Week-In-Review

Another week completed. Wow! Time does fly. At least sitting down for periodic updates helps me think through what we've gotten done and where we're headed...

Grade 8

Literature- Lots of reading this week. We are enjoying curling up together and reading through her Omnibus assigned reading. This means a lot to me... she's growing up so much, and I know our years of reading together on the couch or my bed are fewer and fewer. We kept on in chapters of Chosen By God this week.

English- I've begun assigning her to do the odd/even exercises based on the page number. We finished up her chapter on pronouns this week. I had forgotten there were so many types- demontrative, relative, interrogative, reflexive... She really does well in this area. Maybe she'll be a writer. Or a greek scholar. Or a homeschool mom.

Math- We wrapped up her "negative" chapter with a positive test grade. Woo-hoo! Now we move on to "longer equations." Yes, they get l-o-n-g-e-r. Oh, the joys of algebra! LOL.

Science- With our newfound love for lapbooks, I have assigned her to construct one on the planets, using her text as well as "living books" and the internet. She has been working on that this week. It is due November 1. I can't wait to see it!

Geography- She studied world industries, which was actually quite interesting. Primary, secondary and tertiary industries. Free trade vs. fair trade. Embargos. Fun! Next week we move on to "cultures" which I know will interest her, because she has such a heart for the nations and for different cultures.

History- I have transitioned her to Story of the World 4, with brief readings from her American history text. She's a bit behind where her brother and I are, but she'll be catching up, and then we just might all do it together. Something else I started this summer, which I picked up again this past week, is reading aloud from Hakim's Story of US books. Each chapter is the perfect length to read each day at lunch. History is one subject I've always enjoyed doing all together.

Chinese- In addition to her workbook, audio and computer exercises, this week she successfully memorized John 3:16. I just love hearing her say it!

Grade 6

Literature- He finished Powder Keg this week. He really liked this book and wrote a great summary of it.

Geography- He studied the Mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania and West Virgina. He mapped them and studied the coal industry.

Math- Fractions. Just, fractions. He is enjoying it about as much as he always has, LOL. Thus my cartoon choice for the week. :)

Science- One fun activity we did this week was one suggested in the TM, and it was to hide checkers all around and see how many you could find in 20 seconds. Then the next person had to see how many they could find in 20 seconds... progressively harder to find. This demonstrated how it is with our non-renewable resources, such as oil. It was an interesting study, and he likes this chapter.

History- We continued on with his Civil War lapbook. I didn't get to snap any pictures, but it's coming along nicely.

Spanish- He's about halfway through the review of Level 2. He's been working on weather words, seasons, and telling time. Most times he checks the clock he can tell me the time in Spanish. It's habit now for him to ask me "Que hora es?" instead of "What time is it?" Of course, I always answer him in French, which doesn't really help I suppose...

Language- This week I incorporated copywork back into his life. After he stopped jumping for joy (!!) he copied a chunk of the Gettysburg Address. I know this will help both his handwriting, and his writing. He's been copying outlines for history as well. On alternate days he does typing. He's still enjoying his SOS language lessons, and this week I finally took out the quizzes because they were tedious. That made up for the Gettysburg Address thing.

Combined

Mission study- We are LOVING reading about Mary Slessor. Loving it. We are almost to the end, and Bethany has already said she's going to leave the room when it gets to the part where she dies. We always hate that part, even though we realize that whomever we're reading about lived in the 1800's and couldn't possibly still be with us... :::sigh:::: We should finish the book this week and then start on our lapbook projects.

Art- They each needed to finish up their previous mission study lapbooks, which involved a fair amount of glitter glue and artsy-ness, so that was our "art" for the week.

Music- We didn't have a music "class" at our house this week, but both of them noodled around on various musical instruments during the week. So I checked that box. :)

"PE"- They take a homeschool gymnastics class each week, and this week they also went to an open gym, which they loved. One other fun thing we started this week was that each of us takes turns (on the days they don't have a gym class) leading all of us in "exercises." Of some sort. Any kind. To music. A fast song and a slow song. It was so fun! On the first day, my fun son picked "Here It Goes Again" by OK Go, and we jumped around doing whatever "moves" he came up with. Then we stretched out to "Waiting on the World to Change" by John Mayer. It was a really fun mid-morning exercise break and got us all moving. My turn's Tuesday, so I've got to get in my iTunes and pick my songs...

Well, that was week 7 at our house! I hope you had a wonderful week, whatever your week held for you. Another one starts tomorrow, let's make it great!