Accountability Thread: 4/10-4/16

[Critterfixer]

Nice, bright sunny day, but rain is supposed to move in later. I'm going to be busy writing later, I need to take a trip to a bee-yard this week, and my anniversary is coming up at the end of the week. So far I've got nothing on what I want to do for that. 

 

Today's schedule:

French-Unit 12, workbook

Latin-Lesson 19, workbook

Math-Lesson 8, 1 page Key to Decimals

Grammar and Composition-Free Writing. I'm finished with all I wanted to do with formal writing this year. I'm kind of spinning wheels right now, trying to decide what all to do for the next six weeks, but currently I think I'll add an additional grammar lesson--maybe even borrow from some of the Image Grammar exercises--and just let free writing be the order of the next six weeks. Both boys are busy with stories, and one has two different stories that he wants to develop. I think that is probably plenty.

[Tawlas]

Critter, you guys are about to pass us in French.  We're on unit 13, but we move at a snail's pace, despite only doing the oral part lol.  Next year is the first year one of my kids are required to do a second language (and Latin isn't an option!!) but I suspect for at least the oldest, if not both olders, we're going to do ASL.  But I did order French for Children from CAP because we all loved the Song School Latin.  I also ordered Latin for Children A, just in case.  If nothing else, I think my language sponge will do it soon, if not next year.  Ha.  That was long-winded and rabbit-trail-y :P

 

Anyhow.  We did math and reading this morning.  But my in-laws left at nine-thirty and my mom is still here and it's a beautiful sunny day.  We may go and tap birch trees to see if there's any birch syrup.  Or build an electric fence for my milk cows :)  Ds9 also crammed in building an impressive helicopter and submarine out of lego while ds6 and dd3 played with the lego sharks in a bucket of water on the deck.  I'm pretty sure that all counts for something, right?

 

If I get a chance, I may add in some grammar and history, but if not, I'll deal with that next week lol.

[Aurelia]

We survived the meet and made it back home, and today DD and DH are fishing. I have a mountain of laundry that I'm putting off doing because I don't wanna do it. DD qualified for Junior Olympics, so now she has to work on perfecting her routines because she did not do nearly as well as we had hoped.

 

I got a couple of books in to go with Image Grammar - Activities for Creating Pictures and Poetry and Surviving Last Period on Fridays (mostly for "fun" school). Now I just have to make time to read them. 

[Sahamamama]

Sunday 4/10

Husband & Girls -- went to church & had a great time :)

Me -- stayed home to "gather myself up" & had a great time :)

All -- hiked for four hours at a nearby state park & had a great time :)

 

Monday 4/11

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise & hygiene

School work:

• 5th Grade Tutor Time -- Composition, Grammar, Latin, Math
• 5th Grade Independent Work -- Math (continue), Spelling, Assigned Independent Reading, Poetry Memory Work, Instrument Practice, spend time with rabbit
• 3rd Grade Independent Work -- Assigned Independent Reading, Math Fact Practice, Poetry Memory Work, All About Homophones, Basic Phonograms, Math (independent part)
• 3rd Grade Tutor Time -- Math, Composition, Grammar, French
• Group -- Composer Study (Haydn), Junior Bible Quiz review & new, Family Bible Reading (Revelation, nearing the finish line!)

Awana Closing Ceremony (badge night)

 

Tuesday 4/12

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise & hygiene

School work -- continuing with the April school goals

Nature Study Class -- Pond & Stream Ecology

 

Wednesday 4/13

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise & hygiene

School work -- continuing with the April school goals

Church Midweek

 

Thursday 4/14

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise & hygiene

School work -- continuing with the April school goals

Choir Rehearsal

 

Friday 4/15

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise & hygiene

School work -- continuing with the April school goals

Family Movie Night :)

 

Saturday 4/16

Chores & errands

Exercise

Choir Rehearsal

Edited April 11, 2016 by Sahamamama

[Sahamamama]

Critter, you guys are about to pass us in French.  We're on unit 13, but we move at a snail's pace, despite only doing the oral part lol. 

 

We may go and tap birch trees to see if there's any birch syrup. 

