heartofdakota.com

Ok Fellow HOD Homeschoolers,

What was YOUR week Like?

You can post:

a- A picture
b- A blog Link
c- A written synopsis
d- Your favorite memory
e- Anything you want that shares your HOD excitement!

Important Note: If you are linking us to your blog, please make sure it's not just a general link, but to your specific post of HOD. That way if someone reads through these a year from now they can find your share without needing to hunt!

Bigger Hearts for His Glory:
Bartering and trading was a means for survival for John Smith and the people in Jamestown. Weather conditions were harsh, and without John Smith's help and leadership, Jamestown may not have survived. "A First Book in American History" has my little Emmett quite literally sitting on the edge of his seat! The reading about John Smith was divided into 2 days, as it was lengthier, and Emmett was beside himself with the agony of waiting. He pulled faces, gave big sighs, and begged me to read more, but I was strong-mama and winked and said, 'You'll just have to wait for school tomorrow!' He arrived with his little red book in tow for school the next day, on the couch ready and waiting for me to read the rest of the story about John Smith. Living books - who can live without them? They make ordinary school days highly anticipated. A favorite activity was the bartering activity this week. The boys took a 5 minute break from their other guides to come barter with little brother for BHFHG. You can tell from the final results that no matter what, Emmett was going to trade to end up with as many oreo cookies as possible.


Math... I have the odd scenario of a son who is extremely confident in his math skills but probably shouldn't be quite so much. Emmett is like no other child I have taught in math - including my ps students from 20 years back. He has the tendency to love to shout out answers with full confidence that have about a 50/50 chance of being right. It drives me nuts! I think he finally realizes this is not the thing to do, and is trying a little more to arrive at the ONE right answer. A breakthrough this week was our study in fact families. At first it was mind boggling to him, but we redid the hands-on activity over and over again, and finally, it just clicked. He breezed through his workbook, no problem, which I found incredible as at the start of the activity, he truly was lost.


The hands-on math activities are really helping Emmett 'see' what he is to be doing to solve math problems. Working on place value, the game we played really helped make clear the value of the different columns of the place value chart. He was not wanting to do it at first, and by the end he wanted to do it all over again. I like that the HOD hands-on math activities add a fun element to math, rather than just dry textbook/workbook seat time. He is making progress, slowly but surely, and the Lord is teaching me some necessary skills in exercising patience.


In Christ,
Julie

Here is our week in WG complete with 2 videos of his newest love bouldering as well as a new trick he learned at his parkour gymnastics class http://graceandfur.blogspot.com/2015/02 ... -2015.html

Resurrection to Reformation:
One of Riley's favorite things to do each week is to read his science books. I cannot say I ever felt that way when I was reading science books in middle school I think the difference is reading dry textbooks or reading living books that are more in line with Charlotte Mason's ideals. HOD makes living book choices even for science - which isn't always so easy to do! It is pretty neat to see Riley cuddled up in a chair with an electric blanket, some hot cocoa, engrossed in his science book "Along Came Galileo." Riley had grown to like an respect Galileo so much that when he was 68 years old and summoned before the inquisition, to be sentence to life in prison, he felt so sad for him. However, Galileo, even under house arrest, continued to write, invent, etc. It was inspiring, and it also shows how if God has a purpose in your life, that purpose will prevail with a faithful heart.


For one of Riley's history projects, he made baked pears. I would have snapped a picture, but they were gone too fast! HOD is really teaching our dc to be quite adept in the kitchen. I am thankful, as I think this is becoming a lost art! It is too easy to just eat out for meals (which I admit we enjoy when we do it too, but eating out every meal requires a LOT of money and usually ends up with less than healthy food being eaten). I am hopeful our sons will know their way around the kitchen well enough to whip up some good meals when called upon. Just the ability to follow step-by-step directions to complete a task is beneficial!

We worked very hard on Riley's "Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons" assignment about Ghengis Kahn. The story was fascinating, and an intriguing one to retell. Riley enjoyed adding his own flair of elaborate vocabulary to the story, and he typed it himself at the end of the assignment. I gave it one last final edit, and we were both happy with the results! We used "Typing Instructor" in the summers in a low key way to teach Riley to type. He does fairly well with it, even with that minimal training. It is a nice option for him to type his final drafts...


What a good week!
In Christ,
Julie

I seriously just laughed out loud reading about Emmett shouting out his math answer whether it was right or wrong! I don't think he will ever lack for confidence!

I also love that you stated the Lord is teaching you patients. Every homeschool mom I know is always working on that quality! Whether we want God to transform us or not in this area, he is!