Homeschool Update: Week of 4/19/21

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) we read: 

• "The Trout," a Southern Paiute song translated by John Wesley Powell
• "The Wind" by James Reeves
• "The Storm" by Sara Coleridge
• "What is Green?" by Mary O'Neill
• "The Woodpecker" by Elizabeth Madox Roberts

Read-Alouds 

We read all the articles in Vol.9 No. 2 of National Geographic Explorer (Pathfinder Edition): 

• "Eye in the Sky" by Jonathan McDowell (this one inspired M. to build a satellite from Legos)
• "Frightful Animals Hall of Fame" by Shirleyann Costigan
• "America the Beautiful" by Dana Jensen and Dolores Johnson

Music

We listened to the Triumphal March from Aida by Giuseppe Verdi. We practiced singing "Down in the Valley." 

Art Appreciation

This week we studied "La Piñata" by Diego Rivera from Come Look with Me: World of Play by Gladys S. Blizzard. 

Memory Work

C. reviewed the planets, four directions, 50 states, continents, oceans, months of the year, days of the week, and marks of the church  and worked on : "The Tiger" by William Blake and the countries of Europe. 

M: reviewed the countries of Europe and 13 colonies, and worked on "Sea Fever" by John Masefield , the books of the Bible, the 7 sacraments, the monarchs of England, and six countries of Asia.   

Science 

We finished up Lesson C-2 in BFSU, Sound, Vibration and Energy. We focused on how the eardrum works, and on sound waves. We also watched a lot of videos: 

• Operation Ouch - The Eardrum
• Operation Ouch - How Do Our Ears Work?
• Science for Kids - What is Sound Energy?
• Dr. Binocs - Invention of Morse Code
• The Coolest Things Sound Waves Do
• The Science of Hearing

*The information about hearing also qualifies as health.

Preschool

E. practiced her letters, and she learned the first part of the Vowel Rhyme from The Ordinary Parent's  Guide to Teaching Reading ("A is the first vowel we will say...). She also listened to some chapters in  The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook.  

History 

M. read "The Brilliant Civilization of the Mayas"  from A Picturesque Tale of Progress, which included sections called "Migrating Mayas," "Coast Dwellers," "The Old Empire in the South," "The Story of Creation," "Ceremonies and Customs," "The New Empire in Yucatan," "A Tale of Canek the Chieftain," "Kukulcan, Hero and God," "The League of Mayapan," "Chichen Under Toltec Rule," and "Last Days in Yucatan." This was review, as we covered the Maya last year. 

C. read about Hercules (Heracles) in D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths and then I printed out a Hercules coloring book for her to work on. 

Math

C. and M. both did math facts flashcards. C. did timed two-digit addition with regrouping on the soroban, and she worked on 3rd grade math in Khan Academy. M. did some exercises about time in Singapore math and worked on 4th grade math in Khan Academy. 

Reading and Writing 

We finished reading aloud Peppermints in the Parlor. C. finished Betsy-Tacy and Tib and moved on to Ramona the Pest. M. read Prince Caspian. M. also composed the message in her friend's birthday card all by herself and wrote it out without any assistance. 

Physical Education 

M. and C. have been struggling with seasonal allergies, but we still had a playdate here in our neighborhood, which included C.'s first-ever attempt at hopscotch. M. and C. and I also attended an outdoor birthday party for a friend who has a huge backyard and swingset and they did lots of running around there as well. I also took them to the playground near us a handful of times.

Instrumental Music

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