It was on May 25th when...

I officially had Squeak complete 1st grade! Normally we end on May 31st but I was getting a bit burned out so I decided that we were going to end slighly early. Our family has been on several adventures since from hiking, walking, a park with unique rocks and rock formations, museums, historical locations and more! Squeak has also been using Rocket Math on the iPad as well as various other "unschooling" activites. So she is still learning along with Packy!

Packy's latest activity is making designs on the Lite Bright. She also made a huge castle with our two block sets...very cute!

I am undecided in regards to our summer plans. Orignally, I was going to begin Sonlight P4/5 and work on that about 2 or 3 days a week. Now, I'm thinking of just starting that in the fall and do a unit study based on The Magic Treehouse books. Whatever the book is about, we will work on projects and such on that topic. I have time to decide since we are going to start summer school around June 18th. Even if I decide on P4/5 and order later on, I can keep them busy until it arrives!

Wellllllll......HAPPY SUMMER!!! AND MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!

Summer Plans 2012

I already have changed my mind on some things! I was going to use Sonlight P4/5 in the fall for Packy but decided to start it for summer fun school. Normally I use completely different materials for Squeak over the summer to break things up and give her something else to work on. Well, instead of buying something for the summer THEN buying SL, why not just use P4/5 for the summer for both girl?!? We would end school as usual at the end of May, take a couple weeks off then combine both with P4/5 except they would have separate math (Squeak continue in Beast Academy and Packy would begin Singapore Earlybird Activity Book A). I haven't taken the plunge and ordered anything yet except I put in a bid for an EB Activity book on eBay....

Final Stretch!

We have a little over one month left of official 1st grade.  After East break, we took an unscheduled week off so we are going to make up some of that time in the beginning of June.

Squeak also turns 6 years old on May 17th!!

Squeak is plugging along in all subjects. Singapore Math and Beast Academy really work well for her. We are going to start a new science topic over the summer with Christian Kids Explore Earth Science and Astronomy.

Squeak also has a new pet mouse named Mousey. Early birthday gift!

Packy is absorbing everything and recently started counting past 100. She will begin PreK in the fall. E

Beast Academy has arrived...sort of...

Our package arrived in the mail on Friday but only the guides were included! They didn't pack the practice books! I quickly emailed the company and they are shipping the books with priority mail. Very pleased with their customer service in that respect - prompt resolution to my problem. This is The Art of Problem Solving who rolled out Beast Academy.

Regardless of the missing books, we are still going to begin 3a Monday. Squeak and I will just start working in the guides. She is very excited and already has been looking through the guide on her own.

Beast Academy

So I went ahead and ordered Beast Academy to check out. I asked Squeak which math she rather try: comic book math (BA) or pink math (Singapore Math) and she said both! Oh boy. We received a sample of Beast Academy and she LOVED it!! It was a sample chapter on area and perimeter.

So we will see how my little math beast likes this! It's a very full, rigorous curriculum with challenging problems that rival Singapore Intensive Practice and MEP puzzles. So I'm excited about that. It also includes material and depth of material that goes beyond 3rd grade standards. I'm excited about that as well!!

February Update!

At last, I am updating! The thrill of blogging has kind of ran it's course but I would still like to keep some sort of updates coming!

This past week, we are taking our winter break. The public schools are off and we have been busy with cousins coming over and the girls went overnight at the home of a dear friend of mine. Next week, we will start up again!

Bible - We have been working through the New Testament and have gone up to Jesus' death and resurrection. We will resume with BJU Bible Truths after the break. I've been reading from our devotional book this past week.

Math - I wanted to do a little review of regrouping and Squeak did great with retention! She asked to work on multiplication and division when we re-start school.

Science - We completed what we wanted to in Noeo Chemistry! Now we are going to start a unit on the Human Body next week! After the human body, we will work on Earth Science then Astronomy (when the weather warms up!).

LA - Squeak is working easily in BJU English and has been reading and spelling more and more. Her writing is also coming along as she took an interest (finally!) in writing stuff!

Other - The girls have been doing lots of crafts, lots of read alouds and Squeak really enjoys the Geranimo Stilton books!

Packy - Packy has taken an interest in workbooks! LOL!

All in all, we are plugging along well with school!!

Reading a library book

Reviewing re-grouping

Packy working in her school books!

Identifying gems from her geology kit

Packy is trying to tie shoes!

January Wrap-Up

January has been a busy and productive month - both in school and at our home. We have welcomed two new kiddos into our daily lives (Monday - Friday) and have been progressing quickly in school.

Bible - We've studied through the Old Testament and finished it (for now) with Joshua's take over of Jericho. At this point, I felt the Lord leading us to begin learning about HIS life and ministry here on earth. So we began the New Testament and have read about Jesus and His ministry. We will also do a week long unit study on 1 Corinthians 13 during Valentine's Day week!

Math - Squeak is cruising along in Singapore Math. We have been juggling between 2b/3a and worked a little review in 2a (just to make ME feel better). I have been also giving Squeak weekly "math assignments" for fact drill. I print a few pages off and she has the week to complete them. At 5.5, I don't want her bogged down with "kill n drill" so this is a more non-pressure way to work on facts.

English/Reading - Squeak has been earning her BOOK IT! Awards but we have not been using them. She also earned her Applebees Bookworm Award and we did use it last weekend when we went to see Disney on Ice! Squeak's reading is really progressing though she is still reluctant about reading.

Other - Next week, I plan on beginning our Geronimo Stilton books as our nightly chapter book read aloud. The girls have been making lots of crafts and enjoy just taking paper, scissors, glue and markers and just creating whatever they wish.

Packy - I do not do any formal teaching to Packy. She has been self learning and I'm finding out more and more of what she knows. Just to name a few things - she can identify her numbers through 9, her letters, colors, shapes. She has been object counting since she was 17 months old and the last I heard, Packy rote counted to 45 (and this was months ago). I plan on introducing her to starfall.com soon. She seems to be a smart little cookie like her sister!

Some pictures!

Packy teaching herself to tie a shoe

Squeak working in BJU Bible Truths

Packy's new dress that Grandma made!

Upcoming -  We are going to have a little party on Valentine's Day!