I woke up this morning with this Elvis Costello song in my head,
funny how appropriate it seems for a Monday morning. After a fun weekend for the whole family full of play dates making paper dolls using the Black Apple's Paper Doll Primer (Lot's o' fun), board games, and a huge most amazing 2-day snow fort building, sledding, snowballing adventure with our super-cool neighbors! More to come on this I'm sure, the forts will continue to grow.
 |
| deciding how to customize their dolls |
 |
| Dixit |
 |
| our cat Jelly enjoying the game as well |
So yes, after a fun filled weekend, I began handing out assignments this morning to two happy-to-be-schooling-in-PJ's kids this morning. After a few weeks of this homeschooling thing I notice that we are starting to form our own rhythm within the days and find it both exciting and comforting. I spent last evening preparing lessons for the week in Geography, Science (we'll do another experiment on Thursday), grammar, writing, multiplication and more Norse Myths. I've found workbooks to be great for our family. They aren't all that we are using but they are great for some basics. We've been using the math mammoth blue series. I like the way the books are set up individually by math function instead of grade level. We purchased the 4th-6th grade letting the two kids work at their own pace. We're also supplementing with some other books and websites to keep things interesting (especially for my girl who though quite bright doesn't enjoy math right now). For reading the kids are each enjoying their own books individually and we have yet to chose another family read aloud book. Any suggestions?
 |
| working hard... |
 |
| He lives in these PJs right now! |
So off we start on another busy yet fun filled adventuresome week!
Tell Corey that Noah has the same pajamas!
ReplyDeleteHave you read Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright?http://www.amazon.com/Gone-Away-Lake-Books/dp/0152022724 It's a great adventure story, a little old fashioned (first pub. in 1957), and features a brother/sister team as main characters.
Sounds like it was a good weekend for the Maine Kleins! Julia was so tired after Theo's school's sledding party yesterday that she was too pooped to go to her own school's skating party! Theo, however, had not climbed the sledding hill nearly as many times, and was all gung ho to go skate with Brian. So, instead, Jules and I went home and had tea and read another few chapters in "Anne of Green Gables." Usually these days, she will zoom ahead in whatever book we start together, but the killer vocabulary in this one makes her happy to just read along with me so we can stop and talk about all the great words. She is watching the mail to see if her cousins will write back to her (hint, hint...) :-)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Anne
Ditto WWS's suggestion for Gone Away Lake! Great Book! The others by Enright are terrific too...The Saturdays, Four Story Mistake, And Then There Were Five. All were faves of mine when I was young.
ReplyDeleteAngie,
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you that I read your blog everyday but shame shame on me I hardly ever comment. I love seeing little glimpses into your life.. I am such a voyeur. LOL
Read aloud books...The Eragon Series, The Edge Chronicles or Lemony Snicket.
The Edge Chronicles is bar far my favorite of the three series.. I think there are 9 books(maybe more maybe less), they are a fairly quick read but full of action.
Perhaps the caption on that one photo should be "working hard...At picking his brain"
ReplyDeletethanks for all the great ideas! Greg you are so right. Anne, I am so on the mail thing! I've decided it's a great way to learn "letter writing".
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great start to your week, and hanging out in pajamas in winter are a must.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a fun game! I checked it out on boardgamegeek.com and maybe we will have to add it to our collection. As if we don't have enough games around here already....
ReplyDeleteSchool in pjs is such fun!
The artwork on the cards in this game is amazing. We just got it this winter and it's super fun!
ReplyDeleteHmm...back again...Have you seen this book before?http://www.amazon.com/Read-Aloud-Handbook-Sixth-Jim-Trelease/dp/0143037390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296513060&sr=8-1
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it myself but maybe it would have some good ideas? Looks like your son is already ready Lord of the Rings...that would have been my suggestion. Can't wait till I can share those with my kids - and have them sleep afterward. ;)
Thanks for the info about the game, too. I am going to have a look for it...
funny that you mention the sleep thing...he would never read this before bed. LOL, it's strictly a morning thing for him...he is still my baby:)
ReplyDeleteNice blog, neighbor! You are an inspiration to us as always! More snow action this Friday?
ReplyDelete