The Week in Review

Week 10 November 10-14

It has been one of those weeks where I have been so low on energy and so low on enthusiasm for home schooling that I feel like we haven't done a stinkin' thing! Thankfully, I have my notes from the week to look back on to help me see that a lot happens around here even when I am not spearheading the operation! i think my fatigue and attitude were due in part this week to the rotten weather. Freezing rain kept us inside, slushy snow made driving a pain and the grey skies were just plain depressing. The sun is out this morning, though, so I'm hoping for a brighter day ahead!

Math-

Ben and Will continued doing their math assignments independently. I was available for any questions and to make corrections but I did not present any lessons this week. The one day I was prepared to present a lesson, I found that by the time I had my TM out, Will had completed the work already having picked up on the concept on his own somewhere. Score!

Latin-

We practiced our vocab and chants 3 days out of 5 this week. Both Ben and Will are really into learning Latin and I couldn't be more pleased, being the language nut that I am. Ben has everything memorized for this first lesson, and Will is really, really close to that point as well.

Language Arts-

The boys worked independently on studying their spelling words, though I did not muster the energy to quiz them this week. They also practiced handwriting once or twice on their own. Plenty of time was spent on independent reading. Ben has just stared Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit and Will is still plucking his way through Owls in the Family. No poetry at all this week. No memorization or tea time. Not. Motivated.

Religion-

We start our mornings with daily prayer and meditation from Childrens daily Prayer 2008-2009 I really enjoy this text for leading us through prayer and scripture reading every day. It gets our day going on the right path. The boys are still reading in their Faith And Life texts but we will be setting those aside fairly soon to focus on Advent. Will has started his classes for First Communion at our church. He already knows the information that will be set out in the class, but we think it is important for him to get to know the kids he will be making his communion with to appreciate the sense of community of the church.

Bust of an Angel- Giotto

We had a chance on the weekend to go to the Vatican Splendors exhibit at the Minnesota History center as a family and with my Mother in Law. It was really something else!! Ancient mosaic works from circa 799, Michelangelo items and works by Bernini, Giotto, and others! Artwork dating back to the third century! We were also able to view the venerated relics (bone fragments) of Saint Peter to items from the election of Pope Benedict XVI. Some of the items had never before left the Vatican or been on public display.

Papal cope- Pius ix

I think my favorite pieces were some of the ancient mosaics, the Pope John Paul 2 items, and the Mandylion of Edessa. Fascinating! Charlie (who was incredibly patient and sweet during the whole tour) liked the papal swiss guards best, Ben liked the Michaelangelo room and all the paintings and the amazingly crafted embroidered Papal copes and ...(you get the picture). William liked all the Pope's "shiny stuff' best- patens, chalices, ciborium, lavabo etc. This was really a great experience and a once in a lifetime chance to see some exceptionally beautiful pieces of christian art, and Papal "accoutrement" if you will. And, to put the cherry on the top, as we approached the ticket booth to plop down our $90.00 to get in, a woman came up to us from a tour group and asked us if we needed some tickets. Evidently, some members of her tour were unable to come at the last minute and she had extras! She gave us her five extra tickets. We saw the exhibit for free. What! A! Blessing!

Music-

We listened to Beethoven again this week during breakfast and read The 39 Apartments of Ludwig Van Beethoven. Again I say, what a character that man was! Thanks to Rhonda at Living water Christian Academy, I was reminded of the Classical Kids series (available on CD or DVD) and picked up the DVD Beethoven Lives Upstairs for us to watch together. Really nicely done, interesting and amusing for the kids, and one of those things that really helped to bring the man and history to life for us. Thanks Rhonda for putting some fun in our week!

Literature-

Bedtime reading for Ben is still Holes by Louis Sachar. It's holding our attention, but a different style than we're used to. Will is adoring Farmer Boy as is Charlie who always listens in. What a terrific boy book! Charlie's own bedtime stories this week have been from the Thomas and Friends Collection.


History-

Still enjoying Jason's Gold.

As I often do, I am re-thinking our approach to history studies. Currently I pull together our history using various book lists from around the home schooling world, along with various "spine" readings to give it all a flow. Pretty typical classical WTM 4-year (ha!) history rotation. I love studying history chronologically. I really like the spine+historical fiction and/or non-fiction follow up+narration way to do history but I am so sick of pulling it all together myself. Really tired of it. That's why the Alaskan gold rush study for us consists pretty much of just reading one book right now. Too much work to find other stuff to do. Right now I am looking at something like Tapestry of Grace or Sonlight to schedule it out for me but the problem is, I am my own worst enemy. I know that the moment I get a schedule in my hands and have someone telling me what to do, I will rebel. I will tweak it into oblivion. I will undermine my own plan to make life easier for myself. Why do I do that? Both programs schedule fantastic books, most I would choose myself. Why can't I just follow a schedule? Anyway. It's probably just my mood this week making the history "dilemma" look worse. I will stop my rant now.

Science and Geography-

Finished up our Tree in the Trail and Crimecracker Kids studies last week so this week has been time off from both Geography and science. Not sure what we will get into next. With holidays coming up, I may just let these subjects rest other than spontaneous things the boys come up with to try.

Charlie's Days-

Charlie was very into watercolor painting this week and has finally clued into the idea of rinsing the brush between colors! We did lots of finger plays this week in the mornings before I got the boys going on their work. What You're Preschooler Needs to Know
has a very nice collection of fingerplays and rhymes that I like to use. Lots of read-alouds in the morning too. Sitting down with Charlie first thing in the morning really makes a difference in how the day goes. He thrives on getting that one on one time with me before I go to work with the boys. He's happier to do his own thing afterward and let the boys have their time with me.


Well, that's it. Another week filled with some fairly good stuff...despite my blue mood. Hope you have had a great week, too!