I is for Insect

We had a great Spring Break.  Some of the cousins got a chance to visit and we celebrated Little Bear's birthday!

Last week, we got back to school and it was I is for Insect week.  It was a great week for it since it is really starting to feel like Spring around here.  Because it's Central Texas some days also feel like Summer and the occasional Fall/Winter weather, too.  But, we'll take it--since everyday will start to be in the '90's soon.

The Words to Remember were: I am a wise child so I work hard.

Looking at all the bugs they found underneath an outside toy.

Sissy and one of our neighbors looking for bugs.

Making fingerprint ants

more insects

I've been going through the book, 'Slow and Steady Get Me Ready' by June Oberlander with Sissy.  It was the 'Money Talk' lesson.  Here she is observing a nickel and penny with a magnifying glass.

More fingerprint creepy crawlies

We had beautiful weather last week!  The kids spent hours outside and I do mean hours:)

Bud trying to catch or look for insects.

Little Bear with his new batting tee.

He loves it!

Watch out--he'll hit it far!

Bud's photograph of the sky!

A little overcast

Grey skies

Cowgirl Sissy

Making inchworms carefully after reading 'Inch by Inch' by Leo Lionni

Play dough inchworms---fun!

After reading 'The Little Red Hen'--the kids played with all types of grains.  How does that connect with insects?  Well, it connects with the Words to Remember: I am a wise child so I work hard.  The hen was wise and worked hard and the other animals were lazy and did not work hard. 

They loved this activity.  It was very open ended....I didn't give them any instructions on what to do with it.

They were creating recipes and played for a loooong time.

Bud creating a 'recipe'.

Sissy

Linking to:

MFW Homeschool Highlights @ A Heart Like Water

Preschool Post @ Homeschool Creations

Weekly Wrap-Up @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Hip Homeschool Hop

W is for Water part 1

This week was W is for Water week.  However, I did not get to everything that I had planned for this unit so we will finish up next week.

New things we added to our week

We added in CLE Sunrise Math 1.  To say that Bud likes his new Math curriculum would be an understatement.  He loves it and asks to do his Math lesson everyday including on our free day (today) when he asks to do two lessons instead;)   It's safe to say this kids loves numbers---I mean he did have a numbers themed birthday party after all.

We also started prepping for our garden.  I find it funny how the kids love playing in the dirt like a sandbox...'look at this snail', 'I'm digging a hole to China', 'I killed this ____ many grubs today'.  It's funny to me because I was raised in the city and in the A/C capitol at that ---so to see my kids enjoying nature just makes me chuckle.  We planted some seeds inside and are growing nicely in their little egg cartons at our kitchen window.


The great outdoors

We've stayed on target with our goal of spending an hour each day outside.  We are not journaling right now--just enjoying.  I hope to add in some narration/journaling soon.  But, if we not we will start it in the Fall with a more focused Nature Study.  We are all enjoying this gorgeous weather.  We are on the look out and have spotted different butterflies and birds (blue jays).  Maybe we need to get a water feature or bird feeder---thoughts?

Read Alouds

 We finished up "The House at Pooh Corner" and our starting "Winnie the Pooh" by A.A. Milne.  It is quite exciting to see how the kids respond to read aloud books with very few pictures.  It is a great exercise in using their imaginations.  This is one habit we intend to keep.


Bud and Sissy especially love the 'tiddely pom' song: 


hummed by Pooh in Chapter One of "The House at Pooh Corner", by A.A. Milne.

The more it snows
(Tiddely pom),
The more it goes
(Tiddely pom),
The more it goes
(Tiddely pom),
On snowing.
And nobody knows
(Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes
(Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes
(Tiddely pom),
Are growing.

W is for Water

We use MFW K for our core unit of study.  The theme for this week was

W is for Water
Words to remember: Jesus gives my spirit living water to drink
Bible Reading/Focus (Hubbard's Cupboard): Esau and Jacob
BFIAR: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

I'll post the information books we used on next week after we finish the unit.

In addition to the great ideas and activities from MFW K and message boards, we used the following:

Water Cycle Coloring Pages

http://www.kidzone.ws/water/index.html

ice/salt experiment

http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/phenom/risingice.html

Rain in a jar:

http://mygratitudeattitudes.blogspot.com/2009/04/storytime-and-creative-play-rain-rain.html

Water cycle song:

http://www.proteacher.org/a/12048_Water_Cycle_Song.html

planting sunflowers with Daddy

it's an adventure not work

helping Daddy

I love those sweethearts!  Can you believe Little Bear climbs up there by himself?

Bud digging his 'hole to China'

chulo!

Water as a liquid experiment --ready

pouring water into different shaped containers

observing that water as a liquid has no shape

I found a bug!

Look what I can do Mom!

up in their play house

Bud and Sissy---silly faces;)

Dump trucks, dirt and boys---c'mon they kind of go hand in hand right?

my boys

Some of our Math 'manipulatives'

looking through his Math workbook

Quiet time - picture books on the big comfy chair

Linking to:

Preschool Post @ Homeschool Creations

Weekly Wrap-up @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers