Another week of learning curves. Whilst I'm eternally thankful for the technology we have available to us as we continue on our homeschool adventure within the confines of a global pandemic, online learning is NOT my preferred method of teaching my boys. My personal opinion is that it is WAY more time consuming then the reading aloud that I do for those subjects and the learning is surface level at best. But, I have found some good programs and documentaries, and a couple of them are GREAT, and it will fill the gap until we have access to our library books that are waiting patiently for us on the reserve shelves. I have NO idea (at this stage) when a click and collect service will be available to us, but at this stage it is looking like fourth term at the absolute EARLIEST.
I have added required outdoor time for myself and the boys as we are no longer able to spend five to eight hours each Friday at a park socializing and playing with our friends. So you will see photo evidence of that in the selections from this week. Praise God that the weather is back to more typical winter weather - sunny and crisp!
I continue to push the boys to do EXTRA work in math, reading and writing. The plan here is that once this current lockdown ends we'll be a bit ahead and will therefore have freedom to do less structured working in Term Four and perhaps even into the 2022 school year. So this week's photos are full of all our learning, both structured and online, as well as the other activities we are enjoying. Yes, we must stay at home to stay safe right now, but we are determined to make the best of it.
Munchkin enjoying an early morning craft session. He is my early bird (rising before 7am most mornings) and therefore he enjoys an hour or more of free time to read or craft before he starts his structured learning.
Outdoor time... walking for me while the boys ride their scooters...
Hard at work with their structured written work... Muchkin (top photo) working on his spelling unit, while Monkey (bottom photo) works on a math assignment.
Monkey and Monster don't particularly like going to a daily walk, so they are thankful that daddy bought a trainer that allows us to turn one of the bikes into a stationary bicycle. They are required to ride it for 30 minutes each day if they don't go for a walk with me.
Munchkin ALWAYS chooses to come with me... this particular day he rode his scooter.
These are VERY bad photos taken on my phone, but this is a Black Cockatoo we spotted in a tree that then escaped to the power line before getting spooked and flying away. There were a few in the neighbourhood, but they weren't screeching at each other, so no rain in the forecast.
Porridge and a good book to start of another day...
A selection of photos showing Munchkin's written work for the day... writing, spelling, handwriting, and review work of maths on the computer (Khan Academy).
Monkey and I are working through Season One of the Analytical Grammar curriculum.
Munchkin chose to walk with me this particular day...
Munchkin sprawled out on the lounge room floor working on a comic book he is writing while I read aloud our daily Bible chapters.
More comic book work using comic book paper from Dav Pilkey's website...
Munchkin working on his IEW paragraph for the week...
Two extremes of Munchkin...
The quiet morning reader... and the outdoor bouncy boy!!!
Once the boys have completed their structured, written work for the day, they can enjoy 30 minutes of gaming time on the computer. Here Monkey is enjoying playing Minecraft!!
Our Friday drawing lesson results... a fat rat!
The top (vertical photo) is my drawing...
The middle drawing is Monkey's...
The bottom drawing in Munchkin's...
Monster prefers to do the drawings independently on his own, so he is allowed to complete them by the following Friday so look forward to seeing his creation in my week Three post.
Monster's Deluxe house drawing from last week...
Independent drawing that Monkey has been doing this week...
Photos of our online learning on Friday... our music program (top photo) and our fat rat drawing lesson (bottom photo)...
Saturday (after household cleaning chores are done) the boys enjoy an extra long gaming session... Sometimes they play together, sometimes separately, and sometimes Monster organises a gaming session with several of their homeschool friends and a few cousins as well.
Meanwhile, Saturday is my school planning time... I settle at the dining table (as seen above) or in the home office, depending on what kind of work I need to do, and get busy. Some Saturdays are more productive than others, but so far, this system works, mostly.
Two more drawings done my Monkey... another Ben 10 drawing (left photo) and a beautiful pencil drawing of a whale tail that he drew for our Pastor's wife as whale tails are a very special symbol for her.
Independent reading for Munchkin...
Read alouds finished for Monkey's Ancient Egypt unit study - I'm eternally grateful that the library gave us a TON of cancelled library books three years ago!!
Munchkin is reading and re-reading all our books (owned and library both)
Another cancelled library book that is saving the day for our WWII/Holocaust studies for Monster...
All Munchkin's remaining independent books for the week... Monkey also read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books as they are both enjoying those... all three boys are missing the library terribly.
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