Yesterday was an okay school day. I guess. 
The snow is still trying to compete with me. Many neighborhood children were at the door throughout the day to see if Princess of the Universe could come out and play. A couple of times I let her go. I mean, how often are we able to go sledding? Especially if one of the parents is accompanying them to a “really big hill?”
Nevertheless, we managed to get some school work done.
We had fun yesterday looking at
- a piece of dandruff – eewwwwwww
- a seed from a plant — groovy
- a little rosemary leaflet (still very green this time of year) — way cool
Michaela is not really doing any formal botany or biology yet, but I want her to become familiar with a microscope and to develop a sense of observation. It’s a nice science lesson just to note the differences in what you see and to be able to say them or write them.
Along a Charlotte Mason line, we got serious yesterday about our nature sketching. Michaela loves to draw, and does so regularly, but I want her to work more on her nature journal and observations. Since there was not much stirring outside yesterday, we used a little resin robin that sits in my office as a model.
Michaela and I sat side by side in front of the warm heater, sketching our own versions of the little robin perched on the mantle.
Michaela said she loves mine, but I love hers — the first one. I love her drawings and the way she sees things, and I think she should further develop her drawing skills. I see she needs to work more on observing exact colors perhaps, but I love her detail. Tomorrow we will be placing these into our nature journals and labeling them as American robin, Turdus migratorius.
In preparation for a field trip to the Ackland Art Museum, we have read a bit about Ovid from What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know
(there’s a newer version of this book, I think, but this is the one I have and use)
We are also reading about Augustus from Famous Men of Rome – a great book, by the way, from Memoria Press. (Writing a review of this book is on my to-do list.) Pictures to represent both Ovid and Augustus will go into the timeline notebook.
Finally, for math, we got as far as completeing one lesson in Saxon and then cutting out some fraction manipulatives for the next lesson…
and doing a one-minute math drill sheet.
I guess I can’t complain, really. Did I fail to mention how grateful I am that Princess of the Universe is learning from home? And that she and I are great friends? And that she really has it all: plenty of social interaction with friends and an amazing homeschool group AND she gets to be taught by the people who love her most and be the boss of her free time? Yeah. I can’t complain.
Lynn
for you to leave a comment, but you can also e-mail me at lynn AT thehealthyhomeschool.com
The nature drawings are VERY cool. Did you use a specific program to learn how to do that? Some of our very best times as a family was drawing together. We worked through Mark Kistler’s Draw Squad, sat around for an hour every evening, listened to classical music, and drew.
That sounds like an awesome day to me. My P loves to draw, although she is very into sea creatures
great and small right now.
My son is 3 yrs old, he know his shapes & colors & I have The Preschool Prep Series for letters & numbers. Can you tell me a good curriculum to start him out with? I believe in early education. We lived in Japan and those children are so far ahead than ours. They start school at around 18 months of age…and they learn!
Dear Lynn,
It sounds like you had a good day to me! Just think of all the life skills your daughter is learning, just by being around you every day. Like Dick Gregory said, “In school they taught me how to make a living, but not how to live.”
I love your turdus migratorius! So round and fluffy; just how they look this time of year.
Love,
Marqueta
What lovely robins! Your Princess has a wonderful eye for detail. It’s exciting to see children learn and explore the environment around them. And I agree – how wonderful to be guided and taught by those who are truly vested in their future. After 10 years of homeschooling, we have no regrets at all.
Have a blessed day!
Liane
Ken, we don’t have any kind of program. One of the things I love about our curriculum, Five In A Row, is the way it brings in art appreciation. It points out various artists’ styles in different books and then encourages the children to try. The drawings you all did are amazing! I have been very impressed with Kelly’s ability to illustrate her comic strip, but now I see you all are interested in art!
Oh, Kate, sea creatures! We went through that for a time. The other night Michaela was drawing clouds and lightning.
D, I am partial to Before Five In A Row and Five In A Row. It teaches critical thinking and many, many other skills. It is a very gentle, literature-based curriculum. You’d have to get a separate math curriculum if you want to pursue that as well. At that age all we did was color and read books.
Thanks, Marqueta, and of course you are correct about the life skills. Don’t you just love the fluffy robins?
Liane, that’s encouraging to hear how you feel about the homeschooling. Thank you!
Lynn
Lynn, wasn’t the snow fun – and that snowball in the tree was just amazing! I’ve had just enough though and hope from here on out, until Spring, we have just crisp, dry and sunny days to get out and about safely. I hope the Hydrangeas (and all plants) haven’t suffered, their buds don’t enjoy being frozen do they?
Love both robins – love all robins in fact! You are both artists of note and I’m happy to see you sign and date your lovely drawings.
Enjoy your weekend.
Mary.