Wordless Wednesday

To see more Wordless Wednesday's, visit The Well-Trained Mind Parents Forum K-8. Do a search for Wordless Wednesday.

Weekly Report: Week 16

16 Down, 20 More to Go!

Wow, what a busy 2 weeks we have had. I am not counting the past 2 weeks as a full 2 weeks, because each week there was 1 day, each week, when school wasn't accomplished (Dr. Appt., physical Therapy, etc.) Therefore, this week is WEEK 16, loaded with lots of pictures to share with you.

We are LOVING our Russia study! We are closer and closer to wrapping it up. Over the past 2 weeks, we made a Mammoth Diorama, read about Peter the Great, read some folk tales from Russia, & read about missionaries in Russia. We also watched a few movies about Mammoths, the Trans Siberian Railroad, Catherine the Great, Siberian Tigers, & Lake Baikal. I am also creating a lapbook for Russia. So please keep an eye out for more information... Here are a couple pictures from our Russia Study:

We are back into our Zoology 1 study as well. Oh we had a blast at our last get together. Something I haven't been doing this co-op is the quiz board (kids named it Quizical). The kids really enjoyed earning treats as they answered the correct answers. We worked on our lapbooks(from Live & Learn), draw pictures of our favorite insect from chapter 13, and did a science experiment. It was a fun filled day! Next week the kids will be giving oral reports on an insect of their choice.

















I think last Weekly Report, I promised to share Timmy's re-write from his writing assignment (Writing Tales). Here is his writing revision:

The Spider and the Fruit Fly

There once was a fruit fly that knew a nice spider. He went over to his web one day. He arrived just in time for supper, but flies were all the spider had to offer. The fruit fly did not want flies and said, "If you come with me you will have some tasty pies."

They arrived at the house late at night, just before dessert, while the pies werer cooling down. They feasted on pies. Then a human came to the towards the door whistling, "I knew an old lady who swallowed a fly..."

The spider asked, "What is that?"

The fruit fly said, "It is only the human."

Then the spider said, "I do not like that music at my dinner time." Just then, in came the human and the two bugs scattered.

The spider said, "Good-Bye friend."

The fruit fly said, "Leaving so soon friend?".

The spider responded, "Better flies in peace, then pies in fear."


In our last report, I also said we were finishing up our Christmas study. Here are some pictures of the kids Christmas Symbols Lapbook (from HOAC) as well as a notebooking page from History Scribe: History of Christmas that they choose to share with you all. The neat thing about the file folders is that they are smelly folders. The pink ones smell like candy canes and the brown ones smell like cinnamon. The kids LOVED them. Enjoy the slide show:

We also began bible time in the mornings before we start school. We are using Our 24 Family Ways. We are enjoying it, but I think I need something more in depth for Jessica and Timmy. I went to Lisawa's house and she shared Explorer's Bible Studies with me. Oh I feel in LOVE... We will switch to these soon.

The kids have been busy creating masterpieces with Atelier Art. Below we have an horizon line sunset with sail boats, a city scence using toy car models, a line creature drawing, marching band, & a cat painting.

And that concludes Week 16 Weekly Report. Have a wonderful week!

P.S.: Make sure to check out Jessica's Sketch for this week's Sketch Tuesday HERE.

I got TAGGED! *Ü* Dawn over at Picking Up Pebbles tagged me for this fun meme:

Book Meme

Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

Songs of rejoicing spread throught the

crowd of worshiping people. The hearts of young

men and women were being changed!

Souls were being saved!

I really wanted to choose a passage from the book "I" am currently reading, but I must follow the rules. *Ü* So I stretched my hand to the left, and this was the book I touched first. This book is from our current read aloud that is part of our Russia study. This passage is from: They Would Not Be Moved by Harvey Yoder

Here are the blogging folks I have chosen to tag: Ambleside Classical , Tressays, 3 Kiwi Homeschoolers, Classical Education Our Way, and A Day In The Life. Wish I could pick more, but I have to leave some untagged so others can tag you down the road. *Ü*

Wordless Wednesday: Someone Didn't Want to Be Here

This picture was taken about 4 years ago. The kids are soooo little...

To see more Wordless Wednesday's, visit The Well-Trained Mind Parents Forum K-8.

Sketch Tuesday: In The Kitchen

Over at The Heart of Harmony, Barb provides a Sketch Tuesday that my daughter is really enjoying. She is hard at work on this week's assignment: In The Kitchen. If you look really really closely at the tag hanging out of the mug, it says, "Lipton Green Tea."

Anyone can join along in the fun. So grab your element of desire (crayon, pencils, paints, ect.) and head over to The Heart of Harmony for more details and to see other FANTASTIC sketches!

