Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Summer update

We are in the middle of the "dog days" of summer.  It's very hot outside.  In fact, it is so hot that the Real-feel temperature is 122 degrees! 

During the summer, we have continued with education in a more non-demanding way.  In other words, if friends want to get together and do something in the middle of the day, we do not let our scheduled studies get in the way.  Life IS education, and part of educating our children is living life!

I attended a Christian home-school conference on our last trip to visit family in Alabama.  It was a last minute blessing in which I was very thankful!
I was able to spend the day with my  friend Lisa and a new friend named Shannon.  It was so nice to have a "girls' day out" listening to speakers,visiting vendor booths, and basically feeling refreshed.

One of the vendor booths we visited was for Rod & Staff Mennonite curriculum.  I was already seriously considering changing our Math curriculum from ABeka, and after seeing Rod and Staff's simplicity, I was hooked.   I purchased Justin and Jonathan's math books on the spot.  The story problems are very natural.  The pictures are simple and lovely (I absolutely love the way the people are dressed).   Biblical measures such as handbreath, fathom, & furlong are also taught.   I am very pleased with these books!

I was also able to purchase another book from the Mennonites about manners & good habits.  The boys have enjoyed going through this together.

For English we have been using a higher level complete English/Grammar book.  We have worked on it as a unit (whole family).   It teaches basic English in a fun, non-stressful way.  The boys have enjoyed this style.  I have been having them write paragraphs in their own notebook, learning how to create and revise.  It has been exciting to see their writing skills and creativity grow.

Other things we are doing this summer:

~Continuing to make the Bible our main source of education
~Creating a model of The O.T. Tabernacle out of Legos
~Reading The Peace Child by Don Richardson (with me heavily editing as I read).  This is a missionary book about cannibals in New Guinea. 
~Learning the Presidents in order

On Mondays:
~Window on the World - Reading about a nation, finding it on the map, and praying for the people
~Usborne Children's Encyclopedia - Science facts
~The Presidents: reading about each President
~Church history (Robert Morgan's book)


Random things we do occasionally as we have time:
~Character Sketches - Animal Character lessons
~Voice of the Martyrs magazine - praying for the persecuted church
~I also bought a kit from Voice of the Martyrs to make parachutes to send Bibles into Colombia.  We are still working on it.

Some of these things we have done, but need to make a point to do more often:
~Bless the widows and single moms in our church with a card, small gift, or occasionally visit
~Visit the nursing home