boys' activities from this week:

For writing this week they worked on writing a humorous story using the Write Shop Junior E curriculum. This is a sloppy copy--first draft. They also wrote a descriptive paper about a character from their Sonlight novel--The King's Fifth by Scott O'Dell. 

They're also reading in Story of the World, Early Modern Times, and in the Kingfisher World History Encyclopedia. For science they are continuing in Cool Stuff Science and in Evolution: The Grand Experiment, which delves heavily into evolutionary theory and discounts it line by line, with scientific evidence. 

They are continuing also in their Bibles and in the supplemental Bible books from Sonlight Core H.

Paul is working on a family newspaper, in which he writes stories about what's happening in our neighborhood, in our town, and in our home. His siblings can also submit stories for the newspaper and he pays them some pennies or nickels. He is having a controlled fit trying to learn how to use a newsletter template on the computer. I sympathize with him because I can't seem to learn how to write newsletters either! The columns never behave! Soon I need to get the boys into some computer classes to learn these things. 

Peter loves leftovers and hates boring sandwiches, but he'll eat anything I put in front of him. Here he's having whole wheat chicken enchiladas with brown rice. Paul liked the enchiladas but wouldn't eat leftover crockpot navy bean soup, which I offered yesterday. He is less picky about lunch than the girls, but not as well rounded as Peter.

Teaching Textbooks does a great deal of review on a regular basis. When a long division problem comes up, and they do frequently, both boys will groan. They can do them, but they hate them.

Peter is reading during morning devotions, and Paul is looking on because he is not an auditory learner. He follows read alouds far better when he sits right next to the reader and follows along in the book. I am like him, and the rest of the kids and my husband are all auditory. I can't listen to read alouds very long without having my own copy in front of me. 

Crockpot navy bean soup. Yeah, I know. It doesn't look too good, but it tastes delicious. You need six cups of chicken broth in the crockpot with soaked navy beans, some carrots, onion and celery, some garlic, a bay leaf, and some ham for flavor if desired. After it is done (7 hours on low, usually), pour in a can of diced, no-salt tomatoes.

Paul loves to read in the library and learn about all the presidents, and he enjoys politics.

Read aloud time with Daddy, using Sonlight's read aloud list. Again, Paul is right there following along. Peter is on the couch listening, and I am putting the girls to bed by this time usually.

They are always sleepy and hyperactive the day after AWANA. It ends at 8:15 PM, but they're too excited to fall asleep after arriving home. I have them take showers before we go, but whatever I try, it doesn't help get them to sleep at a decent hour. We had to switch back to a Wed. AWANA after doing it on Sunday, and I am having to change things around to accommodate their fatigue the next day. I really hate weekday evening events but it couldn't be helped. The kids really enjoyed themselves and the program was very well run.

Next, I will highlight Mary's activities (age 8). She has about 4 lessons left in All About Reading 2. Level 3 is on its way to our home. I'm spending a small fortune at the All About Learning Press company. All their curriculum sells very fast on the used markets and is hard to find. Here Mary is learning about the three sounds -ed makes at the end of words (ed, d, and t).

These are piles of review words from her box. We go over all of them periodically and discuss the rule and/or sound family illustrated.

Words that have a /t/ made by the -ed.

There is a new story about every other day, which includes the sound families covered in the previous lesson, plus all the review sounds from past lessons. The stories are engaging and we both love them. Marie Rippel did a wonderful job conceiving and writing this curriculum, which is exactly what those with dyslexia and other disabilities need.

She also learned the third sound of letter A this week.

Lambie likes All About Reading too!

More on the third sound of letter A.

Third sound of letter A--page from the lesson plan book.

A gumball game to practice words with the third sound of letter A. I give chocolate chips instead of gumballs.

All About Reading and All About Spelling come with card boxes to organize all your review words and sounds. You file them under: mastered, review, or future lessons.

I had just cut Mary's hair and Beth was so excited that it looked just like hers. They wanted their picture taken. Pretty in pink, I told them!

She's looking for easy readers to use for personal reading time.

The library's winter reading contest features prizes, like the Doc McStuffins set behind her in the case. She gets one entry each time she checks out and reads five books. Paul won last year so the girls are hopeful. They have a lot of entries.

Now for the kindergartner's activities. This is Beth, age 6.

She used the nifty new automated checker at the library--no more lines for checking out books! These are all over the library now.

She played on the library train.

Welcome to our school, stuffies! You look snappy in your school clothes.

 She had puzzle time all week while I taught her sister's reading lessons.

She is super excited about her accomplishment, as you can see by that face!

At the library--at first she made me chase her around the library for a picture, because she's goofy like that. What would I do without her playfulness? She's a joy and gives me strength and keeps me young at heart.

