Week-in-Review Dec. 1-5

[my3sons]

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!

In Christ,
Julie

[lissiejo]

Phew...it's been a while since I posted...but I'm back!

http://gracefilledhomeschooling.blogspo ... r-1-5.html

[MelInKansas]

Great update! Just wanted to encourage you that 3 HOD guides isn't that bad at all! I was daunted in starting LHFHG, and then I was daunted when my 2nd born started Bigger while my oldest was still in Preparing. What you said about your daughter starting LHFHG was exactly how I felt, she was ready earlier and I was not. But we make it work and I still love it!

[my3sons]

World History High School:
It is a common sight to see Wyatt at the addition table, sitting with all of his books spread out in front of him, with the fireplace turned on behind him, light streaming in from the big windows near him, Bible open on the table near him, sipping a hot cocoa while he works. I love this sight! I know - it sounds like a Hallmark moment, but it's not! It's an every early morning experience, and I am so thankful for it. Kids need space. Kids need light. Kids need to get up and move, or grab a drink or a snack if they feel like it. The cramped, indoors all of the time, never being able to grab a drink or snack or go to the bathroom when you need to kind of school setting many 15 yo boys are enduring a good portion of their days does not equal productive work time nor happy memorable days. I am well aware of the blessings homeschool provides when I see the sight of my 15 yo hard at work, but enjoying a good stretch, some homemade granola, or a quick slip outside to pet the cat sitting on the bannister outside his window. Honestly, my friends who have never homeschooled cannot fathom what our days are like, and I'm at a loss to explain it. So, I share it with you fellow homeschool moms here! Whatever 'hardships' must be endured to be able to proceed with homeschooling, I have found they are worth it! Joy can be found when looking for it, always. I see pure joy when I look upon this sight each early AM of the day! I tuck these memories away to be pulled out on the days when I am weary and my alarm goes off and I think I can't get up, when I feel alone and miss my dh who is hard at work providing for us so I can be home to homeschool, or when I wonder if what we're doing is worth all of the sacrifices it takes to do it. A 'picture' like I just described - THAT is my postcard moment, and I call it to memory often. What is your 'postcard moment' that keeps you going each day? If you don't have one yet, pause and look around to find one - take a mental picture of it - and pull it out often.


"I love this book! Do you think you can find the other 2 books in the series and get them for me for Christmas?" was Wyatt's comment about reading his Living Library book "The Lantern Bearers." Needless to say, another hit! Living books are like that. You read one you love, and you must read everything else you can get your hands on that that author wrote. Did you ever feel that way about your high school textbooks? I never had the thought, "Put something else by THAT author on my Christmas list." No, it was more like, "Whew - so glad I'm done with THAT one!" Another blessing of HOD - a CM style of education that uses living books that make you want to read more!

"Little Miriam" was another excellent living book that Wyatt just completed for his Literature Study. The plot diagram is such a thorough assessment for me to determine how well he understood the book. The answer key is very complete, so much so that I do not require him to have every single part of it in his answers. It is so much easier to see if he truly has been able to comprehend and analyze what he has read with this assessment. There is no guessing. He couldn't guess his way through it if he tried, like he could if it was multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank. I so much prefer this style of assessment, and it is improving his writing skills right along with his reading skills.


Geometry has Wyatt pulling out his compass and straight-edge ruler to solve complicated problems by hand. I came to meet with him for geometry, and he was hard at work drawing something quite complicated. I asked what problem he was on, and he said, "Oh, this isn't assigned, but I just wondered if I could use just a straight-edge and compass to draw this, but hmmmm... well, it's not working out like I thought it would." I loved this - I didn't even care his hunch wasn't right! It was just the fact that he'd listened to the intro about how many, many years ago, mathematicians didn't have a protractor, and just had to do their geometric calculations with solely a straight-edge and a compass. He'd done multiple problems, that were simpler, along these lines, but he wanted to see if it could be done with a more complicated design. Even the math in HOD makes dc THINK for themselves!


These were a few highlights from the week, but mostly, I am just feeling this overall sense of gratitude to be able to homeschool with HOD this way. In the hustle and bustle of this busy Christmas season, our home is still the hub of our lives, and that brings needed solitude, peace, joy and comfort each day. God bless!

