Homeschool Mother's Journal - 6

In my life this week..

It really feels like a Michigan summer.  Early in the week we hit temperatures in 90s but yesterday it was only in the 60s.  Last Saturday was the annual neighborhood garage sale. I got several things including clothing for both of the children, it was a good day.  The school year for the public/private wrapped up.  Now I don't feel so odd taking my school aged child on errands during the day. 

In our homeschool this week...

We finished The Hobbit.  It was interesting.  The ending was not what I was expecting, but that it what makes a good book.  Zippy really liked it, now she wants to go on to The Lord of the Rings.  I am putting that off until September, it is a much, much longer book.  For the summer we are doing The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and probably another book.  I want to extend the learning a bit more, so Zippy will be completing this lapbook which has some guided questions that go with each chapter.  I really, really like that it points out some of the Christian subtexts of the book.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

This year, thanks to budget cuts in our city, the Libraries are going to have their summer reading program only at the main branch.  This is a couple of miles from our house and a vehicle is not available.  Yesterday we endeavored to bike there.  Now the distance is not really the biggest issue, the biking on a main road is, but there was sidewalk (and a decent amount of grass between us and the actual road) for most of the way, so it is definitely doable.  Zippy was fine with it, so I think we will be able to the program in full.  On the day that we picked to try out our bike ride there was rain predicted.  I checked the weather and it looked like the rain was way out by Kalamazoo (hours by car) and thought we had plenty of time.  We got to the library just fine, but on the way home we had to take shelter outside a school for about 45 minutes, while the storm blew by.  Fortunately, we attempted our trip at the end of the day so my husband a.k.a. my knight in shining armor came by with the van and picked us up on his way home from work.  It was quite the adventure.

My favorite thing this week was...

Ziipy is working on her Ancient Greece Lapbook.  One day I her find some information on different topics in a book like what did people in Ancient Greece wear etc.  I want her to start finding information on her own, rather than having it given to her.  So I gave her the book and started doing something quiet nearby, so I could be available if she had questions.  A few minutes went by and I heard "Hey Mom, did you know...." I responded and went back to my task.  A few more minutes I heard again, "Hey, hey Mom come look at this." She did this I don't remember how many times, but needless to say I think she learned a little bit more than the questions asked.

What's working/not working for us...

The lapbook format is so wonderful.  We have not yet put it totally together, and have a little more than a week to finish all the components, but Zippy is really responding to the small "bite-sized" format.   I still need to find some planned time to spend with The Little Dude.  I am still working on that.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

Any ideas on individual, quiet, quality activities for a two year old to keep him busy while Zippy learns?

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

The Little Dude wanted to be part of the math action.

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