It was time for a change in focus for Avril (4). After speaking to a good friend of mine, who is a missionary in India and also a trained teacher, I decided more fun and games were needed. I had become so focused on teaching Avril that I had forgotten about making it fun. So I returned to a site that I had visited a while back, Lesson Pathways. It is a site offering FREE lessons and curriculum for kindergarten - year 5. And guess what it is based on fun and games!!! So I am now following their well planned preschool pathway for phonics and number. We still use Heart of Dakota LHTH as well, but I have found that adding these games has made learning more active. And she is responding well.
We started our new journey going for an alphabet hunt. I drew up an alphabet sheet for her to cross off as we found each letter. I created letter tags to place around the house. These tags were placed onto items that started with the letter. I placed our glossy alphabet cards in order on the floor. Then the hunt began...we sang We're going on a letter hunt!! (we're going on a bear hunt). She loved it!!! I was so excited. She found her items with the letters attached. We said the letter, she marked it off and then she headed to her alphabet line to match it up. Once it was matched, if the item could be moved we placed it above the letter. To help her find the letter we sang the alphabet song a few times :)
This week I also made a number game. This number game is called 'Worms in my apple'. I found some red paper and cut out 10 apples. I then cut out 10 coloured rectangles to glue the apples to. I then stuck the rectangles onto a manilla folder. My next job was to use a black texta to create the holes in each apple. I started with 0 and moved in sequence to 9 holes. But we still needed worms. So I cut up pipe cleaners and Avril made them all wiggly! I also made some 0 - 9 number cards to be used in the game.
This game focused on one-to-one correspondence. So we first made the worms eat the apple. Avril placed a worm onto each hole, making yum...yum...yum noises as she went. Then we counted the worms. I thought that Avril understood what zero meant and was surprised that she didn't. But she does now after this game. Once all the worms were feeding on the apples I introduced the number cards. Avril and I worked on recognising the symbols, then placing them over the right apple. She did a great job.
Our next project this week was to make an ABC caterpillar, unfortunately due to interruptions we still haven't completed this task. But we have started it. Avril and I sat down and I showed her how to cut circles from coloured paper. She had some successes :) We then compiled the circles into the body of a caterpillar. Avril stuck on goggly eyes. But that is as far as we got. Next week we plan to add the alphabet and then stick it up to use as we continue on our letter discoveries.
The big kids had a smaller week this week as Damon celebrated his 11th birthday. And this interrupted school for the week :) lol. Damon was asked to create a list of his favourite foods so I could make a birthday menu!! My goodness!!...did he create a list!!! I ended up picking out some of his suggestions for a very delicious birthday menu. Damon was delighted to discover that we were having malteser pancakes for breakfast, as this is the first recipe that he created!! And a very delicious one to! Chocolate for breakfast was certainly a treat...yum!!
Now unfortunately due to the rain, Damon was very disappointed because we were going to head to the local wetlands for a picnic. And Damon had been on-line and checked out their list of local wildlife, as he planned to do some more photography. But it was raining :( So after much discussion we headed to a local ten pin bowling centre for a family game. It was great fun, we all joined in, even Josef!
After bowling we all headed back home for hotdogs for lunch, followed by crunchies :) (Yes...more chocolate!!). Damon was delighted as he got to choose a family movie. So we all rested and enjoyed each others company.
After the movie, we all decided to play a game. And the kids had been keen to play Disney monopoly but we had never got around to it, until now. The kids sped around buying up everything and I was left with hardly any choice :) The kids loved it, swapping cards and building their castles. It was fun.
Then it was nearly party time. A very quiet party compared to last year. Damon invited a friend and we enjoyed a family celebration of his 11 years. Every year Damon requests lamb cutlets for his birthday treat. And every year we are shocked at how much these things are!! But are delighted once we taste them.
This year I made Damon a giraffe birthday cake. He asked for an African animal theme, but this was after I talked him out of a red panda!! Thankfully I found a very cute giraffe cake on the internet, and that is what I made.
But back to school...this week in Heart of Dakota, Preparing their Hearts for His Glory we continued with our history project of making paper pyramids. This week they stuck their pyramids on paper. Then they headed into a dark room with a torch, which they shone on one side of the pyramid. This created a shadow which they shaded in. Once they finished this task the kids decided to create a little paper sun to shine onto their pyramids.
Our history focus was the Israelites exodus from Egypt and their trek in the desert. We saw how they doubted God. We saw how God was faithful and just. We read about God providing for their needs miraculously. He is a Great God. Always faithful even we aren't! His love always constant and he never leaves us. He really is a Great God.
We finished with our Psalm 9: 9 -10 this week. Adele and Damon have a common place book in which they copy out the weekly Psalm.
We continued our journey in science, looking at the cactus desert. The kids read about poisonous animals, about rattlesnakes and how animals stay warm in the desert during the day and night. There was also alink with the Bible. The kids had to read Acts 28: 1 -10. They were asked to think about what this passage showed them about God's power. I love that Heart of Dakota is so God focused. They are not only growing academically but more importantly, they are growing spiritually.
Their science experiment this week was to discover how dew forms on rocks and cactuses. And as usual this was a very simple experiment that illustrated its' lesson really well. Damon filled a glass with room temperature water, then he placed several ice cubes inside. Then he added a few drops of food colouring. He waited several minutes, then noticed condensation forming on the outside of the glass. He then wiped the glass with a tissue to see if it was coloured, but it wasn't. He then had to explain where the water came from.
Both the kids have continued with their DITHOR projects this week. Damon has decided on his questions for his game and Adele has continued to decorate her patchwork.
The kids have played really well together this week. They have been engrossed in cars and dinosaurs :) About three weeks ago I switched off the tv. My son suffered screen withdrawal for about two weeks, but this week they haven't been asking for it. They have been playing :) I am amazed as I have tried this before and it has never been so successful.
Our backyard is full of frogs. Avril is scared of anything that moves. So this week I was delighted when she allowed frogs to sit on her arms! Yay Avril!! And thanks to Damon constantly talking about animals, she is able to have a conversation about nocturnal animals!!! She surprised me this week when she said nocturnal and knew what she was talking about!
And lastly here are some of damons latest photos...
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