I haven't written here because - well, it's not because nothing is going on, but because the one thing that's been off is my computer. I turn it on (okay, it stays on for a bit in the evening, while I get my scrabulous fix), check email, and turn it off. I MUST turn it off, and keep it off, or it becomes a wicked time suck for me. Some days, I dream about packing it up and storing it in the attic, or giving it away.
Except that I'd be lost without the internet, of course. So, the next best thing is to enforce an on/off sort of boundary - mostly off. Because then, I'm productive. :)
I have been doing research on the materials we'll use for next year's lessons. And most of those reading this will skip over this part, because it isn't applicable to you, but in case someone down the road googles ideas for 4th and 2nd grade homeschool curriculum ideas, here's what we have so far:
Math:
2nd grade - Singapore Primary Math 2A/2B (Kit)
4th grade - Singapore Primary Math 4A/4B (Kit)
I don't have anything specific for the preschooler, but she already can count to 20, do simple addition and subtraction, knows her shapes and colors, so we'll probably just continue to reinforce these things and take it from there - if she asks for more, then I'll give it to her.
Science:
for both 2nd and 4th grade -
ACS's The Best of WonderScience
We'll supplement with a life science unit study somewhere in there, and Science in a Nutshell kits
and for the preschooler, two more books from ACS:
Apples, Bubbles and Crystals and Sunlight, Skyscrapers, and Soda Pop
plus some activities from
Science Arts and Science is Simple
Oh! and this one: What Color is Newton's Apple?
Language Arts:
I love this book, Education Play: Language Arts and plan to use it for both (all three?) kids. And not just for Language Arts, but for most subjects, I really recommend any of Peggy Kaye's Games for (Reading, Math, Language, etc) books.
I have the terrific If I Were a Road, and plan to follow it with If I Were a Table. We also already have (and have used a bit) all three volumes of the Aesop's Fables: My Book about Reading, Writing and Thinking, and we'll use those (the 3yo liked those this year, too, though obviously she wasn't writing, although she tried). And finally, from that same vendor, I am considering Classic Words, and/or a study of Latin and Greek roots.
For the 4th grader's curriculum, I'll probably choose Brave Writer's The Writer's Jungle, along with the recommended (accompanying) digital ezine, The Arrow.
The 2nd grader won't have a defined curriculum, except for the items from the books already mentioned. Oh wait, she's been using and benefiting from the Explode the Code series, so we'll continue with those for as long as she needs them. And perhaps some dictation, too. The preschooler can keep working on the BOB books if she wants to. :)
Social Studies
Both will use Story of the World (and activities), and the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia. The 4th grader will need to read a bit about California history (missions and gold rush), so we'll toss in a few books on that later, and visit some of the missions in the spring of '09. We'll also be using the Trail Guide to World Geography.
I'm working on compiling Art and Music activities, and both kids are already enrolled in gymnastics for next school year (but also throughout the summer). M continues to take horse riding lessons, and she also want to take violin lessons, so we'll see about that.
* * * * *
Tomorrow, we're off on some fun field trips, and I'll update about those when I return.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Ten Cents
My week, in reverse:
- Noticed late this afternoon that the price of gas had gone up ten cents since this morning. As of 6:30 pm this evening, prices ranged from $4.05 to $4.11 per gallon. I expect that will have increased by tomorrow. I'm beginning to believe the "$5/gallon by summer's end" predictions.
- Had our final meeting with our resource teacher for the end of the school year. Apparently, we all survived intact. I'd say that's something to celebrate.
- Made plans to meet with a couple of the veteran homeschool moms to discuss curriculum choices for next year.
- Learned that a former playgroup friend from way back when we lived in Maryland, lived right here in my teeny tiny town for two years after I left Maryland. We missed each other by a year. I had no idea until this morning. Small world, indeed.
- Spaghetti for dinner last night; the kids could eat this every day for every meal, if I let them. And because I am wicked mean, I don't. Let them, I mean. Never mind.
- Pulled more than a few handfuls of hair from the fur of 'Emma the (grown puppy) Pyrenees'. I'd say she could give sheep a run for the money.
