As for now, I am working extra to get some Christmas money, so I am a little more tired than usual. But there have been some interesting changes/realizations going on as well.
Rachel and Gracie have both found a pen pal, a set of sisters, that love to write back. Gracie is not too much interested in writing herself, but her pen pal doesn't seem to mind her short letters. They also exchange stickers/pencils and other neat things.
Colette has even found herself a pen pal! Feeling left out at her sisters getting pen pals, we found a 3yo little boy that felt the same way. They exchange stickers and the last letter she received she got a bookmark as well. There are short letters, also included, that us parents write;)
Our days have gotten more relaxed, yet we find the kids are still learning/retaining what was taught a day or so earlier, so haven't really been going traditional at all.
We found "Always Ice cream"
This is a great site for girls where they play educational games to earn scoops to play a lot of fun, entertaining games. My kids love this!
Rachel has gotten up to level 32, Gracie I believe is around the upper 20's in the geography of the states. All having fun, accidentally learning. Wow!!
I finally broke down and got the paid version for Colette. Colette loves studying her 'preschool', and although we don't do anything formal, this is really all she needs!
Colette loves it and has learned quite a few letters and numbers.
I am also using words from their letters and grocery lists that they've misspelled and putting them on Spelling City.
Once you sign on, you make a list. You can change this as often as you would like.
Your child will have the option of taking a test, 'Teach Me' which will introduce the words to your child, or fun, educational games to help them learn the new words. The site will even test them for you!
Here is a game mine both enjoy
www.spellingcity.com
Worried about the meanings? They have games for those as well.
I also pull words from the McGuffey Speller, Grade 2. (It starts out easy, so there is great review, but by the end of the year the words are more grade 5, than 2!) So, needless to say, I skip a few words for Rachel.
We are still reading 'Little House in the Big Woods', but our plans to use any kind of guide have pretty much 'blown up';) We do very well on our own and decided to just read together as a group. We do activities as they come up. Gracie does her best, and I even get a turn to read.
We are also following the the reading list for Ambleside Curriculum, although not following their reading schedule. It sounded a little too hectic, how many hours of reading can one do in one day?? Two stories is enough! But the reading is challenging, so we decided to give it a try and read it together, taking turns so it doesn't seem like too much. We started at Year 1, because even at that level, they have Little House in the Big Woods..which is grade 3 in regular schools! (for them it's considered grade 1). I have limited the stories, and the kids seem to enjoy the time spent together.
http://www.amblesideonline.org/01sch.shtml
I will keep you up on what books we are reading.
Happy Homeschooling!
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