Graves' Mountain Lodge

Robin very much enjoyed our family vacation with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Syria, Virginia!

He went horseback riding, swimming, and hiked the White Oak Canyon trail in the Shenandoah National Park.

Just for a moment, we were lucky enough to see a bear cub!  He and his cousins also captured a toad for a time.  Robin also attended his Religious Education class, which focused on the ecosystem of the Fellowship grounds.

Robin created a tie-dye t-shirt.

We read to him, including these books:

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan

Two Noble Kinsmen

This week we went to the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theater and saw their summer production: The Two Noble Kinsmen.  I can see why it's not one of the most performed Shakespearean plays, but it was certainly worth the (free) admission.  Robin especially liked the sword fight.

He worked with Explode the Code, completing the letter P.  We read to him lots, including Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

Encyclopedia Brown Saves the Day by Donald J. Sobol

Robin worked with Saxon Math 2.

We went to the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, which Robin has been to several times.  They have very assiduous docents, one of whom followed us around and answered all of our questions about everything, even showing us his own military medals. We also read posts from Paul Salopek, and this book:  How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz

Robin went to a playground with lots of monkey bars and did them several times.

More Minecraft

Robin learned to do more things in Minecraft this week, including redstone wiring and multiplayer.  He also worked with Saxon Math 2.

I read to him, including the followings books: Sheep in a Shop by Nancy E. Shaw

A Child's Day: An Alphabet of Play by Ida Pearle

Daisy and the Beastie by Jane Simmons

Robin wrote in his journal and worked with Explode the Code.

He watched an episode of History Detectives with segments on early aviation (Charles Lindbergh) and letters from the Civil War.  We read article by Paul Salopek.

We went scootering.

Robin attended his RE class, which focused on butterflies and moths.

Minecraft

We've had Minecraft for a while but Robin and his brother hadn't figured out how to really enjoy it until this week.  Now we've figured out how to switch back and forth between Creative and Survival modes, meaning they can both relax and have fun, but also gather the resources they need to succeed pretty easily in the Survival mode, making it a lot more fun.

Robin explored weighing with non-standard units and several other topics in Saxon Math 2.

We continued working on the letter P.  I read to Robin. Including these books: Having a Friend by Betty Miles
 and
Ten Things I Love About You by Daniel Kirk

Robin practiced writing by choosing a word to write in his journal.  He also drew in his journal.

We read some posts by Paul Salopek.

Robin continues to be kind of obsessed with the skate park.  Besides visiting them multiple times this week, he is at this very moment scootering over a makeshift ~1 ft jump he rigged up in our living room, over and over again.  He also biked, and swam.

He attended his RE class, which focused on wood, and observed a skilled woodworker turn tops with a lathe.

Lesson 41

Robin tested out of the first 40 lessons (total) of Saxon Math 2.  Today we started working through the remainder of the book with Lesson 41, which focused on fractional parts of a circle.  He also did some building with Legos this week.

We continued to work on the letter P with Explode the Code.  He wrote and drew in his journal.  A highlight of the week was an opportunity to attend a production of The Tempest at Shakespeare in Clark Park!  We read to Robin.

Robin watched a documentary about samurai swords.  We read some posts from Paul Salopek.

Robin rode his bike, went to the skate park, and went swimming (and jumping) at the swimming hole in the woods.

Birthday in the Family

Robin celebrated his sister's 4th birthday today!  He was very excited about gift giving and cake.

Robin tested out of several lessons of Saxon Math 2.

We began using Explode the Code to work on Robin's phonics skills.  He tested out of the first book (A) but needs to work on the second book (B).  He's having trouble with sound/symbol correspondence - he clearly 'gets' isolating initial sounds of words, but he has a hard time taking an identified sound: '/f/' for example, and then naming and writing down the letter 'F'.  So we're going to do some work on that - he does thrive on repetition!

We read to him, including these books: The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan
 and
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

He wrote in his journal.

And drew.

Robin swam, skateboarded, scootered, biked, and went to the skate parks several times.

He attended his Religious Education class, which focused on soil.  And went fishing.

Fishing

Robin went fishing in the Neshaminy Creek!  He caught and released several fish, including this one:

He watched documentaries about ancient Egyptian embalming practices and Viking sword making.

Robin attended his RE class, which focused on trees.

He tested out of the first 10 lessons of Saxon Math 2.  I particularly noticed the ease with which he identified and wrote down two-digit numbers, which he would not have been able to do at all at the beginning of last year.

Robin wrote and drew in his journal.  He also read a Bob Book.

We read The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan