The rain -- and more rain -- has kept us indoors most of the week, but last Sunday was gorgeous, and we started the week with an unexpected nature study of a strange creature we identified as a tussock moth caterpillar. (See it here.)
We're trying to be more intentional about studying the Bible. Lindsey and I haven't quite worked out the best way to help her make this a habit yet, but we're working on it. Kathryn is using Studying God's Word Book D, and she has been reading The Child's Story Bible on her own. We read it together in her kindergarten year, and both loved it; I learned quite a bit from it myself! It was Kathryn's idea to begin re-reading it, and I think it helps her see the Bible as all inter-related more easily than reading a verse here or there in her "regular" Bible.
This week in "Children Around the World," we visited Northern Europe: we saw the Alps in Switzerland (it's easy to find great photos online) and enjoyed some Swiss chocolate (Lindt = yum!); we took a sight-seeing tour of Norway (here); and we toured a tulip garden in the Netherlands, which reminded us of the gorgeous tulips we saw when we visited Biltmore Estate in the spring (Yes, of course I included a tulip photo in that post!).
Kathryn is enjoying reading Mandy, by Julie Andrews, and eagerly anticipates however many chapters I tell her she's allowed for the day. I love having such excitement about good books!
In math, Kathryn is still doing great about finishing a lesson each day in Horizons 3. She's been learning to calculate perimeter and area, had been doing more with division, fractions, and multiplication, doing more word problems, and continuing to review other skills.
For handwriting this week, Kathryn finished up her thank-you notes for birthday gifts she received. For current events, she read in GWN: News Current about modern farms in the United States, and about some of the many challenges they face. Though I don't require Lindsey to read this (yet!), she did pick it up this week and read much of it, too.
Lindsey is still hanging in there with her classes, though she still does NOT love school. We were very proud that she worked hard on an English essay on themes in The Call of the Wild, using MLA formatting. She didn't procrastinate about doing it, and earned a very good grade on it! Way to go, Lindsey!
Lots of online stuff for Lindsey: Her new Spanish teacher has set up a website where they practice vocabulary and take quizzes. Not sure how well I like it, but the concept is great. Her American History teacher has a class blog where he posts something, and the students must all go comment on it for part of a class participation grade. Another neat concept.
Lindsey and Ken have started a new daily photo challenge to improve their photography and learn more about their cameras. They must read a page in their camera manuals each day (Lindsey is using my D40, since I've upgraded), and take a photo every day, then do a blog post about it. I'm sure Lindsey would love for you to visit her blog and see how she's doing with it so far. :)
This week in "Children Around the World," we visited Northern Europe: we saw the Alps in Switzerland (it's easy to find great photos online) and enjoyed some Swiss chocolate (Lindt = yum!); we took a sight-seeing tour of Norway (here); and we toured a tulip garden in the Netherlands, which reminded us of the gorgeous tulips we saw when we visited Biltmore Estate in the spring (Yes, of course I included a tulip photo in that post!).
Kathryn is enjoying reading Mandy, by Julie Andrews, and eagerly anticipates however many chapters I tell her she's allowed for the day. I love having such excitement about good books!
In math, Kathryn is still doing great about finishing a lesson each day in Horizons 3. She's been learning to calculate perimeter and area, had been doing more with division, fractions, and multiplication, doing more word problems, and continuing to review other skills.
For handwriting this week, Kathryn finished up her thank-you notes for birthday gifts she received. For current events, she read in GWN: News Current about modern farms in the United States, and about some of the many challenges they face. Though I don't require Lindsey to read this (yet!), she did pick it up this week and read much of it, too.
Lindsey is still hanging in there with her classes, though she still does NOT love school. We were very proud that she worked hard on an English essay on themes in The Call of the Wild, using MLA formatting. She didn't procrastinate about doing it, and earned a very good grade on it! Way to go, Lindsey!
Lots of online stuff for Lindsey: Her new Spanish teacher has set up a website where they practice vocabulary and take quizzes. Not sure how well I like it, but the concept is great. Her American History teacher has a class blog where he posts something, and the students must all go comment on it for part of a class participation grade. Another neat concept.
Lindsey and Ken have started a new daily photo challenge to improve their photography and learn more about their cameras. They must read a page in their camera manuals each day (Lindsey is using my D40, since I've upgraded), and take a photo every day, then do a blog post about it. I'm sure Lindsey would love for you to visit her blog and see how she's doing with it so far. :)
