Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Library Day

Today we went to both Provo and Orem libraries during school time. Noel's joy school was canceled so she came too. We had books overdue at both. We recently went to Provo library and missed story time by a couple minutes. This time we wanted to check it out. It was a hit. Amy and Noel went into the bigger story time. Eliza (who is a month and half too young to go into story time though I think she'd do well with her sisters) and Benjamin and I went to the toddler story time.

Then we headed to Orem library to pick up a few things.

That was school for today.

This afternoon Noel had a reading lesson. (We re-checked out the reading lesson book.) As it's been cold, the girls have stayed in the house more and are currently thumbing through the library books that pile up from the shelves whenever we go to the library.

Monday, April 28, 2014

But Don't Skip Reading Class

Today I chose Rhode Island for our state. We read Bob Books for Lesson time. 

The kids got excited when they realized it was snowing so we're about to go outside for Amy and Noel's activity. It seems any time it's been a while since there has been snow, it's totally exciting again. I knew there would be at least one more snow because there always are some springtime snows, usually at least one in May. So I'm not as bugged as many people, but I'm not exactly excited to go play in it. But so it goes. 

We skipped to singing Eliza happy birthday for her activity and reading Uncle Remus for reading class. Those stories are fun to read, and the girls like them. Fun!

With that, we wrapped up, and we're about to head outside.

(The title refers to Amy's preference. She was fine with skipping closing class today and getting to the recess part. But she did not want to skip reading class. She likes that part.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Our School Week

Last week and this week are our Joy School turn. So that sums up what we have done for school the Tuesdays and Thursdays. Last Wednesday we had a reading marathon. This Monday we had school but I didn't write about it. So here's the update from Monday and today:

Monday we made a page about California for our America books. Today was Kansas. The America book has been a hit so far. 7 pages. Almost no complaining or lack of interest. Good drawing. Increasing familiarity with states and their capitals. Good foundation for learning more about America in the future, I think.

Monday we listened to more scripture scouts for our sibling unit. (The kids don't know I'm trying to teach them something specific and about siblings. We haven't tied things together yet. It's a slow unit.) Today I played them a few songs on the piano.

Monday we sang Benjamin Happy Birthday for Eliza's activity. Today, inspired by my playing, she played the piano for a while and asked me to dance.

Monday Noel chose playing pretend for her activity. Today we made puppets. We were going to do something with them like have a show, but they took a long time to dry, and we never made it back to them.

Monday and today Amy chose playing with her new (from Easter) t-ball set for her activity.

Monday we didn't make it through closing routine but got derailed playing outside which became friend time.

Today we read a story about my great grandpa, Zech Farr, from his childhood for our closing class.

Then we read from the little book that tells silly pneumonic devices to help you learn the names of the U.S. Presidents.

We saved T-ball for last so that we would still do the other things. Outside play belongs at the end if we want to do our whole school routine.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Starting a Sibling Unit

Last week we had Spring Break like our neighbors and friends. It included Free Cone Day which was super fun.

Today we're back at it.

We did Washington for our state page for our America book.

Mom Class was listening to the Scripture Scouts tape about Joseph and his brothers. I am wanting to highlight to the girls the relationships of siblings in scriptures and church history and help them learn about developing good relationships with each other. It was an idea from Relief Society. As we listened, we'd stop and talk about how the brothers were treating each other and feeling about each other.

Eliza wanted to sing Happy Birthday for her activity. During one phase when Amy was a toddler we sang Happy Birthday to her Aunt Melissa's twin sisters every night. Funny.

Amy chose listening to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for her activity.

Noel wanted to play princess. It was a bit rough starting with everyone arguing about who was who and what to do. It finally settled although each kid seemed to be acting out a different scenario and trying to bring others into their plots. :)

Closing class was learning a little more about the lunar eclipse coming up. Matt told them about it during breakfast and wants to wake them up tonight to see it. Interesting. Did you know there will be four in the next 17 months with a solar eclipse mixed in there as well?

For reading class, I had the girls read to me the rest of the chapter we are on in the book we are reading for scripture study called "Teaching Your Children to Read Using the Book of Mormon." It has scripture story comprehension parts and introducing reading parts. So we do the scripture story parts in study. Other parts we do whenever we get to them.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Happy Birthday and Learning about Maine

While Noel was at Joy School, we started home school.

Today's state for our America book was Maine. I picked. I'm interested in Maine from when I visited my sister in Boston a few years ago. I just heard about how fun and beautiful day trips to Maine were. Amy and I really like doing those America book pages.

We only had 10 minutes after that before going to pick up Noel so I grabbed the sparks station tub. It has random odds and ends to be played with however kids want but only during school. See here. We had a little mobile thing Noel made at Joy School, and empty oregano container, and little penguins that used to be my mom's pajamas. Amy decided we should fish. It was quick, fun and creative. And Amy decided she liked the spark station. She was making plans for another time of playing with it that gave me another idea.

After picking up Noel, we did the kids' picks. Eliza wanted us to sing happy birthday to each other. :)

Noel picked the game 100 and Out I taught them recently. We learned a little bit more of how to add in the process.

Amy chose snack time.

With that, we stayed at the table and did a crossword puzzle from the Friend magazine for closing class. Then I made lunch and read them an Uncle Remus story while they ate for Reading class.

After a week of touch-and-go sickness, it was awesome to have a school day with our school routine. This week we did have a couple reading marathons and one visit to laptime and story time. So those were fun too.