Quick update

What we’re studying:

• Ancient Egypt
• Bees and Wasps

Still not reading on her own yet and very reluctant. I am thinking about trying a different program to see if it’s a better fit.

Number sentences in math (addition). I am impressed at how quickly she picked up this concept, and can quickly write 3 different equations that all equal 5.

Handwriting is going well, but she still mixes up b and d, and writes her 3s backwards regularly. We’re also trying to reverse her habit of writing from bottom to top when she needs to be writing top to bottom.

Today, she finished painting a solar system kit. We aren’t studying the universe now, but it was an unfinished project that she randomly decided to finish. She’s been fascinated by planets and stars for a long time now and is looking forward to getting the whole thing put together and hung in her room. It does look pretty cool.

Week 4

• 5 Saxon lessons
• Phonics Pathways: We are going through about 2 pages per day, although that may slow a bit as A practices spelling from dictation. Right now, we are working on c-k-ck, which is tricky and she is having a hard time remembering the rules. Luckily, she is less frustrated than she was in the beginning and is developing more of a “just keep trying” mentality. We also moved phonics from the little ones’ naptime (about 1:00) to first thing in the morning when she is the freshest and cheeriest. I think she’ll be ready for a more formal spelling program by Christmas.
• We are finishing moths and butterflies this week. A made the the most amazing drawing of butterflies and flowers! She spent at least one hour working on it. We talked a lot about the flowers in our garden and how they attract butterflies to our house. Unfortunately, I can’t find out where the butterfly house is or when it is open, so I think it may not exist anymore.
• In history, we are reading about Stone Age people this week. On Friday, we are going to make clay bead necklaces and gourd rattles instead of an art project.

We had planned to attend our first homeschool gathering today, but A has been sick since Saturday. She seems to be over the worst of it, but then El started running a fever on Monday and although it broke last night, I still don’t want to take them around the other kids just yet. Hopefully, Em doesn’t get sick but the odds don’t seem great.

I went apple picking last weekend with a friend and brought home a bushel of apples! A was so disappointed that she didn’t get to go so our whole family is going to go this weekend. I need to get canning! I made an apple crisp  and a batch of apple muffins, but I haven’t made even a tiny dent in the apples yet.

Last week was our first week “off.” I didn’t get much housekeeping done (oops!) but it was a nice break. Everyone was ready to get back into things this week, though.

Week Three

This week we started using the Usborne History text. We will spend the week learning about archaeology. Yesterday, A drew a great picture of a mound with buried gold, arrowheads, and bones underneath with an archaeologist (a little girl archaeologist!) on top digging up artifacts. We also read a paragraph about tree ring dating, so John is going to take her for a walk to a large tree recently cut down and show her how to count the rings.

We finished our worm unit last week, although we are still observing the worm bin. The soil and sand is a little more mixed than it was when we started. It is unclear whether the worms prefer tomatoes, carrot tops, or beet greens. They haven’t eaten a whole lot. Regardless of the ambiguous results, the worms will be dumped into the compost pile this weekend before they start to smell.

This week we are starting butterflies and moths. We will be taking a field trip to a butterfly house next week (our week off of school).

We are working through Saxon Math 1 quickly and easily. We do 5 lessons per week, and so far it has been review for her. It’s a little frustrating actually. I really feel that it is at Kindergarden level and I hope it becomes challenging pretty soon or we are going to start skipping ahead.

Phonics is our toughest subject. A gets discouraged at the slightest mistake. We only practice in 15 minute blocks to give her eyes a break. She reads 3-letter words easily, but still mixes up m and n if they are in the same word and b and d often. She really wants to start reading and gets upset that I don’t allow her to read independently just yet. She tends to see a word and just “guess” at what it is, rather than taking the time to sound it out and I don’t want this to become a habit. (She does read the Bob books and loves them.) I don’t prevent her from trying on her own time, of course, but it’s not a part of “school” yet, either. I need to get a list of sight words (the, we, could, etc.) and start drilling. Once she gets a good chunk of those down, plus common 2-letter blends that are not phonetic (ch, sh, th, wh…) she’ll be ready for some real beginner books. Hopefully, in the next two weeks or so.

We’ve been reading lots of books aloud, mostly Bible stories. I need to spend some time reinforcing our Quaker belief that there are many paths to God and that we are accepting of many faiths. What I am trying to get out of the Bible stories are basic human values that we all cherish: forgiveness, peacefulness, and listening to the Spirit.

A little photo essay.

Math

Em coloring

El un-doing things (her favorite subject)

We do yoga while the little ones nap

Why, yes, she does do a lot of coloring.

Digging up worms for our science project

Up close and personal with the worm

The worm bin

Beginning in earnest.

Is it really the end of August? Unbelievable.

Our homeschooling adventure will officially begin on Tuesday.

I considered starting a little sooner, but with all of the neighbor kids still running around, I didn’t see the point of trying to keep A interested in reading or listening when all she would really want to be doing is riding her bike.

I am anxious, but also excited. I want to give her as woman-centric an education as I possibly can. Which doesn’t mean excluding great men (and there are many) from her education, for the record. Compared to public, or even private, education, if I divide up authors 50/50 or even 60/40 (in favor of men), that would be phenomenal. Who says history should be all wars and victories? And of course, there are a great many female scientists to cover. (I really love this book for young girls.) I am also looking forward to focusing on peace and simplicity as a lifestyle. (There are great resources here.)

I purchased all of our books already and put several on hold at the library. Hopefully, they will be ready for us soon.
We are using these:

Plus, math, handwriting, spelling, and the other usual subjects.

The first two weeks, we are learning about earthworms, which will coincide nicely with me trying to get my compost pile to do something. Like decay and turn into compost already.

I am in the process of deciding which activities are worthwhile at this point. She had the choice between ballet and gymnastics. Both meet once a week. She chose gymnastics, but wants to do ballet eventually. Right now, all she wants to do is learn how to cartwheel and do flips.

I am also thinking about the Girl Scouts. At first I was hesitant to consider the Girl Scouts.

I was a brownie for all of two meeting as a young, eager, but somewhat shy first grader. I remember singing Sally the Camel. I also remember the troop leader refusing to allow me to use the bathroom and the humiliation that resulted when I just couldn’t hold it anymore and peed my pants.

I also thought that Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts were interchangeable aside from gender. I swore I would never let my kids be in such a homophobic and exclusive organization. But then I read this and I fell in love with the Girl Scouts organization more than I ever thought possible.

We are hoping to start piano lessons this fall as well. We just need the piano!

I know my regular readers don’t come here to experience me droning on about education and homeschooling, so I am thinking about a second blog. Still undecided.

I still can’t believe it is nearly September.