In Christ,
Julie

[my3sons]

Resurrection to Reformation:
Books strewn across the living room table and nearby floor, markers/colored pencils/glue/scissors/papers covering his work area, a stained apron on, hands in some gooey type mess he's kneading with his fingers in a bowl with a little smudged on his forehead, brow furrowed hard at work - this is the kind of postcard moment I've taken a mental picture of my almost 12 yo Riley. Kids need to work with their hands - and some more than others. Riley NEEDS this, and I am so thankful it is a part of his every day homeschooling with RTR in HOD! He is a kid that lives for science experiments, history projects, art assignments - he loves this kind of 'work' - and he wouldn't even call it 'work.' It is how he learns. I cannot imagine how stifling sitting in a small desk for the better part of a day in schoolroom shared with 20-30 other kids would be for Riley! It would literally steal the joy right out of him - and that's pretty sad, because this kid is full of joy! He whistles, he sings, he be-bops his way through life, and he could not be happier. I think it's due in large part to him being able to be physically active and hands-on in school.

A salt dough map of the world was right up Riley's alley! The mixing of the dough to get the right consistency, the molding of it to get the right shape as it was placed on the world map, the labels he made for the toothpicks and constructing them so they could be read standing up - all of this was just plain fun for Riley. I had to laugh as he gave me a 2 thumbs-up for the picture. That's his thought on the matter - 2 thumbs up - school can't get any better when I'm doing something like this.


And here's another assignment Riley enjoyed - creating a map of what he read in Geography by labeling and coloring it...


This blessing of the way we are able to homeschool and live our lives really hit home as Riley read "Immigrant Kids" for his nonfiction Drawn into the Heart of Reading genre. These children were robbed of their childhood. The photographs show stark cramped work conditions, exhausted children sleeping over their school books after finishing a night shift of work, and skeleton-like faces with hollow lonesome eyes wondering where their next meal would be coming from. The photographs have touched Riley's heart, and they have made him more and more grateful for the life that he has been given. When asked to find the theme of the book, Riley chose 'overcoming obstacles,' which was an excellent choice of a theme for this book. His main ideas showed each of the struggles to survive that the immigrants faced, and how they overcame obstacles by finding strength together. Riley lingered especially long on a picture where children were playing in the streets together - 'Look, Mom, they're on the street because they had no where else to play - and look - they still have SMILES on their faces!' Riley shook his head, saying very quietly, 'I have so much to be thankful for.' It is moments like these that I am so thankful! The opportunity to talk about topics like this together, it is truly a gift. I think he'll remember that photograph when he thinks of immigrants, and he'll be a better person for it.


Riley's Medieval History Based Writing piece "Knights in the Middle Ages" finally came all together this week! After reading several sources about multiple 'knight-like' topics, narrowing his topics down to 3, making key word outlines on each topic from several sources, fusing notes from multiple resources, writing a good introduction and a strong conclusion, including the many elements of good writing he's learned from mini-lessons, working through his rough draft, working through the editing process together, he finally reached the point of typing his writing piece and giving it a title. The final results were excellent in this mom's humble opinion - not PERFECT, as you will see there are some errors in the final typed composition, BUT still excellent worthy work that shows much promise!


In Christ,
Julie

[my3sons]

Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory:
Hugs and kisses, cuddles on the couch while I read, singing Bible Verses together alongside Steve Green in "Hide 'em in Your Heart," microphone moments where Emmett clears his throat - shares something with bravado - and bows at the end amidst the cheers and claps of big brothers, wild racing around the home and freezing to share his Bible verse with me out of breath with a big smile - those are some of my 'postcard' moments with Emmett. Full of life, that's what he is. Full of love, that's what he is. Full of cheer, that's what he is. He loves his mom, so much it rushes over him and bubbles out! And I'M his mom, lucky me!!! I cannot imagine him gone, giving all that love to some other teacher each day. Oh, what I would miss out on! Oh, how he would miss me - though I'm sure that would soon fade in the face of having to make it through each day without me. What an incredible blessing to have my little one home with me, giving me all that sunshine that is uniquely his that floods my heart and nurtures his soul! That reminds me of Emmett's art project this week. We made a treasure chest together, and on a heart he wrote Luke 12:34... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also... Well, one thing I treasure is my little Emmett being home with me!


Usually I help Emmett think of pictures he could draw around his poetry copy work, I have him draw them in pencil, show me, and then color. This week, I was surprised to find he'd thought of all his own pictures, drawn them in pencil, and then outlined and colored them. Repetition of skills makes such a difference - it forms great work habits!


