The Week In Review

Week 8 October 27-31

Despite a week full of activities away from home for a field trip, Halloween get-togethers, pumpkin carving with friends, piano lessons, Scouts, and trips to the orchard, we managed to accomplish a lot of learning this week. Amazin'!

Math-

Both boys have been enjoying using their Daily Word Problem books but the problems are perhaps seeming a little too simple for them some days. Daily drill using their Flashmaster is also going well. It adds that little bit of extra daily review that I would never seem to get to using conventional flashcards. Besides, the boys always fell off their seats in anguish whenever I tried to use them. (Oh wait, that was me.) Regular lessons from Ben's MUS book and Will's Horizons book are also moving along well. The only thing Will hasn't clicked with yet concept-wise is telling time. I'm not concerned, though. Ben is nearing the end of his current MUS workbook and moving at a good pace. I thought briefly of having him do two lessons a day, but I don't think it would accomplish much of anything except getting to the end of the book sooner.

Latin-

We just started using Lively Latin a couple weeks ago. We did background introduction first so we are just into our first lesson this week. Both boys are enthusiastic and Ben is especially impressed when he can make a connection between an English word and it's Latin source. We have been doing our lessons and chants all together, but Will is a slow writer and beginning speller so he takes longer to get through a lesson. I'm considering helping him write his answers down at least part time, or else just do things orally.

Language Arts-

Both kids are practicing cursive. Ben at a review level and Will at a beginner level. They are using workbooks so nothing too interesting to note here but they are progressing fine.


Spelling, using Spelling Power is moving along just fine, too. Ben is working one level above his current grade so I'm happy with that. He usually will only have 1 or 2 words to study from his list each week. He picks up on spelling quickly. This is his first year with a formal spelling program. Will is also using spelling power and doing well. This week he missed just one word on his list.

Ben is memorizing Psalm 23 and Will is working on Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. Both boys are memorizing quickly and easily.

We haven't had our Tuesday Tea Time in a few weeks. Next week I hope to get back into it.

Literature-At bedtime I am reading The 21 Ballons to Ben (great story!), Farmer Boy to Will (the food descriptions are awesome!) , and The Golden Treasury of Eloise Wilkin stories for Charlie (so sweet!)

History-

This week's topic has been on The Battle of the Little Big Horn. We read from The American Story and From Sea to Shining Sea. We also looked through and read parts of the book Indians by Edwin Tunis. Presented in lively text and hundreds of accurate drawings,are tools, weapons, household utensils, shelters and clothing of every major tribe. Also covers religious ceremonies and tribal customs. Look for this one at your library. A nice, nice overview book. We also took a field trip to a nearby education center for a presentation on the Plains and Woodland Indians. Most interesting was the presentation on Indian Effigy Mounds. Note to self:go see one!


Science-

The boys continued this week with their science story The Crimecracker Kids and the Case of the Bakery Break-in. Simple story which leads them through some kitchen experiments to find clues to a crime.

Geography-

We have been reading Tree in the Trail by H. C. Holling but took a little detour this week to read some books about the California Missions and Fra Junipero Serra. I even had some pictures to show the kids of when I visited the Santa Inez Mission, many years ago.
We also read the book Cactus Hotel by Brenda Guiberson which talks about the Saguaro cactus and the many birds, insects and animals of the Sonoran desert.

Religion-

The boys are still doing reading from their Faith and Life books. We're taking a brief break from The First Christians and The Life of Our Lord For Children (both by Marigold Hunt) right now. Will is also reading Tomie De Paola's Parables of Jesus.

Charlie's Days-

This week we made 3-D paper pumpkins together, read Halloween poems and stories, played LEGOS and of course he came along on all our field trips/outings and played with his friends.