Weekly School Wrap Up - Spring Break Week 1

We are technically on spring break this week, but I find if we just don't do anything school related we tend to forget lots of things so we did a few things each day. 

Our school week usually starts with me laminating various things on Sunday evening.  I use Sunday evening as my time to prep for the school week. 

One thing we worked on this week was more training with chores.  They have chore charts but I made one with pictures for my 2 1/2 year old so he could see what he needs to do and I made the 2 older kids really work on reading their list and completing it. My older son helps my daughter to read her list and then they check off what they have done.  I will talk more later how we do chores and what ages we start doing what.

She wipes down the little bathroom and my older son wipes down the big bathroom

School Stuff

My daughter is doing a number bug matching busy bag activity.

I made these "sandpaper" letters with felt instead of sandpaper.  My little guy loves them.  He likes to put them into an old yogurt container.  I just cut a good size whole in the top.   His sister helps him call out the correct letter name and sound.  He also likes to trace the letters with his finger.

And we did our Easter sensory bins as well this week.

Fun stuff - we took another busy bag activity but used it for something else - my son stacked the cups and then he used his Bey Blades to knock them over.  I gave him a points system to use so at least some math was done here.

We also have been working on making these adorable alphabet bean bags (I say "we" because I have lots of help from my stepmom and my mamaw).  I am still working on finishing them but the kids have really liked playing with the ones I have completed.  I will share more about this in a post coming soon.  I will include ways to use these to further a child's learning while having fun.

My daughter just put them in a row and then she and I used them to spell and read some simple words.

While I was making these I used popcorn to fill them because we have about 40 lbs. of it and I just wanted to use what I had on hand so I decided to make some quick and fun trays for the kids to play with while I finished sewing.  They loved it.

Also, I signed up for a free trial of Reading Eggs this week.  If you want to read a good review of the program, please visit One Blessed Mama's Blog. 

My 4 1/2 year old daughter loves it.  I do mean LOVES IT!  She has been doing 2-3 lessons a day.  She isn't very tech savvy so using the mouse is a little slow for her but she does pretty well.  

I have also signed up my 1st grader because I wanted to see what they have for older kids.  He likes it but doesn't love it as much as my daughter.  He does about a lesson every two days.

I am seriously considering paying for it at least for my daughter because it seems to really be helping her.  I think it might be worth it and we may just do it a month at a time.  I would encourage you to check out the free trial to see what you think.

We have also been working on some addition flash cards with my 1st grader and we have been playing some nonsense words games.  Other than that we have been taking it easy.

How was learning at your house this week?

Weekly School Wrap Up

This week we had fabulous weather.  It was hard to stay inside very much.  We did manage to accomplish school though.  I had parent/teacher conference with my son's teacher (he goes to a hybrid charter school for those that don't know - homeschooled three days a week and at the learning center 2 days a week).  The conference went well.  His teacher is very encouraging and always just gives me ideas and resources to use.  The biggest drawback to me about public schools is the standardized testing and how everything is tied to that.  It limits teachers and students.  I know there needs to be a better solution I'm just not sure what that is yet.

Now onto the week:

First Grader

He is doing his math online.  Part of it is online and part is offline.  They had a very fun "germ" game to play this week.  He loved it and we played it several times.

He also took a break and played with his siblings with our St. Patrick's Day sensory bin.  They really liked this.

He was also student of the week at his school this week so he was able to bring in something to show the class and so he brought in his Bey Blades.  He even used my camera and video taped battles on my phone while narrating what was happening.  It was quite funny.

I instituted D.E.A.R. Reading Time this week.  1+1+1=1 described it and I thought it was a great idea.  Basically you just drop everything and read.

Fun Times

His grandparents came over and brought bubbles and we played Frisbee outside too.

His sister was crying because she missed her cousin and he brought this blanket and wrapped it around her and put his arm around her and was talking very sweetly to her AND I caught it on camera.  I love moments like this. (Just ignore the laundry behind them that needs folding).

I got out the sidewalk chalk when our little neighbor girls came over and you can't see it very well but Iman wrote "I am the Hunter, Beware"  It was quite hilarious.

Preschool (with my 4 year old)

She was decorating her "E" sheet while I did math with my older son.

She also loved playing with our St. Patrick's Day sensory bin.  

I also got out the clothes line busy bag for her and my younger son to play with while we were doing some math.

 

Since the letter was E I got out some of my previously printed and laminated things.  This is numbered egg cards that I had her put in order.

We are currently working on her writing her name.  I am trying to get her to write it correctly with her first letter capitalized and the rest in lower case but she doesn't like writing her "e" in lower case which we worked on this week.

Doing some of her K5 papers from Abeka.

 

She still loves doing the USA puzzle and we are working on state recognition with that.

 

Fun Stuff

She also helped me plant my onion sets this week all while wearing a tiara. 

She got the big bubble wand and she loved it.

 

Tot (2 1/2 Year Old)

Here we are doing our calendar time notebooks and I am trying to say the picture that begins with "E" and have him circle it.

I also got out a spooning busy bag for him to do and he enjoyed doing it for a little while.

 

I already told you about his color sorting busy bag earlier this week.  He really likes this one.

He also really liked this color matching puzzle.  It is from Confessions of a Homeschooler's Pond Theme pack (pages 8-9).

He is enjoying doing this puzzle more now.  It is just a simple wooden alphabet puzzle.  Sometimes his sister helps him.

We also tried working on scissor skills.  He likes to cut but he reverts back to cutting the wrong way.  We'll continue to work on it.

Fun Stuff

My stepmom bought them all new bubble blowers.  He is using his older brother's spiderman bubble blower while sitting on Papa's lap.

He climbed into my bed at about 7:30 am to sing the B-I-B-L-E while "drumming" on this tin he found.

This boy loves his geetar (guitar).  He loves to play it along side his Papa.  It is so sweet.  He tries to keep up.  I think we may have to start lessons soon.

Last but not least, can you just see his little personality?  He is quite the silly boy.  He likes me to put these on him about once a week.

How was learning at your house this week?