Start of the 2015 - 2016 "School" "Year" - 4th grade!

We are going to try to have Robin keep his own Daily Log using a simple Google Form which will produce a spreadsheet for our records, rather than daily blogging. Books will continue to be logged into Goodreads; I'd like to find a good way to log documentaries and maybe podcasts. Pinterest would work, except I don't think there's a good way to export the data. Any ideas, anyone reading this? I may blog interesting stuff; I may do a monthly update; I may just leave this here for Robin to blog himself if something moves him.

Sunday, June 21: 180 + 8 weeks

Robin took the CAT test this week, as required by law. Because he is not a confident reader yet, we asked his proctor to read the test to him, but he did the work of selecting the answers. In most areas he did very, very well. However, he doesn't have a good grasp of spelling or other language mechanics yet, which was reflected in his scores. I read to him: Grandma Elephant's in Charge by Martin Jenkins


You Can Count on Monsters by Richard Evan Schwartz


Katie And The Sunflowers by James Mayhew


Music for the End of Time by Jennifer Fisher Bryant


We listened to the music described in the last book. He went swimming and exercised.

Sunday, June 14: 180 + 7 weeks

Robin attended the final week of his MAHC classes: Battle Re-Enactment, Improv, and Board Games. I read to Robin: The Man from the Land of Fandango by Margaret Mahy


Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin


The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli


Hooray for Fish! by Lucy Cousins


Robin exercised. The main event of the week, however, was his godmother's wedding. Here's the first released shot of him in the wedding party:

Sunday, June 7: 180 + 6 weeks

Robin attended his MAHC classes: Battle Re-Enactment, Improv, and Board Games. He finished working with Life of Fred for the year, as well as with his English workbooks until July! We went to the library. I read to him: Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola


Old Bear Board Book by Kevin Henkes


A Visit to Dr. Duck by Rosemary Wells


Robin went camping and enjoyed lots of hiking, campfires, good food, and good friends!

Sunday, May 31: 180 + 5 weeks

Robin attended his MAHC classes: Battle Re-Enactment, Improv, and Board Games. He worked with Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code, and Life of Fred. He read a Bob Book and I read to him: Columbus by Demi


Mr. Tall And Mr. Small by Barbara Brenner


Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing by James Rumford


Robin exercised and went swimming!

Sunday, May 24: 180 + 4 weeks

Robin attended his classes at MAHC: Battle Re-Enactment, Improv, and Board Games. He worked with Life of Fred, Kahn Academy Math, Handwriting Without Tears, and Explode the Code. Robin read a Bob Book, and I read to him: Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning


Mossy by Jan Brett


The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss


He visited the Franklin Institute and saw the IMAX movie Great White Shark. Robin exercised, and went to the pool for the first time this year. He attended his religious education class, which focused on helping homeless veterans through a story and hands-on making of care packages.

Sunday, May 17: 180 + 3 weeks

Robin attended his classes at MAHC: Battle Re-enactment, Improv, and Board Games. Here's a picture of him in action during the "Battle of San Jacinto."

Robin played a lot of Minecraft. I read to him: A Honey of a Day by Janet Perry Marshall


I Have the Right to Be a Child by Alain Serres


Robin exercised. He attended his religious education class, which focused on the Golden Rule.

Sunday, May 10: 180 + 2 weeks

Robin attended his MAHC classes: Battle Re-Enactment, Improv, and Board Games. He worked with Kahn Academy math, Life of Fred, Explode the Code, Handwriting Without Tears, and read Bob Books. I read to him: LadyBug, Ask, and Muse Magazines Why Do I Have to Make My Bed? by Wade Bradford


I Am So Brave! by Stephen Krensky


Bear Play by Miela Ford


The Bear's Bicycle by Emilie W. McLeod


Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy by Jane O'Connor


Nobody Owns the Sky: The Story of Brave Bessie Coleman by Reeve Lindbergh


Robin attended his religious education classes, which focused on finding ways to give love and connection with the natural world through fishing! He walked and exercised and hiked and rock climbed. Robin also saw his doctor for his annual physical and is at the 50% for height and the 75% for weight, and in good health!

Sunday, May 3: 180 + 1 week!

We have completed 180 days of instruction logged as we are required to do by law in Pennsylvania. From here on out, I'll blog weekly about what we've done. Robin attended his MAHC classes, including Scratch Programming, Improv, and Wave Mechanics. He began working with Kahn Academy classes on-line, specifically 3rd grade math. He experimented with using Cuisinaire rods to better understand multiplication:

He continued working with Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code, and reading Bob Books. I read to him: The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies


Whose Knees are These? by Jabari Asim


Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett


A Leaf Can Be... by Laura Purdie Salas


Hug You, Kiss You, Love You by Joyce Wan


Robin exercised, including by visiting a trampoline park and a rock climbing gym.

Robin experimented with making microwave popcorn, finding out that it is in fact possible to burn it!

Robin attended his great-grandmother's memorial service, and his religious education classes, which focused on putting love into action and experiencing the web of life by fishing.

Friday, April 24: 180/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code, and read a Bob Book. I read to him: When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Muñoz Ryan


Hurry Up and Slow Down by Layn Marlow


Brush, Brush, Brush! by Alicia Padrón


We listened to a recording of Marian Anderson performing. Robin exercised.

Thursday, April 23: 179/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Explode the Code, Handwriting Without Tears, and read a Bob Book. I read to him: When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill


Besos for Baby: A Little Book of Kisses by Jennifer Arena


The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky


We watched a brief documentary video about DJ Kool Herc. He exercised.

Wednesday, April 22: 178/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Handwriting Without Tears, and Explode the Code and read a Bob Book. I read to him: Lookin' for Bird in the Big City by Robert Burleigh


Pete & Pickles by Berkeley Breathed


Where Is Baby's Belly Button? by Karen Katz


We listened to a recording of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker playing together. Robin built a robot out of
recyclables:

 Robin exercised.