Friday, February 26, 2010

Weekly Report

I've been trying to work on my blog for the last week. Putting in more pages that can be accessed by the links across the top. They are not ready yet, but are  under construction. I need to set aside a certain time each day to work on them, that way I can't give myself the "I didn't have time" excuse. Which I seem to have no problems convincing myself of. Earlier this month I stated how this winter has been great weather wise. Hardly any snow, not too many cold days and just plain easier than last winter. I should have waited because it is definitely making up for it now. At least it's not too cold at -1 degrees celsius, it just a pain though because it takes forever for the city to plow our street. Thank goodness for snow tires.

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You could see the grass back here two days ago.

We started the week with being sick. A high fever that turned into a cold on the weekend. Other than the sniffles, she doesn't seem to feel too bad now though.
In Spelling Workout A we finished lesson 9 and started lesson 10. So far I find it a quick and easy way to reinforce what we have been learning in phonics. We only do one page a day 3-4 days a week and it should take us into the summer. In The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading we were able to finish up long o vowel sounds and begin long u, on lesson 103. One of the lessons this week was to copy the 20 word/phrases onto index cards and lay out 5 of them. I was to choose one of them in my head and draw it while she tried to figure out which one it was. It was fun and after she reversed rolls and drew for me. I got a kick out of the flag she drew. It is the blue one with her name in the center in the picture below.


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Notice the chocolate residue on the face.

We have reached the halfway point for Saxon Math 1. We are on lesson 65 out of 130, which came as a nice surprise today. The adding 2 equations are making more sense and I can see her mentally counting instead of using her manipulatives. I am only making her do one side of the fact sheets right now. Two is too much and that way I can use them in the summer to ensure she doesn't forget everything. I don't plan on stopping school in the summer, just lightening it. I think I will be doing both her and I a disservice to stop and I don't really want to have to spend the first 2 months of the next year reviewing everything she forgot.

We started the Evan-Moor Beginning Geography book of Continents and Oceans this week. She made the connection that North America is called North because it is at the top of the map. We are going to go through this 2 days a week until finished and then move onto the next in the Apple Press series.
Art class was fun this week although their was a snow storm. We drive into town with my husband in the morning and then bus it home. Which for some reason she really likes. Roo painted her clay mask that she made a few weeks back as well as made and ocean scene on a big block of wood whcih I had the pleasure of carrying on the bus home plus a bag full of library books.

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On the bus coming home from art class.


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She said it is an African mask, I think it looks more like a clown:)

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She pawned off the colouring of the turtle to me while she played.

We are having frustrations with the passport agency. I had to get a new passport for myself as well as Roo because they expired recently. I had no problems with mine, but hers they sent back the application this week. They stated that you could not fully see her eyes in the picture. She wears glasses, not much can be done about that. If we take the glasses off for the picture, her eye turns in and I am sure they would reject that photo saying she isn't looking at the camera of something of the sort. It's maddening and now I have to go pay for a new photo, mail it again and wait and see if they reject this one. I'm glad we don't have a trip planned or anything because could cause problems.
I so want to get my schedule done for next year. I think my hidden obsessive compulsive side is coming out and really wants something organized and detailed on paper. I just wish it came out more with housework.
I was flipping through my new Elemental Science Biology and figuring out how I am going to combine it into 2 days instead of 5. It will probably be easier if I actually sit with it and input info into an excel spreadsheet. Hmmmm maybe that will be my plan this weekend. That and my About Us page on this blog. What exciting plans;) The sad part is, that I actually am excited about the excel thing.

It just stopped snowing and the sun broke through (right in time for it to set), what bizarre weather.

6 comments:

Daisy said...

What a fabulous week! My children also have a strange fascination with riding the bus. Makes them feel like "city" kids, I think. ;-)

Sara said...

Yes, she has some bizarre fascination. I sit there with my hand sanitizer while she sits back and eats her packed snacks.

Liza Q said...

"I so want to get my schedule done for next year. I think my hidden obsessive compulsive side is coming out and really wants something organized and detailed on paper. I just wish it came out more with housework."
Hahaha! I can really relate to this! And we take the bus all the time, so it is a little less than exciting for us.

Smrt Mama said...

I totally see the African mask in that. Not a clown. Definitely not a clown.

Homeschooling6 said...

Cute pictures of your dd :)

MissMOE said...

I think your plan for your Saxon worksheets is an excellent one. We could be sisters with our planning obsession. I have a dream of going away to a hotel with room service for a week--What do I do when there? Why plan out every last detail of next year's school year! LOL. Thanks for sharing your week.