Friday, August 21, 2009

Tidbits

We just completed our third week at our little school... I just wanted to share with you some of the things that are going on around here.

The Big Apple is always reading. She loves it. Sometimes I go check on her late at night and find her still reading a book. I have to give her a page limit at night so that she will actually get enough sleep.
The Middle Apple's curriculum is very slow at easing the children into reading. The Middle Apple is doing very very well and can read most of her assigned pages without help. I'm so proud of her. Her handwriting is coming along great as well. She amazed me this week by completing 100 addition problems without complaint, and only missed 6. Not bad if I do say so myself!


She has also been learning about the different names of God in her Bible studies. Jesus means "The Lord Saves." We made some beautiful pictures to hang in the window using crayon shavings and wax paper. I love kid art!
We made alot of them.
This week, The Big Apple was learning about the Jamestown Settlement, so we decided to try to create a model of one. We read that the houses were created out of mud, using the wattle and daub method, so that's just what we did. We made a playdough mixture, and colored it with real Louisiana mud. Then we smooshed it into the wood frames and dried the mud walls in the dehydrator.
Daddy lended a had with the thatch roof, since I really have no architectural ability whatsoever.
Okay, soooooo it came out looking a little strange and not too authentic. Sue me. But The Big Apple had a blast, and isn't that what learning is supposed to be about?
And what post could be complete without a Little Apple update? Well, here is your gratuitous picture of The Little Apple eating so prim, proper, and neatly with fork.



Well....maybe not.

3 comments:

jamiely78 said...

My Bella loves make art w/shaved crayons & was paper. Her kindergarten teacher last year sent home ALL of the crayons that were left over because she knew Bella would use them. I'm swimming in crayons. lol

I;m glad your girls are enjoying their school year so far.

Hilary said...

I remember learning about waddle and daub when I was homeschooled. We made a doghouse for our new puppy out of sticks and mud. I don't think she ever slept in it, but it was tons of fun. You bet your daughter will remember it when she's grown up - I do!

Jess said...

Shaved crayon art? Okay I am nooooot art-sy, which is hard sometimes as a HSing mama of a 5th grader who loves everything about art. Thanks for the ideas. I am totally incorporating them.