Next week's assignment is: Computer Spare Parts. Hum... That will be an interesting one. *Ü*

Homeschooling Tips & Tricks

This weeks Homeschool Meme from In The Heart of the Matter is: Homeschooling Tips & Tricks. Each Friday they have a different theme in which homeschoolers can participate by posting the Friday topic on their blog and linking back to In The Heart of the Matter's blog. To check out a list of upcoming topics click HERE.

Tip &/or Trick from Jetihoja Academy:

I don’t have a large home or a school room. Where do I store schoolwork for multiple kids?

We don’t have a large house, no schoolroom, and have 4 children at home that we are homeschooling. Where do I keep all their schoolwork? We’ve homeschooled for 13+ years and I have finally figured out that works best for storing the kids school: milk crates. All their work stacks nicely inside the crate and we store them in the entry way closet. Each child has a difference colored crate.

They also have matching pencil boxes that have pencils, easers, pencil sharpeners, colored pencils, glue stick, scissors, etc in them. This make clean up much easier and I don’t have to think whose pencil box it is, or ask the kids. If the kids don't remember to put them back in the crate, Ijust place it in the same colored create and the job is done! :o)

Best place to keep those "needed" items close at hand while schooling in the dinning room.

Right by the kitchen table I have a 10 drawer standing cabinet. In it I store any items I may need; scissors, pencils, pens, tape, glue, stapler, paper clips, magazines, flash cards, etc. I also store my homeshool cd’s in there, since I use my laptop a lot at the table.

On the other end of the table, there is a 4 drawer rolling cart that holds lapbooking supplies (colored paper, card stock, file folders, brads, etc). On top of that is a 3 drawer holder that has colored markers, colored pencils, stickers, and more.

This has saved me from searching for items I need often or searching for something one of the kids may need: penci, earser top, etc. I find if they leave to table to find something, they always get distracted. :o) I also have a very cool tool. It is called: Desk Apprentice. The thing is... I have yet to use it. True story… It is just so large, I am not sure where I would store it in my schooling area. So there it sits in the box still.

Hands of a Child Second Chance Sale!

http://www.handsofachild.com/

SECOND-CHANCE SALE!

It's HOAC's Second-Chance Sale!
HOAC Project Packs and Kit Packs ONLY!
Sale does not apply to any other products!!

All Project Packs in any format!
Printed, CD, or eBook!

Here is the schedule of dates and discounts:

Friday
January 18, 2008
6:00 AM till Saturday 6:00 AM
45% off

Saturday
January 19, 2008
6:01 AM till Sunday 6:00 AM
35% off

Sunday
January 20, 2008
6:01 AM till Monday 6:00 AM
30% off
All Times are Eastern

The Coupon Code for this Sale is: 2ndchance

NOTE: Sale does NOT include the Template Pack or any Graphics Packs.
Cannot be combined with any other offer, sale, coupon or discount.

Make the Most of the Sale this weekend and use the Wishlists feature! Just set

up your account now and fill your wishlists and then you can add them to your

cart and checkout in the blink of an eye!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!

If you have an existing account YOU MUST LOGIN and FILL OUT ALL YELLOW FIELDS in your account information before placing an order. If you do not login and have all yellow fields filled in BEFORE you begin your order any Coupon Codes you have WILL NOT WORK!

Remember to LOGIN and FILL OUT ALL YELLOW FIELDS BEFORE SHOPPING!

· Login
· Click on the Account button at the top right of the page
· Click on Manage Address Book
· Click on Edit in the first box
· You will now see a form that has yellow fields. Make sure those fields are filled in.

Sketch Tuesday

Over at The Heart of Harmony, Barb provides a Sketch Tuesday that my daughter is really enjoying. She is hard at work on this week's assignment: Something in the Kitchen. I think my other dd is wanting to do this one as well after watching big sister draw. Anyone can join along. So grab your element of desire (crayon, pencils, paints, ect.) and head over to The Heart of Harmony for more details!

Here is a picture from last weeks assignment: Keeping Warm

Wordless Wednesday: "Can I keep him?"

To see more Wordless Wednesday's, visit 5minutesformom.

Weekly Report: Week 13-15

15 Down, 21 More To Go!

It has been a while since I have done a weekly report, but we have been doing school. We took Christmas Break from Dec. 17-Jan 4. With in this post will be a recap/highlight of the 3 weeks that have we did school, but didn't do our weekly report.

Review of each child's weeks:

Jessica received a 94% on her Chapter 6 Latin test this week! She just LOVES Latin and retains the information pretty well. I don't know anything about Latin and thank God for her Teacher and her strong drive to learn.

She also finished Tom Sawyer over our break. She took longer to read this book then she was suppose to so we are a little behind in Lightning Literature. The book did scare her a little bit at different parts, but over all she said she enjoyed the book.

Her writing class started up on the 7th and she is doing a report on the Green Sea Turtle. We will share with you all once her report is completed.

