Weekly Wrap- Up: Our First Week Back to School
We started back to school this week.
Sort of....
I pulled out the boys new math books and we completed a few pages but by weeks end we really only completed two days of school. We were just so busy this week and looking forward I don't see us doing much schoolwork next week either. It's OK though since the boys are enthusiastically learning on their own still.
Reading-- Evan read My Dog, Buddy and we practiced his sight word stacking cups. He also read Meerkats and asked me to pick out some chapter book for him. Alec read Meerkats (A Day in the Life: Desert Animals), finished Henry Huggins and Tombquest. He picked out another new book series called Dragon Keeper and is already halfway through the first book of that series too. He's been reading at the beach, reading wedged into a tree at the lake, reading in the car; just reading up a storm. Ian: finished Mockingjay and we started reading Divergent together. He received a whole box of books from his great grandfather all about trucks and equipment and spent some time one afternoon looking through them reading up on whatever caught his interest. We listened to a new book on CD called When Life Gives You O.J. and just loved this adorable story about a girl using an OJ jug as a pretend "starter" dog. I read a few more chapters in the Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom when we had time-- it's such a great book and we just love it! It's hilarious!
Science-- Watched the movie meerkats to go along with our books on meerkats and as a follow up to our zoo visit a few weeks ago. We also went to a nature class about clams and clamming and got to try our hand at clamming. We learned all about mollusks. We watched the hummingbirds feeding from out flowers and the birds in our feeder. We switched bird food to try and attract even more finches.
Math-- The boys worked on a few more review sheets and started working in all of their workbooks. They've completed a couple of pages and are working hard learning new concepts and practicing old skills. The boys also spent a bit more time building with the Qba maze sets and Qubits pieces as well as making cars and buildings with our magna tiles.
Geography-- Ian, Alec and I played a few games of the Scrambled States of America; it was no surprise when Alec won them both. I found Ian playing with our United States puzzle and learning the names of the great lakes and a few more capitals. I caught Ian playing Scrambled States of America on his Kindle one day too while we were driving in the car. He then showed me that he's earned 25 of the states already by answering so many questions correctly.
Social Skills-- We had THREE parties this past week! The boys all wanted to catch up with all of their school friends before our local schools started back to school. They had a great time playing with their friends. We also had a family party thrown into the mix and the kids all played with their cousins building sand castles together and playing in the water. We had two different homeschool group activities this week as well and met a few new families. It was a busy week!
Physical Education/Nutrition -- The boys spent three days in a row in the water swimming, tubing, jumping off of docks and bridges. Evan has been trying to master diving and Alec has been attempting to flip off the dock. They all wrestle and play WWE games using our large boat tubes climbing in and out of the water, flipping each other over and having such a great time. Ian and I have started exercising together a few mornings a week and we've had many, many talks about staying active and proper nutrition. Evan decided THIS was the week to figure out how to ride his bike. He practiced a few times with his training wheels and then made me take them off. He rode around and around; never quitting until he mastered it. Within three days he was able to ride unassisted and looked like a total pro!
Life Skills-- The boys all spent an evening working and helping their dad. They shoveled and raked silt working up a sweat for a little spending money.
Sort of....
I pulled out the boys new math books and we completed a few pages but by weeks end we really only completed two days of school. We were just so busy this week and looking forward I don't see us doing much schoolwork next week either. It's OK though since the boys are enthusiastically learning on their own still.
Reading-- Evan read My Dog, Buddy and we practiced his sight word stacking cups. He also read Meerkats and asked me to pick out some chapter book for him. Alec read Meerkats (A Day in the Life: Desert Animals), finished Henry Huggins and Tombquest. He picked out another new book series called Dragon Keeper and is already halfway through the first book of that series too. He's been reading at the beach, reading wedged into a tree at the lake, reading in the car; just reading up a storm. Ian: finished Mockingjay and we started reading Divergent together. He received a whole box of books from his great grandfather all about trucks and equipment and spent some time one afternoon looking through them reading up on whatever caught his interest. We listened to a new book on CD called When Life Gives You O.J. and just loved this adorable story about a girl using an OJ jug as a pretend "starter" dog. I read a few more chapters in the Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom when we had time-- it's such a great book and we just love it! It's hilarious!
Science-- Watched the movie meerkats to go along with our books on meerkats and as a follow up to our zoo visit a few weeks ago. We also went to a nature class about clams and clamming and got to try our hand at clamming. We learned all about mollusks. We watched the hummingbirds feeding from out flowers and the birds in our feeder. We switched bird food to try and attract even more finches.
Math-- The boys worked on a few more review sheets and started working in all of their workbooks. They've completed a couple of pages and are working hard learning new concepts and practicing old skills. The boys also spent a bit more time building with the Qba maze sets and Qubits pieces as well as making cars and buildings with our magna tiles.
Geography-- Ian, Alec and I played a few games of the Scrambled States of America; it was no surprise when Alec won them both. I found Ian playing with our United States puzzle and learning the names of the great lakes and a few more capitals. I caught Ian playing Scrambled States of America on his Kindle one day too while we were driving in the car. He then showed me that he's earned 25 of the states already by answering so many questions correctly.
Social Skills-- We had THREE parties this past week! The boys all wanted to catch up with all of their school friends before our local schools started back to school. They had a great time playing with their friends. We also had a family party thrown into the mix and the kids all played with their cousins building sand castles together and playing in the water. We had two different homeschool group activities this week as well and met a few new families. It was a busy week!
Physical Education/Nutrition -- The boys spent three days in a row in the water swimming, tubing, jumping off of docks and bridges. Evan has been trying to master diving and Alec has been attempting to flip off the dock. They all wrestle and play WWE games using our large boat tubes climbing in and out of the water, flipping each other over and having such a great time. Ian and I have started exercising together a few mornings a week and we've had many, many talks about staying active and proper nutrition. Evan decided THIS was the week to figure out how to ride his bike. He practiced a few times with his training wheels and then made me take them off. He rode around and around; never quitting until he mastered it. Within three days he was able to ride unassisted and looked like a total pro!
Life Skills-- The boys all spent an evening working and helping their dad. They shoveled and raked silt working up a sweat for a little spending money.
I absolutely agree that learning can still happen outside of math books :-) We aren't getting going yet ourselves, though in many respects I wish we could. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I wasn't planning on starting school just yet either but I can tell the boys are getting bored; the bickering and fighting and behaviors are showing me that it's time for school to start. But perhaps that just me wishing we could start back to school and get into a routine. Looking at our schedule I just don't see how we can really start a true school schedule for a few weeks yet.
DeleteSounds like a great week! I love the clam digging experience. That sounds like such fun. All of those books sound exciting too! Thanks for sharing at the Favorite Things Friday Link Up!
ReplyDeleteClamming was certainly an experience we'll never forget. It's a lot of hard work for such a small thing!
DeleteWow y'all seem really busy! Sometimes we have to jump in before we are ready, but you sound like you are doing great!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I always hope we're just doing enough and they're learning enough. Not something that's always easy to tell when you're in the moment.
Deletebusy week already! I need to boost up my kids' reading passion :). Let's work on it..
ReplyDeleteI have one that LOVES to read, one that enjoys reading and one that pretty much hates it. But I keep trying!
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