Learning Notes: Weeks 7-8

Good weeks all around, except for that one day. You know the day. I scrapped the DK math program. It is getting ridiculous. Moving around here and there, not really hammering down a concept. In stead we have a list of goals to acheive by the end of the school year. I think it will work much better.

Math:

Counting from 1-100

Counting backwards from 10-1

Adding up to 10 using dried kidney beans of all things. We also are using the abacus a lot. Thanks Jen.

Telling time. So far she knows the hours and half hours. We started 15s(quarter after) and 45 (quarter too).

She is catching on very quickly. She also has her first watch but Daddy needs to punch another hole in the band to fit her tiny wrist.

We also played war (card game)and Uno, and used the crib board to peg numbers. She loves this of course.

We started a regular Personal Care morning program. She has always gone to the bathroom of course but now after breakfast she brushes her teeth, combs her hair and washes her face. Turns out she loves splashing warm water on her face as she often comments "this is my best part".

Language Arts:

Still working on Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading.  Again, this is a great resource.

Bob Books. Set Three.

Flash Cards. Another thing she loves.

Writing:

Athena wrote letters to her three cousins this week. She dictated and then copied the letter. She stamped them and mailed them at the post office. The cousins liked getting letters in the mail too!

We have begun to write her "problem words" 5 times on the chalkboard, which is a great way for her to remember.

Science:

Started a unit on birds. We have completed  the Black-capped Chickadee and the Great Horned Owl.

She has to know the size, song, nesting habits and how many eggs they lay and what they eat. She is fascinated by owl pellets so we might buy a few online. Too gross for me but maybe Daddy can take them apart with her?

Handwork:

Athena learned to blanket stitch when we made these owl toys. She made the blue one entirely by herself!

History:

Mummies and pyramids. She thinks the word "embalming" is creepy, even before she knew its meaning.

Made a replica of The Great Pyramid with sugar cubes.

She also, on her own, found an Egyptian coffin of King Tut and a picture of the Sphinx in her National Geographic Kids magazine. Very exciting.

Music Study:

She checked out a Little Einstiens video from the library and has been humming this song, by Edvard Grieg all week. It is her favorite. And get a load how profound this statement of hers is : "You know why I like classical music so much Mom? Because the words don't get in the way of the music." 

We studies Beethoven and decided that she likes the 9th Symphony the best and I like the 6th. She found it incredible that he wrote the 9th Symphony after he was completely deaf and found it horrible that his father would wake him up and make him practice piano all night long. But this was the funnies part:

Mommy: Beethoven was born in 1770 and named Ludwig von Beethoven.

Athena:  Ooooh. Bad name.

She cracks me up.

Reading:

Mummies Made in Egypt

Egyptians: Usborne Beginners

Birds: A Guide for Children

Hallowe'en : A History

M is for Masterpiece: An Art Alphabet

J is for Jack o'Lantern : A Hallowe'en Alphabet

Extra curricular:

Baked cookies

Athena also worked on Dog Training with her dog (now named Meg)

Attended her first 4H project meeting and made a wildlife mobile and a bird feeder.

More about 4H in a later post but let me say that I think it will be right up her alley.

Swimming Lessons.

Worked her first 100 piece puzzle on her own.

(As you can see, she loves her dog.

She is still coughing and I hope it has nothing to do with allergies.

It has been 3 weeks of a cough for her, the longest ever.)