Week in Review {Week 1}

We're back! This week we started our new school year with a 3rd grader and a kindergartner. We're starting earlier this year than we have in the past. In the middle of the last school year, I rearranged our school calendar to be 6 weeks on, 1 week off (with a longer break at Christmas), and we also switched from a 5-day to a 4-day week. It was the best thing I've done and so I studied the calendar and got the schedule worked out for the next couple of years and it works perfectly if we start school at the end of July. It did sneak up on me and I wasn't fully prepared, but we went ahead and started anyway.

Third Grade

Bridget had a rough start to the week. She is not used to having to share me during school, but because George is only in kindergarten, his lessons are not done independently like hers can be. We are working with her on being patient, taking turns, and finding something constructive to do while waiting for help (such as moving on to a subject she can do by herself). 

Bridget is studying chemistry this year and this week she learned about atoms. She built a simple model of an atom, complete with protons, neutrons, and electrons. She had fun with the lesson even though parts of it were challenging for her to understand. Learning chemistry is different from learning about animals and volcanoes. 

She is also learning Latin this year and has been using her new words outside of school. Daddy hasn't a clue what she's saying and Bridget said that she and I now have a secret language to communicate in. She is so excited to finally be learning a new language (she's wanted to do this since kindergarten). 

We're also working on world geography this year. It is slow moving because I am making the lessons myself. This week, Bridget is learning about Afghanistan. Tomorrow night for dinner, she'll prepare a meal from the country. 

Kindergarten

I took a lot of pictures of George this week, as it is his very first week of kindergarten. He was all smiles with each lesson and proud of anything he finished. 

This week, George learned about Delaware. I made some worksheets for him and bought flag stickers and star stickers to mark the states capital. He did a little bit of the state each day and will be making a peach pie tomorrow afternoon for dessert (Delaware loves their peach pie!). 

For science, George is also studying chemistry (but only for six weeks). His unit starts with learning about solids and liquids. 

History is another fun subject for George because we get to snuggle on the couch and read books from the library and do fun crafts. He is learning about the Native Americans and will be working on a wampum belt for the next few weeks. Here are our "wampum" beads as we were letting the paint dry. 

Preschool

Admittedly, I didn't do anything special for Liam this week. Once we get a schedule running smoothly for the older two, then I'll know when I have some free time to sit with him and do something fun. Even though he had no structure this week, he did color some of the same things George colored and built houses with the math manipulatives. I also let him sleep in every day and on this particular day, he slept until 9 o'clock! He marched into the school room all bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to sit alongside big brother. 

Final Note

In May, we bought these desks from IKEA that have magnetic whiteboards attached to the backs of the desks. I thought maybe I'd buy the kids some magnets for them to put their artwork on display. However, the night before the first day of school, I thought that perhaps a checklist would be the best use of the whiteboards. The kids love it! They're able to easily see what needs to be done and check off what they've completed. I also started putting an asterisk next to each subject on Bridget's list that she can do independently. This has worked well in keeping her on task and from interrupting George's lessons. 

 

 Linking Up With:

3rd Grade Curriculum | 2017-2018 School Year

The new school year is upon us and we are eager to get started. My oldest will soon be turning eight and will be starting the 3rd grade. These are the curriculum selections I have made.

Language Arts

Bridget knows by now what is expected of her in these subjects and they have become much easier and she is able to do a lot of it independently or with very little help.

Spelling

We are continuing with Spelling Workout. Their format is easy and fun and with my additional pre-test and test worksheets, I am able to determine if she is truly learning the material. For third grade, she will begin Spelling Workout Level C.

Grammar

We'll be using Writing With Ease Level 3 for grammar and starting this year, Bridget has a workbook to go along with her lessons. It adds a little more busy-work to her day, but it is necessary. In her Writing With Ease Level 3 Workbook, she'll be working on sentence diagrams. This grammar program has done well for her and we plan to continue on with it.

Reading

Bridget has done well this past year with reading, overcoming a major obstacle of getting glasses to correct an astigmatism and re-learning how to read now that her vision is no longer distorted. She is just barely beginning to read short chapter books, and she does well with reading her scriptures. I will continue to have her read these aloud to me, and to also read any Classic Starts books and chapter books from the library that I feel appropriate for what we're studying.