 

Tawlas, we're doing EP, too, but "twice." Sort of. My oldest student has been working through all the units orally for a few years. She's starting Unit 18: Le Monde this week, so she'll finish all the units (orally) this year. But then she's also going back through the old lessons again (a few times, not nine!), and then she's doing the workbook exercises. So it's something like: New, New, Review, New, New, Review.

 

When she's doing review, she has the written exercises to do, but when she's doing new material, it's only done orally. This seems to be going well. She constantly says she doesn't want to drop French. Latin, yes, but not French! :) We also are working through First Start French, but very slowly. It's quite easy at this point.

 

The 3rd grade twins are just doing the units orally this time around, but they will eventually start to add in the review + workbooks, along with continuing the new units orally. I'll start them whenever I think they can handle the written work, too. French is quite particular, with all those accent marks!

 

Does the birch syrup taste like maple syrup when you boil it down? Or different? What do you use it for?

[Critterfixer]

I've really enjoyed Ecoutez, Parlez. Thanks for putting me on to it, Tawlas! We do the listening and the written exercises daily, so we have been getting though it at a good pace. I thought we might be able to stretch it over two years, but I think we will probably finish up with Book 4 late this summer. I think I'm going to go with CAP French for the next two years (assuming they get Primer B done) and then we'll find something for high school French. My brother teaches high school Spanish, and he has a contact who teaches college French, so I may be able to run my plan by both of them when I put something together. 

 

Today's schedule:

French-Unit 12, workbook

Latin-Lesson 19, workbook, grammar recitation

Math-Lesson 9, 1 page of Key to Decimals

Grammar and Comp-Free Writing

History-OUP Age of Voyages, finish reading Chapter 1, answer questions, additional reading in Everyday Life in the Renaissance (mostly because I like the artwork)

Science-Science Explorer Astronomy, Chapter 3, sec 1 on the Solar System, answer questions, additional reading in Planet Guides, Mars

Literature-Chapters 7, 8 in Robin Hood, "A Racket at the Mill" in the Canterbury Tales for the other boy.

 

For me: French, Latin, Geometry, Housekeeping and double writing today. I need to rewrite most of the chapter I worked on yesterday. It just didn't work well. And then I have my usual 2000 or so words to put down for the day.

[MrsRobinson]

Ok, you guys. Between the friends of friends we met recently that are learning French and having tons of fun participating in some sort of French language outreach program in St. Louis and hearing how much all of you are loving French, now I wanna do French lessons!!!

 

The only way it could possibly work is to do it in the evenings all together. Dh has always said he wanted to learn a 2nd language as a family. I just don't want to put too much on us. Hopefully the baby will be a little more independent by fall.

 

We are moving slow this morning. Nobody slept well thanks to really loud thunderstorms through the night. The kids got up at 8 and crawled into blankets on the couch and turned on Netflix. I didn't argue. Normally, I don't allow screen time in the mornings but they look pooped. I'm starting some oatmeal now and will get things moving.

 

Today:

-language arts (minus writing, will explain later)

-reading (finishing our current ra today!)

-math chapter review and test

-history week (winging it)

-piano practice

-2 loads laundry minimum (secretly shooting for 4)

-grocery store

-library

-bill paying

-reorganize desk/office area

[Critterfixer]

 

 

The only way it could possibly work is to do it in the evenings all together. Dh has always said he wanted to learn a 2nd language as a family. I just don't want to put too much on us. Hopefully the baby will be a little more independent by fall. 

 

Ecoutez, Parlez takes about 10 minutes unless you do the workbooks. Then it takes 15 to 20. The only problem for me is that I get bored about day seven and want to do something else. That's a great day to go back and review a previous unit or go listen to one you haven't heard yet. :001_smile:

[MrsRobinson]

Ooooh! 10 minutes sounds good! Even 20 is doable!! Thanks, I'll take a look! :)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Monday -

 

Getting back into the thick of things after taking part of last week off and having lighter days.  Math went ok.  She's doing that mostly independently at this point.  Today was a language arts concentration day.  We worked on vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing.  She did ok on the vocab and reading comp. though we did have to talk through a few things.  She was a recalcitrant writer but she did do it.  Now she is doing research on nutrition. 

