Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Catch up - February - 22

Finally gave in and bought a science curriculum - Christian Kids Explore Chemistry. I just have to admit I need a more structured curriculum. Unfortunately I've discovered 2 typos already and of course that bothers me. But, the kids enjoyed chapter one and it gave some good background I wouldn't have gotten into. I still need to be more disciplined on doing lots more experiments.

Going along OK in MUS. The facts just don't come very well but it's getting better. I know J is anxious for more interesting math and he is getting that, a bit, with the daily math warmups and the math detective. I need to find a similar problem-solving book as we are almost done with math detective.

The reading is going well. E finished The Courage of Sarah Noble and the study guide. J is almost done with The Minstrel in the Tower. He told Dad last night that he would like to read more but is only allowed to read a chapter a day! So I fixed that this morning.

Attitudes are OKish. J had a meltdown today over not being able to play/work on airplane models until he was hungry for breakfast. But we got over it after he had some juice - blood sugar?

PE and art continue.

My own reading is going OK as I'm reading about bees a lot. Nothing with greater depth than that at this point...

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Feb. so far

Not a good logger.

Reading continues, checklists continue. J has started reading Minstrel in the Tower, E The Courage of Sarah Noble, and we are going through Progeny Press study guides. So far so good. J is on book E of Maps Charts and Graphs. It is now challenging him! Finally. He needs more challenge and so far he is enjoying it.

The next Progeny Press book I want to do is Charlotte's Web. Also, we picked up The Sword in the Tree for the homeschool book discussion group. That'll be interesting.

My own reading is going OK. Put down Hugh Ross, picked up All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes by Ken Myer. Also reading The Beekeeper's Pupil by Sara George.

Finished Ten P's In A Pod. Nice story, inspiring, not great lit. Trying to think of something really really good to get lost in. Thinking of Wind in the Willows before I miss the window on that one.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

1/28 - 2/1

All is going pretty well. We haven't been doing so well on getting the checklists completed for each day. Something always seems to get left behind. But everyone is reading well, and pretty often, and enjoying what we are doing for the most part. Of course there are the problems of writing. We have really slowed down on MUS. The past few days I've given them tests we previously skipped. They are very easy! But perhaps that helps with confidence and reinforcement. It is nice to give an A+.

J continues in PE and is getting fewer wall sits each time, mostly. He's not gotten very many days in a row with none, however.

Both kids are enjoying our slow Bible study. I was having them read the passage to me but it is more efficient to read it over breakfast so I do it. But I should have each of them take some time to read it during the day. We stopped trying to memorize the beatitudes which we need to get back to.

Have started something new - using Progeny Press study guides for reading. J is doing the Minstrel in the Tower and E is doing The Courage of Sarah Noble. Well, he started on ch. 1 today and did well. Of course he does not want to fill out the workbook so we are doing it orally. E was to do ch. 1 and 2 but could not get beyond ch 1 for some reason. Because of company coming and time pressure, I didn't push it. Tomorrow. Of course we have our Wednesdays too.
My own reading is suffering as usual. Almost keeping up the Bible reading and of course I have my weekly Bible study. But I have two other books going: Brunelleschi's Dome and The Beekeeper's Pupil and am not doing too well on either. Maybe tonight?

1/28 - 2/1

All is going pretty well. We haven't been doing so well on getting the checklists completed for each day. Something always seems to get left behind. But everyone is reading well, and pretty often, and enjoying what we are doing for the most part. Of course there are the problems of writing. We have really slowed down on MUS. The past few days I've given them tests we previously skipped. They are very easy! But perhaps that helps with confidence and reinforcement. It is nice to give an A+.

J continues in PE and is getting fewer wall sits each time, mostly. He's not gotten very many days in a row with none, however.

Both kids are enjoying our slow Bible study. I was having them read the passage to me but it is more efficient to read it over breakfast so I do it. But I should have each of them take some time to read it during the day. We stopped trying to memorize the beatitudes which we need to get back to.

Have started something new - using Progeny Press study guides for reading. J is doing the Minstrel in the Tower and E is doing The Courage of Sarah Noble. Well, he started on ch. 1 today and did well. Of course he does not want to fill out the workbook so we are doing it orally. E was to do ch. 1 and 2 but could not get beyond ch 1 for some reason. Because of company coming and time pressure, I didn't push it. Tomorrow. Of course we have our Wednesdays too.
My own reading is suffering as usual. Almost keeping up the Bible reading and of course I have my weekly Bible study. But I have two other books going: Brunelleschi's Dome and The Beekeeper's Pupil and am not doing too well on either. Maybe tonight?