Expressions from our Youngest

Expressions from our Youngest
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Friday, December 2, 2011

My Homeschool Week


It is time for The Homeschool Mother's Journal again where we can share what has occurred in our week with homeschooling and life in general.  Here is a small record of my past week:

1)  In my life this week...I was able to attend a wonderful Mothers Mass and Brunch at my daughter's private high school.  It was a great experience as one of the mothers gave a speech on women of the bible and referenced numerous bible passages.  I was also able to meet many mothers of my daughter's friends.  We are so blessed to be part of this special school. 

I was also finally able to get my kindergartener to go to his religion class with me.  He learned about The Annunciation and the Good Shepherd.  He was stalling to go to this class and I finally got him out the door to go to it.  I had to stay and help in the class, but this is o.k.  Next week I'll be able to help out if need be again.  We also sung songs around the Advent wreath.  We do this everyday at home with prayers and devotions.

I also am in less pain after having physical therapy for my back and legs.  After my fifth child, I've experienced pain in my lower back and legs.  I just had an MRI done to see if there is anything I should be worried about with this pain.  It may just be that I have to live with it, but now I have learned some good excercises to help strengthen the area.

I was also overjoyed to have my college sons home for Thanksgiving.  They look good and are doing very well.  My oldest is already thinking about graduate school for next year.  He may do graduate work in Philosophy.  His bachelors is in Engineering.  What a combination?!?

2)  In our homeschool week...We had a productive week even though I'm behind on grading and preparation for my middle school co-op class.  We did the following:

Math:  Test; Ivestigating Fractions with Manipulatives; Divisibility; and Equal Groups with Fractions

English:  Passive and Active Voice with Diagramming; Predicate Nominatives, Retained Objects and Tense (Simple or Compound) and Voice; Compound Tense of Verbs and the Indicative Mood; The Imperative Mood with Person and Number.

Religion:  We discussed how Faith isn't just knowing but also loving, helping, and serving the people in our lives.  We referenced the three angels of the bible (Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael).  We learned that Raphael means "God's Remedy" or "God has healed."  Discovered that the virtues are remedies for the seven capital sins.  We also discussed sacramentals which help to remind us to see with the eyes of Faith.  We discovered that prayer is the way we practice speaking the language of Faith.  Just like learning to speak a new language requires constant practice, the more we pray - the more confidence will grow and communication with God will be easier for us.

History:  Read Lesson on "The Second Industrial Revolution" in the Gilded Age and completed workbook.  Learned of various industries which grew rapidly during the Gilded Age, of labor unions, increasing U.S. urbanization, immigration issues, problems faced by farmers and caused by railroads.  Learned about 'yellow journalism' and researched and wrote paragraphs on Walter Reed, Jingoism, Lucy Hayes, and Cowboys.

Latin:  Learned about First Declension Nouns, idenfifying stems, and did some tables with lists of nouns with all the case endings that belong to its declension.

Writing:  Revised first draft on Religion paper "A Trustworthy Remedy."

Reading:  Read for pleasure "All the Lovely Bad Ones" by Mary Downing Hahn.

Vocabulary:  Completed lesson on words related to family.

Art:  My daughter analyzed paintings of Wassily Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso and painted a picture of a happy time in her life using colors to help express this happiness.  The happy moment happened to be when her baby brother was born.

Music:  Piano Lesson and practice

Phys. Ed.:  Ballet Lesson

Kindergarten:  Adding and subtracting; journal reading, writing, and coloring; painting; prayers and devotions around Advent wreath; phonics; calendar.

3)  I am inspired by...all the mothers I've met this past week.  Many of them have large families and do a wonderful job raising their children.

4)  Places we're going and people we're seeing...mentioned already above - my daughter's high school, religion class for kindergartener, physical therapy, homeschool co-op (please see some co-op pictures at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holyfamilyapostolateMD/photos/album/0/list), and seeing my two college sons.  We were also able to take a break on Friday and go out to lunch together.

5)  My favorite thing this week...was going to Mass with all three of my sons.

6)  Questions/thoughts I have...I love it when lessons permit us, as parents, to enter into dialogue with our children.  It is at times when we hold important conversations where we can learn so much about the world.  Do you have any curriculum that help you to enter into dialogue with your children?

7)  A photo, video, link, or quote to share...Our world will be better when the power of love replaces the love of power.

4 comments:

  1. Wow, you accomplished so much academic work this week! I am really impressed!

    How wonderful that you have a community, like that at your children's school.

    Hope you have a great weekend!
    God bless,
    Lisa

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  2. Thank you for leaving a comment at Training Happy Hearts, which brought me over here. It is always good to read about what moms with children my oldest's age and older are doing.

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  3. Dropping in to wish you a blessed Advent!

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  4. I am glad to read that your physical therapy is working. Back pain can be so debilitating, especially for a busy mom of young children.

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