- Talked with another good friend from my Maryland days. Gosh that was a nice chat; she is always so upbeat.
- Spent too much time playing Scrabulous on Facebook. What the hell is a QAT anyway?
- Was diagnosed (yes, really) with ADHD by a qualified-to-diagnose doctor. Meds were recommended, and I am considering them.
- Sent Steve off to the airport for a week in the NorthEast. After a mini-heatwave here, temps dipped from highs in the 90s to highs in the 50s and 60s, so despite the distance, we had similar weather. I think he was warmer, though.
- Short-term memory pretty much stops here, so that's a wrap!
- Noticed late this afternoon that the price of gas had gone up ten cents since this morning. As of 6:30 pm this evening, prices ranged from $4.05 to $4.11 per gallon. I expect that will have increased by tomorrow. I'm beginning to believe the "$5/gallon by summer's end" predictions.
- Had our final meeting with our resource teacher for the end of the school year. Apparently, we all survived intact. I'd say that's something to celebrate.
- Made plans to meet with a couple of the veteran homeschool moms to discuss curriculum choices for next year.
- Learned that a former playgroup friend from way back when we lived in Maryland, lived right here in my teeny tiny town for two years after I left Maryland. We missed each other by a year. I had no idea until this morning. Small world, indeed.
- Spaghetti for dinner last night; the kids could eat this every day for every meal, if I let them. And because I am wicked mean, I don't. Let them, I mean. Never mind.
- Pulled more than a few handfuls of hair from the fur of 'Emma the (grown puppy) Pyrenees'. I'd say she could give sheep a run for the money.
- Talked with another good friend from my Maryland days. Gosh that was a nice chat; she is always so upbeat.
- Spent too much time playing Scrabulous on Facebook. What the hell is a QAT anyway?
- Was diagnosed (yes, really) with ADHD by a qualified-to-diagnose doctor. Meds were recommended, and I am considering them.
- Sent Steve off to the airport for a week in the NorthEast. After a mini-heatwave here, temps dipped from highs in the 90s to highs in the 50s and 60s, so despite the distance, we had similar weather. I think he was warmer, though.
- Short-term memory pretty much stops here, so that's a wrap!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
A good day
Yesterday, when I posted, I meant to write the day itself - wonderful and perfect. We'd started the day with lessons, then headed to the park at noon to meet up with fellow homeschoolers. The kids all played well together, and I enjoyed a nice, relaxing conversation with the moms. Afterward, I drove Moon to her riding lesson, returning to the park to pick up Sun, who had stayed behind for a little more face time with his pals.
That's one of the beauties, by the way, of a small town - the riding lesson was a mere five minutes away, and after our trip to DC, I appreciate even more the lack of traffic and congestion here.
Anyway, so I returned to pick up the boy, and we spent a little more time there. We all left then, and I was able to swing by, pick up Moon, and get home with - well, not plenty, but at least barely enough - time for Sun to paint his Pinewood Derby entry for the Cub Scouts meeting that evening.
...where he won 3rd place overall, and a trophy! And driving home, I realized how fulfilling it is when things go smoothly, and when you have connections and relationships within your community, and a busy, but not too busy, schedule for things you enjoy doing. And when home really feels like...home.
Finally.
And then there was today (well, by now it's yesterday) - Moon participated in her very first horse show - a little local production put on by her instructor, under whose tutelage she has flourished. She walks, trots and canters (correction: she guides the horse to walk, trot and canter) without assistance, and her posting is coming along well. She's also remembering to keep her hands down, and she's doing much better "steering" the horse.
She was the youngest (by three years) and least experienced kid there today, but no matter, she still placed in each of the seven events in which she participated! She earned one 1st place, a 2nd place, four 3rds, and a 5th. Not too bad for a newbie! And despite the inexorable heat, we spent six hours there and got to meet a great group of kids and moms: nothing pretentious here - they were all encouraging and rooting for each other throughout the day. Moon got lots of compliments, with several of the parents saying she was a natural on the horse. Oh, and okay, they all also said she was awfully cute, too. :)
But the best part was how happy she was to be there, and how at ease she was with the horse, the other girls, the other horses, and the competition itself. Indeed, it really was a good day.