 

PS - I went over ds' history paper with him.  He is working on corrections now. 

Edited April 11, 2016 by Jean in Newcastle

[Critterfixer]

Well, yesterday went rather well. School was done early, and I was able to rewrite a scene that I struggled with day before yesterday. I was all set to get the housekeeping done when my old cat came up to me, squinting. She had eye surgery last Tuesday, and evidently, her graft pulled loose on her cornea. So I spent the afternoon rushing around to stain the eye and figure out if we had to make an emergency trip out of town to regraft it, but it looks like it ought to heal without a new graft at this point. Her eye is more open today and she's up in my lap attempting to steal my banana (silly cat!) so I think everything is okay for now. Came home, bulled through the housekeeping in an hour or so and finished my writing for the day. So all is well.

 

Today's schedule:

French-Unit 12, workbook

Latin-continue lesson 19, vocabulary review

Math-goofed up yesterday-they had a quiz. So today is lesson 11, 1 page of Key to Decimals

Writing-Lesson in Harvey's grammar, free writing

History/Science-swap from yesterday

Literature-swap from yesterday

 

For me: French, Latin, Geometry (starting book 3, Constructions), NaNo project 2,500 words today

I'm at 22,700 or so on my April Camp NaNo project.

 

ETA: And housekeeping. There is always housekeeping. Might get a library trip in today as well.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Critterfixer

[MrsRobinson]

Critter- I hope your Kitty's eye stays put together! That sounds painful!

 

I finally gave up on writing. Dd's behavior regarding a writing project she came up with really opened my eyes as to just how deep this writing thing is with her. Up until that point, I thought it was just some fine motor delays or it was my fault for not requiring more. Maybe I don't sound firm enough when I give an assignment so she thinks there's room to argue. But when it's her idea and she still has fits, it's time to restructure the approach. So I'm getting tons of ideas from another post and while I wait for things to show up at my door, I am just taking it easy with writing. I am making her put pencil to paper for math and spelling still, of course. In the meantime, I'm reading recommended books and figuring it out.

 

Today's list:

Reading

Language arts

Math

History

Piano practice

Play outside in beautiful weather

Prep for outside activities tonight

Sausage biscuits and gravy (and friut) for dinner! Yum!

[Critterfixer]

Yeah, I saw your thread on writing difficulties. I don't comment much on writing threads, because I seem to have gotten lucky with writing. I don't think it really is anything I did. Everything I read seemed to indicate that boys are supposed to have trouble writing, that they didn't have the motor control for it at an early age, etc. Didn't hold true for my guys, although I may have cheated a bit by encouraging my hFA son to paint a lot, and to trace his letters with watercolor pencils .But even then I would say that they didn't take off as writers until late 4th or 5th grade. I think at that point they had enough vocabulary, and enough story experience to start writing on their own. I did allow a lot of comic reading for both of them. Visual elements (story pictures) have always been very important for me. I paint with words. I can't count how many stories that I've created started with a scribbled drawing of a character or a scene on some forgotten scrap of paper. This really seemed to help the hFA boy to grow as a writer. He's plot strong, but just in the last six months or so I've really noticed that his characters are beginning to have very different voices and they spar better.  My other son has had an improvement in his action sequences too, and I think I have Tin-Tin to thank for that. :laugh:

So while you are waiting, it might be a great time to break out the paint and listen to music or draw, or act out dramas, or just sit and read stories with ten million pictures and talk about what you see there. That's part of writing too. In fact, it's a far bigger part than putting the words on the paper. JMHO. :001_smile: More writing happens in the mind than happens on the page.

