Week in Review

Our second week with off without a hitch! I wasn't sure how much we'd accomplish just because it was a busy week on the social calendar. In the end, Turner completed all of his work and Eli blew through all of the trays I had set up for him. 

We're still taking it easy and incorporating new things each week. By second week of October we should have our full load for the year. Next week I'm hoping to work on a formal morning routine so the kids know that after this (breakfast) we do that (play/morning work). 

It's been a little willy nilly around here. 

I use the Laurie Berkner Band station on Pandora in the morning and
spontaneous dance parties are common place. 

Jammin' out to "Starfish and Coffee."

 The bug sensory boxes were a hit! It allowed us to continue talking about what a scientist is and then introduce the idea of scientific instruments. Which led to a discussion about the multiple meanings of the term "instrument." 

We talked about observing different bugs. 

The "tools" were great for fine motor skills.

Eli is always the first to think outside of the box. He's always creating something! 

Ants (in this case a random bug) can carry ten times their weight. 

While the kids played, I had some (more) coffee and read On Beyond Bugs. Turner loved all the facts
about bugs! Both boys remembered the parts of a bug (head, thorax and abdomen) from listening. 

 Most of Turner's reading work was oral this week. We are still talking about words and sounds (phonemic awareness) any chance I remember. I also gave him two sight words to work with from Carissa at 1+1+1=1. I thought it was such a great idea to use two words he would be highly motivated to remember! 

Of course, we had to break up the day with some Super Hero action. I think Eli needed a cape so I used the back and neckband from a white shirt to make the cape and the masks and arm bands just happened.

Super Turner worked in his Get Ready for the Code book. He's (finally) almost done with this book so we can move on to Get Set (for the Code) book!

Who needs pants when you work from home? Eli certainly doesn't; he decided to do his shape match up game half dressed! 

This was my first attempt at "Fun Food Friday" a la Meet the Dubiens! I know mine would be lame this week because we had so much going on, but the kids loved it any way. I ordered a bunch of really cute cutters and punches from here. If I would have only had the foresight in Japan, I could have had boxes of the cutest bento accessories for mere dollars!

Since the theme for the week was bugs, I attempted a bug plate. Someone (who shall remain nameless)
decided to get in to his snack before I could get a better picture. Ants (dried cranberries) in grass (celery),
a caterpillar (edamame), a spider (fruit leather) on a tree (pretzel rod, steamed broccoli), butterflies (flour tortillas decorated with food safe markers), and a sun (mandarin oranges, mini marshmallow eyes and decorating gel). 

Eli counting bees.

Turer was "sewing" while Eli threaded beads on to pipe cleaners. 

I'm happy we had another great week!

Linked to:

The Plan, Stan

Last week was a TOTAL success! I think it had a lot to do with planning -but not over scheduling. I really made sure I had things lined up in case we completed XYZ but I avoided writing down exactly how many lessons to go through. Turner only has one "proper" curriculum, anyway (Horizons Math). 

This week we'll be working on much of the same, but I'll be trying a little harder to learn to fit in house work and hang-out time with John without doing "school stuff" on the side.

In no particular order since we're working on just actually doing things daily I didn't want to force an order to it all:

Turner


Co-op on Tuesday

Horizons Math: Lessons 7-9 but Turner will probably make it through lesson 12 (this is all basic number identification, understanding directions, ect)

Other Math: greater than, less than from Pintrest; other manipulative games

Phonics: (Rocket Phonics) on-going (very short) oral lessons for phonemic awareness. I'll say something like: "What sound do you hear at the beginning of this word (cat, bat, rat, etc)." He'll respond with the sound. Later I'll ask "What sound do you here at the end of this word (rug)." At first, he'd say "-ug" but now he's listening better for the separate sounds. 

Other Phonics: On-going review of letter sounds and practicing to say them correctly (i.e. "ks" for x using his tongue in the front of his mouth instead of on the side; practicing "th" by gently biting his tongue because other wise he says "th" as "f."

Reading Skills: This week we'll begin two sight words a week. I started over the summer but we were just too busy and I hadn't read all I wanted to about beginning reading skills. Turner will do a color by number sight words (mom, dad) from 1+1+1=1 and, after he's colored them accordingly, he gets to decorate them with little candies (sprinkles, ect). He loves doing this because, inevitably, some candy "falls" and he gets to eat it! 

Science: talking about tools scientists use (last week we talked briefly about what a scientist does and what they might look like) and introducing them to their magnifying glasses to use for our projects and nature study. 

Turner also participates in some of the Letter of the Week activities, though not many since they're too easy (and he's not a crafter). He especially likes the sensory boxes that are used -this week it's bug themed and I'm sure it will be a hit! 

Eli

Letter of the Week: Bb 

I'll post everything he's doing on Tuesday!