Friday, January 14, 2011

Weekly Wrap-up: Jää Jää Vauva

For more weekly wrap-up fun, visit WUSH!

That's pronounced "yah, yah, wah, wah."  At least that's how my high school friend from Finland told me to say it, and it's Finnish for "ice, ice baby."

Cause that's how our week started. 

You probably saw ATL on the news with all the trucks sliding around the interstates like they were skating rinks.  I don't live in metro Atlanta, but close enough that we had some skating rink streets, too.

Michael was home Monday and Tuesday, and given that we had the flu which developed into bronchitis for the duration of Christmas break, we decided that two days off while all members of the family were healthy wasn't such a bad idea.  Plus, I wanted my kids to experience what it's like to get to miss school because of snow.  That doesn't happen often in our part of the world!

We watched Prince Caspian and some Food Network shows we like.  We played games, especially the new Shut the Box game that one of the boys received from his aunt and uncle for Christmas.  It is such a simple but very fun and addictive game!

It finally felt like Christmas for us!

And I had just packed up the tree and decorations the day before!! lol

On Wednesday, Michael headed back to the salt mines zoo high school for work, and I cried as I waved goodbye.  Then I cracked open the lesson planner to find that we were a week and half behind schedule. 

When Orville broke his arm on Dec. 10th, I canceled school for the up-coming week.  Then there were the snow days....  So I made some quick adjustments to my plans and cracked the whip rang the school bell as my darlings groaned and moaned whistled while they worked.

I am teaching Omnibus this semester instead of Michael and have lived to recount the first three days.  Fortunately, Orville's assignment this week is Sophocles' Theban Trilogy which I actually read... 23 years ago.  After laughing about how I knew these works so well because I went to high school with Sophocles, Orville and I straightened up and had productive discussions.

And I learned something, too.

I had been required to read the three plays in the wrong order.  Antigone makes a lot more sense when you've previously read Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus

Michael has taken over the study of Narnia in the evenings as an exchange for Omnibus.  I would rather it remain the other way around, but alas, his schedule requires otherwise.  However, we have had a blast reading the Silver Chair together in the evening. 

And my friend, Molly, gave me the book Roar! for Christmas.  We've been using it as a fun comprehension guide and for conversation starters.  We are really enjoying it, and it has added a lot to our study.  Thanks, Molly!

Other than that, it's been a week of math, grammar, spelling, reading, history (we're finally finishing our unit on Ancient Egypt and planning our project for our homeschool association's international festival.  Be on the lookout for an Egypt post!), and NO SCIENCE!

I decided to drop General Science.  Teaching two different science curricula is just not something I can do, and I don't think GS offers enough practice work for good self-teaching.  Orville was making good grades on the tests, but he could not do the hands-on unassisted.  I was struggling to find time to help him, so he was just reading and taking the test, reading and taking the test.  I decided it would be in his best interest, and mine, just to drop it.  I am considering either teaching both boys GS next year, finding a paid class for Orville, or finding another curriculum that will fit our science needs a little better.  For now, I am supervising science fair projects which is still leading hands-on, but at a much slower pace as not to drive me up a wall.

That was our week.  How was yours?

Happy Schoolin'!
Dawn

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3 comments:

Kellie said...

We took a couple of snow days here too. It's just so nice to have life slow down for a little bit.

Your post makes me glad I'm still homeschooling in the younger grades. I just do not feel educated well enough to teach beyond 6th grade. I know God will equip me, but He's going to have a lot of work to do. ; )

Stefanie said...

My have you all been busy. Glad to hear that everyone is on the mend.

It's nice to get back into the routine.

homeschooldawn said...

Kellie, it overwhelms me some days. I have been listening to Lee Binz (The Home Scholar) a little at a time lately. She is really encouraging and helpful and one of the talks I listened to just this week was about how God will provide, but a little at a time. I needed to hear that bc I was already starting to worry about 10th, 11th, 12th, college....

Giggly Girls, thank you! Yes, the routine has felt great as have the open sinuses and clear lungs! :)