[Sahamamama]

Tuesday 4/12

Regular chores, meals, laundry, pets, exercise & hygiene

School Work

• Group Work, Morning Session -- Prayer, Hymns, JBQ, Geography (Africa), History (Ancients)
• 5th Grade Independent Work -- Latin (quiz), Latin (study for final), Spelling, Assigned Independent Reading (with written work), Poetry Memory Work, Vocabulary
• 5th Grade Tutor Time -- Math, Reading Check-In, Grammar
• 3rd Grade Independent Work -- Cursive Copywork, Assigned Independent Reading (with written work), Poetry Memory Work, Vocabulary, Instrument Practice
• 3rd Grade Tutor Time -- Math, Reading Check-In, Grammar
• Group Work, Evening Session -- Composer Study, Children's Classics (read aloud) OR we may start Prince Caspian

The girls are actually napping now (or reading in bed, I'm not sure). They seemed tired, but they'll snap back with a bit of a break. I'm debating the wisdom of trying to squeeze two levels of Grammar in tonight... probably not. It can wait until tomorrow morning, right? We'll enjoy the Composer Study (relaxing, beautiful) and the Classics read aloud (relaxing, snuggly).

 

On second thought, we'll start Prince Caspian tonight. We were going to skip that book (ooh, scary!) and go straight to Voyage of the Dawn Treader for our Narnia pick this year, but I think they can handle it now. How can we know what's going on in Dawn Treader if we haven't read through Prince Caspian?

 

Made the most delicious chili today (girls helped).

 

Made applesauce today (girls helped).

 

Made waffles today (girls ate them!). :)

 

I realized today that we have totally different (better) days when we have no obligation to go somewhere in the afternoon or evening. When we are home, I don't "hold back" all day, just so I can have energy for a 1.5 or 2.0 hour activity that has us going until 9:00 or 9:30 at night. KWIM?

 

And we really don't do that much, compared to so many people we know! This is our list for the past school year:

 

Awana -- Monday nights, 6:30 to 8:00 pm (done for this year)

Nature Study Group -- Tuesdays, 1x/month (afternoon, various times & places, run by the parks department)

Church Midweek -- Wednesday nights, 6:00 to 8:00 pm (nearly done for this year)

Choir -- Thursday afternoons, 4:00 to 5:30 pm + occasional Saturdays or Sundays (two more practices, two concerts, done)

 

Last year we only did Church Midweek and Choir, and I think that was a better routine. It was enough for us, and gave us more flexibility with our week, as well as more family time at home in the evenings. As these outside activities are wrapping up this spring, I am seriously evaluating what to drop next year.

 

The girls submitted to me their "goals for next year" and beyond, and when we looked closely at those goals, they nearly all involve being home. Or, they involve being free from numerous weekly outside commitments, since these tie us down for those days. For example, we don't feel like we can just take a day-long hike or go to the beach or go canoeing in the afternoon or visit a grandparent (an hour away) or spend all day gardening, because we have to be showered, dressed, fed, and to Destination X by Time Y on Days A, B, C, and D.

 

I think we'll pare it down next year to one or two things, maximum. Church midweek is a keeper. Awana was lovely, but we can't (and don't want to) do it another year. Choir...? Well, we don't know if the director will even do this again next year, so we'll wait and see on that. Nature class is not necessary for us, and we'd rather not have that obligation popping up, even if it is only once a month.

 

Someone reassure me, please.

[Critterfixer]

 

Someone reassure me, please.

 

You can do it! There is nothing like saying "Let's go hit the creek today. We got nothing better to do!" :hurray:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Tuesday -

 

Library school again.  And I managed to snag the conference room which made me very happy to have a nice quiet place to work.  Then dd told me that she prefers working out in the general area with chaos and noise all around her.  :mellow:

 

Today was a science emphasis day.  Science went well.  She put up a bit of a fuss about having to make a pie chart and then created a beautiful one online with the data.

 

We tussled over vocabulary.  First, she insisted on doing vocab while listening to YouTube videos and we're not just talking about instrumental music but music with words and even YouTube videos of people explaining things.  I didn't think it was such a surprise when she was bombing her work while doing this.  Anyway. . . vocab did get done in the end - without YouTube.

[Critterfixer]

Well, I didn't get to the library yesterday. So we'll go on Thursday. I did make good progress on my novel for NaNo camp, and passed the halfway mark to my word goal yesterday. And school went really well. 

