My Homeschool Week

I am going to try to participate in A Homeschool Mother's Journal this week as my college sons are back at school after their long winter break and I have more time.  It was great to have them here.

In my life this week...we have been blessed with a new puppy.  My first grader and I visited the shelter and as we were walking out - they were walking in.  Her name is Bella.  Here is a picture of the kids with her when I brought her home.

In our homeschool week...

Pledge, Devotion, w/ Daily Prayer consisting of 5 Mysteries and Decade of Rosary: 
-  Devotions had stories regarding -
    1)  Prayers are heard for a boy to find his lost little sister (Psalm 4:1) Discussed prayer pretzels
    2)  Classmates sacrifice to raise money for an ill student (1 John 3:18)
    3)  Learned that Jesus is a giver (Luke 6:38)
    4)  A boy thought fast to collect money from passengers to pay for the ambulance for a pregnant woman on a train (Ephesians 5:16-17)
    5)  A girl prays to meet new friends even in the midst of worrying about moving (1 Thes.5:16-17)
    6)  A boy teaches a classmate how to read (2 John 6)

Religion (Faith and Life Series and religion class):
  1)  Jesus heals the sick girl
  2)  Jesus calms the storm
  3)  Jesus feeds 5000
  4)  Jesus makes the man walk
  5)  Jesus makes a blind man see
  6)  Jesus heals the servant of a man
  7)  The Annunciation - made stain glass windows w/ wax paper and crayons
  8)  Grace - used watercolors here and white crayon

Math:
-  Telling time
-  Pairing and counting by two's
-  Counting by 5's
-  Fact families / Associative Property
-  Greater than, Less than
-  Adding tens
-  Counting by 10's
-  Even vs. Odd numbers
-  Counting coins
-  Decimal points
-  Fractions
-  Shapes
-  Measuring with a ruler
-  Addition and Subtraction
-  Speed drills
-  Hundreds
-  Place value
-  Money / dollars
-  Ordering numbers
-  Patterns

NOL Journal Writing:  Wrote final paragraph and colored drawing for Don't Forget the Bacon by Pat Hutchins.  Chose bible verse on parable of the yeast Matt. 13:33 and marked parts of speech.

Finished draft on paragraph for The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh, chose bible verse from psalms on thankfulness, drew and colored picture, finished final draft, and marked parts of speech.

Science:  Matter - Solids, Liquids, and Gases / Read Chapters

1)  Experiment on solids with measuring mass on a balance.

2)  Experiment on liquid matter with measuring amounts in milliliters

3)  Experiment on gas showing that it takes up space and is matter

 

Discussed future experiments on 1) Finding solid figures and 2) How much liquid is in fruits

History: Map work on Mesopotamia Area, Questions orally and test on Babylonians defeat Assyrians and make friends with Persia.  We learned about King Nebuchadnezzar and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.  Also began learning about early life on Crete with the Minoans.

Reader/Reading:  Story learning that good friends do not gossip and William Bradford Pilgrim Boy by Bradford Smith

English/Phonics:  Pronouns

I am inspired by...my Meetup for NOL co-op classes http://www.meetup.com/nucleusoflife-com/.

Things I'm Working on...Lesson plans for religion class and plans for my NOL Journal Writing class.

I'm grateful for...taking a trip to the shelter when we did.  It was as if an angel appeared when we saw Bella.  It was amazing that we ran into the family that was giving Bella up.

I'm cooking...cheese burgers and tater tots.

I'm praying for...a close family whose son's appendix burst.  Please pray that their family heals from this tragedy.  It is a long slow process to recovery for their son.

Helpful homeschooling tips/advice...At this mid-year point, one can probably determine now if any subjects will be continued through the summer.  From where I sit today, we will be doing a some history along with keeping up skills in math and writing in the summer.

A Photo to share...Here is my little soldier for the Lord!  Call him "Tough Guy!"