Week One: Measuring and Indian Monks

We had a pretty good week, although we didn't get to even half the things I had planned.  At least we got the basics done.

Math

Emily learned about the metric system during the first half of the week and measured using inches and feet for the second half.  This week was a breeze for her since she's always loved measuring things.

Here she is measuring Cami.

Cami made huge strides in math this week.  We love RightStart Math here and Cami's such a hands-on learner that it suits her personality perfectly.  We worked with the abacus a lot this week and practiced adding with it and entering tens.  She was finally able to understand how to count to high numbers and was so excited about it that she counted up to one hundred using the abacus all by herself!

She also learned how to do simple addition using the Parts-to-Whole diagram.

Phonics/Reading

Cami finished Lessons 56-59 in McRuffy Phonics K.  In truth, we don't use much of the program anymore.  She basically does a worksheet a day and she takes the spelling tests.  I think it's a great program, but it moves awfully slow and Cami's skill level has surpassed it.  I'm still having her do the worksheets though, because she enjoys them and it cements what she's learned and gives her extra practice.  

In addition to McRuffy, she reads at least two short readers each day.  This week she read some Cool Cats books and a few McRuffy readers.  She also started her first REAL book today, Green Eggs and Ham.  Yay, Cami!

Emily's reading Prince Caspian for the second time and isn't bored with it yet.  She's also reading the Secrets of Droon books on her own, which I'm not crazy about, but with all the reading this kid does I can't really complain.  

History

 We read about monks in India in Story of the World this week.  Emily seemed to lose interest and gave me that blank stare when I asked the review questions at the end of the chapter.  Cami was right on though.  She had an answer every time, and if she didn't know the answer she made it up.

We did get a very timely issue of Appleseeds Magazine in the mail on Monday though.   

 It had articles on falconry, stained glass in monasteries, medieval illuminations, and dirty jobs in the middle ages.  There was also an article on designing your own coat of arms and the girls spent an entire afternoon making their own on newsprint.  That counts as school, right?

The girls did handwriting every day and we even squeezed in a few spelling lessons.  Next week I'll try to fit in some fun projects.