Early American History, Time Telling, Reading Progress

The boys and I have been reading about early American History and also watching a few movies, too. We've learned about the Native Americans, how they got named Indians, about Pocahontas, John Smith, Jamestown, Christopher Columbus, William Bradford, how Colonial children lived, and on and on. I feel like I'm learning history for the first time right along with them. I just don't remember much of this from my childhood, so it is exciting. We are considering taking a trip at the end of the semester to Williamsburg and Jamestown.

Caleb has been learning how to tell time in Math. As a special treat, we bought a real clock to hang on the wall in his and his brothers' room. We put a sheep sticker next to the 8 so that he has a better idea of when it is time to go to sleep and when to wake up. We have been hearing the older two say, "Oh, its past my sheep!"

Caleb has been moving along with his Explode the Code online game and has been working in his Spectrum reading workbook. Today, we gave each of the older three a Reading Rabbit computer game in each of their own levels. We discovered an author we really like, Mo Willems. Mo both writes and illustrates very funny books. It has caused Caleb's reading to take off. One other thing that has helped is that Caleb found a Transformers book that is beyond his current reading level, but he really wants to read it and so has been working hard to figure out the words. Lots of progress here!

Making Granola

The boys made crockpot granola today. Caleb figured out how to measure 5 cups of oats using a 2-cup measuring bowl.

Homemade Bingo!

I made four sets of Bingo cards to help cement what they are learning. The three year old plays along during the first level, the picture level, and then loses interest and goes off to play something else, leaving the older two to finish the game with the numbers, sight words, and phonics words.

Plans Coming Together for Next Year

I have been doing a lot of researching curriculum for the Fall. At this point, this is our plan:

• Family Time Bible in Pictures (I'm still searching out what will follow this)
• Math-U-See, again
• Considering God's Creation, for Science
• Our Nation Under God, for history
• A Reason for Handwriting
• Explode the Code, online version
• Typing With Timon and Pumbaa

I'm currently on the look out for a good time-line, from creation to present day, to hang up. When the boys are a little older, we'll probably do a time-line book.

I'm also interested in finding something for Geography, studying each state. I've been looking at Cantering the Country.

We have considered doing Piano Wizard, but haven't been able to find any reviews on it.

Probable schedule:

Each day we will do Bible, Math, Handwriting, and Reading.

Mondays-History

Tuesdays-Science

Wednesdays-Geography

Thursdays-Typing

Fridays-Music

New Supplies

What excitement for the boys yesterday. They woke up to their very own school supply bag with a new pair of scissors, a ruler, crayons, a glue stick, and the older two also had pencils, a sharpener, and a big eraser in their's. They used their supplies all day yesterday and today.

I tried to color coordinate each bag with the supplies and label everything I could to help keep the peace as well as clean up accountability.

New Reading Program

Caleb began the online version of Explode the Code yesterday. Already he is learning a lot and loves the reward system it has. This program allows the teacher, me, to easily track his progress.
He also got a new workbook, Jump Start 1st Grade Reading, which will help with both reading and writing.

Creation Museum

We spent a full day at the Creation Museum today.