Week Two in Review

Our second week in school was a full one! Max and Sam worked on the letter T this week. I bought these wood pieces from Handwriting without Tears and I love them. Each day before we practice writing our letters, the boys build them with these wood pieces. There are "big lines," "little lines," "big curves," and "little curves." A capital T, for instance, is a "big line down, big line across." I don't think I would have needed this for Chloe. but it's been really interesting to see how helpful it has been for the boys to be able to build them with their hands before they have to put their fine motor skills to work with a pencil. 

One series I discovered that I have loved is called "Adventures in Alphabet Town." There is a different book for each letter, and this week we read Turtle's Adventure in Alphabet Town. They're really sweet books - each animal lives in a house in the little town that is shaped like his or her letter, and they go on adventures that are very entertaining for my four year olds!

Chloe's history curriculum this year is called Story of the World, and we are loving it. Her first assignment was to interview a few members of her family to help piece together her own history. She chose Daddy and Pop. 

I love the hands-on teaching style of Story of the World. This assignment was really fun. Here she is interviewing Daddy about his childhood.

Results of her interview with Pop:

For science, we learned about habitats and conducted an experiment. Although the experiment in no way involved the need to measure things, Max never turns down an opportunity to use some sort of tool.

This is just a little side note, but yesterday the kids were enjoying some sunshine in the backyard while I was changing Charlie, and I peeked out the window of his nursery to check on them. Max was racing around the yard waving some shiny metal thing. I looked closer and realized it was one of Greg's four-foot-long saws. He was heading down the slide with it as I raced out and removed it from his sweaty little grip. Sigh. This kid is going to turn my head gray.

Our experiment was to set up a bucket with cold wet dirt and leaves and leave it somewhere turned over, to see what animals might make it their home within a few days. It was neat to check it and see worms and bugs - all animals whose habitats are dark, moist earth. The boys were disappointed not to find some toads in there, but I told them we'd try again in the Spring.

We took a midweek trip to the library for books and puppet shows...

...and we found some creepy crawlies heading toward our habitat!

We were blessed to head to Ohio to visit our sweet friends the Navarres during the week too. They moved last year but every so often we meet halfway between our houses for fast food, fun & fellowship. Sara was one of my first homeschooling friends and I am so grateful that we have stayed in touch. It is not uncommon for one of us to text the other with an urgent message such as "Please pray for me right now! My kids are completely frustrating me and I am hiding in my closet trying to calm down before we start math. Ok, thanks, call ya later."

 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
   and the pleasantness of a friend
   springs from their heartfelt advice. 

Proverbs 27:9