Three Week Update!

Squeak completed her third week of school yesterday. We started on August 28th and have been working on stuff through yesterday (Friday). So far, I've changed two things: math - we are returning to Horizons Math, and science - I'm going to use a free online curriculum so I can sell my science book (if you or anyone you know is interested in Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space, let me know...it's brand new, never used)!! This year is also our first year of reporting to the school district so Squeak is an official 1st grader according to the state!

Week #1 August 28 - 31

Our first day of school was actually a field trip to a local waterpark! (Gotta love the PE requirement!)

Prior to heading to the waterpark, Squeak worked on handwriting (which is now a daily requirement) and I have been reading aloud The Magic Treehouse Series. I read a few chapters from MTH #3 to the girls.

Squeak and Packy and all of their cousins went on this trip!

 

 

This week was also the week I was deciding on what to do about math, so Squeak worked on math fact sheets until I figured out if we were going to change. Other things completed this week were: Bible readings, crafts, handwriting and chapter book read alouds (MTH #3 and #4).

 

Painting has been the art class of choice

 



 

Handwriting - we are using a Kumon workbook daily

 

Packy's coloring - she has great fine motor skills and colors sooo carefully!

 

Week #2 September 4 - 7

 

Even though we took Labor Day off and I didn't mark it down as "school", the girls still worked on art, PE and math facts - kind of an unschooling sort of day.

 

We started Bible devotionals again and reading from the Bible. We also started recycling cans and bottles together.

 

Squeak also started reading out loud to me this week. The four days of school were pretty full with chapter book read alouds (MTH #4 and #5), daily handwriting, art and painting with music, BJU English and math fact worksheets (by now I have ordered Horizons Math 3 and we are just waiting for it).

 

BJU English

Math fact worksheet

Painting for art class

Squeak made some robots with the math linking cubes!

 

Week #3 September 10 - 14

 

Now we are current on weekly reports!

 

This week, Squeak started Horizons Math 3 and worked on handwriting, BJU English, PE, fall themed craft projects with music, reading aloud to me, I read MTH #5, and we also went to the library and made our weekly recycling trip. We continued with our Bible devotionals and Bible readings. The girls have also been playing outside a lot. Squeak has read four readers to me so far.

 

 Horizons Math 3

 Tissue paper trees

 Paper plate scarecrows

 I made "puffy paint" - it was ok, not worth the use of the ingredients

 Packy using her hands on her puffy paint!

 Horizons Math

Squeak has also been helping more in the kitchen! (she is making chicken and rice here)

 

 

We have a family vacation scheduled to begin this Wednesday through next Monday!! Yippee!! What a blessing!!

 







Wordless Wednesday

Random Update

We begin school on the 28th with a field trip to a water park. Perfect way to kick off the year! I've been re-organzing the school room and putting stuff together that we are going to use regularly. Squeak asked last week if we could end summer break early to work on math! LOL!

This past weekend at a family picnic, Packy just decided she could swim! And she swam all over the pool including the deep end and actually jumped off the edge into the deep...all by herself!

Next weekend, we are headed out on another family camping trip. This one is for two nights. I will post pictures!!

Family Camping Trip

We went on our first overnight tent camping trip this past weekend on August 4th! The girls had a blast and we loved the isolated, wooded area that was for the tent campers (and we were the only ones!). Here are some pictures from the trip:

Our setup

The girls' tent

Daddy and Packy in the pool

Stuffed from smores!

Breakfast in the gazebo

Starting a morning fire

 The girls took great care of the fire



They have it really going!

Our next trip is August 25th - 27th. We are also looking for a place to go in early September!



Our 2012-2013 Curriculum

This year is our first "official" year since we need to begin reporting to the state. I am in the process of filling out Squeak's curricula choices for the school. Here are a few highlights of what I plan to use this coming year:

Bible: BJU Truths, devotional readings
Math: Singapore Primary Math, Beast Academy
LA: BJU English & Spelling, various readers and books
Handwriting: I will print off stuff online, Squeak has a pen pal
Science: Christian Kids Explore Earth Science & Astonomy
US History/Geography: BJU Heritage Studies
Music & Art: Various CDs and a storage bin full of art supplies

Those are the highlights though I have more materials and resources available.

Grassroots Festival

We attended a portion of the Grassroots Festival last weekend and the girls had a blast! They played in the Kid's Area and:

Squeak:
-worked with clay
-had a fiddle lesson
-tried to start a kindle fire like the Indians
-made "war" paint and painted her arm
-had her face painted
-used the "makeshift" drum set and dress up clothes

Packy:
-worked with clay
-watched the juggling performance
-played in the playhouse with a lamb and stroller she found (this took up about 85% of her time!)
-used the "makeshift" drum set

I didn't count this towards school but they easily had a 6 hour credit in that Kid's Area!!

No school in June...

Enough said!