Back to School & Museum Trip

 

Though it’s been slow-going since Abigail was born, we've still been pressing on with our homeschooling Leah. I try to spend at least 30 minutes several days a week working with her on specific things, but most of her learning right now comes through play and discovery. In our “formal” school time, we’re working through a set of workbooks called "Explode the Code” to learn (or review, at this point) the letter sounds and learn to write them (although I’m using other workbooks to help with that, as it’s not been easy for Leah). I hope to be finished with these in the next few weeks and then we’ll start actually learning to READ! Although I’m terrified about this part of her schooling (it just seems so important), I’m also excited about all the cool resources I’ve found to help her learn.

(Here’s an example of some of her handwriting:)

We sometimes start the day with Music Time, and a story. (Costumes are optional. )

 

We’re also using Saxon Math, which is really a kindergarten-level book, but either it’s really easy or Leah is just really good at math. It mostly uses different manipulatives to teach concepts: teddy bear counters, pattern blocks, and linking cubes. Andrew joins in with us most of the time—he really just wants to be a part of things, although more often than not he’s just a distraction for Leah. I try to come up with things he can do, too! (He loves to paint!)

 

We also do Bible stories and then I add in some other type of science or theme, maybe based on a holiday or something else. This week we started talking about the Five Senses, and our body parts. The one thing that comes really easy to me is FIELD TRIPS! One of our favorite places to go is the NC Museum of Science. I like it because they’re learning while having fun, and I don’t have to even plan any of it. One of our favorite parts is the Discovery Room—and they had a lot of great opportunities to talk about the Five Senses. They got to use a magnifying glass & a microscope, they got to touch different animal furs/ skins and even some bugs, they got to push buttons to hear different animal sounds, and so much more. It was a perfect little adventure for us.