"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

Saturday, October 6, 2012

MFW 2nd Grade - Week #6

BIBLE:   Our new memory verse is John 6:35 - 'I am the Bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'

Scriptures read:  Exodus 16:2-4, 13-16; John 6:5-13; and John 6:26-35.

We added another picture to our Names of Jesus poster - 'Jesus the Bread of Life.'

SPELLING:   The usual this week with spelling.  Only Johnny had me add in some homework for Caleb.  He had to write his spelling words three times a couple of times this week.

ENGLISH:   A neat lesson this week for English was memorizing a poem.  This isn't something that will happen overnight, but I am really excited at the progress Caleb is making.  There are 4 short paragraphs and he has the first one memorized.

Dictation activity did not go over well this week.  We've not done a lot of this were Caleb has to just write on his own.  It was like he went into shut-down mode.  But, it's not unusual for him to get that way when it's the first time we do something.  It will get better.  I kept the sentences very easy this time around and we'll work on longer and harder one's as the year progresses.

HISTORY:  More readings from our American Pioneers and Patriots book.  This weeks reading is focusing on the pioneers that came over from Holland and settled in New Amsterdam, which is now called New York.  Very fun reading and so interesting!  This one is about a little boy named Peter and his cow Trinka.  ;)

Activity:   We made BUTTER!  What fun!!  You start with a jar of some sort and heavy whipping cream.


Fill the jar half way, or less.  We went about half way.

Put on the lid.

Then shake it.....

And shake it....

And shake it.....until Caleb gets tired and I take over.

I was grateful we used a small jar.  We shook our jar for a total of 10 minutes and finally ended up with butter.  We put it on crackers and Caleb actually ate two of them!

History Read-a-Loud:  We have a new chapter book we are reading this week, 'The Courage of Sarah Noble' by Alice Dalgliesh.  So far it is a very sweet story.  This one is about a girl, so Caleb isn't so gung-ho as he was reading Squanto.  But, he is enjoying it.

MUSIC:  More listening to the song 'America.'

SCIENCE:  This week we did a couple of experiments with yeast.  Caleb learned that sugar is essential to yeast being able to create carbon dioxide.

Activity #1:

Glass bottle, yeast, sugar and balloon.  I must admit I repeatedly forgot to purchase a glass bottle at the store.  I didn't really have anything at home with a long neck.  So, the day we are to do this experiment I am saying, "uh-oh."  Well, we fixed the problem.  We drove a mile or so from the house and yes, we found a bottle on the side of the road.  Gross?  Definitely.  I picked it up with wet-wipes.  But, that is what hot, soapy water is for and it wasn't like we wanted to drink out of it. 



He mixed yeast and sugar, together in some warm water.

Poured it into the bottle.

And attached the balloon on top.

Set the yeast bottle in a warm, dry place.

And the balloon grew........

And over the course of an hour it grew this large.....

Then quickly fizzled out...

Activity #2:   Same process but Caleb was to use salt instead of sugar.



Sadly, we (I) forgot to take a picture at the one hour mark.  But, take my word for it.  As floppy as the balloon looks in this picture was how it looked an hour later.  The salt did nothing for the yeast and no carbon dioxide was made.

MATH:  This week we're working on the addition and subtraction facts.  Caleb can do them and has been doing them, but the new concept Singapore Math wants us to learn is a bit, well.....on the confusing side.  We decided to stop and work on our facts for a bit to get them more concrete in his mind.  We're doing various activities to reinforce them.  Part of that was Johnny's idea to have Caleb write them out a couple of times this week.  For example, all the 1+'s and 2+'s, etc.  all the way through 9+'s....

READING:

Somehow this week got away from me and we didn't do much library book reading.  Looking back, I can't even really understand why except that we read a lot during school and didn't make time for it.   I have to do so much talking that some days my voice starts getting tired by the end of school.  Next week will be a better week in regards to this, because this is SO important.  No excuse is a good excuse when it comes to making time to read.

Super Swimmers, Caroline Arnold
The Rough-Face Girl, Rafe Martin
On the Mayflower, Kate Waters

Another very full and successful week in MFW!

Educating in Christ,

Pam








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