Homeschool Mom's Journal

.I'm a new follower and reader of Sue at The Homeschool Chick and I'm so excited she is sharing so many wonderful ideas and creating a community for homeschooling families to come together on! I'm thrilled to take part in this Friday-Sunday meme about the ups and downs of homeschooling. I look forward to doing this weekly in time. I've needed something to help me journal here! I hope more of you join in!!! Also...if you scroll down my sidebar, I've added some buttons that lead back to Sue's pet projects of support!

In my life this week…

     Well - this week I have been dealing with various stages of sickness. I've been mildly dealing with a sore throat, and now our youngest daughter (who was supposed to have her 2 year old end of preschool program tomorrow) has a fever. I was supposed to go to see a dear friend, but she is sick as well - so in a way - it all worked out. This weekend we will focus on rest!!

In our homeschool this week…

      We are wrapping up our 1st year! I can't believe it! We ended today because I thought tomorrow would be busy at Valiant's school program, but the fever changed things. So, we'll just start vacation early! We could use it. We're not fully stopping homeschooling this summer, I have plans. You can read about them here. 

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

      For the next week, we are staying close to home - but we will hit up places like a local play gym, state parks, hike, watch movies, nap, and read! We may see friends, but otherwise, we could just have a "staycation" for a few days.

My favorite thing this week was…

     Seeing Lovely's excitement for learning, even knowing the thrill of summer vacation was just around the corner. 

What’s working/not working for us…

     In reflecting on our 1st year (which will probably be a post of its own) I would say what worked for us this year was our fantastic materials that came on the recommendation of "The Well Trained Mind". I loved all our materials and the challenge. We spent the whole year on some books that usually are semester books, but that may be because I assessed Lovely more advanced than she was. This was in her reading, and in Singapore Math. Now, I did a lot of the activities in the reader, so that lengthened its use, and when doing Singapore Math, I was stretch out the lessons, and create more reviews, than the text and activity book had. We will actually go into the summer with math so we can do Level 2A in the fall. We started this past fall in 1B. Our phonics book was also a "B" book (meant to last all year - MCP Phonics) and I really liked the materials, but they were a challenge for Lovely to read, but I think they really helped her learn with me. I also got behind on our Charlotte Mason dictation and writing - but we will continue that this summer. I hope to really hone in on these areas next fall!

     
     Highlights of this year also included working outside, nature hikes on a whim, art class, gymnastics and taekwondo, and being together as a family. I loved being a part of all the lightbulb moments! Other highlights have been improved parenting skills, me working on my patience, and Lovely and I learning to work together and like it. I feel very blessed in that area, so far...  


Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

     I would love for anyone to chime in on this post. Do you have any opinions on k12, staying on track, etc?  


A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Spelling Games!

I look forward to meeting so many of you!!! Thanks Sue!

Trying to post!

Hey There!

I am so behind on logging in our past month's work. I promise to get here ASAP. It seems when I take time to focus on the home/family, blogging goes out the window but I really want to log our highs and lows since mid April.

Quick question - does anyone have experience with the K12 program for homeschoolers? Many states have it, and offer it free through virtual home academies, etc. I've learned they use many of the sources I use, except they provide them all free to the family (it counts as public school - so I get to use my own tax dollars). Yes....there is more structure involved, but I have heard it is getting more flexible. Anyone want to chime in? I love they use so many "Well Trained Mind" and Charlotte Mason techniques.  Also, many of their explorations herald back to Waldorf. I feel like I'm getting courted and I want to research it....

Also, a quick comment on our summer plans. I am going into Waldorf country! We will be starting (and overlapping as we finish in the fall) with Along the Alphabet Path from Elizabeth Foss' Serendipity site. I'm looking forward to bringing my family together for learning this summer! We'll do this a little every day - probably in the hottest hours of the day when they can't be outside or at the pool, etc and the baby is napping.

How is your school year wrapping up?

Testing? WHAT testing...

We're now back to our regularly scheduled learning experience....

 

Simply GORGEOUS weather outside for learning AND painting/sketching with new art materials!!!!

Testing? What testing.....already a memory! :)

Testing! Testing! 1-2-3

Sorry for the lack of posts -  we returned from Spring Break and entered state required standardized testing. What a week. It is a whole other beast, and I have thoughts on it now I've been through it:

A) as a first time 1st grade teacher.
B) as a parent watching their child try their best and limited in helping them.
C) seeing how much the tests are about TEST TAKING SKILLS than knowledge. (I knew this being a former high school teacher, but seeing it with the wee ones...wow!)

The one bonus was at the end of it feeling more confidence that we had a good year and I can do this.

Ok - crying baby....gotta run!

Do the Robot!

So, on Friday of Spring Break we went over to our friends house to join them in a robot building project using recycled materials. It was a lot of fun once the kids got into it. Lovely liked it after we got started (we, meaning me lol) and had fun designing it. The moms really did a lot of the creating with the kids building and designing, then running off to play, but coming back and adding something new. It was a busy project!

It was fun seeing what the kids picked, or envisioned.

Motley Crew

Design coming together - she still had not gotten as excited as she got later.

Now..she's getting into it!

Adding her touches.

She's into it now!

Almost done....just needs a face. She wanted  "googly eyes".

Finished product! Well, the robot could have had more done, but playtime called.

It looks like it wants to hug. A hugging robot!

Aww, hugs! lol

What a fun way to reuse items that could be put in the trash, and a great way to remind ourselves to recycle.  My friend always has the most creative ideas. Thanks S!

Spring Break!

We are on Spring Break this week, but that doesn't stop hands on learning fun!!! Lovely had a blast after we ate dinner outside looking for bugs, etc, and found snails!!

The girls excited about finding so many snails

Lovely's snail friend! So tiny....

We loved observing it!! Those little antennae...

Lots of studying...

Where they like to live.

She made a jar snail home using parts of the snails environment and then came inside to look up what type of snail it is and fun snail facts online!

We learned lots of neat facts (I never knew about the shell color!). He (She?) is very fun to watch - so graceful!! I think of all our critters we've observed, this is MY personal favorite.

Now, on to more Spring Break. Tomorrow we are making robots from recycled materials with our best friends next door. I can't wait to document that and post pics!

Next week we will be testing (as required by our state). We'll be taking the ITBS (reminds me of my childhood). I'm nervous, but hope she does well, and both of us can get a good picture of what she has learned this year, and what we can improve on!

New PERMANENT Natural History Exhibit!

We are SO excited!!! It is SUCH an amazing place and so much work has gone into it. It is permanent, but every few months aspects will change to keep it fresh - especially in the science labs. It is located in a huge area, and has an ocean area, forest area with "waterfall", river, tree houses, etc. It also has underground caves, sediment studies, and more. It also contains science labs, a learning clubhouse, and archeological dig site. It also has a wetland section. The river has movement triggered LCD screens reflecting on the ground so when you walk on it, fish dart away, the water ripples....amazing!  Check it out:

The river heading from the caves and "waterfall"

Lovely skipping rocks across the stream.

The fish moved, as did the water!!!

The kids loved playing in the stream and trying to catch the fish.

The "waterfall"

Valiant and Gift enjoying the swamp and marshlands.

The girls in the treetops!

Such detail!

Checking out the binoculars.

Forest meets the caves

inside the caves

shining the light on rock formations

The girls could pull out layers of sediment.

Science lab

using the microscope

Happy learner!

Using the lab

I loved this explanation of bird beaks!

Near the dig site

Learning club house

dig site

We are so blessed to have access to this great exhibit! How fun it will be to return and really focus on certain areas!