That's one of the beauties, by the way, of a small town - the riding lesson was a mere five minutes away, and after our trip to DC, I appreciate even more the lack of traffic and congestion here.
Anyway, so I returned to pick up the boy, and we spent a little more time there. We all left then, and I was able to swing by, pick up Moon, and get home with - well, not plenty, but at least barely enough - time for Sun to paint his Pinewood Derby entry for the Cub Scouts meeting that evening.
...where he won 3rd place overall, and a trophy! And driving home, I realized how fulfilling it is when things go smoothly, and when you have connections and relationships within your community, and a busy, but not too busy, schedule for things you enjoy doing. And when home really feels like...home.
Finally.
And then there was today (well, by now it's yesterday) - Moon participated in her very first horse show - a little local production put on by her instructor, under whose tutelage she has flourished. She walks, trots and canters (correction: she guides the horse to walk, trot and canter) without assistance, and her posting is coming along well. She's also remembering to keep her hands down, and she's doing much better "steering" the horse.
She was the youngest (by three years) and least experienced kid there today, but no matter, she still placed in each of the seven events in which she participated! She earned one 1st place, a 2nd place, four 3rds, and a 5th. Not too bad for a newbie! And despite the inexorable heat, we spent six hours there and got to meet a great group of kids and moms: nothing pretentious here - they were all encouraging and rooting for each other throughout the day. Moon got lots of compliments, with several of the parents saying she was a natural on the horse. Oh, and okay, they all also said she was awfully cute, too. :)
But the best part was how happy she was to be there, and how at ease she was with the horse, the other girls, the other horses, and the competition itself. Indeed, it really was a good day.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
"Insert Pictures Here"
Which is to say, I have no pictures to share.
Yet!
I mean, I did take over 600 pictures while we were in Virginia and DC, even though it rained five of the seven days we were there. Good on them, though - they've had drought problems in the last year, so I can't really begrudge the five inches of rain they received just during two of those rainy days. Frankly, it was a nice change of pace, even if it did put a damper (ha!) on our plans.
But you know what's strange? When we left here, the highs were in the mid-50s to mid-60s. With plenty of wind, of course, so it felt even cooler. And a mere week later, we return to high temps in the mid-to-upper 80s. And really, I can't help but wonder, where did Spring go?
Anyway, I am only wanted to say, quickly, that we're home and safe, and we had a nice time. Along the way, we visited several museums (all Smithsonians - the Natural History Museum, the Air and Space Museums [both the main museum in DC, and the Steven F. Udver-Hazy Museum in Chantilly, VA], and the Freer and Sackler Art Galleries), did a wee bit of shopping, and otherwise, relaxed and spent time with the family. By the end of the week, though, we were ready to be home again. There is just something about sleeping in your own bed, and taking a shower in your own bathroom, that makes things right with the world.
We have big plans for the weekend - a horse show for Moon, trenching our side yard to put in water sprinklers, and a host of minor (and at least one other major) projects to begin or complete. I hope you have a great weekend, too!
Yet!
I mean, I did take over 600 pictures while we were in Virginia and DC, even though it rained five of the seven days we were there. Good on them, though - they've had drought problems in the last year, so I can't really begrudge the five inches of rain they received just during two of those rainy days. Frankly, it was a nice change of pace, even if it did put a damper (ha!) on our plans.
But you know what's strange? When we left here, the highs were in the mid-50s to mid-60s. With plenty of wind, of course, so it felt even cooler. And a mere week later, we return to high temps in the mid-to-upper 80s. And really, I can't help but wonder, where did Spring go?
