A simple experiment: light a candle, cover it with glass and time how long it lasts.
Now, uncover, place a plant next to the candle, relight the candle, cover with glass, and time the life of the flame.
Which one lasted longer?
Why?
The children had lots of fun with this. They decided to try doubling the number of candles, too.
I’m terrible about going to the library. At our local library, there are computers with baby games central to the children’s section. Surrounding that are “early readers” that seem to have more about magic and witchcraft than much else. It’s certainly hard to find history books that don’t have children using magic to be in history instead of stories about people (including children) of those times.
I’m leaning more & more to library trips on piano lesson days, but that means the older children, who really need to learn to use the library, would miss out. I’d use that 2 hours to walk to that library, check out the books & walk back.
The other option, which will be more difficult for me, would be to go to the different branches myself and pick one I find the books more accessible, then start taking the children. Maybe on bikes.
This is certainly a learning curve for me.
The Reading Corner:
I’m starting to be excited for the next school year. Ben has been involved in the preparations of the schoolroom and seems somewhat interested in what the children will be learning. Praise the Lord! He and I are reading through the MoTH book together and aim to prepare a schedule soon.
We’ve agreed on the History program (Veritas Press) and both like Shurley English Grammar. I’m not so great at *doing* science yet, but love the Apologia texts. I like Saxon math, if there’s something more thorough, but a repetitive mind like mine can do, let me know. I liked Math U See until I figured out they never get to the easier way to multiply.. Just drove me crazy! I’d fight TJ because he’d do as the video showed & couldn’t seem to get what I was showing him. Some of the other ones, I just don’t get, like abacus. Sure, they make sense, I can figure them out, but they don’t seem to be the simplest, most logical -boring 
-day in, day out Math.
Anyway, we have several beginning readers in the house. I’d like to teach them to read well. Personally, I subscribe to the Charlotte Mason philosophy and do not want the dumbed-down children’s books in my home (they can read those all they want at the library). I prefer to surround them with great works, great language. If one is taught to read well, straight away, then the Bible makes the perfect beginning reader.
We started somewhat in this manner with MissA, using Phonics Pathway, but we focused on the reading, not writing & never finished the text. She can read well, but her spelling is atrocious. TJ was taught with more of a speller/reader idea, but I wasn’t fully involved with that. My good friend, Brenda, introduced me this week to Spelling to Write and Read (SWR). This program goes that next step by introducing the phonemes & preparing more spelling capacity pre-reading.
As much as I’m hoping to look more into this program, I’m going to focus on getting my schedule together and start the curricula we already have & know we want to use.
This weekend is Study Group, and I’ve got all 3 modules’ questions just about done. Still have Projects & Essay Q’s to go. I’d love to have all this written work behind me & get to births. Patience, by the Lord’s grace, it will happen in time.
I received my Digestion Module back today. Didn’t do bad. I love that Shannon jots notes to help us learn more about the subject.
I need to resend another module, the file was corrupted, but they’re getting in. Slowly, but surely.
I need a nap. So far today, I nursed the baby, made the bed, got dressed, made breakfast (pancakes from scratch), supervised outdoor play, sorted some boxes, baked cookies (from scratch), made lunch (PB&J), & nursed the baby for his nap. TJ is loading the dishwasher, & the girls are separated for Rest & Read time.
Our church was putting on a colonial-themed Independence Day Picnic in the Park. I didn’t have time to costume us all, but these dresses are so quick!
Enjoy the freedom in Christ our forefathers bought for us!
Ben’s meeting was cancelled, so he’s washing the carpet tonight. The color isn’t quite accurate, the walls are very blue, not green.
It’s seems strange moving into a small room again. Changing the larger bedroom into the schoolroom seems productive. We can potentially keep the school supplies better by having them out of sight (out of mind). And, it’s not often we sit in the bedroom. I’m hoping the rocking chair fits, it does give me a nice spot to nurse the baby. Though, I can get by nursing on the bed. I get more sleep that way, too.
We touched up the paint Tuesday night and only got as far as vacuuming Wednesday night. I was hoping to get the carpet cleaned already, but we’ve scheduled it for Friday. If I can make the time and figure out the machine, I hope to get it done so we can move stuff into the room Friday.
I am looking forward to having a full hallway again. The shelves are lining the hall right now and it’s hard to walk through whilst carrying the baby. The laundry baskets don’t fit. It’s been a blessing that no one’s sick this week!
A little late? Ah well, such things happen around here, it seems. My week is too busy again somehow, so I haven’t been crafty until this week. Monday I focus solely on homeschool (except that we had a sick preschooler today); Tuesday I’m in the office; Wednesday has been the long haul to piano class (any one know one closer, as good or better, and possibly less expensive?) and AWANA club; Thursday we have Bible Study and TJ’s in a guitar class; and Friday we get to homeschool the full day again. Something’s got to go. The office will go next week, then I’ll have the 3 full and 2 partial days again.
Last week, we started a school schedule for the outer parameters of the day. 9-noon and 1-3 are the school hours. 12-1 is lunch and outside play, 3-4 is snack and outside play. 4-5 is homework hour, or electronics time if the schoolwork is done. It works well on days we’re here. The other days are more of a play-it-by-ear thing.
I’m hoping to get a craft project completed soon!