Week in Review!

Andrew has finished his work on "The Caterpillar" and moved on to "Work." While he only started this poem Tuesday, he's already got it memorized!

We flew through the history of Mesopotamia and the Sumarians. There wasn't much extra we could get on that subject, so Andrew did all that was reccomended for extra work, but our reading was really non-existent. We need to go to the college library, but I REALLY don't want to drive an hour away...

Grammar, handwriting and spelling are continuing on super smooth. Next week, we'll complete the cursive alphabet. After that, all spelling, narrative, dictation and copywork will be done in script. Woohoo!

We did change the format for narratives. Andrew was doing one every day, for his reading. Read one chapter, write a narrative. Then, there were additional narratives for history... oh, and the copywork and dictation... and finally, the work needed for FLL. I realized, it was way too much, so we backed off. Now, we have a minimum requirement (two narratives, two copyworks, one dictation) and rely on history and grammar to give us the work.

Multiplication is going easier than addition did, go figure! We did start off with flash cards. I had Andrew write and review the rules and hints for multiplication, and we worked on memorizing up through four. He has done really well. Today's test was 25 problems and Andrew got them done in ten minutes!

Science has become a passion. We studied the solar system this week. We went on Nasa's web site, on Nasa's kid web site, on some other web sites I'd seen on the Hive. We watched the Nasa channel all week and probably learned more there than we did in all the books and sites we'd used. Andrew found some really cool things we could do to 'help' Nasa, so we'll be adding more projects. I'm pretty sure he doesn't need this much in depth Astronomy in 2nd grade, but he's really enjoying it, I'm really enjoying it, and I can't see that it would hurt anything. It's so exciting, who can resist?

So, all in all, a good week. I think I need glasses, suddenly I can't read the kitchen clock and I've had headaches off and on for about two weeks :( Not something I wanted or expected. We skipped the library today, because I wanted to go to the teacher's store in Fredericksburg. If you're near there, unless you want a workbook or a poster, I wouldn't waste the gas. ERG, there was nothing I wanted there. Woohoo, 45 min drive for a poster of the sun (I was not walking away empty handed).

That's it!

Sigh, so nice to get back on schedule...

We are back to having our afternoons free... ish. I've started saving our 'big' projects until after lunch. Andrew doesn't mind, because they're fun, and I appreciate being able to meander. It's also cut back, more, on our t.v. time.

Yesterday, we made a barometer, today we're making canopic jars. Tomorrow? Well, we'll be making a dew point guage, and hopefully adding a thermometer to our weather guages.

I have not heard back from the local Catholic church. I guess, if they haven't called by Friday, we'll toodle back over next Monday.

Oh, another goal for this week, joing the YMCA. We need exercise!

Oops! I forgot the weekly wrap-up for last week

Okay! Andrew made his cuneiform name plaque, Art 100%; he also illustrated "The Caterpillar," for another 100% in Art.

He's moved on to Lesson 3, in Prima Latina, and is still doing phenominally well. An oral review resulted in another 100%.

For Grammar, Andrew has memorized "The Caterpillar" and is practicing reciting it, his final exam will be facing Grandma (bump, bump, baaaaa). He's also finished common person nouns, finally, and seems to completely understand them. That's another 100%, for grammar.

In reading, he's continued to read a chapter a day in his "Bible Stories" book. He has written narratives, seven sentences long (he copies three of the sentences), for every chapter so far. This week, we're dropping the narratives for this. I realized he was doing way more narratives than was necessary.

We also read "The Tale of Despereaux" last week. What an incredible book.

In handwriting, Andrew is still working on cursive. He also wrote a letter to Leelo (my grandmother) and worked on the parts of a letter. He managed to make all of his letters very well for the review. He's not leaning them far enough, but we're working on it.

For spelling, we dissected the words Andrew was to learn. We found the dipthongs and other tricking spelling tricks. The result was a perfect score on his test!

Math. Math. Oh subject, that can take hours.... We have learned our numbers through a thousand, and are returning to one-digit addition. While Andrew scored well on his review, I am frankly tired of waiting for hours, to review a handful of problems. This week is dedicated to getting his simple addition memorized.

For history, we're still working on Egypt ;) Andrew made his name in cuneiform, we have read tons and tons of books, and we're looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Science is revolving around the weather right now. We've discussed clouds, Andrew has a chart and names the clouds every morning. We're memorizing the layers of the atmosphere, and learning how the atmosphere effects our weather. The grade for science was based on our, 'everything you need to know about weather' poster, we're making. It will have all our facts on it, complete with illustrations, cotton ball clouds, and our barometer readings.

I'm finding myself stretching out a little more know. We're leaving the science work book, to look at weather in greater depth. We've contacted the local Catholic church, their priest may help us with our Latin pronunciations. We're hoeing our own road in math. It's scary, branching out, leaving the well-beaten path, but also exhilarating. We're both enjoying ourselves.

Is it Friday yet?

Okay, we went till 2 again today :( . I'm so tired, so tired, so so so tired. Did I mention, I'm tired?

Luke is trucking right along. We can count to five, he knows A, B, J, M, S, T, X, and we've done our primary colors, along with circle, square, and triangle. I love how proud he is of his new knowledge. He's even started mimicking the sounds of the letters (ah ah ah, A). We're really enjoying doing all this together, and he is wiped out after lunch. Naps, with no arguments! Man, I forgot those were possible!

Drew, on the other hand, is really provoking me with the math issues. We start the day by reading a chapter of his Bible Story Book and writing a five sentence narration. That goes by without a hiccup. Then, we do spelling. Again, no problems. We move to math...

and there we stay, for at least an hour. It could be one problem, it could be an entire sheet of problems, it will take at least one hour. Tonight, he will be sitting down with Dad to do math. Mom is tired.

After math, it's all gravy. Grammar (he can recite 'The Caterpillar'), Latin, Handwriting, Science, History, all smooth as silk. Why?

I read the post, that we should incorporate it into other classes, and we've tried that. We learned the Egyptian numerals, and those helped, but really, as soon as a number shows up, Drew shuts off.

I hate math.

We survived our first holiday!

I will admit, Monday stunk. It took for-ev-er to get everything done. We did not need to review too much, but Drew dragged his feet and dawdled the entire morning away. We got 'Hooked on Pre-K' for Luke, so he had his first 'school' day. All together, I earned my eight hours sleep!

Today, we've started our first class on fancy. I was right in one respect, Andrew is loving it. We're learning about the phoenix, sphinx, catoblepas and ammuts. I will give the Egyptians this, their mythical creatures are very imaginative. Andrew is enjoying drawing these bizarre creatures, and the ammut (a cross between an crocodile, lion and hippo) is definitely his favorite.

Augh, I just wish the days would move a little quicker! Last month, we were done by lunch. So far this week, we're lucky to be done by two :(

Ah well, his potty break's over, so it's back to the grind!