Our first day of school (finally!)

Better late than never, right?

 

Well, after Tank's doctor's appointment we started our first day of school.  The baby went down for a nap (he was really over-tired) and we marched downstairs to our schoolroom like good little soldiers.  This year Dash is in the first grade and Tank is just listening in and doing age appropriate activities (coloring, cutting, pasting, tracing).   We started with the usual recitation of the date and Pledge of Allegiance, as well as prayer asking for God's blessings on our school year.  Then we started our first read-aloud-- The Boxcar Children.  Dash was SO interested in the story and paid attention the entire time!   He didn't even get upset when we talked about the children's parents being dead and the definition of orphan.

 

I've been a bit nervous about starting since we switched to a new curriculum this year--from Five in a Row to Sonlight (Core K w/Advanced Readers).   I loved FIAR and the great books that it used.  However, *I* really needed more structure for my peace of mind.  I am so glad that God brought me to Sonlight!  I love the literature based approach and that it covers all subjects almost every day.  Plus, it is SO EASY with a 4-day or 5-day schedule already planned out for 36 weeks of lessons.  Subjects covered are History, Geography, Science (Usborne), Read-Aloud's, Language Arts (including spelling), Bible.  Handwriting and Math are on my own (Italic Handwriting and Math-U-See).

 

It sounds extremely busy but in reality it only took us two hours (not counting math).  Dash did really well! I was surprised that he had absolutely no problems with spelling and science.  In science we learned about the water cycle and rainbows...which was quite a lot of info for a single day.   We practiced spelling on the white board and left it up for daddy to see when he got home from work. 

 

We also read "The Crow and the Pitcher" and did our own little study.  We filled a glass with water and tried to see if the kids could drink it without using their hands (which they couldn't).  Then I had them add one pebble (marbles in our case) at a time.  They watched the water level slowly rise with each addition.  Finally, the water was at the rim and they could take a sip.  They learned that it really did take that crow a long time to drop all of those pebbles into the pitcher in order to get a drink-- good thing he didn't give up too soon!  And that patience and perserverence have great rewards.

 

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and how much easier it should be...although we all know how that goes.  Things ended up a little hairy today trying to keep the baby entertained (since his nap was only an hour long). 

 

Good night, ya'll!!!

 

• 
  
  Click to Help Katrina Survivors