Hannah's new reading material

While in DC, my good friend Josh told me about this book.  I was

immediately intrigued because I am always looking for ways to 

make math easier for Hannah.  I really want to make her feel like 

she's a math master, and from his description, this sounded like 

the book to do it.  For less than $10 dollars, I have made my 

excited to do math problems, in her head, for anyone who'll pay

attention.  In just a few pages, it was very easily explained how 

to do any multiplication problem involving the number 11.  She is ready to amaze people!  

Secrets of Mental Math

For any other parents who want to make math something to be proud of, I strongly recommend this book.  The explanations, so far, are very easy to understand.  

Read Recently: Hannah

Last night I was checking over Hannah's school work.  She just finished two books: People Can Change the World and American Leaders.  It worked out perfectly, as her school units tied into our trip to DC a couple of weeks ago.  And the end of each workbook is a final project.  Her final project in People Can Change the World was to determine how she would like to change the world, and then come up with a plan to support that change.  Hannah's plan is to make sure that everyone has shelter.  She is going to contact leaders around the world, and get them on board with her plan of everyone having shelter.  Then she's going to go to builders and get them on board with her plan.  According to Hannah, this will make the world a better place because everyone will have a nice warm house, and everyone will be happy.  As a leader, she needs to be able to build good communication to help accomplish her goal.  

School day: just a Friday

I fully believe that elementary aged children need lots of play.  I think that play is vital for teaching many things.  You can read more about those thoughts here: The Crucial Role of Recess in Schools.

A large part of our day allows for play; play with a parent and play without a parent.  And chores.  Hannah and Riley have daily chores.  That being said, we have a fair amount of structure as well.  

Just some photo's from our regular school day.  

The above photo is actually from yesterday.  Can I just say that I love Highlights.  And so does Hannah.  This is a special packet I bought her.  She'll explore 6 different countries, with a secret mission.  She must find clues, through geographic puzzles and reading, then solve the mystery.  Her first mystery takes place in Italy.  

The rest of the pictures are from today.  Hannah is working on a Communities and Culture chart, placing items in the proper country category.  Riley is doing a chart as well, comparing night and day.  

This is a sequencing math sheet Riley completed.  This is the first time she's done any work like this, and I circled the answer she gave me.  Out of the 6, she got 2 wrong, which is fantastic!  I was pleasantly surprised.  

Then Hannah moved on to some Valentine's Day worksheets, which is just something fun I printed out her to do this week.  

As I'm typing this, I hear Hannah saying, in a pretend voice, "I've got to turn in this homework by tomorrow."  She's involved in pretend play while she's doing her school work.  I couldn't be happier about the freedom that homeschool gives my young children.  

Nothing in particular

 These are just some random photo's taken over the last month.  

Here is Hannah, putting together a model of the ear.  She did this while reading the story of Helen Keller.  

Joshua playing the xylophone.  This was given to Riley two christmas' ago.  Recently Joshua has become infatuated with it, he plays it all the time.  

For the co-op, Hannah had to do a report on a person from non fiction book that she's read.  Hannah decided to do her Alexander Graham Bell.  She did a great job drawing Bell.  She presented the speech, well half of it, just like this.  

David and Hannah, putting together a puzzle. 

Joshua's little red wagon that he got from Grandpa Bob for his birthday.  

I had a picture of Riley doing this, but I don't know what happened to it!  This was what we did for Riley's school work a few weeks ago.  She made about 10 different animal creations.  on this picture, Riley picked out and attached on her own: the ears, eyes, nose and mouth.  

Hannah, at a recent dr.'s visit.  I took this picture to show off her outfit; it's all her own folks!

Seriously, how cute is this guy!

Here is Riley and David playing kismet.  They were a team.  Riley rolled the dice for David.  She was an excellent dice roller, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  

LIFT Trip to the Zoo

At the beginning of November, our homeschool group to a trip to the zoo together.  It's part of a program we enrolled in: Zoo Club.  The zoo makes two trips to us and the we make two trips to the zoo.  During these trips, the kids are taught an hour long class about a pre determined  topic.  It goes perfectly in line with our science class, which is Land Animals of the 6th day.

As with most things done for the first time, there were a few hiccups.  

Most of our coop made it to the class, which was all the way on the opposite side of the zoo from the main entrance.  

The kids actively participated and were well behaved.  

After the class, we all split up into smaller groups and wandered around the zoo at our leisure.  

David had taken the day off to go with us, and we ended up spending the day there, not leaving until 4 pm.  

We didn't see everything, but we weren't trying to see everything.  You see, with our zoo club membership, the girls and I can go to the zoo on any school day, for free.  

Plus we already have our spring trip scheduled.  The only thing we attempted to see, and did not. were the polar bears.  

Homeschooling outside the box

One of my favorite aspects offing a teacher is finding the fun ways to teach.  Like using a game.  

Yesterday David sat down and taught Hannah how to play how to play Kismet.  

Kismet is like playing poker, with dice.  Your score is based on adding your dice and another number based on the hand you play.  

She played two games with David while I went for a run.  

Then I sat down to play a third game with them.  I was amazed at how quickly she had picked up on the game.  

David and I tried to keep our opinions about what she should do to ourselves, and tried to just simply answer questions for her.  

She had to add up her won scores.  

She did a really fantastic job all three games.  She beat me!  

These are mine and David's scorecards.  Mine is above and David's is below.  Notice those 400+ scores!  I actually beat David, twice.  It happens rarely, and I so love when it does! 

Time flies

I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged. I really don't know where the time has gone. It's lost somewhere between homeschooling, exercising, the back yard, the kiddos and church!  And birthdays!  Anyways, here's some photos that show what we've been up to.

Joshua in this absolutely adorable batman outfit from Becca and Ryan. 

Contemplating the craziness that is Riley.

Craziness on display!  I got this trampoline for Riley for lots of reasons; build muscle tone, play and to help her focus.  With kids, burning energy can be an excellent method to help them focus.  

Coloring with Riley.  This was only two weeks ago.  

Joshua, looking adorable in the "Josh" hat.  Our Very good friend Josh, of Josh and Leah, wears hats like this all the time!  So this is Joshua's "Josh" hat. 

Riley, and her preschool class, practicing for their end of the year program.  

Grandma Moon, reading a story. 

Big Hannah, Hannah and Riley, peeking over the fence.

Snap Circuits

One of Hannah's birthday gifts was an electronic snap circuit set.  David though she might like it because she enjoys legos so much.  Dad was right.  She loves it.  

The first night, they must've played for 5 hours, making different things.  

It's a really neat set up.  

David and Hannah working on a project together.  The book is really nice.  It explains how to make 300 projects, and explains why each one works.  David does a good job of asking open ended questions for Hannah.  

The other night she made an AM Radio.  She was so proud of herself.  

She especially liked when David turned on the radio in his car to the same thing she was listening to on what she had made.