 

Today's schedule:

French-Unit 12, workbook

Latin-continue Lesson 19, workbook, vocabulary review over a bunch of verbs

Math-CLE Lesson 12, 1 page of Key to Decimals

Writing-Free writing, and continue the lesson in Harvey's from yesterday. We had so much fun playing with compound subjects and predicates that we never got to compound objects.

History-OUP Voyages Cp 2, pt 1, Renaissance Men and Renaissance Money, answer questions, and we are starting The World of Columbus and Sons by Genevieve Foster for additional reading

Science-Science Explorer Astronomy Cp 3, pt 2 The Sun, answer questions, additional reading in Planet Guides, Mars

Literature-Chapter 9 in Robin Hood and "The Test of a Good Wife" in The Canterbury Tales

 

For me: French, Latin, Geometry, Housekeeping, 2500 words or more for my writing project, and a little cooking today.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am taking ds18 out to his favorite Mexican restaurant tonight.  Just the two of us.  It was an incentive to get him to finish up history.  Now I have to (gladly) pay up.  ("Incentive" might be too strong a word - sometimes I think that he gets neglected because he isn't as loudly insistent as my other one and so it was nice to have something nice to do for him to mark his achievement).  He just has the tail end of Literature to finish up and then I will graduate him from high school!

[Critterfixer]

 

 

He just has the tail end of Literature to finish up and then I will graduate him from high school!

:hurray:  :party:

[mama25angels]

Still here ladies, working on my challenge. Yesterday, I did horribly, I think the rain had something to with it, I was all out of sorts the whole day. Today, despite the rain, I'm doing pretty good and I hope to continue through the remainder of the challenge. Some school got done yesterday and more is getting done today, I've decided that we need a major overhaul on our attitudes around here, we just can't seem to say anything nicely to each other. So, I'm really working on that and my youngest needs his sleeping patterns turned around.

[Sahamamama]

School went well, we got a lot done today. Also, chores and other things around the house. And church midweek.

[MrsRobinson]

Critter- thanks for your thoughts on writing. I'm not letting myself even thing about original content from dd yet, her mechanics and stamina are so weak. All I have her do for writing is copywork. Sometimes it's 2 sentences from our reading, other times it's a longer poem. But that will take her 3-4 days to complete. Maybe creative writing is in the genes. Your boys sound like you. :)

 

Sahamamama- I feel you on scheduled activities. I'd much rather say hey let's go do this fun thing because the weather is good or let's have a playdate because you guys did great on your chores this week. Something we have to be to a certain time every.single.week. is exhausting to me. We are out Tuesday evening, Wednesday afternoon and evening. We are adding swimming lessons and I am dreading it.

 

Jean- Woo hoo! So close!!!

 

Mama25- my kids have been really grouchy with each other lately. I haven't come up with a remedy yet.

 

Yesterday went pretty well, school-wise. We managed to get through math and a double spelling lesson. And dd helped me with ds' preK lesson. Baby has been running a fever for a few days. I thought he was teething. Yesterday, he was truly miserable. Cryed every time I put him down. Fell asleep sitting up! So we went to the NP and sure enough. Ear infection. :( We cuddled the rest of the afternoon while the big kids played outside.

 

Today's plan (may be modified if baby is still feeling crummy):

-reading

-double spelling lesson

-math chapter test

-history: probably a video today

-piano practice

-speech practice

-preK activity with ds

-make menu and grocery list for tomorrow

-laundry... always laundry

[Critterfixer]

 

 

Critter- thanks for your thoughts on writing. I'm not letting myself even thing about original content from dd yet, her mechanics and stamina are so weak. 

You might want to rethink the whole original content idea, especially if she is highly imaginative. I'm not talking about having her write it all down, because that's the sure fire way to kill a young writer. But I firmly believe that writing anything originates first in the mind. I'd be a happier writer today (and I'm quite happy as it is!) if I still had the time and wisdom to sit out under my favorite tree, or up in the tree house, or in the old quarry up the road and simply dream. Even now, I'll spend time at night talking to myself, creating scenes, dialogue, working out plot, painting settings in my mind. 

