Saturday, November 29, 2014

This Week in Learning {Thanksgiving Break}


I didn't plan to do a post this week but then I needed to record some thoughts for future reference.

Caleb did complete two lessons in Saxon math, read an extra hour a day, and worked on his Boy Scout Citizenship in the Nation merit badge. Tyler just did some extra free reading.

While on break, I planned out the last two week of school before Christmas Break. I decided that we will continue in our regular math, language arts, and Morning Basket. I took out history/geography and science and left our afternoons free for extra Advent reading and activities.

I'm hoping to pull out our Advent/Christmas books today and sort through those and decide which ones we are reading this year. I know we are reading A Christmas Carol which I did have to purchase since it was already checked out at the library. We actually have a copy of this book but the print is small. I like the illustrated and larger version much better. At least, I think this is the one our library had that I previewed last year and wanted to read this year. I may be wrong once we receive it on Monday! I bought Letters From Father Christmas last year which didn't get to read, so that is at the top of our list this year. I'm sure I will list the books we enjoy in our weekly Advent posts. 

I put many hours into pondering science. I have one who is not a fan of science and has hated about 95% of what we have done in science. I have another who just wants to do "experiments" aka make messy in the kitchen. He really isn't interesting in the learning but just wants to do activities and make messes. I've been trying to find something the first would enjoy and trying to get the second something active yet trying to figure out how to get him learning. Science is important in our home since both Scott and I have science degrees. One thing I do know is that they both enjoy nature study. I wish we had a country home so that we could just step outside every day and study God's creation.

Focus on Chemistry is too hard for Tyler. I knew that could be the case when I purchased it but knew he would use it eventually. Tyler admits he isn't sure what is going on but he doesn't want to stop. That would be because it comes with a book of exerperiments. ; ) To solve this problem he will be getting a basic chemistry set for Christmas and a three month subscription to Tinker Crate. I'm hoping he will be more willing to switch his science book in January since he has the above "toys". Since I have it on hand and it's a good science text he will be doing some chapters from Behold and See 5. Caleb used this book in 6th grade. It's written in a nice conversational tone but some of the chapters are challenging for the late elementary age.

I'm still pondering over Caleb's science. I have a few ideas but I want to pondering and pray before making anymore decisions. I have a few weeks before I need to decide.

I'm also thinking about Latin again. I thought I was decided and then I realized I missed the deadline on a 20% off coupon. Now I'm pondering it some more because I don't want to pay full price! I have a great Latin program on hand, Latina Christiana I, which is proven to get the job done program but dry as can be. Some kids can withstand it but I'm not that lucky. We tried it for a few weeks last year and I may not ever get anyone to try Latin every again because of it. We sampled Visual Latin which went over well but Caleb thought the guy teaching was too goofy and it was just too soon after the LC lessons for Tyler. ; ) I'm looking at Latin for Children after Sarah recommended it (and I could have written what she said about their previous course-which I believe is the same as what we used). Of course, once I decided on it I had missed the deadline on the coupon code.  : ( This needs more pondering and prayer as I don't want to spend another $100 on Latin without results.


Just because I think every post should have a picture (but I haven't been taking many lately), Tyler receiving Webelos Scout advancements from the Cubmaster (Scott) at the Pack meeting a week ago.

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