'14/15 Week 3 Day 2

The day started off really well, until lunch time. All of a sudden, Andrew was not feeling that well. He refused to lay down and take it easy. He wanted to finish his prokaryotic cell model so badly. After his biology class, however, I insisted he lay down and just listen to the read-alouds. Oh, I so hope, he is not coming down with a cold! At the moment, I am just thankful, I am home with him to take care of him. Thankful, I can homeschool.
 

LA. We spent a portion of our LA class dividing words into syllables.

Science. Andrew cutting, gluing, and taping to make a model of a prokaryotic cell.

'14/15 Week 3 Day 1

It was a blue Monday. I am saying it with a happy voice, because it was a bright blue. For kids, it was quite a challenge to stay focused at times, and, thus, some tasks took longer than I had expected, but we got everything accomplished, and I am thankful for that. We even managed to have a music appreciation class at the end of the day.

'14/15 Week 2 Day 4

Nice school day! Both kids worked hard. The best part of the day for me was to hear my son say that he loves biology! Wow! And here I was thinking that the last chapter in his biology book was too hard for him to grasp. We made a craft out of it, and by the end of the day, he was drawing cells with proteins, nucleus, sugars, etc. in them all by himself just because he wanted to. 

Science. Andrew describing the work that proteins do in a cell.

Adding sugar (on a dollop of glue) to represent the sugar molecules in the cell.

Saara's science was about the magnetic force. Here, using the force to pull things.

Pulling things upwards is harder because of the gravity.

Feeling the magnetic force and ...

making the butterfly fly.

Saara's attempt at using similes.

Andrew's and Saara's choice of an after school activity: drawing biology inspired pictures.

Building a Carport

These have been busy days indeed. We were in need of a carport and finally got around to building one. For the children it turned out to be an adventure as they were part of every step of the way. 
The process, of course, started with us visiting several companies to see what they had to offer. My two back-seat drivers had their opinion about the selections too. 

Then, Andrew and Saara 
came along with us to rent a truck for transporting the carport pieces, 
rode to the store, 
watched the process of loading the truck, 
helped to unload the pieces at home, 
returned the rental, 
went along with Dad to rent a postal digger, 
helped again with the digging and cementing in the posts, and, finally, with the clean up. 
A long day.

When I and my husband started to put together the metal pieces, the work, we decided, was a bit too hazardous for the children to be around, so Andrew's and Saara's helping dwindled down to fetching us things and drinks.

We are not quite done yet with the carport, but once it is finished, it will be a testimony of our whole family's hard work. I am glad that both kids were part of the process. Hopefully, it helps them see how much work and time is needed to accomplish things, how even the littlest efforts matter, how to use money wisely, and how to be safe in various situations.

Having some fun before the metal is loaded into the truck.

Dad and Andrew watching the metal being loaded.

Andrew learned what a forklift looks like and what it does.

Just for fun: a view from my kitchen window.

Andrew helping along during the construction.

'14/15 Week 2 Day 3

This was our first day of trying out a school day with some after-school activities. Our morning went fast even with additional reading assignments.  

By one o'clock we were gone and ready to watch Saara's first ballet class. She loved it!

'14/15 Week 2 Day 2

Reading, writing, listening, watching, laughing, answering questions, more writing, more listening - this is pretty much how our day went today. Andrew keeps telling me, he likes to write. Good. Keep it that way.

'14/15 Week 2 Day 1

Happy Labor Day!

We decided to have a school day today. Most likely, we will have to take a day off toward the end of the week, so by having classes today, we will not lose a day of school this week. 

For a Monday, it was a rather relaxed day. After a wonderful Labor Day picnic last night and fun that lasted till darkness, both kids found it a little challenging to focus on studies. Looking back, they did well, though. I am very pleased with the Sequential Spelling program. After only six days of using it, I can see the improvement and ease in both kids' spelling. Yes, even Saara is trying out his brother's program, and she is doing well.

Scinece. Morning greetings. Andrew found a fungus.

Geography. Saara is learning about different countries. Today's subject was about the foods people in different countries eat. We tried out a drink called lassi from India.

You shake together equal amounts of strawberry yogurt and cold water.

Andrew and I found the drink good and refreshing. Saara did not like it at all.