This was our 2nd (and last) week of practicing a detailed schedule before we start our new year next week. We called it "Summer School."
It took all week, but we got letters written and pictures colored to send to the boys' cousin in Colorado.
Monday Alan and I began his first lapbook. I picked one of his favorite books, "Goodnight Moon"
(ours is a board book like this one from CBD: Goodnight, Moon, Board Book ), and used the templates from Homeschool Share.
Dale and I continued working in his body lapbook.
We all three celebrated Smokey (the) Bear's birthday watching this vintage commercial, and the original Smokey Bear song, and coloring pages from this site. Have you sat down to color with your kids lately? It's fun!
Tuesday we kept going in both lapbooks and a few other schoolish things. The boys swam and ate cake. Alan loves cake frosting.
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| Personally, I love the red clown nose. |
Wednesday was Sand Day. In addition to our usual (for this week) school stuff, I gave Alan our tub of stale (uncooked) grits to scoop and pour while Dale worked on other things. Later they both made sand art inspired by No Time for Flash Cards.
Thursday I tried something new. Instead of a play outside break around 10:00, we just took one right off the top. After breakfast, but before anything else, we headed out so the boys could ride their bicycles for 30 minutes or so and burn some energy before starting our morning clean-up and school routine. Plus the temperature goes from about 85 to 95 between 8am and 10am. I'm not into gettin' sweaty so soon after my shower .
Friday we finished up our letters to cousin Aaron and got ready for company. My long-time friend Sam and her daughter Lainey came to play! Girls at our house are a rarity, and I loved Sam's choice for Lainey's dress today. It says, "Shh... I'm hunting boys." Lainey-girl, you found some today!
And finally, gearing up for the start of school next week, we made our first Weekly Library Visit of the new school year. We've been going to the library regularly all summer, but "only" checking out 12-15 books at a time. List in hand, I enjoyed every minute of my academic scavenger hunt, and filled the stroller basket full. Dale checked out 5 of his own, and I took out a grand total of 40 books. Ahhh... yep. School's here!
Are you big library users or do you just stick with your own books?
Since we are brand new homeschoolers, we definitely have to utilize our library! Harmony Art Mom is using an Ancient Egypt drawing book for her son, and I went straight to the library website and THEY HAVE IT! I was willing to order it from Amazon for about $10, but now I can get it for FREE! Love, love, love the library!
ReplyDeleteHave a great start of your new year!
On September 1st we will be starting our 7th year of homeschooling...and I need a new library book/video BASKET. Yup! We use a laundry basket to bring our borrowed things home in...and our 5 library cards are well used. (Even the librarians know our numbers! LOL)
ReplyDeleteJessy
www.homeschoolblogger.com/Jessy
Glad to know I'm not alone. I always feel wierd leaving the library with bags of books. I've been taking advantage of our library's hold system recently and I think I now take out double the amount of books each week.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you guys had a great week of "summer school".
ReplyDeleteI need to look into planning some lapbooks to do with my ds3 while the older kiddos are working, I think he'd really enjoy it.
I so enjoy your blog - and especially your homeschooling ideas/thoughts. No, I'm totally through with that but I am praying that my daughter will be led to homeschool our granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteI do admire homeschoolers (and envy you, too) :) I came across this blog (new to me) tonight...didn't know if you had visited it but I thought of you.
http://www.livelearnandlovetogether.blogspot.com/
Enjoy your weekend!
What a fun week! Goodnight Moon has been a favorite with all my kids too. I don't utilize my library like I should...the location is inconvenient for me. There was talk about opening a branch on my side of town, but it was nixed. Bummer.
ReplyDeleteSounds like another great pre-week! I usually check-out a HUGE pile of books at one time. Our library just installed self-check-out stations and I have noticed that the librarians kind of nudge me down that way! I guess they tire of my huge stacks of books!
ReplyDeleteSamantha
The librarians at our local branch all know both me and my kids by our first names. I was just wondering this week if bringing in a Red Rider Wagon to hold our checkouts would be considered a no-no or not ;) Both my kids have an entire shelf in their room to hold their personal library books, and we have a shelf in the living room for our 'school' library books, and I have a part of a shelf in my bedroom for my personal check outs....
ReplyDeleteSo, yeah, lots of library books is just part of homeschooling!
Looks like a great week. I just love that adorable picture with the cake!
ReplyDeleteWell, I work at a library. We have six children (though The Oldest is away, 2nd year of college) and we always have a minimum of 60 library items at home!! Everyone has a card. 14 years ago when I started homeschooling I bought EVERYTHING. But now, I have about 10 full sized bookshelves full of books, I've given up. I need to purge and use the library even more. Yes, that is right...EVEN MORE. LOL.
ReplyDelete