She made a huge tent in the playroom with her sister while I taught the boys their writing segment. I allow old bedding for these enterprises, but no sheets from the linen closet. I hate it when they grab clean sheets for their tents! These "tents" seem to be a universal kid thing. I will remember them fondly...well, mostly. :)

In her typical animated way, she acted out the words she read during reading time. If the word was "fast", she ran fast around the couch. She keeps me young and in stitches!

She is cutting a game apart to practice reading words with final blends. She had to find two matching socks and read the words behind them.

Her stuffies attend "school" with her.

Going over the review words for All About Reading 1. I love cozy time in the reclining chair listening to my girls do their lessons. I love that they're both small enough to fit comfortably with me here. Woe will be the day when they're too old to do reading lessons with Momma.

A story with initial and final blends in the second All About Reading 1 reader.

Practicing the "chocolate chip" sound. That's what I call it anyway /ch/.

Practicing final blends and plurals.

And finally, Beth's standard lunch staple--PB&J on whole wheat. She rarely wavers from it, but I keep trying. Sometimes it is colby jack cheese with mustard on whole wheat, but she hates leftovers. She won't eat tuna like her siblings. I pay more for natural jelly and peanut butter--no high fructose corn syrup so that I can feel good about the sandwich. It's hard to find whole wheat bread without additives, but I don't have time to make my own consistently so we scrutinize labels. I have to be careful that she eats a well-balanced diet because she is on the two immunosuppressants for the arthritis and needs a lot of nutrients to boost her immune system. She loves fruit, thank goodness, and will eat a half carton of strawberries or blueberries.

My favorite shelf at the library is the "new books" shelf. All the new non-fiction and fiction from the prior twelve months are kept here. I have used this library so many years that I have run out of a lot of options, except for this new shelf. We find our picture book read alouds and some great non-fiction selections too.

Here are some new picture books from the prior twelve months:

 Albie's First Word: A Tale Inspired by Albert Einstein's Childhood by Jacqueline Tourville



Here's a beautiful historical fiction picture book that provides a rare glimpse into the early childhood of Albert Einstein, the world's most famous physicist.

Three-year-old Albie has never said a single word. When his worried mother and father consult a doctor, he advises them to expose little Albie to new things: a trip to the orchestra, an astronomy lecture, a toy boat race in the park. But though Albie dances with excitement at each new experience, he remains silent. Finally, the thoughtful, quiet child witnesses something so incredible, he utters his very first word: "Why?"

Kids, parents, and teachers will be delighted and reassured by this joyous story of a child who develops a bit differently than others.



Dear Malala, We Stand With You by Rosemary McCarney with Plan International (About the Arabic girl who was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan after standing up for a girl's right to an education. She recovered and now resides in England and speaks about equal rights.)


Ben Franklin's Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention by Barb Rosenstock



Every inventor has to start somewhere, and one of the greatest innovators in our history was no exception. Ben Franklin developed his first invention while doing what he loved best: swimming! Ben's Big Splash is the story of Franklin's first invention, his journey through the scientific method, and the surprising successes that result when you're willing to make mistakes. Barb Rosenstock’s rhythmic, whimsical style is the perfect complement to S. D. Schindler’s pen and ink and watercolor illustrations. Together they recreate history in an engaging and unique way. Both author and illustrator worked closely with Franklin experts, and the book includes Franklin quotes, an extensive author’s note, timeline, and bibliography.

Freedom's School by Lesa Cline-Ransome



Synopsis: When Lizzie's parents are granted their freedom from slavery, Mama says its time for Lizzie and her brother Paul to go to a real school--a new one, built just for them. Lizzie can't wait. The scraps of learning she has picked up here and there have just made her hungry for more
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The walk to school is long. Some days it's rainy, or windy, or freezing cold. Sometimes there are dangers lurking along the way, like angry white folks with rocks, or mysterious men on horseback. The schoolhouse is still unpainted, and its very plain, but Lizzie has never seen a prettier sight. Except for maybe the teacher, Mizz Howard, who has brown skin, just like her.

They've finally made it to Freedom's School. But will it be strong enough to stand forever?

Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper



Synopsis: Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty. She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history the day her ancestors were no longer slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth.This beautiful story by award-winning author and illustrator Floyd Cooper will captivate both children and adults.
You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Books! 

by Alex Woolf



Synopsis from School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-Modern-day conveniences, such as cell phones and toilets, and the ingenious ways that people in the past made do without them are explored in this engaging series. Filled with bite-size facts and humorous, cartoon illustrations, the books take readers on a journey through history, showing them how science and technology have made life easier, safer, and more comfortable. Time lines chart the inventions' major developments and discoveries, providing a solid background for each subject, while brief yet interesting historical examples will appeal to even the most reluctant reader. The "ick" factor and potty humor in Toilets and Antibiotics are sure to entertain many, and interactive elements, such as the hands-on activities in "You Can Do It!," encourage experimentation and critical thinking. The books are packed with so much information that the lack of a pronunciation guide in the glossary can certainly be overlooked.

How was your week, friends? Thank you for reading and visiting here this week!