Numbers

Robin worked with Saxon Math 1 today. We read a very simple book about numbers, really meant for much younger children, but Robin liked it quite a lot because of the level of detail - the 1 chicken laid 1 egg, the 4 watermelon slices each had 4 seeds and 4 stripes, etc.

Robin did a word worksheet and I read to him.

Including a book about emergency medical technicians.  Robin went for a bike ride.

New Bike

Robin got a new bike today!  (His old one was, unfortunately, stolen.)

Robin worked with Saxon Math 1.

Robin did a word worksheet and I read to him.

Including a book about dust and where it comes from.

Tuesday

Robin worked with Saxon Math 1. We read a book about Zero.

Robin completed a word worksheet, and I read to him.

Including a bilingual book.

And a book about penguins.

Robin painted.

And took a walk.

Hurricane

We read a book written from the perspective of a child living through a hurricane in Puerto Rico today, and it developed into a nice little 'unit study' on hurricanes. We looked up Tropical Storm Isaac (see picture) which is currently walloping Haiti and the Dominican Republic and heading for Florida and hurricane status. We watched a couple of YouTube videos of high winds and waves during hurricanes. I had to stop the video of tsunami footage shot by survivors because I am too emotional while pregnant to deal with it! But we discussed tsunamis, too, and how they form and how you would know one was coming, etc.  Robin asked how many hurricanes there have been in history. Records apparently go back to 1851 and Robin was fascinated to learn that there were 6303 recorded hurricanes around the world, over 161 years, for an average of just over 39 hurricanes a year.

Robin worked with Saxon Math 1.

Robin did a word worksheet, and I read to him.

End of the Pool Season

 Today was the end of the pool season at the public pool we've been going to.  Robin had fun!  And ice cream after ;-)

Robin did some drawing.

Paper Airplanes

Robin worked on making paper airplanes today. We have a paper airplane book someone gave us years ago (maybe an uncle?) and while the planes are very cool, they are also pretty difficult and Robin is not terribly skilled at following visual, printed directions. I have had some success convincing him that is is fun (I should know since I did this a lot as a child) to make improv paper airplanes and see how they work.  He made one that resembled a skate or a ray.  We also worked with Saxon Math 1 today.

Robin completed a word worksheet and seems to be developing some better word recognition!  I read to Robin.

Including a book which I liked a lot - politics per monkey tribe (Looking for the Easy Life by Walter Dean Myers).

And a book about rain and one about the earth.

Robin went bowling.

The Experiment That Didn't Work

A lot of Robin's time today was spent on some experiments with batteries.  We got more 9 volt batteries but were still unable to get the batteries-spinning-a-magnet experiment to work.  However, he and his brother were able to successfully short out some batteries, creating sparks. Appropriately, we also read a book about science experiments that didn't work!

We worked with Saxon Math 1.  Robin also built a penny pyramid, and counted out the pennies he was using with his 100 number chart from his math work.

Robin worked with his flashcards and writing.  I read to him.

Including a book about Chinese characters.

Robin went for a walk and helped care for his younger sister, who had a fever.

Alphabet Recognition

We worked with Saxon Math 1 today.

Robin did some Montessori Pink Card words today.  I noticed that he was more confident identifying the letters by name, both during the exercise and at other times (during math work, on the computer keyboard).  I don't know how consistent that will be - but it's a good sign.  Robin tends to need a lot of repetition and practice - that's how he learns best - so hopefully this 'worksheet-y' approach will work well for him.  I read to Robin.

Including a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche (this one was pretty 'prettied' up, IMO.)

We went swimming.

Sprayground

Robin worked with Saxon Math 1, and sorted Pokemon cards.

Robin worked with Pink Cards and wrote the words he tried to read.  I read to him.

Including a book about a polar bear cub raised in a zoo.

Robin went for a walk and did a lot of climbing and exploring on a great playground.  Which also has a sprayground.  Robin had a great time!

Reading by writing

Robin said something interesting to me today: "I don't know how to read it but I know how to write my name so I know that's it."  Now, obviously, this means he DOES know how to read it (which I already knew) but it gave me the idea that maybe we should be doing some more writing with him.  I decided to start by using a Montessori set of words called the "Pink Cards".  I printed out a set of cards from this site to use as flashcards, and then I made writing practice sheets using this site using the same words.  We did six words today and that seemed to be about the right amount.  I also read to Robin.

Including a retelling of Jason and the Argonauts and a book about butterflies.

We worked with Saxon Math 1 today.

Robin did some drawing.

We went for a walk.

Magnets and Batteries

Robin did some more sorting of Pokemon cards today, and some building with a castle construction toy.  He was very proud of both following the directions succesfully and then being able to build something freestyle.

 Robin attended his Religious Education class.

We went for a walk.  Robin climbed a traffic light pole, and then came down very quickly when we realized that there was a wasp nest at the top (and the wasps were on their way out!)

Robin participated in an attempt to make a wireless motor using batteries and a magnet. We were unsuccessful but have some more things to try to see if we can make it work.

Festival

We went to a Food Festival at the historic Wyck House around the corner from our home. While there were undoubtably many historical aspects we mostly focused on the kids' crafts around seeds, recipes, etc.

We went for a hike to Toleration statue.
Robin helped sort the Pokemon cards he and his siblings inherited from their uncles (probably at least a thousand of them) into the 5 types and a pile of Trainer cards, and began sorting each pile roughly alphabetically so as to pull out one of each unique card to put in a binder.

We also looked up a simple magnetic spinner that Robin wants me to help him make tomorrow.

Friday

Robin did his first full lesson (#25) from Saxon Math 1.   He also took all the pieces from a game we have called Castle Keep and created a pretty neat 'castle' by connecting the wall and corner pieces in the ways allowed by the game.  This is hard to describe and I do have a picture but it's stuck in my phone.

I read to Robin.

Including a book about John & Abigail Adams.

Swimming

Robin went swimming today at one of the free, public pools in the city.  His technique has improved dramatically this year - his crawl looks like a crawl, he can do a backstroke, and tread water.  All briefly - but endurance and distance will come!

Robin completed another assessment in Saxon Math 1.  At Lesson 25 we've gotten to something he wasn't sure how to do (although he did it readily when shown how) so now we'll start going through lesson by lesson.

We went to the library.  I read several books to Robin.

Including one about sanitation in the city.

Climbing

We began our math year by having Robin take the first couple of 'assessments' in Saxon Math 1.  I love that they have the assessment lessons so I can figure out where we need to start working through the book this year.

I read comic books and other books to Robin.  He is working on alphabet recognition and sounds and also on some short-a sound, three-letter word flashcards.

We read a book about Abraham Lincoln.

Robin went swimming.  He also climbed around the Walnut Lane Bridge, after hiking there (with bare feet!)