Weekly Wrap Up: Dec 29-Jan 1

 

This is my first attempt at a write up. I discovered that writing long hand would take too long and consume too much paper in the long run, but that perhaps keeping an online version might be more useful, as it can be accessed (even if I need to password it) at any time. We’re breaking into this slowly as we are considering making the break with public school as of now. It may or may not be a permanent thing, but we do know that it is not currently working to our advantage. We spend all weekend and any break time trying to correct the grammar, usage, bad habits, and fear that has been ingrained into our child from being in her first year at school up until Christmas. While we have many reasons to pull her out, she can only think of one reason to stay: She likes seeing her behavior tracked on a colored clip chart. She could tell us one thing she learned all semester: what a sphere was. While I will say she probably learned a bit more than that, and adjusting to a routine doing this at this time, etc. was good for her stubborn sense of self, there was not much merit in anything else. Kind teacher, but even with first grade work, it was too easy and didn’t provide any sort of challenge. So we’re hoping to provide a challenge at home. It’s not an easy decision.  Some moments we fear it’s the wrong one. But we can slowly see her changing back into the decently mannered child we sent off to Kindergarten. We really loved that child and want to keep her around, while still seeing her learn and grow. Since the child we sent to school is not the one we’re getting back, but a mere xeroxed copy of what she could be…. well we want more for her.

 

” The Lady of the Lamp” first unit with K (age 6) and B (age 3)

 

December 29

• We read Christmas books and alphabet books together
  • The Mouse before Christmas by Garland, Michael
  • The Candymaker’s Gift by Haidle, Helen
  • Why a donkey was chosen by Gregorowski, Christopher
  • Alphabet books by Moncure, Jane Belk (M, D, O)
    • Discussed different words that started with those letters, as well as the phonics of what else letter sounds like when you use it in a word
• Keeley read ‘Eloise at Christmastime’ by Thompson, Kay out loud to Brennan
• Drew and colored cards for art time

December 30

• Introduction of Florence Nightingale via video Doc McStuffins: Season 105, Episode 2 “Let The Nightingale Sing”
  • Discussed lack of electricity, clothing differences in Victorian England
• Book: A picture book of Florence Nightingale by Adler, David
  • Discussed being presented to the queen, health conditions in hospitals and how they have changed since her work in Crimea.
  • Did addition and subtraction to find out how old F.N. was when key events happened in her life, how old she would be today, etc.
• Book: Paramedics by Bryan, Nichol
  • Compared and contrasted the work of nurses then, now, and paramedics over time. Oral quiz.
  • Discussed safety rules, community helpers and when to/not to call for help.
• Role play (hospital) of Florence Nightingale with lamp
  • created stretcher, diagnosed and treated patients, gave care and took them to the hospital. Held staff meeting.
• Art: Free drawing/coloring time
• Reading: K read on her own and gave an oral report on the A-Z mystery ‘L’ by Ron Roy (The Lucky Lottery)
• Math: (see Nightingale above)
  • Measured pieces of wood with a measuring tape.
• Health, Science, History (Nightingale unit)

December 31

• Language
  • K: Review of ASPMTINC letters and working on B and R and writing A-Z for practice.
  • B: Review ABCENRMOD letters and writing A-Z for practice.
• Math

Keeley-Assessing memory of adding 1-3 digits (from before Kindergarten)

Brennan-Practicing counting to 20 out loud and recognizing numbers 1-10 on sight.*

• Reading
  • Keeley read chapter books: The Missing Mummy, The Kidnapped King (both by Ron Roy in A-Z mysteries) and Junie B Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake by Barbara Park
• Art – colored by numbers ‘letter B’

January 1

• Florence Nightingale [DVD]: Animated Hero Classics v.2 Publisher, Date: Coppell, TX : Nest Entertainment, c2005.
  • Kids did level 1 quiz on show together, Keeley completed level 2 and 3 quizzes on her own.
  • Discussed health conditions, how cleaning helps stop the spread of disease, and how the nurses being brought and instituting new policies helped more men survive.
  • Discussed the role of women in the workforce and how thinking has changed over the last 200 years. Modern nurses.
• Alphabet and math review
  • Keeley math page going over how to add 2 or 3 digit numbers, Brennan counting to 20
  • Both kids completed A-Z tracing pages
  • Keeley did random letter copying and wrote sentences on a white board.
• The kids ran and played outside, worked on balance using logs as balance beam, jumping on and off (B) and from log to log (K).
• Keeley read: Ogres don’t Hunt Easter Eggs by Debbie Dadey, The Jaguar’s Jewel by Ron Roy

 

*Additional resources: Using preschool pack from 1+1+1=1 website (Daniel Tiger and Doc McStuffins)

 

The current plan is to take Fridays ‘off’ and allow the kids to pick up their learning from exploring their toys, outside world, and free reading. Since there is no hour requirement and no specific rule about number of days, etc. I think this will work out well for us. As it is, we are back in school a week before the regular school session would start.

Additional book read:

The White Stallion by Elizabeth Shub

 

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