It's the first thing I tell my boys to do when writer's block hits: go for a walk and fill your mind with what you see. Your mind needs time to work through a jam of ideas that don't connect, and to do that, it needs to rest and ponder.

 

Mechanics and stamina may come with time, or it may be that she finds she types better than she writes. But at some point, mechanics and stamina need a cause, and if that cause is a burning desire to share thoughts, information, and stories, so much the better. So when I talk about original content, I'm encouraging you to let her make up all the stories she likes, to tell some of them to you, to tell you about that funny dream she had last night. And to fill her mind with stories, both fiction and non-fiction, and to not neglect drawing and art. Keep filling up the well.

 

 

Okay, getting off my soapbox. And it's mostly me rambling anyway.  :laugh:

 

Today's schedule:

French-Unit 12

Latin-Finish lesson 19, take quiz

Math-CLE lesson 13, 1 page Key to Decimals

Writing-Diagramming for grammar, Free Writing

History/Science-swap from yesterday

Literature-swap from yesterday

 

For me: French, Latin, Geometry, Library, Cooking, Writing (2,500 word goal today)

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wed. - school went well.  Besides the basics, we had history emphasis today.  And we got vocabulary all graded and caught up so that we only have one more week before we are finished with that subject for the year. 

 

Thursday - We did something different.  We had what I dubbed a "quiz day".  Please don't laugh, but we used the GeoSafari cards to quiz a wide variety of subjects - mainly science, history and some language arts.  Because quizzing for long periods of time is boring, we put on a timer for 20 minute intervals.  We did 20 minutes of trivia quizzes followed by 20 minutes of housework (which also really really needed to be done) and then 20 min. more of quizzes etc.  I would have never done this with my ds who has a mind like a steel trap for any factual information he comes across.  But dd is so different.  It was actually kind of nice to see that she has retained more facts in at least some subjects than I had expected.  And it helped to point out her weaknesses esp. in history. 

[Laura Cook]

I forgot to check in here this week. It has been an okay week. School and activities have gotten done. House has been kept clean. My mind has been on other things since Wednesday though. A little backstory, last August we decided to rent and move into my sister and BIL's basement. Its not as lame as it sounds! The basement is set up as a second living area; basically the house is a huge duplex. The house is rural and we love it here. Doing this was financially beneficial for both of our families and things have been going great. At the beginning of March my sister and BIL decided to get a divorce. My sister didn't want the house and my BIL finally decided 2 weeks ago that he didn't want to keep it either. You can see where this is going, right? They listed it. And it sold in less than a week. Which was a huge surprise to everyone, including the realtor! So now we have to be out of here by June 1st. A little over 6 weeks from now. I am angry that they let us move in here when they knew that things were on the rocks for them. We could have continued renting the house we were in, from the landlord we loved and not be having to deal with the hassle of moving again less than a year later. I am completely stressed and anxious about the idea of finding a rental and moving all within 6 weeks. I'm sure people have done it before but I think its going to be hard. I want to crawl in a hole and let someone else deal with it but I can't. If you made it through my drama, thanks!

 

So I get to start packing! Fun, fun. I am seriously considering dropping all of our school work except for reading aloud, math, independent reading and writing until after we move and then picking things back up in June. Which will kill the short 6 week summer vacation we planned to take. Or maybe we will just drop everything but those things, keep going until mid June, then take a couple weeks completely off and start fresh in July, which is when our new year starts anyway. I don't know. Any suggestions?

 

Sahamamama - I completely agree with you on the activities! Starting the middle of May a couple of our commitments end. Then during June, July and almost all of August we will only have planned activities once a week, ballet for DD and archery for the boys. Both on the same evening! This past year has been a little crazy with activities and so I deliberately planned to slow things way down this summer.

