Week Two

Week two, as expected, was much better. We're not there yet but we're starting to find our rhythm and figure out what works best for us. What we discover now will probably change throughout the year as the kids get older, but for now I think we're at a sustainable pace!

Monday we took our first "field trip" if you will classify it as such. Downtown there is a fountain designed to be a replica of our lock system. They close it up in the fall and so we took advantage of our lingering summer weather and took a bike ride down to visit the fountain. Good thing, too, since fall quickly arrived. Believe it or not, two days later we were all wearing jeans and sweaters!

 

 Hannah really struggled the first couple days of school this week. She's decided that she hates grammar. This is particularly frustrating for me because I spent a good deal of time researching several different grammar programs trying to find the one that would work the best. I passed up on one because I thought it would be too much busywork and the other one I had the chance to peruse at a book sale and found it confusing. Growing With Grammar, what I ultimately chose, is student-led and the lessons each day are brief. But they are writing intensive which Hannah hates. She was dragging her lessons out until late in the afternoon each day. Finally on Wednesday she decided, on her own, that if she got her Grammar done first thing in the morning and saved her more pleasant subjects (reading and history) until she was done, she'd probably move faster. And it made a huge difference.

 Writing her first book report of the year.

Spelling was also a struggle but for somewhat different reasons. We just started it this week. When I looked at her curriculum and realized that on Day 2 they wanted her to copy her entire list (20 words) twice, I saw that going badly. Here is this girl who hates to do writing and they want her to copy 40 words? Monotony. So I've ordered a spelling software that I hope will help with that...we'll see how that goes.

 Doing her reading worksheet.

Grace is working on her Bob books this week. She really likes them and seems to be making progress. I struggle to know if there is more that I should be doing with her to help reading really "click". She gets it she just labors over it. Every word is a drawn out sound. At least this week she told me when she didn't understand what she was reading. I've wondered about that before (how much she actually retains of what she reads) and that she's starting to realize that the story is supposed to make sense was a step forward. Next week we continue to practice and confidence build...I think we're on the right track.

Math and Thinking Skills are her two other independent (separate from Hannah) subjects and she thrives in both of those. Definitely her favorite for the time being.

Working With Daddy

Elaina got to start some of her own work this week. She's so eager it is hard to tell her no so we've been making a point to set aside time for her. Eric even took a few moments out of his day to sit down with her this week. She soaks it all in. I hope she keeps that attitude!

Science was the highlight of this week, I think. Last week I was a bit uncertain about our supplement Sassafras science. Grace seemed bored by it. Hannah was over the moon but that's typical for her and anything related to animals and Sassafras is studying Zoology. But this week they began projects that go alongside the reading. Hannah chose to work on a food chain chart (she is keeping track of what animals are carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores). Grace chose to make a habitat poster. They each picked a different project and I think that's a good thing. There will be less comparison if they are each absorbed in there own tasks. 

For history we studied Jamestown and followed the story of a little girl's life in Jamestown. The girl was 8 years old and already had to regularly watch her baby brother while making supper, knitting, and helping her mother with the laundry and making soap. Puts into perspective just how easy our girls have it now!!

We also finished up our storytime book. We were reading about Amelia Earhart and even I learned a few things about her. Next week we'll begin a biography on Sacajawea. Should be interesting!