Weeks 12 and 13: Lots of Paint!

We are ALMOST done with school for 2010! But we have just a few more days to do next week...we lost a week after Thanksgiving because the teacher (aka, me!) was so sick she could barely function. So, we will do school next week right almost right up to Christmas Eve. As for the past two weeks, here is our update. Not so much detail because I am starting to run out of steam! Thank goodness for a break coming up...

Harry's highlights:

• Started learning the countries of Europe, with a focus on Norway. Did you know there are 450,000 lakes there?
• Finally nearing the end of Singapore Math 2A. He has been cruising through multiplication and has learned his 2x and 3x tables. We're hoping to finish up the book by the end of 2010.
• Has reached Chapter 9 in Latin for Children; he is starting to understand what all those declensions are all about but also finding Latin harder than last year. I miss that Harry is not learning any Latin prayers as he did in Prima Latina, so I may think about re-including elements of Latina Christiana since we are still using ecclesiastical pronunciation.
• Is on "Book 4" of his fantasy/sci-fi "Series of Acroban," 12,000 words total and counting!
• Celebrated with mom when her book arrived, as he was the only non-napping son awake to witness the box opening!

Ron's highlights:

• Getting to the end of Singapore Earlybird B, which means I better order Singapore 1A for him soon!
• Finished forming all his letters in cursive, and writes his name in a lovely script! As for other words...well, we have to keep working on connecting letters into words. A goal for 2011!
• Enjoyed the "turtle" theme in his MFW-K curriculum, which was tied with the idea that "I don't quit, I persevere." Ron made his own turtle to commemorate the unit, and of course his little brother had to follow suit!

• Ron also began attending AWANA and has been really enjoying his Sparks class. He has surprised me with how much he likes memorizing Bible verses so far...hope it continues! His enthusiasm has "sparked" interest in his older brother, who was more cautious and uncertain about the idea, but now Harry will also attend starting in January. Never having gone to or known about AWANA as a child, I think it's great that my kids have the opportunity to get so much exposure to God's Word at a young age. What could be better?

"How does it look?" =)

As for Dobby, I have been feeling a little guilty that I haven't been doing too much intentional "preschool" activities with him. My work with him is all pretty haphazard, yet somehow he seems to be absorbing material around him. For example...

• Using a 100 chart, he can count all the way through it, without having been specifically taught it!
• Can write a number of different letters, including many in his own name. I'm hoping he'll be able to write his actual name out within a few months.
• Enjoys using his Kumon workbooks to practicing skills such as cutting, pasting, and sticking!

Lastly, we ended our week with a fun painting project; Ron also studied the theme "God made us wonderful" this week, so we had everyone paint their own life-sized figure, which all three enjoyed. They've also been enjoying the very little bit of snow we've had here in Chicagoland, just a few inches at one point, but enough to build a snowman!

We'll have one last report of 2010 (I hope!) with our last partial week of school next week. Advent blessings to all!