Writing

We will be continuing on with this program and working on narration and dictation exercises. She will be working through Writing With Ease Level 3 this year. The curriculum is based on a 4-day week, and everything is planned for each day. It takes all of the planning work away from me, which is a bonus. 

Handwriting

Bridget learned to write cursive in the latter half of second grade, and this next book by Zaner-Bloser will continue with that.

Mathematics

We love Math-U-See! Bridget is moving right along and will begin using their Math-U-See Gamma level. In this level, she will learn beginning multiplication. When did my little girl old enough to start learning her multiplication tables?!?

History

We are continuing with The Story of the World Volume 3: Early Modern Times. It begins with the Protestant rebellion and the early American colonies and will finish up with the abolition of slavery and the California gold rush, all while learning about the other parts of the world and what they were doing in this time frame.

Geography

I am doing something completely new with geography this year. Bridget is eager to learn about the people, food and customs of other countries and so I am putting together a small unit study for each country, customized to what she's interested in plus a little more. We'll spend the first three days learning about the country and on the fourth day we'll prepare a dish (or a meal) from that country.

Science

Bridget is excited to be studying chemistry this year. We really like Elemental Science's curriculum and will be using Chemistry for the Grammar Stage. She'll start off learning about atoms, molecules, the periodic table of elements, physical changes, chemical changes, and organic chemistry.

Latin

Latin is a new subject for us. It took a long time to find a curriculum that I thought my children would enjoy and I think Bridget will have fun with Song School Latin by Classical Academic Press. After watching their first lesson on YouTube, I felt as if I had learned something new. It also looks like something the boys will enjoy watching along with big sister.

Husband Project: Backyard Shed

My husband has been busy working on a shed for the backyard. It took him all month to build it, as he also has an 8-5 job. His Fridays and Saturdays were kept busy, and he did manage to take a couple of afternoons off throughout the last few weeks when the weather was nice. He's quite handy, and being an accountant, he is always finding ways to save money, which is why he opted to build the shed himself rather than pay someone else to do it.

The entire cost of the shed, from foundation to shingles, was only $2000!! 

I think it turned out great---what do you think?

My husband decided on a concrete foundation, and we were grateful to have two men from church to help him pour the concrete. They started at about 6 p.m. after they had gotten off work and worked well into the night. The very next morning, my husband went out to inspect the slab in the daylight and discovered that a deer had walked across the slab. Fortunately, the concrete was not fully dry and my husband was able to smooth it out. Although we live in a neighborhood, we still have wildlife roaming around. We've noticed many deer tracks in our yard (and nibbles in our garden). I only hope that they haven't dropped any ticks along the way.

The children had a blast with the construction project. Liam got his black rubber boots on and put himself right to work. The slab was dry by this time, but that didn't stop him! He seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

I neglected to get very many pictures of the full construction of the shed. The children each had a turn climbing the ladder during framing. My husband built all of the roof trusses in our garage (having gained the experience from a construction job he had while in college) and my dad came over to help him put them on.

My dad also returned to help enclose the top of the shed. It was nice to see my dad back in his element. He has been building houses since childhood, and made a career in custom cabinetry while also assisting his older brother with building houses. After retiring and moving here to be closer to his grandchildren, it has been awhile since I've seen him build anything. It was also nice to see my dad and my husband working side by side.

This is the only picture I got of the enclosed shed before vinyl siding. I was intending to take a picture of Liam playing in the dirt. This mound of dirt is another project we have going on. It wasn't supposed to be delivered for weeks, but one day the delivery truck arrived and I couldn't tell him to come back in a month. So... we have dirt. It's the next project on the list.

After framing, my husband and dad put on the asphalt shingles, then my husband put on the vinyl siding. Our HOA is very particular about sheds and they want them to match the house exactly (even though most sheds in the neighborhood do not). Being a good rule follower, my husband purchased the exact shingles and vinyl siding that was used for our house.

He also purchased the doors (shown above) from Habitat for Humanity. They looked rough when he brought them home, but he sanded and painted them, and they're just like new again!

My husband asked if I wanted the shed to have a window, and I said yes so he purchased this one, complete with shingles and a flower box. Isn't he thoughtful? It almost makes me want to move right in.

We are so very happy that the project is complete!

George especially made some fond memories working with his daddy. It is a good feeling to build something just how you want it, and to pay for it with your own money. George may only be five, but it's never too early to teach children that hard work pays off!