Homeschool Mothers Journal Summer Edition Weekly Review 7/30

      In my life this week…
      My Birthday was Monday.  To celebrate we went out to eat for supper. My Hubby bought me a cheesecake sampler instead of a traditional cake.

      I also did some cleaning  and miscellaneous work around the house.

      
      I had the opportunity to take a couple short shopping trips this week. Tried to find some clothes for my self, was partially successful.

 

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Our Church had Vacation Bible School this week, so that occupied the morning all week. 

The rest of the week we did our normal summer activities.  Piano lessons and library program. The library program this week was a magician who wove a story into his tricks.  

Questions/thoughts I have…

Determining what curriculum items we can afford right now and which ones I need to put on the back burner for a while.

How to make assignments for my 10 year old daughter to challenge her, yet not overwhelm her.  How to help her work to her ability and grade level. 

Things I’m working on…

During the month of August we are going to spend a week concentrating on 4 different topics.  

I spent time this week preparing for the first and third weeks of August.  We are going to concentrate on state history and culture the first week.  I haven't decided between two different topics for the third week, but started pulling resources together for both topics. We will also begin Bible Study and finish up the supplemental math books from last year this week.

Helped Daughter learn to latch hook.  She picked it up quickly and seems to be enjoying it. 

I’m reading…

A hodge podge of things.  Some magazines before I toss them. Skimming several books about blogging and HTML coding.

I’m grateful for…

Again this week our Air conditioning.  It has continued to be very hot.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

These are pics from the library program.  The magician let them try to spin the plates after the program was over.  I had to post one of each of them, otherwise the other would have been jealous.

Homeschool Mothers Journal is hosted by Sue at The Homeschool Chick

P is for Palette and Painting

P was a challenging letter for which to find an original topic.  I had had several ideas, but when I looked at the link up I learned they had been written about so I decided to keep thinking.  Going through the P section of my spelling dictionary I ran across palette and decided that was my topic for this week. Since it is hard to just write about a palette  I figured I would add another P, painting.

The last couple years my daughter has had the opportunity to participate in a painting class taught/led by a former homeschool mom.  The instructor chooses a Scripturally based theme for the 7 week long session and has the students complete at least one painting based on the theme. The last sessions theme was "Messiah" in preparation for Christmas.


Each students experience begins with a lesson focused on color and color theory.  During this lesson the student fills in a color wheel chart.  Additionally, there are other aspects of painting and drawing art which she teaches the students during each session.  My daughter has thus been exposed to several different aspects of composition.

Also during the session the teacher has organized a field trip for the student and family.  For the session when these pictures were done the trip was to the fabric store to purchase the fabric they painted on.  Other field trips we enjoyed were to a nursery to study lilies and the art museum.

During her classes she used a palette for her paint.  Ooh, there's another P word!

At the end of each session the students work is displayed during an Open House.  During this time the students have the opportunity to explain their work to other parents and friends as well as see their classmates finished art work as well. 

I am grateful  my daughter has had the opportunity to participate in the class as she has definite talent which needs to be encouraged and nurtured.  I can help her grow in more "crafty" art directions, but lack in the area of painting and drawing.  So as with music lessons, I am grateful for the opportunity to outsource this aspect of my daughters' art education to a wonderful teacher who truly cares about each of her students. 

The pictures I have included are 2 of the 3 pieces my daughter created in the last class.

Homeschool Mothers Journal Summer Edition Weekly Review 7/23

      In my life this week…

      We are just trying to stay cool.  We have had 6 days with temps over 100 this week and the heat index has been at least 115.

 

In our homeschool this week…

Daughter read Sarah Plain and Tall.  She is trying out one of the new Literature Note Sets from  "In The Hands of a Child."


We have also done some reading aloud.


We've talked a little about hurricanes as the kiddos have been interested in severe weather.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We did art at Michael. Piano lessons continued.

Also went to the library.  This weeks summer reading program activity was Giant Games.  We got to play large size versions of checkers, dominoes, and tic tac toe.  Also large-poster board size pieces-memory, Candy Land which the player could walk through and a version of Yahtzee will large inflatable dice.  I think the kids had more fun tossing the dice around than playing Yahtzee!

My favorite thing this week was…

Going out for concretes.  Concretes are super thick ice cream.  

Things I’m working on…
I am making plans for our one week intensive Missouri study. I need to write down my ideas for this, right now they are just gelling in my head.


I am also planning our Grammar and Math camp for later in August.

Thinking about ideas for blog posts.

I’m reading…

Cinderella Ate My Daughter
    I'm glad I checked it out from the library and didn't buy it.  I am not impressed. 

No One Cares What You Had For Lunch 100 Ideas for writing on your Blog  
         It's okay, I just don't see myself using many of them.

I’m cooking…

Toasted Ravioli
Spaghetti
Orange Chicken
Can't remember what else we had!


Tried to do easy foods that didn't take much cooking to avoid heating up the house.

Thanks to Sue at the Homeschool Chick for hosting Homeschool Mothers Journal.