This Week in Learning: August 29th, 2015

As the last fortnight drew to a close I realised with surprise that we have only three weeks of Term 3 left. It’s been a solid term of learning and we’re rather proud of how hard all the children have worked.

Speech Therapy
Yippee, we’ve graduated weekly lessons. Well we have a huge pile of homework but no regular lessons until next year. Plan is: we were given three weeks of homework, we do it and return to show progress. Mmm already missed first week of homework, time to ‘crack the books.’

Faith

Jem made his First Confession!!! He did it, declaring it not as hard as he thought, in fact it was “cool” and he is eager to go regularly:) Once again astounded and impressed with the maturity ‘jump’ a child displays spiritually and naturally once they have made a Sacrament. Sacramental Graces, we should never underestimate them.
Preparation for Jem’s First Holy Communion still progressing, he will be making his FHC in only 9 days! We read some more of Ten Eager Hearts, also My Holy Communion – Daniel Lord, First Holy Communion – Fr Demetrius Manousos and The Weight of the Mass. The later of which totally captured Jem’s interest.
Jack Jack’s Confirmation Preparation focused on revising relevant Confirmation catechism questions and reading various saints stories, JJ thinks he may have finally chosen his Confirmation patron, deep breaths, only 9 days to go!
Jelly Bean is reading through a volume of Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories.
Princess read a chapter of Introduction to Catholicism, completed the answers and read a couple of chapters of Where is That in the Bible? – Patrick Madrid
Michelangelo read several sections of Beginning Apologetics Set and referenced source material.

Maths

Maths Online – The older children and Jack Jack are working steadily and making solid progress. Jelly Bean has plateaued and is needing encouraging. Jem needs assistance with reading questions and I admit I struggle in this area to find the time, so maths for these two is a little patchy at present.

Science

Read Egg to Chick – Millicent Selsam and Terry and the Caterpillars – Millicent Selsam to the younger boys and they orally narrated. Jelly Bean listened in as well as undertaking her own Science readings. The ‘Science I Can Read’ books have been very popular and we’re most grateful to my friend Ruth for lending her collection.
Jelly Bean completed reading the second half of Tiger Tales – DK Reader, Benny’s Animals and How He Put Them in Order – Millicent Selsam and Slinky, Scaly Snakes.
Princess listened to several Kahn Academy lectures: Hubble Image of Galaxies, Intergalactic Scales, Scale of the Galaxy, Scale of the Distance to Closest Stars and Scale Of Solar Systems. She has been taking notes as she listens.
Michelangelo read four chapters of Science Matters and watched two Kahn Academy Physics Lectures about quasars and took notes. He also watched documentaries on Engineering; building a tunnel under the Swiss Alps and and the canals in Holland.

Geography

Read a couple of picture books; Along the Luangwa: A Story of an African Floodplain and Paper Chase: A Chase around the World by Land, Air and Sea to the younger boys.
JB and the boys have been using World Geography Games to learn the Continents, Seas, Deserts and some countries and flags.
Princess has been using Sheppard Software to learn the states of American, Canada and Mexico.
Michelangelo read three chapters of A Writer’s World: Travels 19-50-2000 by Jan Morris, keen to read more by this author.

History

Continuing to read to the younger boys (and Jelly Bean for whom this is an optional extra) Book 3 of The March of Time – Horniblow, still so impressed. This fortnight we read about Barons and Castles, Monasteries and Monks. Murder in Canterbury Cathedral, Thomas a Becket and Henry II. The Crusades and Richard the Lion Heart and Marco Polo and his Travels. The children all narrated orally.
Also read a few fun picture books about this time period(see list below)
JB read Minstrel in the Tower and The Wright Brothers – Quentin Reynolds (half) the first she orally narrated, the second for which she wrote an impressive narration!:)
Princess read a little from Story of the World Vol 4 and read half of Calico Captive – Elizabeth George Speare
Michelangelo began reading Story of the Church – Johnson. Whilst it’s a lighter read for a student of his age, Church History is an area he has’t covered much and considering time constraints before he graduates we felt a brief history would be beneficial. For a supporting history read he read The Big Fisherman – Lloyd Douglas. He also finished The High Deeds of Finn Mac Cool – Rosemary Sutcliffe

Logic

Michelangelo still enjoying reading and pondering Critical Thinking

Spanish

Princess continues to apply herself to her Spanish studies several times a week with keenness.

Handwriting
Completed cursive letters with the older children, and they are now ready to begin more challenging work however due to the age differences I’ll be expecting a higher amount of written work from some than others. Jem has nearly completed all of his printed letters, though I admit he is still not a fan of writing;)

Dictation/Spelling

Princess continuing with 20 words weekly from ‘Spelling for Secondary Students’ still spelling well.
Spelling Wisdom with our teens has not happened yet this I feel is vital for them. Resolving to amend this in the following fortnight!
JB and JJ have transitioned well to Spelling Wisdom for their dictation lessons, happy with their progress.

Grammar

JB and JJ – continuing with comprehension passages and pronouns.
Teens – synonyms and vocabulary.

Composition/Creative Writing

JB and JJ have continued their weekly essays, at this stage my expectation is for a short essay but am slowly increasing the amount expected. They will always take the ‘short’ option in writing if allowed.
Michelangelo and Princess – a couple of lessons on Precis Writing.
Princess wrote an essay using Story Starters.

Poetry

By reading A Child’s Book of Verse daily to the younger children this term we’ve read nearly the entire collection!

Princess and Michelangelo reading daily from Four Corners, a mix of Australian and English poetry.

Reading

Jelly Bean is reading so often for her various subjects, it’s such a relief to no longer have reading on her list of ‘to dos’
Jack Jack however lacks motivation and application. This is an area I need to insist on, he is so close to ‘taking off,’ but to ‘find the key’ we’ll keep trying.
Jem has been revising many of the cards from AAR 1, and can easily recognise 114 cards! So impressed and more importantly, he is too:)

Extra Curricula

Princess has three dance classes a week, including practice for their end of year concert.
Soccer games for Jelly Bean, Jack Jack and Jem drew to a close last weekend, end of season, yippee!!

Family Read Alouds