Anyway, I am only wanted to say, quickly, that we're home and safe, and we had a nice time. Along the way, we visited several museums (all Smithsonians - the Natural History Museum, the Air and Space Museums [both the main museum in DC, and the Steven F. Udver-Hazy Museum in Chantilly, VA], and the Freer and Sackler Art Galleries), did a wee bit of shopping, and otherwise, relaxed and spent time with the family. By the end of the week, though, we were ready to be home again. There is just something about sleeping in your own bed, and taking a shower in your own bathroom, that makes things right with the world.
We have big plans for the weekend - a horse show for Moon, trenching our side yard to put in water sprinklers, and a host of minor (and at least one other major) projects to begin or complete. I hope you have a great weekend, too!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
A Kitty Decision
Remember Otis, and his sister Willow?
Well, we went to meet them, and their three little kitty siblings, and fell in love...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
with Beau:
(Feel free to take a couple of moments to savor the cuteness.)
But not with his name. Everyone still likes the name Otis, so that's what we'll call him. Though I keep thinking I'll probably call him 'Beau-tis'. And let me tell you - it was a tough choice. But not between him and the real Otis - no, between Beau, and his brother Milo. Milo looks A LOT like Polo (and how 'bout the coolness in the name similarity, huh?), but Beau is a total bundle of mellow lovebugness, and that is exactly what won us over. He just hung out in our arms, while the other kitten spazzes ran all over the place. ;) Of course, because he's a kitten, I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up with an orange 'n purple suitcase, and spiked hair, and said, "Oh? That mellow part? That was just a ruse," but maybe he'll also still be a cuddlebug, too. And as for his sista, Willow? She was already adopted, leaving her four brothers in the dust.
I need to go sign paperwork with the humane society, which I'll do before we leave for vacation this week. Little kitty won't be ready for a few more weeks (he'll be neutered before he leaves the society), which gives us extra time to, uh, kitten-proof the house. I'm thinking this could be cool: Cat walk. For later, I mean.
And although I don't have a picture, we had our first rattlesnake in our yard today. It was a baby, and our Cinnamon was NOT going to stop barking until we knew about it. Of course, because Steve wasn't convinced it was a rattler, he let it go, but googling baby rattlesnake images made us realize (too late!) that was, indeed, one of the bad guys. And while I will happily trap and release most bugs and even spiders from my house, there'd be about no way I'd have let that snake outta my yard alive, if I'd known with certainty, what he was.
'Night!
Well, we went to meet them, and their three little kitty siblings, and fell in love...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
with Beau:
(Feel free to take a couple of moments to savor the cuteness.)
But not with his name. Everyone still likes the name Otis, so that's what we'll call him. Though I keep thinking I'll probably call him 'Beau-tis'. And let me tell you - it was a tough choice. But not between him and the real Otis - no, between Beau, and his brother Milo. Milo looks A LOT like Polo (and how 'bout the coolness in the name similarity, huh?), but Beau is a total bundle of mellow lovebugness, and that is exactly what won us over. He just hung out in our arms, while the other kitten spazzes ran all over the place. ;) Of course, because he's a kitten, I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up with an orange 'n purple suitcase, and spiked hair, and said, "Oh? That mellow part? That was just a ruse," but maybe he'll also still be a cuddlebug, too. And as for his sista, Willow? She was already adopted, leaving her four brothers in the dust.
I need to go sign paperwork with the humane society, which I'll do before we leave for vacation this week. Little kitty won't be ready for a few more weeks (he'll be neutered before he leaves the society), which gives us extra time to, uh, kitten-proof the house. I'm thinking this could be cool: Cat walk. For later, I mean.
And although I don't have a picture, we had our first rattlesnake in our yard today. It was a baby, and our Cinnamon was NOT going to stop barking until we knew about it. Of course, because Steve wasn't convinced it was a rattler, he let it go, but googling baby rattlesnake images made us realize (too late!) that was, indeed, one of the bad guys. And while I will happily trap and release most bugs and even spiders from my house, there'd be about no way I'd have let that snake outta my yard alive, if I'd known with certainty, what he was.
'Night!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Science Slowed Down - a video
Something for the kids and their parents - this video shows various mundane things, but in very slow motion, so you can see what's happening. Absolutely fascinating!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
