What We've Learned - 27 July 2012

A few highlights from our past week (or so) of school:

Michelle, Age 6-1/2
1. We did the flashcard game* for +9 and +8 in math.
2. We are writing letters that end with a grin, a smile, and a jump (in cursive).
3. We read about Greece and Troy in history.  We are waiting to find out what the big horse was left there for. (Stay tuned for the end of the story next week!)
4. We went for a summer nature walk.

This is the page from her cursive book that Michelle wanted to show you this week.

James, Age 4
James was unavailable for comment this week. =)  He has, however, enjoyed marking off flags we see on the Olympics on our "Les Drapeaux Du Monde" chart and always loves playing with the Math U See blocks.  He's asked several times lately "when can I have a big Bible like Michelle's" and seems very interested in the idea of learning how to read when I tell him we'll get him a big Bible when I know he knows how to read it.

Ordering and Matching number cards with their corresponding Math U See Blocks

*Bonus: The Flashcard Game
This isn't very original, but I thought I'd share it anyway because this is a very simple way to spice up what would otherwise be monotonous flashcard drills.  This is my variation on an idea I first read about it in Karen Andreola's A Charlotte Mason Companion,  in the chapter when she discusses how she taught her daughters to read. We've used this same method with alphabet letters/sounds, beginning reading (when we were still in the 'sounding out words but still too overwhelmed by whole sentences' phase), and now for math facts.  Basically take the pile of flashcards you want to review, and lay them out on the table to make a path.  Find a die or 2 and a couple of old game pieces and play as a simple board game.   Michelle and I like to start on opposite sides and see who makes it to the other end first. =)  Whatever square you land on, you have to answer (tell the sound, read the word, tell the solution to the math fact, etc.).  Simple!  It's quick (our games usually don't last more than 5 minutes), takes the pressure off (since mom also has to answer to when it's her turn) and fun - at least, my kids haven't gotten tired of it yet. =)  But then again, my kids are really easily amused....