[Jean in Newcastle]

((Laura))

[MrsRobinson]

Critter- I probably wasn't clear. I don't have a curriculum that teaches creative writing to DD yet but I certainly encourage it wherever I can. I have written out a few of her stories that she wanted in print but were too elaborate for her to write herself. I have had her add descriptive sentences to pictures she's drawn. She's written a few poems. It sounds like a lot but that been over 1st and 2nd grade combined. We do pretty good getting out the sketchbook and colored pencils regularly. I could do better with painting. I'll keep at it and not let my freak out cause more resistance from her. Thanks for the encouragement :)

 

Jean- no laughing here! I love your quiz day idea. I might institute a quiz day here! Sounds like a great way to stay on your toes.

 

Laura- your living situation doesn't sound lame at all. I have 2 relatives with apartments in their basements, a relative with a small extra house on his land and one of my bffs lives with her dh and DD at her sister's house with bil and nephew. No separate anything. They all share the main house all on one level. I think it's a great way to share expenses, child care duties, etc.

 

I'm so sorry your family is experiencing divorce fallout and being displaced. Last fall, we had 4 weeks to move a I wanted to crawl in a hole too. And we WANTED to sell our house! Ha! Moving just sucks. I hope you find a home you love and get settled.

 

If it were me, i'd say your moving-school plan sounds good. If they are pretty independent with MM, like, a brief instruction/lesson from you then they can do the problems without hand holding, you might as well keep it going. If you have to sit with them for the whole lesson, i'd say set them up with some math on the computer. Kahn or something. So you can pack and search homes (then clean and unpack after the move) and they don't loose what they've already learned.

 

DD got to skip math today since she took her chapter test yesterday and did well. DS and I did Skittles math! Great manipulative. :D He's got his doubles down up through 5 so I'm happy about that.

 

Today's list:

-reading -done

-double spelling lesson -done

-copywork -done

-history video -done

-piano practice -done

-speech practice

-pre-k math lesson for DS -done

-2 loads laundry -almost done

- dust, vac, sweep, mop

-clean bathrooms

-Goodwill drop off

-grocery shopping

-quick family hike

-pizza and movie night

 

I gotta hustle to get this list done! Have a good weekend everyone!!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Friday - today's "special" was doing reading comprehension with the Reading Detective DVD.  We also did an artist/artwork game. 

[Critterfixer]

 

So I get to start packing! Fun, fun. I am seriously considering dropping all of our school work except for reading aloud, math, independent reading and writing until after we move and then picking things back up in June. Which will kill the short 6 week summer vacation we planned to take. Or maybe we will just drop everything but those things, keep going until mid June, then take a couple weeks completely off and start fresh in July, which is when our new year starts anyway. I don't know. Any suggestions?

 

I'd say school mornings and take all afternoons off to pack. Then two weeks off completely for the move and for settling back in. Or three weeks. I think you are going to want at least a little bit of a vacation after all your stress!

[mama25angels]

Laura--I agree with critterfixer, you're definitely going to need a break after the move.

 

Well, we didn't do much of anything yesterday unless you can count going to our homeschool groups' curriculum sale as something. My youngest got to visit with a friend and I got to walk around and shop for things that I didn't necessarily need but we're cheap enough that I decided to buy them anyway, lol. Anyway, we're going to get up in a little while and do some Saturday school and then get the house ready for next week, we have a grandma that's coming to visit!

[Sahamamama]

Saturday Wrap-Up --

 

We had a good, productive week, even though I didn't get back on here to log exactly what we accomplished! :blushing: Monday was school + Awana, Tuesday was a ton of school + a much-needed nap -_-, Wednesday was school + church midweek, Thursday was rabbits, cleaning the house, laundry, some school + choir practice. Friday was grandparents, sitting outside in the sunshine, and hubby came home from being gone all week.

 

Today (Saturday), I hope to get us caught up on laundry, cook something, clean something, exercise, rest, read, and study. Hubby & girls will go to the (final) choir rehearsal. Tomorrow is the first concert, next week is the second concert. My oldest will go home with my parents after this concert, to have her Extended Sleepover (probably all week). And that's that!

 

Middle of April already? Where did March go? :rolleyes:

[Sahamamama]

So I get to start packing! Fun, fun. I am seriously considering dropping all of our school work except for reading aloud, math, independent reading and writing until after we move and then picking things back up in June. Which will kill the short 6 week summer vacation we planned to take. Or maybe we will just drop everything but those things, keep going until mid June, then take a couple weeks completely off and start fresh in July, which is when our new year starts anyway. I don't know. Any suggestions?

