Week 3

I guess I'll call this week three, even though we've kind of been going all summer!  However, we started to phase in "fall" within the past 3 weeks so I guess it's appropriate.  I'm not "feeling" a creative title! :-)

We had a 3 day week again.  I'm looking forward to next week and the week after when we will have more "normal" weeks.  Bryson had his 5 year check up and shots yesterday, so that set us off as well.  Next week we'll take Labor Day off and get down to a good solid week after that.

Here's what we've been up to this week:

Jayden
Grade 4

He continued reading The Princess and Curdie.  He gives me a rundown daily on what he's read.  I keep thinking I should be doing some lit analysis with him... I need to go listen to SWB to get my mind straight!  I should probably just be really glad I have 4 kiddos who LOVE to read!  We also started Hamlet (a kid's version that is just GREAT!)  How I just love the kids reading good literature!  I know this is just a kids' version, however right now I'm just laying the groundwork.  Plus, it doesn't hurt me to familiarize myself again! 

Jay completed Week 27 in WWE3 with no issue.  Step 9 and 10 of spelling also got completed.  He did three lessons in grammar.  All pretty much review for him.  He's been working on measuring and drawing angles all week with a protractor.  FUN since we never did any of this with MUS.   Both Jayden and Kylie have been doing cursive practice by copying two "common phrases" each day that I'm pulling from Core Knowledge.  I figured it's good fodder for copywork and we can discuss the phrases as we go.  For logic Jayden completed a Mindbenders puzzle and worked on an online 3D cube, which now has him stumped.  Think I need to call in the Daddy!  Latin went well this week... starting the year with lesson 1.  It seemed easier to me than last year... maybe because we both have some idea of what we're doing now!  Yeah for growth!  Jayden continues to do excellent in his piano lessons as well.

Kylie
Grade 3

Kylie had a great week.  The best part, for me, was that she asked to do Latin first thing the second day!  She has been grumbling and complaining about starting Latin... for sure that she did NOT want to do this.  Turns out it's her favorite thing!  Who knew??  So, she did great this week starting Prima Latina.  It will be fun to watch the 2 kids now communicate.  Jayden only had me in the past... now he and Kylie can share in the fun together!  Kylie finished Bunnicula this week.  She is reading Romeo and Juliet with me from the same series Jayden is reading Hamlet out of.  She even found a cartoon version of the story on Netflix that she watched on her own.  I think she said that Paris ended up eating Romeo, but I'm not clear on that!  (I think they were a cat and a mouse...)

Kind of funny... we were discussing the fact that Paris is in love with Juliet and wants to marry her.  How he found her attractive.  Kylie adds...."and HOT!"  Yikes!  I guess I've never thought about Juliet being HOT before!  Kylie made sure I understood there are two meanings to the word "hot" and temperature was NOT what she meant!  :-)

Kylie also completed Week 4 in WWE3.  She practiced cursive as well, completed 3 lessons in grammar and Step 3 in spelling.  She worked on reviewing subtraction rules/terms and subtracting in columns this week.  All review for her, but from a different aspect being that we switched curriculum.  Kylie also asked to work on the logic cube that Jayden did so she got to do that Friday as well.  Violin continues to go great for Kylie.  Since this is the instrument she REALLY wants to play practicing is going so much better than her piano practicing used to go.  Nice to see her really enjoying it!

Rylan
Grade 1
Rylan  had a bit of a difficult week.  I wonder when I will be able to say "he's still adjusting".  Probably another month or so!  I have to remember transitions are terribly hard for him.  Academically he's grand...it's the "rest" of the stuff that's difficult to deal with. 

Rylan has dived into chapter books!  I'm used to Kylie who we have to twist her arm to get her to read chapter books.  Rylan LOVES them!  He's  reading a Berenstain Bear Scout book with me and a book called "Watch Out Man Eating Snake" on his own.  He completed Week 5 in WWE, enjoying very much the story of "The Princess and the Frog".  I think the best part was he got to listen to most of the story.  He has a hard time just hearing the clips the curriculum offers.  Gives us good ideas of stories to read though!  Rylan worked on subtracting within the same 10 this week in math.  He did 3 grammar lessons and worked on Step 10 in spelling.  I have a funny story from his grammar.  We worked on initials this week.  He learned that his initials are R.J.W.  However, of course, in Rylan style, these letters do not stand for Rylan John Watts.  Nope.  He's decided he's going to tell everyone his name is Rylan Jacob Weiner.  There you have it....

Rylan started piano this week!  I'm starting him for the first couple years, then we'll hand him off to the teacher.  He LOVES the piano and practiced very well this week.  We also finished up his catch up work on clocks and we'll finish measurement next week.

Bryson
Kindergarten

Bryson had a great week turning 5!  (well, except the shots.. but he did get a Beanie Baby from the doctor and gluten free doughnuts from Mom for being such a brave boy!  He didn't even cry!)  He is reading up a storm, reading both with me and on his own.  He finished Simpson Snail this week (sad to see that one go back to the library!) and read It's Circus Time Dear Dragon, Magic Beans and Away Go the Boats, plus several books on his own.  The boys and I also read One Giant Leap (about Neil Armstrong... beautiful book!) and The Emperor's Kite together this week.  Bryson completed his copywork well and worked with the number line some more in math.  He also started sums with 7.  He catches on SO fast to his math facts.  I'm amazed that he's only just 5.

Together we had a great week in Bible learning about John's entrance into the world.  I'm having the kids each read portions of the daily scripture.  It is SO fun that 3 out of the 4 kids can read their NIV Bibles!  How amazing to hear your children read God's Word for themselves.  I'm enjoying our time sitting around the table discussing the Bible together and drawing stick figures.  Probably the best time of my day!

In history we read about the Mongol's invasion of the East.  Look out China!  Those were some tough dudes!  We were amazed at all the land they took over.

For science this week we had a little change of "routine".  We are reading a short chapter book called, "Who Is Neil Armstrong."  I'm just letting the kids enjoy it and I'm not requiring any narration, except some verbal narration.  We are using a US map though and mapping out all the places he lived.  The book gives some nice history as well so the kids are learning about the political climate a bit in the 60's and 70's.  Very fun change of pace.  We'll continue this book next week as well.

Here are some picts from this week...

Silly boy and his fav book this week.  His first

"chapter book"!

Mom giving Kylie a lesson.

Rylan starting piano!

An icicle in September?

Well, we do live in MN, but this would be

extremely rare!  Actually, Jayden found this

last winter and put it in the freezer.  I found it

and wanted to get rid of it, but no... he wants to

keep it for one year!  I told him fine, then it's

gone!