BIBLE: This week we continued memorizing and talking about Matthew 1:23. We read scriptures in Exodus 3:11-12, Joshua 1:1-9, Matthew 28:16-20, and Hebrews 13:5.
Bible Activities: The only bible activity this week was to make a cake and decorate it using icing to spell out "Immanuel" on it. Given the fact we are trying to be more healthy at our house the idea of an entire cake laying around is just not a good one. So, we'll just rest on the fact we talked a lot about God always being with us this week, and call it good.
SPELLING: Another week of spelling over and done with. This week we used a different approach in writing spelling words. Just writing them on paper gets a little boring. So, here's a picture to show what we tried new. Caleb loved that I changed things up a bit. :)
ENGLISH: Caleb had some copy work in English this week along with answering questions. He does well when he allows himself to enjoy it.
HISTORY/STATE STUDY: We only covered one state this week and that was Kentucky. If anyone is interested in what the state sheets look like, well, here they are:
The assigned sheet from MFW. Caleb colors while I read tidbits from a page telling all sorts of interesting facts about the state.
For extra learning, we do these pages also. Caleb does all the cutting and I glue them down. Then I have him write in the blanks. This one for Kentucky isn't completely finished yet. When he has a lot of writing in other subjects, I let him carry this over to another day where we may not have as much writing.
SCIENCE: Our discussion and projects in science had to do with the weather. First we tried to make a rainbow on a sheet of paper using water, the sun, and a small mirror. We were not very successful with this, so Caleb opted to reinvent the day he made a rainbow in the goldfish pond.
Success!
Success!
Then we made a weather vane:
It didn't work exactly as we wanted it to, but I think that had to do with the size of knitting needle I used, which was the ONLY one I have. Ha!! It wasn't quite thick enough and so the empty thread spool sat crooked. It's okay though. He did get to see the wind whip it around some, as it was a very windy day.
HEALTH/MANNERS: Our health lesson involved "Getting Enough Rest." I read a half page discussion regarding the importance of getting enough rest and then Caleb was required to answer some review questions. He did really well. I thought it was interesting how well he understood the concept of needing enough rest for our bodies to be healthy. Then again, we're having a lot of healthy talk around here lately, so I shouldn't be very surprised.
Read-a-Loud: We are still at in, moving through Farmer Boy. Here's a picture of it in case you were thinking I was making it up. Ha! It's a thick book. By the time I read a chapter, we're ready to move onto other just-for-fun books. This one is FULL of history and interesting facts all to do with a little boys' life on the farm. I've not shared with Caleb that I am getting tired of reading this book because then HE will be tired of it. It's a required read, so we'll get it finished. I will admit though that this weeks readings were quite interesting. The story itself is very good. It's just all the details. It describes every move, every step of a specific project. But, I know, THAT is why MFW chose it -- for all those details. Even I am learning from them. Did I know that people cut ice back in those days from the pond or lake, and saved it up by covering it a shed with sawdust a certain way so that they would have ice in the ice house all summer? No. I didn't. That is just an example of the wonderful details this book covers.
Book Baskets Reads:
The Inside-Outside Book of New York City, Roxie Munro
Cardinals, Patrick Merrick
Big Little Elephant, Valeri Gorbachev
Soap! Soap! Don't Forget the Soap - An Appalachian Folktale, Tom Birdseye
Little Chick, Amy Hest
Kiss Good Night, Amy Hest
The Dog Who Belonged to No One, amy Hest
The Boy Who Cried Wolf, B.G. Hennessy
Sleepy Places, Judy Hindley
Ox-Cart Man, Donald Hall
Jangles A Big Fish Story, David Shannon
The Ox-Cart Man was probably my favorite read of those we've had in a while. It talked a lot about the things we've been learning about this year. While reading it Caleb said, "Mom! That's just like Almanzo!" Almanzo is the little boy in Farmer Boy. It was wonderful to see that Caleb remembered and could relate it to a completely different book.
On our 2nd to last day we did our reading outside on the picnic table.
On our last day of this week, we read Farmer Boy while out for our daily walk. It was interesting with me trying to read while huffing and puffing, but I know Caleb loved it. If he road his bike too far away he'd say, "wait, I'm too far, I can't hear you." So, then I'd have about 20 seconds to catch my breath.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION: I've never really posted this as a separate category or made much note of it, but I do believe it's very important. So, as we have things to post, I'll add a little bit of something here.
We're trying to be more healthy at our house and have regular discussion on food and fitness. These past few weeks Caleb has ridden his bike many miles. I wish it had an odometer on it, because I think we would all be impressed with the number of miles he puts on it. In addition to his random bike rides just playing outside, he also rides his bike every day while I walk. We take a walk to the dead end and back, which is about 1 mile. If we're up to it, we go past the house in the other direction for a bit and then come back. We try to walk every day, but we also do several exercises every other day. These usually make me HURT all over, so we only do them every other day. When we started we took a benchmark test, so it will be interesting to see how well we do at our next benchmark test when we've been at this for a while. That test is supposed to be at the 1 month mark.
MISCELLANEOUS: One little project we had this morning was to put all of next years school supplies neatly on a shelf. They've been sitting in a box in the corner of his bedroom, but now they are proudly placed on a shelf. Lots of book, lots of learning that will be continued when Caleb moves onto 3rd grade.
This week we also had some fun with gardening. It's been too windy and cold yet to put the plants we bought in the ground for our family garden, but Caleb helped me plant some herbs in a pot on the back porch. Every spring I try to plant herbs, but due to weather and/or neglect they've never survived. My personal goal is to get these guys thriving so they are a useful tool in my kitchen!
Caleb was very proud of our herb garden and two days later insisted that we'd done such a good job they had grown. What you can't see in this picture is a hanging plant of strawberries overhead. I placed them this way so that when I water the strawberries, the excess will flow into the herb garden. Less water waste. We had one strawberry in our basket the other day and so Caleb and I shared it. He was SO excited he could barely stand it. I know he will LOVE the fruit of that labor. :)
In closing:
This was a rough week. As I mentioned earlier, Caleb has been feeling somewhat discouraged. I tried to talk to him and had dad talk to him. But, I think, at the age of 7, we can't always understand why we feel the way we feel. If I had to guess, we're just having the middle of the year meltdown where the things in our curriculum aren't new anymore and some of them are getting a little harder. So, some prayers for Caleb would be awesome. And I guess I could use some too as I try to guide my precious little boy through this rough patch he's having....We ended our week on a better note. He said this morning....Mom, I'm gonna do better today. And he did.
Educating in Christ,
Momma Pam
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