Weekly Reviews - Weeks 1 & 2

We started school much earlier than usual this year.  I always try to follow the local public school schedule since there are so many kids in our neighborhood.  The public school started a new schedule this year, shifting the school year up a few weeks.  Anyway,  this is much different than what we are used to, but the first two weeks went fairly well.

We started My Father's World 1850-Modern Times.  The first two weeks of history were spent reviewing some of what we learned last year.  Easy enough.  And, it was optional, so no pressure for the first couple of weeks.

We started science right away, using The World of Science and 100 Science Experiments.  What great fun we've had already!  I have to admit that learning about atoms, molecules, and elements wasn't my favorite in school, but, like history, my interest has grown over the years.  And it helps to do all these simple, but fun experiments along the way.  Each child is just using a spiral lined notebook to draw diagrams and record experiments.  I almost got fussy over this, wanting it to look like a work of perfection.  But, I let go of that quickly, and went with simplicity!  I feel so free!!!

We haven't done any art yet, other than the kids doing their usual crafty stuff that always leaves a trail of cut papers, markers, pencils, glue, and more recently, duct tape.  The gentle reminders to clean it up have transformed into stern demands at times, but I can't help but to love the imagination and creativity behind their projects.  :)

Reading has really picked up around here, which I am so pleased to report.  It's no secret that we have struggled with reading, so this is a celebratory time in our house!   Emily has read many books just over the past few weeks - I think she's making up for lost reading time.  Katie is becoming more fluent reading her Pathway Readers, and is doing well working more independently in her reading workbook.  Yay!

Math will begin this week.  I wanted to do math over the summer, but...  well, it was summer, and we enjoyed it!

My favorite part of the day is when we have Bible time.  MFW chose an excellent book to read alongside the Bible this year.  It's called A Young Person's Guide to Knowing God by Patricia St. John.  We read some in the evenings when Daddy is home, but we mostly start each day with it.  It really is a wonderful book.

Since the weather has been so nice, we have held school out on the patio on some mornings.  It just dawned on me (after all these years) that our patio doors are steel, so I can easily use magnets to hang our map for geography.  Love that!  As far as the CD of geography songs goes, my girls gave me the "you've got to be kidding" look when I played the first scheduled song.  But, it was such a catchy tune, that we learned the states in no time.  Emily already knew most of them, but Katie only knew a few.  So, this has been silly, but great! 

We will have a much busier year than last year.  Katie will be taking homeschool gym and swim classes at the YMCA, and she is joining a homeschool orchestra.  We will also be attending a co-op this year, with each of the girls taking three classes.  Well, one of Emily's is study hall, but she'll have plenty to do.  I'm very excited to see some old friends and make new friends.  I need more adult interaction with fellow homeschoolers!  Katie is very excited, too, and Emily is starting to warm up to it. 

I wanted to post pictures, but I haven't gotten them on the computer yet.  So, that will have to wait.  I'll try to get to it this week.  Hope it's a great one!



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