Homeschool Update: Week of 3/29/21

Holy Week Activities

For each day of Holy Week, we did a different printable activity. Coloring pages came from Catholic Family Crate's free kit  and from a free digital download from Shining Light Dolls. We also did several paper crafts: Palm Sunday Procession from Joy in Their Eyes and 3-D Temple and Judas's Money Pouch from Drawn2BCreative.com. On Good Friday, the girls and I prayed the Stations of the Cross in the basement and then venerated our crucifix. On Saturday orning, we dyed eggs, and at night, we attended the Easter Vigil. M. and C. had booklets to follow along. C. also followed the readings in a children's Bible.  

Morning Time 

• Poems from Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year selected by Fiona Waters, illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon (Nosy Crow, 2018): "Froggie, Froggie" by Anonymous, "Black Dot" by Libby Houston, "Daffodils" by William Wordsworth, "The First of April (Extract)" by Anonymous, "After the Rains" by N.M. Bodecker
• Articles from Vol. 17 No. 1 of National Geographic Explorer (Trailblazer edition): "Lively Lizards" by Lana Costantini, "Passport to Wonder" by Marylou Tousignant, "A-maize-ing Grain" by Susan Goodman (M. especially loved the second article, about the new 7 wonders of the world. Many of them she guessed based on their descriptions, and she was excited especially for the Taj Mahal and Chichen Itza.)
• Art appreciation: Archery of the Mandan by George Catlin from Come Look with Me: World of Play by Gladys S. Blizzard 
• Catechism: Lesson 20, "The Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Commandments of God" from The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism
• Singing: "The Happy Wanderer" (recording by the Stargazers)
• Music Appreciation: L'Arlésienne Suite: Farandole by Georges Bizet
• Memory work: 
• C: "The Tiger" by William Blake, planets, four directions, 50 states, continents, oceans, months of the year, days of the week, marks of the church 
• M: "Sea Fever" by John Masefield, countries of Europe, 13 colonies, books of the Bible, the 7 sacraments, countries of Asia  

Science 

We talked more about heredity, and I showed the girls What is DNA? from Dr. Binocs, Twins & Quadruplets from Operation Ouch,  and Why Do I Have Freckles? from SciShow Kids. We finished the chapter with a review video from Just For Kids Access Video via the public library: "Investigating Heredity." 

History

C. continued listening to me read from D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths. M. read Around Africa to India in Picturesque Tale of Progress, which includes sections called "The Polos Return to Venice," "The Closing of the Caravan Routes," "The Negroes of Africa," and "Vasco da Gama Reaches India."  

Math 

C. worked on two-digit addition with the soroban. M. worked on two-digit multiplication. They both did Khan Academy, and M. did another chapter in Life of Fred: Honey.

Reading and Writing 

C. is still reading Betsy-Tacy. She also re-read Elisa in the Middle. M. wrote a reply to her bookseller pen pal, and she started reading On Tide Mill Lane by Melissa Wiley. 

Physical Education

It was spring break for M.'s friend who attends public school, so we had a nice long morning playdate at one of the neighborhood playgrounds early in the week. 

Instrumental Music 

M. and C. both practiced piano and recorder daily.