The past 4 weeks have been rather disrupted for one reason or another. Week 5 we headed off to Wagga and the Christus Rex Pilgrimage, the following weeks we recuperated from our travels, settled in to work again and then the children became sick in tag team rotation and took ages to recuperate. Despite all this we did manage to achieve and progress in some areas.
Reading Practice
A massive progress here. We resurrected our reading worms and Genevieve and Saxon were totally motivated to read, the deal was to read 20 books and they would receive a packet of lollies. Hours each day was devoted to reading and they have achieved their first 20 already! Genevieve is so close to being an independent reader:) being an older beginner reader though brings challenges in finding engaging books we have found a solution via simple picture books, Mem Fox is a big help here.
Picture Books
Finally getting back into therhytm of reading three books a day, finding bedtime a good way to ensure it happens. Didn’t keep a list but mostly we’re naturally on an Australian, Mem Fox and Faith picture book theme.
Faith
Girls and Saxon – a couple of chapters of St Pius X
Malachi – a massive effort from Malachi, he has spent hours reading ‘Triumph of Faith’ 36 chapters in total, at the end of each chapter he orally answers the questions. He tells me his is revising old knowledge and adding to new.
Xavier – Read 4 chapters in Our Goals and our Guides. Following up with checking biblical references.
He is also reading his Bible regularly. Spiritual Read – St Philomena the Wonder Worker
Dominic – Nearly finished Understanding Scriptures!:) only 2 chapters to go. Writing answers to chapter questions.
Maths
Girls – Small progress
Saxon achieves maths so easily, he often is ‘thinking’ maths, noticing patterns, grouping, adding and multiplying in his head. Actually Ignatius does the same.
Malachi – Completed a few hours with Maths.com.au
Xavier- Completed 10 hours with Maths.com.au. He also did a few lessons on calculus with Kahn academy.
Dominic- Kahn Academy, Pre-Algebra and Algebra tutorials
Copywork
Genevieve – Completed a whole page of copywork (startwrite), cried the entire time. She has such neat writing although she does start some letters/numbers incorrectly. Not sure what to do??
Malachi- He has nearly finished his copywork book but feels his speed needs improving.
Xavier – Printed the Divine Praises repeatedly to improve. Perhaps we should concentrate more on cursive?
Dictation
Rather inconsistent here, but we did achieve a few lessons. Xavier’s spelling has definitely improved:)
Spelling
Mariah has started a new approach to spelling, she is using a textbook Spell Well. She is happier. Alas I was very remiss in teaching AAS.
Writing
The older boys worked on writing an essay for Sr J about “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Xavier’s especially was impressive! He certainly has improved:):)
Genevieve – wrote a few more sentences for her ‘horse story’.
Mariah – An impressive effort, we are working toward compiling a family ‘magazine’ for distribution to relatives and Mariah has typed and edited her five favourite pieces already!! Malachi has also begun and typed one.
Logic
Fallacy Detective – 4 chapters
Critical Thinking – 1 chapter
Typing
Xavier managed a couple of hours typing with Type Tutor.
Dominic typing his novel for editing.
Science
A massive effort from Xavier, in fact he spent hours devoted to science study watching the Periodic table videos, reading school ‘textbooks’ (old A Beka & Rod and Staff books found in shipping container) and watching Astronomy and Cosmology tuts on Kahn Academy. Xavier is writing an essay on each of the elements, he has currently written 7!!!!!
Mariah- Typed an interesting ‘do you know’ question/answer fact sheet on volcanoes.
Dominic- Watching Kahn Academy tuts on Astronomy.
History
Mariah – read ‘Pony Express’. Notebook page on the Australian flag and states, included picture with brief info captions.
Xavier & Malachi – Read chapters from the ‘Russian Revolution’ book. Xavier also read information on the links I emailed him, he has started answering the questions posed
Dominic working on assigned work for World War 1, he has been quite diligent, reading the books and answering the questions.
Music Practice
Dominic is always conscientious and diligent about practising and has made fantastic progress, his teacher is very happy (as is he)
Mariah has great potential but isn’t always the most diligent about practising I have to follow up and make sure she practises daily.
Literature
Genevieve
Mem Fox picture books
Thank You Amelia Bedelia
DK readers Level 1
Mariah
Riding the Pony Express – Clyde Robert Bulla
Trixie Belden x 8
Anastasia the Last Grand Duchess, Royal Diary
Catherine the Empress of Russia, Royal Diary
Sts Especially for Boys – Joan Windham
Betsy’s Up and Down Year – Anne Pellowski
Great Grandfather’s House – Rumer Godden
The Day Grandma came to stay – Diana Kidd
The Scruffy Pony – KM Peyton
Keeping Faith – Lucy Daniels
My Secret Unicorn – Linda Chapman
Freddie the Frisky Pony
Midnight the Movie Star – Narinder Dhami
Malachi
Horrible History 20th Century
Hardy Boys x 1
Audio – The entire Redwall series!!!!!
Xavier
Mark of Athena – Rick Riordan
Brotherhood Hunters – John Flanagan
Dominic
Waking Rose – Regina Doman
Black as Night – Regina Doman
Mark of Athena – Rick Riordan
New Moon – Stephanie Meyer (not recommended:( )