Weekly Report: It's been a while...

The title should say 2 week report, but that just wouldn't be the same now would it... *Ü*

We have been pretty busy around here (nothing unusual, seems like we are always busy). Here is a re-cap of the past 2 weeks:

Jessica:

Can I tell you all how much I LOVE Lightning Literature 7? I just LOVE IT! She is really enjoying reading these wonderful books, short stories, and poems. We (yes, even me) learned how to analyze a poem as well. When I first saw the activity page I was so lost, but when I began to read the teacher manual, it all feel into place easily. They really laid it out nicely with examples so I was able to explain it easily to Jessica so she would be able to understand it.

She is enjoying her Home2Teach class and is working on a narrative report on someones life. 3 more weeks and her report will be completed.

Timmy:

My favorite subject for Timmy is writing. We use Writing Tales and really enjoy it. Both Timmy and I enjoy this. Here is a creative writing activity he did recently based on the fable Androcles:

Bob
One day a scuba diver named Bob was out scuba diving and he saw a whale shark. Afraid of the shark he started to swim back to the shore. Surprised that the shark did not chase him, he swam back to the shark. The shark showed Bob his back fin. Bob saw that there was a big cut on sharks back fin making it unable far the shark to swim. Bob took the shark to the shark doctor. The doctor bandaged up the cut and the shark’s fin healed in two weeks. From that time on the shark guarded Bob from sea monsters while he swam in the sea.

In Art class he has been doing using water colors along with other mediums to create these wonderful paintings. The top one is one where we used water color paintings and created the effect of depth by creating an horizon line and adding color in a certain way. The bottom one is where they used different effects of water colors (blotting, running, splashing, etc) and then they added details to the pictures making a Magical Circus painting. Timmy's is of a clown that is juggling some planets. Above the clown's head is an exploding cake... Oh boys...

Timmy's Teaching Textbook 6 has arrived. It looks really nice. He wants to get started right now, but we need to finish up his other book first.

He has been reading lots of Tin Tin and Nate the Great books. He didn't really start reading independently until 4th grade. He was a slow reader and I didn't push the issue of reading. If I did, he cried. He now reads a ton! He loves reading! Timmy and his dad read together almost every night and Timmy enjoy this time with his father.

Holly:

In Art class the kids have been creating clay family plaques for the past 2 weeks. Here is her finished project (Dad, Mom, Holly, and her cat):

At her art class she also worked on a Sea Horse project. It tured out lovely!


I asked her what she enjoyed doing in school over the last 2 weeks and she said, "A little math". I think that translates into her only enjoying a little aspects of what she does with math. She is still struggling with division, so this is still her least favorite subject to do.

Jake:

In Art class, Jake did the same thing as Holly. Here is his finished project (Daddy and Me):


I asked Jake what he has enjoyed about school lately and he said, "I LOVE math!" and hopped away... That about sums it up for Jake.

ME:

In my co-op class there are times I want to do the project too, but I am busy with helping the kids that I wouldn't be able to do the project. So I went to a friends house (she also happens to be may facilitator in my art class), last week and we did one of the Atelier Project together, just us mom's. Below are the 2 pictures I did using water color crayons. They are inspired by the artist Georgia O'Keeffe.


I am also busy coming up with co-op class idea's for the fall. I have been having so much fun coming up with class idea's. I think I will teach a All American History Class Vol 1. Not sure on the grade level yet as it will depend on what is needed at the co-op. I have LOTS of other idea's too (I always do each year), but I need to narrow it down to 2.

Zoology:

I am really enjoying this class (Zoology 1). I am (and so are the kids) learning so much about birds. For example, I love breast meat... I never knew it was one of the muscles they used for flying. There has been so many other GREAT things we have learned in this class.

The kids have been doing bird notebooking pages, lapbooking, playing a game called Quizzical (a review card game using a tri fold board), taking quizzes, and doing fun experiments.



EXTRA:

We went on a nature walk to a Bonsai Garden with the folks from Sticks and Stones. I will post highlights of this trip in our long overdue Green Hour Report 8/9.

For our Russia study we watched a video from Reading Rainbow that shared the book: Rechenka's Eggs . Oh my I loved this video! It touched on so many aspects of Russia. It brought a lot that we have learned about to life. I followed up this video by doing (still working on it) a lapbook based on the book, Rechenka's Eggs, with Holly and Jake. We will share once we are done with it.

I didn't get to our art appreciation studies like I wanted too. I wanted to finish up our Russia study as well. We only have 2 more days on our Russia Study and they we will be done. Except for doing the lapbook I created for our study. Then we will be learning about China.

Here are some extra pictures I took throughout the past 2 weeks:

Remember to check out our Green Hour Challenge Weeks 8/9 as well. This is a recap of our nature studies.