Timmy has had a little struggle getting back into the swing of school after our break. I am sure it is a combination of things (surgery, holidays, break, etc.). He is really enjoying Writing Tales and is hard at work at his 2nd story. He will finish that up next week and we will be happy to share it with you all. He has a wonderful imagination.

Holly has really enjoyed her science book we purchased for her. She loves the one on one time with me and doing experiments all on her own (with help from me of course). Her brothers and sister watch what she is doing and tell her she is so lucky, etc. I think it makes her feel a little extra special.

Jake well he really loves math. *Ü* He really enjoyed doing or Christmas study and always asked to do more. He is coming along with his reading. I would say he needs to work on his penmanship. But then again, he is only a 6 year old, no wait, 7 year old (Bday happened over our break) boy. *Ü*

Co-ops:

One of our co-ops started up on the 3rd. I wish it would have been the following week because I wasn't ready to go back so quickly after New Years Day. But I didn't make the schedule, so away I went. Note: I did make the zoology co-op's schedule and our 1st day back was the 10th! All the families appreciated that. *Ü*

Jessica and Timmy have read Galatians, and 1st and 2nd Corinthians for their bible class last week.

Jake, Timmy, and Holly all enjoyed their art class. The first week, Jake stayed home sick with Dad, so he did not complete one art project that Holly did complete.

In the past 2 weeks Holly did a Farm Tear-Art project and a "Free For All" project (this is because the teacher, A.K.A Mom, forgot the dvd's at home... UGH! That was my GREATEST fear teaching the class).

Jake did a "Free For All" art project. I just LOVE the blue/brown mixed color he crated that he used for the sky and to paint his house.

Timmy did a painting of a king (using playing card-the face cards). We painted it to have a stained glass effect. The artist we were studying was George Rouault. The following week, he did a picture of a marching band. He still wants to add to it, so I will share it next week.

This week in Holly and Jake's Build a Body class, they looked at a cows liver. They both said it smelled really, really bad and that they got to hold it, but had to wear gloves. They LOVE this class.

We started back at Zoology this week as well. I sure have missed all the kids and it was great to visit with the mom's I haven't seen over the break. We basically did review, and are starting full swing, with a new approach next week. I just felt Zoology was going so BLLAAAHHHH following the basics of the schedule, so I had to spice it up some. I think I will be happy with the way things go this semester. *Ü*

EXTRA Study:

All the kids did a Christmas study. We did Christmas Symbols Lapbook by In The Hands of a Child and also used History Scribes Christmas notebooking pages. We learned about the history of the mistletoe. Did you know that the mistletoe was used in ancient Scandinavia? It was used a symbol of peace and when two enemies would met under a forest and they spotted a mistletoe, they would declare peace for the day. I just found that amazing.

I also had "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" Lapbook fro Live and Learn, but we didn't get around to doing it. I "HAVE" to do this one, because it cost $16 to get 2 colored copies of the graphics.

We are still finishing that study up and I will share pictures next week. *Ü*

Something Extra: Jessica saved up her money and treated herselft to a new hairdoo! She even had it frosted! I put a couple pictures of this in the slide show. I think she chose wisely. *Ü*

That is our recap of 3 weeks of homeschooling at Jetihoja Academy. Until next weekend when I will post week 16 activities.

A Day In The Life Of A Homeschooler

Over at The Heart of the Matter, they have started a weekly blog roll (meme) on Fridays. Every Friday the topic will change. To see upcoming topics click HERE.

This Friday's topic is, "A Day in The Life of a Homeschooler". As of late I don't seem to post much at our blog, so I think these topics will be help me to add a little more to my blog. I am looking forward to Friday's topics. So remember to check back on Fridays! *Ü*

But also take note that I am a Weekly Reporter and I usually post a recap of our homeschool happening on Saturday or Sunday after we finish up a week. If you want to become a Weekly Report, fill free to join at any time. Check HERE for more details as to what it is about, to see other Weekly Reporters, and to join along with us.

So here is a typical (or should I say, a day we strive for...) day for our family:

7-7:30 am:
Mom gets up (would love this to be 9am, but then everything for school doesn't get done). Co-op and Physical Therapy (PT) Days I have to get up earlier.

8:00 am:
* Kids are up eating breakfast, getting ready for the day, and doing chores.
* On Mondays, Jessica does her online writing class at 8 am.
* Currently Timmy is going to PT twice a week at this time.
* Need to implement a bible time to start our day. I am not good at getting this done. It is one area I want to improve on in our homeschooling.

9:00 am-11:30 am to Noon:
* Gather at the table to do school work. The order in which we do it varies from day to day, and what the kids have for assignments. Some day we start at 8:30, just because everyone is up and ready by then.