 

Sahamamama - I completely agree with you on the activities! Starting the middle of May a couple of our commitments end. Then during June, July and almost all of August we will only have planned activities once a week, ballet for DD and archery for the boys. Both on the same evening! This past year has been a little crazy with activities and so I deliberately planned to slow things way down this summer.

 

It's a good thing you did plan to slow things down! :grouphug: Sorry about your situation, that is rough. But, if there's nothing you can do about it, just shake off the shock, pack, move, and start all over. Resilience overcomes. What else can you do? Still, I would be a bit ticked about it, that's for certain.

 

As for the school work, I would keep math, a snuggly read aloud, and some independent stuff going, but drop everything else. You have enough to do, without worrying about science or art or history!

 

Prayers going your way for a new beginning, a better living situation, relational healing with your sister, and all the strength you need to handle the practical logistics. Hang in there!

[Sahamamama]

Wed. - school went well.  Besides the basics, we had history emphasis today.  And we got vocabulary all graded and caught up so that we only have one more week before we are finished with that subject for the year. 

 

Thursday - We did something different.  We had what I dubbed a "quiz day".  Please don't laugh, but we used the GeoSafari cards to quiz a wide variety of subjects - mainly science, history and some language arts.  Because quizzing for long periods of time is boring, we put on a timer for 20 minute intervals.  We did 20 minutes of trivia quizzes followed by 20 minutes of housework (which also really really needed to be done) and then 20 min. more of quizzes etc.  I would have never done this with my ds who has a mind like a steel trap for any factual information he comes across.  But dd is so different.  It was actually kind of nice to see that she has retained more facts in at least some subjects than I had expected.  And it helped to point out her weaknesses esp. in history. 

 

We're stealing this.  :leaving:

 

Ooooh, pick me! Pick me! We do the 20-minute timer thing! Every now and then, to keep them hopping, I set up a 20 Minute Day. This is us:

 

20 minutes of chores

20 minutes of silent reading

20 minutes of Math Fact Practice

20 minutes of exercise

20 minutes of Typing Instructor

20 minutes of Rabbit Time

20 minutes of Games (any games, any teams)

20 minutes of straightening up our stuff and spaces

20 minutes of group read aloud

20 minutes of "Recess" (they think this is hilarious, like "Little Town on the Prairie." I have an old army whistle, and I blow it to call them in. I really want a teacher bell, though.)

20 minutes of Snack and Tea

20 minutes of Writing a Letter to _____________

20 minutes of Listening to Music While Drawing or Painting

20 minutes of folding and putting away a mountain of laundry. ;)

 

It's a riot, isn't it? The girls race around like Jack Russell Terriers. I think it's valuable as entertainment for the mother, regardless of any incidental learning that might occur.

 

:willy_nilly: Sa             :willy_nilly:  Ha            :willy_nilly:  Ma              :001_rolleyes: Mama

Edited April 16, 2016 by Sahamamama

[Aurelia]

Nothing special to report this week. School happened. Tumbling happened. DD finally had a playdate with an old friend on Thursday. They had been wanting to get together and hang out for a couple of months, but we haven't had time. They've known each other since preschool when they were in the same gymnastics class, but we don't see the family much since we moved and DD's friend switched to dance. 

[Laura Cook]

Thank you everyone for the sympathy and suggestions! We will get the move done and everything will end up fine, I just don't handle unexpected change all that well and have to have my moment of freaking out before I am ready to dig in and tackle it! :laugh: I have decided that we are dropping everything except reading aloud, math, independent reading and our language arts subjects (writing, spelling and grammar). Written out that still looks like a lot, so I reserve the right to drop the language arts, but those don't take much time and I really want to keep making forward progress in them. Everything else is being let go for now. This will free up the afternoons to get things done. We are going to keep going on those until we move and then take some time off to move and get settled. After that is done we will decide when we want to start back up again.  

 

Now I'm going to jump over to the thread for the current week! Thanks again for the help!