School this week

So, yeah, this is the only picture I took of our school stuff this week. Pretty sad. We continue doing her reading program that mainly targets phonics and she is doing quite well. We are also starting in on sight words. I find a reader that uses some sight words and then we work on those sight words for several days until she knows them. 

This game was roll to the top. Basically I put her sight words in the cube thing and she and I rolled a word, read it and marked it on the chart. Whichever word got to the top first, won. We also used letter tiles to spell out her words.

We've been doing handwriting, which she's fine with. Thank god, my kids at school always hated handwriting. 

We also are reading a chapter book. I am so excited about this. There are so many great children's chapter books and I can't wait to start on the good stuff. We're reading the Magic Tree House series because it's a great place to start. She definitely seems to be able to follow the story. We review what we previously read and then read the next chapter and she's been doing well and seems interested. :)

Home school co-op

Today was the home school co-op Lauren and I do together. She teaches writing and spelling and I teach geography and history.

Here are the kids doing writing. First we reviewed nouns and then the kids read (or had read to them) sentences and picked out which words were nouns. They had to underline the nouns.

Then they each chose a noun and wrote about it. The boys wrote multiple sentences and the girls each wrote one. I dictated what Maggie said in dotted lines and she traced over that. Then they all drew a picture. Here's Kyrie and her paper.

Jonah

Maggie

Here's spelling. Maggie is writing and spelling independently. She spelled the sight words (and decodable words) it, go and mat. Amazing!

Then it was time for Geography. I had decided to start with Texas. First we listened to Texas, our Texas and Deep in the Heart of Texas. Of course, they loved Deep in the Heart of Texas. 

Next we reviewed and discussed various facts about Texas (capital, state bird, state flower, etc.).

Then I gave them blank Texas flags and had them color and cut out the flags.

The great state of Kyrie. :)

Then I taped two straws together and mounted the flag to them.

Isn't she gorgeous?

Maggie's mad because she thinks she's not getting her picture taken. 

Next we did history. Today we were learning about the nomads. We read a little story and talked about what it would have been like. We had the kids go outside to hunt, gather and find shelter. 

Then we set up the tent in the living room (it was HOT outside) and the kids slept and someone kept watch. Then they just played in the tent. Awesome school day.

Riding her tricycle (September 13, 2012)

Little Pink Riding Hoods (September 6, 2012)

Such sweet girls. Maggie and Megan

Visiting the farm

We went to visit Jan and Amanda on the farm. It was Laurie and Ella's first time there.