Noon:
Lunch hour

1:00-3:00pm:
*Continue working on school work. Do extra studies and read aloud time
* 3:00-4:00 on Tuesdays, Jessica has her Online Latin Class.

And some weeks we don't get school done each day of Monday- Friday. Then we go into the weekend to get our schoolwork done. I love the flexibility of homeschooling.

What about snack time you ask? Well we don't have a scheduled snack time. If the kids are hungry, they can get something to eat (mostly fruit or veggies, sometimes crackers, etc.). But ABSOLUTELY no water at the table. *Ü*

Co-op Day:

For our first co-op, first hour, Jessica and Timmy take a "That's in the Bible" Class. Jake and Holly take "Art & Art Appreciation". For second hour, Jessica takes "Latin", Timmy takes "Art & Art Appreciation", and Jake and Holly take "Build a Body". This is a wonderful co-op with wonderful teachers. I am blessed (and so are the kids) to have wonderful teacher for my kids classes.

After this co-op ends, we head off to our next co-op at a dear friends house. We bring a sack lunch and all the kids eat together there. Again I am blessed to have this available for my kids and am blessed to have these friendships, both for me (adults) and my kids.

How long do the kids take on an average day to accomplish their work?

Jessica: It really does depend on what she has to accomplish for the day. The amount of time averages between 3-5 hours.

Timmy: 3-4 hours a day. Some times it seems like math takes 3 hours alone. He doesn't really complain about math, he just gets distracted and I don't know... It seems to take him forever. Hoping that will change once Teaching Textbooks arrives for him. *Ü*

Holly: I would say around 3 hours

Jake: 2 hours

But then you need to factor in our extra work on top of that. I love Lapbooking, when we are doing an extra study, we usually add anywhere from an hour to 2 on top of a typical day. Also our read aloud time on top of that (we read for approximately an hour).

We also do Science together, and that isn't factored in with the above time spent on schoolwork (approximently 5 hours addition per week).

Right now we are working on our country study: Russia. I am only doing this with Jessica and Timmy and the days we do this, it adds about 1-2 extra hours onto our day.

What would I love to ADD to our days?

Like I mentioned above, I want to find a bible study for all the kids to do together. I have to check into Explorers Bible study. But I don't want 1 book for Jess, 1 for Timmy, etc. I want to do them all together. Any suggestions for me?

That is what I miss with Mystery of History(MOH). We did get that bible time in. But we let MOH slip by this year. We are doing other history type studies and I don't think I could do a full blown history course right now.

Someone on the Well Trained Mind board asked a question about what other homeschoolers do to make homeschooling fun. I loved reading about the different ideas other homeschoolers do in their home. One that I would love to add is an afternoon tea/hot coco and snack time. Click on homeschooling fun to read what other homeschooler said.

And that concludes "A Day in the Life of a Jetihoja Academy Homeschooler".

PS: I can't wait to read about your "A Day in the Life of a Homeschooler" if you decide to join this blog roll/meme (still don't understand the difference), please comment and let me know if you do. *Ü* Then I will go to HOTM site and check out your typical homeschooling day!

Wordless Wednesday

To see more Wordless Wednesdays, &/or to play, visit: 5minutesformom

Look What We Woke Up To Today!

What a wonderful thing to happen day 2 since returning to school. Our School district is closed today. Hum... Does that mean no school here too? *Ü* We have been getting lots of snow this season, but unfortunately, the snow we get doesn't last to long. Today it is supposed to turn to rain.

When I first woke up:

About an hour later:

And right now:

And it is still snowing! Let it SNOW!!

Like I mentioned above, this is Day 2 of school for the new year. I will post some of our happenings over break in a day or two, but for now I want to leave you with Holly's science experiment yesterday. As you can see, it is on evaporation. *Ü*

Thank goodness it was very easy to clean up. *Ü*

Wordless Wednesday

To play more WW, visit here at 5mintuesformom.

FREE Project Pack by In The Hands of a Child: Sled Dogs

Homeschoolestore's weekly freebie is a lapbook by In the Hands of a Child. It is titled Sled Dogs and is for grades 3-8, but they can easily be adjusted for lower or higher grades.

Make sure you head on over to Homeschoolestore (not Hands of a Child) and get the weekly freebie! Hurry because next Monday (1-7) this one will not free anymore.

And while you are there, make sure you sign up for their weekly newsletter to receiver the detail on each weeks freebie. You must first create an account with them and then on "My Account" page there will be a link you can click on that will take you the subscribe page.

I own this lapbook, but haven't done this one yet. It is great for anyone that wants to know the history of sled dogs, different types of sled dogs, racing, communication, musher commands, equipment costs and more. This is a great add on for anyone that is studying places that they use sled dogs. For example, in Russia (a country we are currently studying), they use sled dogs quite a bit to travel in Siberia. Hummmm, I think I see another lapbook project in our near future. *Ü*