Our Story of the World chapter was about Marco Polo this week. I was surprised at how little there was about him at the library in the Children's section. We found one good biography book about him. Most of the books were too advanced for my kids so we will have to save them for next time around. We did read a few other books that take place in China. 
We also watched the Nest Entertainment's Animated Hero Classics: Marco Polo movie twice this week. Because the boys loved it so much. Since Marco Polo tried new foods while in China we of course also had to have Chinese Food and try egg rolls and eat using chopsticks. Ian really liked the Spring Rolls. I think he ate three and would have gone for more if I hadn't stopped him. I can't say we did a lot of science this week. We are supposed to still be doing a study about ocean biomes. But we didn't much more than read a book or two about coral reefs. We have one biome left, Rainforests (which we already studied last summer). Then it will on into Space. I am looking forward to Space and Astronomy.
We have tried doing the Outdoor Hour challenges. Right now the focus is on mammals and my kids know a lot about mammals but we just don't see many here in the city. We have taken a number of walks in order to see any mammals and we don't see much more than cats and dogs. Even the squirrels aren't out and about. We almost always see them except when we head out to find them. We have enjoyed listening to the Thornton Burgess animal book which is recommended in the challenges. Math has been sort of a roller coaster this week. One day Sophie will do it with no problem and then the next day will just be very difficult. There was even one morning where Sophie decided to do her math exercise while I took a shower. All I had to do was check the answers. We are adding and subtracting money and it is very easy for her which is why I don't understand when she throws her tantrums about doing her math some days. I know it has more to do with her focus and how many distractions there are around her. I just don't know how to keep the boys busy so they don't distract her so much.
I have been rather slack on Language Arts recently. We haven't done any lessons out of our Language lessons book. Sophie has been writing a few reports for me. On Monday she wrote a few sentences describing what she did at her Science Club/class. Then later in the week we finished the Josephina, American Girl books and she wrote a very nice book report about Josephina. She even included, not because I asked her to, a little translation page. She wrote down a few of the spanish words she learned from the books and what they mean.
That was about it as far as writing goes though. I need to do better about encouraging Language Lessons. Sophie could really use some penmanship lessons too. We didn't do any art or music this week. We did read a few books about snow, but that is about it.
Sophie has been very excited about the Sisters Grimm books. We finished listening to the first book and are about halfway through the 2nd book now. We listen for at least an hour or two each afternoon. I admit I am enjoying the stories but the sisters are a little more mouthy and call each other and other characters "not nice names" a lot. I have to remind my kids that we don't do this and that these girls are not using nice words. We are all enjoying the different fairy tale characters making appearances in the stories. Ian has been doing his Explode the Code primers. He started the last of the three primers this week. I can't say he is really that interested in reading at the moment. He does them just to do them. He knows he has to "do school" so he does them as quickly as he can so he can get back to playing pirates or Legos. I have had to enforce a new rule. NO pirates during school time. They were too much of a distraction for Sophie and the boys can't play them quietly, even when sent to play them in their room. All these new toys are just too exciting for the boys. They aren't interested in doing anything but play with all the new Christmas and Birthday toys. They both usually sit through the history and science books when we read them each day but that is about it as far as school goes for them. But then they aren't really supposed to be doing school yet. It is just hard to keep Sophie on task when they aren't.
That is about it for the week. Not the most extensive educational week but not too bad. We covered just about everything.
No comments:
Post a Comment