In math we have been subtracting larger numbers, sometimes needing to borrow. The hands-on math activities are helping Emmett with this difficult skill, but he definitely still needs me by his side helping with each problem. That's ok. I know from working through Singapore with my older 2 sons, this skill will come given time. As always, Emmett adds his own twist to the activity, hamming it up to get a smile from me or from his brothers. Here he is sporting a dime in his eye, calling himself Colonel Klink from Hogan's Heroes...


In grammar, we learned about contractions, and Emmett highlighted the letters that were the same, so he could easily find the missing letter(s) replaced by the apostrophe in the contraction. What a great activity to show this in an easy to understand, visual way!


In history, Emmett and I read about a big brown grizzly bear lumbering in Nell's log home to help himself to molasses. Here the thumbs of both of his hands are taped to mimic paws, and he has the difficult task of trying to pick up the tiny things in front of him. It was pretty hard to do, and it showed how God created humans perfectly, just as he created each animal perfectly.


I am just so thankful for my children this week. I miss my dh, but I am thankful for my 3 blessings that surround me. I am thankful for our home and for family. Homeschooling gives me all of this, and I tuck these memories away in my heart to warm me on the colder days. My dc are a reminder of God's goodness! I pray you are surrounded by His love and see it in the faces of your dc as you homeschool your way through this busy, busy Christmas season!

In Christ,
Julie

[LynnH]

I realized I posted under the wrong week so I deleted that one and here is our week for World Geography http://www.graceandfur.blogspot.com/201 ... -2014.html

[lissiejo]

Great update! Just wanted to encourage you that 3 HOD guides isn't that bad at all! I was daunted in starting LHFHG, and then I was daunted when my 2nd born started Bigger while my oldest was still in Preparing. What you said about your daughter starting LHFHG was exactly how I felt, she was ready earlier and I was not. But we make it work and I still love it!

Thank you so much for that encouragement! I was in three guides last year, but I don't feel like Little Hands really counts because it hardly took any time at all. I'm hoping everything goes as smoothly as you say

[MelInKansas]

Last week my oldest DD finished Preparing Hearts! That was the big news of the week and she was very proud to have finished it. We will have a scaled down plan for her with school for the next 3 months as I just don't see starting CTC for 2 weeks, then taking off for Christmas, maybe one more week in, and then taking a long break. I may end up starting CTC before the beginning of March, but with a new baby coming I am not going to plan on it. In the meantime she will be doing Singapore Math, DITHR, keeping a journal every day, writing letters and book reports, and we are going to start the Girl to Woman studies from Res to Ref for her Bible time. I think she is ready for this and it's a good time for it (she is almost 10).

My DD in Bigger Hearts did Unit 6 and my DD in LHFHG did Unit 12. Last week I think I was able to put more energy into it and felt like we did a better job of finishing all of the assignments and getting more out of them rather than rushing through. As you described Julie, my 2nd born is really a hands-on learner. She loves the science experiments and even the notebooking assignments. She is so proud of her work. This week we read about William Penn and Benjamin West. I think the Quaker idea really came to life for her (not that I profess to really understand what Quakers believed or were). The geography and notebooking activities brought home where Pennsylvania was.

LHFHG went well. I do love that it happens that we are studying about Jesus so close to Christmas. The previous 2 units were about Jesus's birth and boyhood and this week we read about His baptism and some of his miracles. My DD liked the Rhyme in Motion better than some, or at least showed a better attitude about it than she did the previous weeks. She is doing great with reading, handwriting, and math. I just see her growing in so many important ways right now. And as I was discussing with a friend of mine about what they do for school and her Kindergartener is doing school for 4 hours a day or something. I am so thankful that I feel like my DD is making so much good progress and we spend so much less time doing it! My friend's situation is definitely different as her daughter is the only child (so far). But I am glad my DD isn't so overwhelmed with so much work and having to sit for all that - she definitely wouldn't do well with it as she is naturally a very active child. It makes me thankful for HOD and thankful that I found HOD when I did and have been happily using it with my children for the past 6 years!

[4Hispraise]

It has been a while since I stopped to check in, so I thought I would give an update! We are still so thankful for HOD and are enjoying our school year. This year, we are using Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory and parts of the World Geography Guide (my oldest attends school part-time while completing the basics at home).

http://bloomingoodlife.blogspot.com/201 ... world.html