School Week in a Nutshell

Besides a humbling beginning to math this week (for me) the rest of the school week has been successful.

We began one day with recess outside because it was too beautiful not to.

  

Xavier loves every bit of school.  His work is done pretty quickly but he excels so far and enjoys it all.  The hardest part of school for him is listening to read alouds.  However, despite the fidgeting, I've discovered he is listening because he can tell his dad and I all about them.

 Listening to Charlotte's Web aloud on the iPad.

 

Natalee is loving her Rod and Staff reader and workbook, as well as the readers that we purchased for her to go along with the Sonlight curriculum.  They are GOOD QUALITY literature and we're all enjoying the stories very much.  Xavier chooses to listen to her read most days, laying with his hands behind his head and enjoying the story.

 

Natalee, of course, enjoyed her week off of math but is eager to have her routine back next week.

In Science we're getting ready to talk about rocks (Answers in Genesis Planet Earth).  I ordered a small rock kit from Amazon and the kids are eager to open it!  There are 5 specimens of each of the 3 types of rocks we'll be studying. 

The favorite days in Social Studies/History are Wednesdays, when we read about a new people from the book From Akebu to Zapotec and Tuesdays when we read a story from Missionary Stories with the Millers.  The from A to Z book is all about people who don't have access to the Bible in their language.  I made journaling pages to go with each tribe in the A to Z book and they are enjoying recording their thoughts.

 (Xavier)

(Natalee)

The Missionary book tells stories about people who are bravely spreading the word of Jesus.  Truthfully, after the first story last week about the Simbas in the Congo I was worried the book would be too deep, but it's led to great conversation and truthful realizations.  I did ask Mike to read the chapter each week so he could help me field questions later.

In Bible, we continue the journey following Jesus' crucifixion.  We're slowly getting the hang of the children being on the same story but in different level books (we moved Natalee up to the Intermediate level story this year).

This month a "school" highlight has been Wednesday Story Hour at the Library.  Yesterday the ambulance came to Story Hour.  

Natalee was brave and sat in the ambulance when Anna (the medic) turned on the sirens.  Xavier does not care for sirens, even though he wants to be brave so he "stood back by Mia in case she got scared."

 

 Buddies!

We do have a bit of school left to do this week - nothing major, just tying up loose ends here and there, but overall it was a deep thinking, reflect-ful, and successful week of education at the Joyful Jamboree!