Thursday, March 6, 2008

Thursday March 6th, 2008

All:
-CHOW Arabian Days (looked at some pictures also in Mosque)
-Nature Journaling while I read from The Burgess Bird Book and The Handbook of Nature Study (we were studying the Nuthatch today). Ariel narrated in his book, while Hannah pasted in some drawings she had finished earlier and Caleb drew and labeled his picture.)
-finished The Last Battle. We read it at lunch and at dinner, as Papa was out for dinner.

Ariel
-Whistle
-Math 20D Zeta
-Latin: rest of ex. 25 Unit One Henle. He also did his vocab. drill.
-Read: -Tom Sawyer
-Fabre Book
-Gospel of Mark
-Writing: he wrote more of his battle scene from The Return of the King
-Spelling: we continued our small foray into a spelling focus by starting the list from the WRTR and reviewing the 1-1-1 rule and the dropping the e rule. Boy, I don't know any of these rules and they do seem a bit much.... we will see!

Hannah
-Math 25 D Zeta (ordered her next book today)
-Latin: rest of ex.25 Unit One Henle. She did her vocab. drill.
-Read:- out loud to me today from the Young Person's Book of Virtues
-a story from the Pink Fairy Book
-Writing: copywork from current poem, Spring by Tennyson (she is making a booklet from this with watercolors)
-Spelling: ditto what Ar. did except I did them separately. Oh yes, and they both did all 70 phonograms.

Caleb
-Math 8D Gamma
-Writing: oral lesson from EFTTChild and his nature journal
-Reading: Spiderwick Chronicles Book 4
-violin

Aaron
We had a nice time in the morning reading a new Anansi story. Later, we worked on a page in Word Mastery (this needs some sprucing up with some stories...it can get dull!). Then we looked at his grip a bit and I made him a cute fruity math page (Caleb always liked these). Then I did something I had done with the other 3; I wrote out the first line of Twinkle, twinkle little star and cut each word out and we practiced putting them in order. That was so easy for him he wanted to do the next line which he also got no problem- he was so proud of himself and grinning ear to ear. I also wrote him a little comic today which made him really happy.

We had a late lunch and then H. and I researched making a larger Guinea pig pen for Ginny. Caleb and Aaron had a blast playing so I really let them be a lot today. After a while we regrouped and did our Nature Journals and then I sent everyone out for some fresh air- the older two walked Goldie and the youngers played in the snow. Boy is it ever cold here again!

After dinner I decided we would play Blokus. I have wanted to for so long but have always been puttering around too much. It was alot of fun, and even Aaron had a good time.

Dinner: Rotini with sauce, coleslaw and garlic bread.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Tuesday and Wednesday March 4th and 5th

Tuesday

Learning Centre Day.
All: we prayed on the drive and listened to the second to last chapter of A Single Shard. My how I love this book, and it is so wonderfully read.

In the morning....
Chores were done by all.
Ariel did Math.
Hannah baked lots of cookies and touched up her chickadee presentation.
Aaron read a bunch of words from Word Mastery and Starfall.
Caleb did his chores and violin EXTRA fast to get to play his new multiplication game Timez Attack (ht. Lissa for this one).

Bedtime Read Aloud:
Magic Treehouse etc. for younger set
Last chapter of A Single Shard for everyone.

Dinner: black beans with sauteed veggies and cumin and cilantro with cornbread (YUM!)


Wednesday

All: chores
Lord of the Rings- big read with Papa while children drew

Ariel:
whistle (big practice)
Math- next page in Zeta
Writing- rewrote passage of Mark and added to his retelling of the large battle at the end of The Return of the King
Latin- oral drill of all grammar cards and did Ex. 26 Henle outloud with H. and I
Read- Tom Sawyer (no Nature Study or History for this bit)
We also did a Writing Road to Reading Session for some spelling practice.

Hannah:
piano (a few songs and some scales- first lesson with Joy this week)
Math- 26D Zeta (she flew through this)
Read- part of a story in the Red Fairy Book
Latin- oral drill of all grammar cards and did Ex. 26Henle out loud with Ar. and I
Writing Road to Reading Session for spelling practice. (went well for all!)

Caleb:
Violin practice
Math- Timez Attack (he is onto the 3s and picking up speed!)
Read- The Minstrel in the Tower
-a story from the Book of Virtues out loud to me
Writing- dictation

Aaron
We worked on some reading and holding our pencils!
Read him The Meat Eaters Arrive

I went and helped a friend move today for a couple hours over lunch. Unfortunately I let myself be sucked into blogland soon after this so I have to pull it together to make dinner and get ready for ballet. The kids are playing a Harry Potter Board game Ar. got for Christmas. Oh yes, and Ar shoveled the front walk this afternoon.

Dinner: black bean soup and cornbread for potluck (made extra beans the night before!)

Monday, March 3, 2008

Monday March 3

We began our day with a prayer time. I have just been rounding kids up in whatever state of readiness they are at (teeth brushed etc.) , before or after breakfast, and having our Morning Prayer. This has been working great. We are still working at memorizing the Beatitudes.

Ariel: Math (at breakfast)- lesson 20
Whistle
Latin-oral with me
Poem- with me and on own

Hannah: Math- new lesson 25 (also lots of Timez Attack)
Latin- oral recitation with me
Poem- with me
Writing-lots of writing on her Chickadee project, including a poem and short report! Note to self: this child loves projects .

Caleb: Read in bed in am (Spiderwick book 3)
Poem with me
Math- lots of Timez Attack

Aaron: Read new list of words
Poem with me
Read a few books on Starfall

We gathered for a good read this morning, with lots of good Lincoln log play, knitting and cross stitching. It was so refreshing, as it seems as if the 'list' was ruling our days as of late! (Also, I was up ridiculously late at Ultimate last night and was determined not to let 'grumpy' mom rule today!).

We read a picture book (it was a wee bit strange), a chapter in The Last Battle, the chapter in FMOMA on Charles Martel (with a good discussion) and I think something else as well. Over lunch I read some random poems from the Harp and Laurel Wreath.

After lunch we gathered and I decided to do Drawing With Children with Ariel and Aaron. Hannah wanted to join in and we made some great birds. Caleb did one after we were done and did a fabulous, creative job of filling his in (I would love to post the pics but our camera is still in the shop).

We got up the second bird feeder and were thrilled to see lots of chickadees and nuthatches at both Hannah's homemade suet log and our old feeder. (Thanks Papa for the great new setup- what a great view from the table!)

Hannah got busy in the afternoon (no surprise there) with her chickadee project. She wants to present it at the Learning Centre tomorrow. Ariel and Caleb played a game of Monopoly and I had a very long bath and a good read of the Simirillian.

Outside play for three boys while Hannah made cookies for the LC. Phase 10 with Papa and then a great Cauliflower Cheese Soup and homemade bread.

It was a nice easy flowing day. No Latin, missed a bunch of music practices, but it was the kind of day we needed. Refreshing, even after only 5 hours of sleep!