Week 22 of School

We made it more than half way through the year already! I stand amazed at how much ground we have covered and how few funks we got into. I am very thankful for a first Semester of Excellence and I am looking forward to these next few months!

This week we started back on Saturday. We did several hours of Math drills. The boy's followed this up by heading out to their Grandpa Marks for a wonderful and fun filled few days. While the boys were gone, the girls and I got down to business.

Let me tell you first, we have begun our Science lesson in Biomes. I do NOT want to post or really even take pictures until we have them all finished because I would like for them to be presented together. You wont see very many science pictures this week.

This is a rare site. We seldom do any work at the kitchen table anymore. That is why I have a classroom. However, it was the weekend and I just let things fly. Isn't it nice, all 4 of them diligently working? AT THE SAME TIME?

Our Christmas Blessing! WOWSERS! We got over 40 Science books from our wonderful neighbor Lamar! He is a teacher in a public school here in Kansas City. He also worked for the NASA space program and has an incredible love for teaching what he knows about it. I am so very thankful for Lamar. He is such a blessing to my family and myself! Let me also add that he is sweet enough to fix my computer problems when I am  having issues! We LOVE YOU Lamar!

Small changes to the workbox system. I moved Hali's boxes off the other shelf and put them on top of Abby's. I also removed boxes #10-12 because they are rarely used due to the fact that most of her assignments are on the computer. I moved all of Abby's manipulatives and supplies onto the shelf now. I am not very pleased with their location but it's currently working.

Our computer stations got a good cleaning and decluttering! Ready for another semester. I am praying for flat screens soon!

I LOVED playing this game with Hali. Sometimes it's hard to grasp what a Simile is and honestly, because they are not black and white, but rather abstract they can be confusing. This board game I found online, and the only addition I had to make to the rules is that we went around the board until all the cards were used. You can find this game and print it off yourself here. If you are looking for some awesome free resources this is one link you don't want to loose!

Dolch word tic-tac-toe with Abby was a nice work box additive. We had not visited this game in a couple months.

Then there is the unit study of the Geography of the United States. I have one whole 500+ page workbook on this subject and also printed off some fantastic unit studies for both Hali and Abby. Whats better yet, I dusted off  "Singing Around the World" and we learned some new songs to help us keep track of where states are located.

We had ONE minor meltdown this first week back to school. Abby worked through it and it lasted all of about 2 minutes. She decided that she was going to continue her work on the floor.

This semester we are doing the book of Virtues. I am picking and choosing what I want to include for each girl according to their age. I did however LOVE the beautiful quotes of worth that were available. If you would like a free copy, see the link a few posts down.

We also revisited this ole' favorite! Fishing with Ole' Rover. This is a phonics and reading game.

Hali's United States Abbreviation workbook.

Sequencing and life cycles of frogs, butterfly's and spiders.

 

 

We brought our pals back out for reviewing!

Worked on Camouflaged animals.

 

A few more samples of Abby's beautiful handwriting.

And yet more science~ Categorizing animals according to fur, feathers or scales.

 

So that's some of what we have gotten finished over the last 3 days. It has really been a good week back to school!