School Journal - Primary Arts of Language Review

I think I've tried almost every kind of reading program there is. All my kids learn so differently that they've (I've) each needed something different. So...I bought another program and I'm very glad I did. P.A.L. by IEW  is a very intense course, so I have slowed it down a bit to a pace that my 1st grader is comfortable with. This is all new stuff to him and I want him to be successful. My third grader "helps" the 1st grader and gets a review as well, which is good because he doesn't read independently yet and needs a b.u.n.c.h. of repetition. I was also trying to use it with my preschooler. She loved the letter stories and writing the letters, but after we got past the "squeally ee's", she was over her head, so I am doing something else with her. She still can spot the squeally ee's in a word though and is recognizing color words.



P.A.L. uses a Phonetic Farm folder to help introduce "helpers" which are basically different letter combinations that say one sound (i.e. ay, er, ee...). It also introduces sight words that you jot down on an index card to memorize and use in the reading practice each day. There are also file folder games that you put together and your child plays every day. So you're learning new stuff daily (unless you slow down a bit) and putting them into practice with reading and using those words in different games always reviewing previous words.   

I like that it teaches the not-so-basic sounds effortlessly and matter-of-factly. I was having trouble teaching what you do after the short vowel words that are easy to sound out, but P.A.L. makes it very easy and I don't have too much prep work to do except get file folders made. Z has made it through 13 lessons and I am amazed at how well he is doing and how much he is learning. We also get the added benefit of having the whole family interested in what the new reader is learning because there is a poem tying the lessons together and our family loves to memorize the poems and find the "helpers" in the poem.

School Journal - Reading Winners!

The boys have been working steadily throughout the school year to complete their personal reading goals. L was to read 20 books either to me or to himself which may not sound like a whole lot, but reading is a struggle for him. Z was to finish his 100 Easy Lessons book, but after about 60 lessons we modified our goal. He wasn't catching on to the lessons as quickly as the book wanted him to, so we put that on the shelf for a little bit and just brought out books to practice. His modified goal was to still finish 100 leassons but reading TWO Bob Book sized books counted for ONE lesson. Well, both the boys finished this last week and they collected their prize of a toy from Target ($10 limit). Not bribery mind you, but payment for hard work done well. Congratulations, boys!



Home Journal - No. 3 is No. 7



Yep, Z - man is now perfect! I told him since he was God's perfect number, this was the year that he was going to be perfect. He just said, "Mo-om..." in the 17-year-old way. :) Z is such a sweet boy and we're especially proud of the way he plays so well with his little brother and doesn't even think it's a chore. This year the top things on his birthday list were, of course, LEGOs, but when we questioned him about which ones, he just said, "I'll be happy with whatever LEGOs I get, mom!" Good to know and good to remember for the after-birthday blues that can sometimes creep up after the anticipation is over. You know what I mean?! Actually, Mr. Z did a great job about being grateful.



We went out to the restaurant of his choice - Braum's - 'cause they have GOOD chocolate shakes. Then, he wanted to watch a movie. He picked Kung Fu Panda. We had a family party for him, but he and L are saving their birthday parties until they can have Boy's Day in June when the weather is nicer and friends can be outside partying! (Yes, that was my idea. From last year, but it will probably be the tradition around here for a while.)



SEVEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT Z:

1.   His dimples
2.   How he can spend hours up in the playroom pretending with his Legos.
3.   How he loves his Big Brother.
4.   How he loves his Little Brother.
5.   His Lisp (even though we're working on correct speech).
6.   His methodical way of eating. Always the same. Creature of habit.
7.   His lips that stick out when he gets upset.



School Journal - Semester Wrap Up

I was really hoping to post more on my blog about homeschool happenings, but for some reason or another, it just hasn't happened - I didn't have pictures, I didn't have time, I don't know how to do those fun links like I see on other blogs and on and on. So, now that the semester is over (actually I'm just throwing up the surrender flag), I figure I'd at least document what we did accomplish the past 18 weeks or so and then I'd have some record that we actually did something.

Accomplished in Geography:

• World Continents - 2 weeks
• North America - U.S., Canada, Mexico
• Antarctica - 2 weeks
• Arctic - 2 weeks
• Africa (still working on this one) - South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, have Morocco, Egypt and Mozambique to do
• Learned about 13 explorers
• Read many books about individual countries, literature from each country, and people including: The Paint Brush Kid, Sea of Ice: Wreck of the Endurance, Tikta'liktak, The Year of Miss Agnes, The Rat Catcher's Son, Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain 

First Day of School

Mexican Fiesta Night

Puppet Show about Mexico

Antarctica Cookie Map

Accomplished in Chemistry:

• First 8 labs - we didn't start this one until later, so we're definitely behind on it



Marshmallow Atoms

E's Accomplished:

• All the names of the countries of North America
• Working on memorizing all the countries of Africa
• Learning how to use an atlas to find the information she's seeking
• Completed 50 lessons in Teaching Textbooks Grade 6
• Completed 80 lessons in Sequential Spelling
• Written 14 outlines, rough drafts and final copies for her IEW writing class using the Theme Book Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales
• Read lots of books including: My Side of the Mountain, Water Sky, The Broken Blade, Journey to Jo'burg, Once on this Island, Mysterious Benedict Society and others 
•  Art projects and drawings from various countries
• Had her first paid babysitting job - for me, babysitting the other 4
• Went to 9 art classes learning watercolor and other forms of art
• Participated in Girls' Choir at church and even went up on stage and sang with the choir!
• Completed various crochet projects for gifts and for missions

 

Showing Daddy Her Accomplishments

L's Accomplished:

• Learning to use the atlas to find answers to questions about countries
• Completed Primary Mathmatics book 1B
• Completed 15 out of 24 steps in All About Spelling Level 1
• Read aloud to mom 15 books
• Learned about countless different animals from mom reading aloud to him
• Completed a lapbook about meerkats and the book Meerkat Mail
• Handwriting is slowly getting better, but with his cast off it should be easier to work on

 

 

Showing Daddy His Work

Z's Accomplished:

• Learning to use the atlas to look up information
• Completed 43 exercises in Primary Math 1A
• Completed 65 lessons in Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
• Working consistently on handwriting using scripture verses or animal sentences. He's doing great especially for a lefty.

Showing Daddy His Work

Betty's Accomplished:

• Recognized letters A, B, C, D, E, F, H, J, M, P, and Z
• Count objects up to 10
• Knows some countries names that she picks up from our geography studies
• Putting on and taking off her dresses by herself
• Putting on and taking off her velcro shoes by herself. She still asks which way the shoes go.
• Coloring inside the lines
• Cutting (mostly) along a given line
• Follows the prewriting tracing lines