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, 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 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.

Tuesday, April 21: 177/180

Robin attended his MAHC classes: Scratch Programming, Improv, and Wave Mechanics. He walked and exercised.

Friday, April 17: 175/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code, and read a Bob Book. I read to him. Lucky by David Mackintosh


Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton


Buried Sunlight: How Fossil Fuels Have Changed the Earth by Molly Bang


We went to the library. Robin exercised.

Saturday, April 11: 170/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Handwriting, Explode the Code, and read a Bob Book. I read to him: Splat the Cat: Where's the Easter Bunny? by Rob Scotton


Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney


A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz
He exercised.

Thursday, April 9: 169/180

We went to the Franklin Institute. For some reason, it was completely mobbed by children on school trips and or with their families, so much so that we weren't able to stay for long. Robin was most interested in the brain exhibit. Here we are about to escape the madding crowds:

He exercised.

Tuesday, April 7: 167/180

Robin attended his MAHC classes: Scratch Programming, Wave Engineering, and Improv. He walked to MAHC and back.

Tuesday, March 24: 159/180

Robin attended his MAHC classes: Scratch Programming, Improv, and Mechanical Engineering.

Friday, March 20: 158/180

Robin watched a LOT of documentaries this week due to illness in the house; some of them are listed on this day: Titanoboa: Monster Snake The Truth Behind: Crop Circles

Thursday, March 19: 157/180

Robin watched a LOT of documentaries this week due to illness in the house; some of them are listed on this day: National Geographic: Secret Yellowstone Nova: Ice Age Death Trap

Wednesday, March 18: 156/180

Robin watched a LOT of documentaries this week due to illness in the house; some of them are listed on this day: multiple episodes of Brain Games (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/brain-games/) Forecast: Disaster

Friday, March 6: 148/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Handwriting Without Tears, and Explode the Code. He read a Bob Book. I read to him: Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes


The Moon by Seymour Simon


Locomotive by Brian Floca


Robin exercised.

Wednesday, March 4: 147/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Handwriting Without Tears, and Explode the Code. He read a Bob Book. I read to him: Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei by Peter Sís


Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars by Mark Weston


The Sandwich by Ian Wallace


Robin exercised.

Thursday, February 26: 143/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Explode the Code, and Handwriting Without Tears. He read a Bob Book. I read to him: Where Is the Apple Pie? by Valeri Gorbachev


An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston


April and Esme Tooth Fairies by Bob Graham


Robin exercised.

Wednesday, February 25: 142/180

Robin worked with Life of Fred, Handwriting Without Tears, and Explode the Code. He read a Bob Book. I read to him: Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands by Katherine Roy


Gossie by Olivier Dunrea


Tails Chasing Tails by Matthew Porter


Robin exercised.