Friday, August 28, 2009

Day 4
Well, lol ;) the pots did not turn out like we'd hoped.  As I learned from others in the MFW group online, they just don't stand!  I was hoping ours would be better, but..they weren't!!  So the kids played with the clay and instead made something else.  If I'm able to get batteries for my camera this weekend, I will get a pic to put up.  They ended up with 'snowmen', which turned out quite good.  Nothing to do with what we're studying, but in this heat who wouldn't want snow??? ;)


To top things off, Rachel was up at 4am today, and I woke up at 2am myself.  Neither of us could get back to sleep!  When I finally started getting things together to do school, Rachel fell asleep in front of the television.  So now it's just Gracie and I. :)


We're doing the usual, reading from the Chronological Bible,  Children's Everyday Bible. 

I also found some new sites online.  I found a site for an online math text from the late 1800's.  In one book it goes from counting, how many eyes do you have all the way up to division!!  It only shows how 'dumbed down' American education has become.  So I plan to start Gracie off on that, and have Rachel sit in as it will quickly catch up to her!  It is mostly oral, but I have a free online workbook to use for practice.   There are two links.  They are almost the same book, but one has more oral, so I use them both.  I started off Gracie on the first lesson today, which was all oral and even tried to include Colette in 'where are you hands?' 'How many hands are there?'  Colette enjoyed holding out her hands and feet and Gracie decided on an answer.  It starts off easy, but progresses quite fast.  Time for the kids to memorize those facts!!!  
:( we've been slacking in that area... 
1.
http://www.archive.org/stream/anelementaryari10wentgoog


2.
http://www.archive.org/stream/newelementaryar00wentgoog



Keeping this in mind, I went to find an online reader for Gracie.  She has been doing very well in reading, so fast may be good for her. I came across this book.  It has nice pictures, which I know she'll enjoy!!


http://www.archive.org/stream/firstprimaryrea01hillgoog#page/n13/mode/1up

We read the first portion (which she had no problems with) and went right onto the next one.  The next story has the silent 'e', something she is working on.  She has the concept down, as she has seen the 'Leap' movies, but hasn't really put them into practice yet.  So we'll see!

At this point Rachel was still asleep, so I had Gracie and Colette lay down as I read, Leonardo and the Flying Boy, by-Laurence Anholt.  A wonderful story about Leonardo and his two real-life apprentice'.  Very interesting!! 
I also read, Garden Wigglers, by-Nancy Loewen.  Cute, and nice pictures!  Of course, they both fell asleep, lol;)

The clay is still in the oven, we didn't leave it on all night, and since I have to work tonight we will probably paint in the morning.  Once Rachel awakes I will have her work on finishing up The Emporerors New Clothes.
Happy Homeschooling!