May 1, 2011

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: Frogs and Princesses

.In my life this week…
(caution: whining ahead.) I'm getting more and more frustrated with the chronic pain which is now in BOTH feet due to "plantar fasciitis". It is really affecting my lifestyle and I am praying for healing. I broke down and began wearing the "splint" (medical word for "open-air ski boot") that I am supposed to be able to SLEEP IN, being forced to choose between its supposed therapy and getting rest. Hard to effectively school with your eyes closed. :-P
History class: The Royal Wedding

On the OTHER HAND, I really got a kick out of watching Kate and Wills' wedding! I got up before dawn thirty years ago to watch Di and Chuck tie the knot the same summer as I did, so how could I refuse to do it again?
Mei wanted to be a part of it too and I figured, after spending three years reading British history from
An Island Story, how could I ignore the fact that this too was educational? 

(She really preferred the horses.)


In our homeschool this week…
 It seems to be the "hurrier I go, the behinder I get." I spent hours two weeks ago completely revamping our schedule to make up for time that somehow slipped between the cracks this winter. I wasn't going to allow for more than Good Friday off, but Mei's P.S. friend needed watching during a family crisis so of course I said "yes." It cut into another day, but it ended up a real blessing even for "education" (see "my favorite thing this week.")


Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
Theatreworks USA on Monday to see "We the People", a musical lesson in civics and government! If you've ever considered a Theatreworks production, GO! They are worth it!


My favorite thing this week was…
Our spontaneous one-day frog unit! On Monday, I got the call from our neighbor making good on the promise to alert us when there were tadpoles in his pool. Perfect! Mei had her friend over who loves that kind of thing! We grabbed nets and buckets and collected a few dozen in no time (let most go into a pond later.) To enhance the activity (and get a little school in), I found a Frog Lapbook on Homeschoolshare.com . I chose just enough to get done in one day and it kept the girls busy for hours. The friend's dad was so impressed he asked if he could send her to our school every day! :-) (Sure, for a fee?)


What’s working/not working for us…
A look inside the Plague. Eww!
 Lapbooks are working! My "reluctant writer" (which may just be a euphemism for "lazy")  has finished her lapbook on "The Plague". Now she can demonstrate knowledge without too many hand cramps and I have something else to show for our efforts at the end-of-school Closing Program and review. We all learned a lot too, even if it gave us nightmares...


Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…
What to add to our curricula for next year.   Ambleside Online and Charlotte Mason would have foreign language added around Year 4, but I have this "reluctant writer/learner" who does not beg for more work. (Oh, well. Who does?) Torn between: French, which I speak; Spanish, which will be more and more useful in the States the way our country's demographics are headed;  and Latin, which is the root of both and a boost to English vocab. (A friend gave me her Latin for Children, Primer A Teacher guide and CD's. All I need is the Student Text. That is swaying me.)
I welcome your thoughts.



A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
/Frog Lapbook slideshow /

Plague Lapbook slideshow 

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The Homeschool Mother's Journal


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