Week 4 and a Freebie

We're part way through week 4, and doing well. We've set aside Singapore Math this week, and are doing some CalcuLadder worksheets to help little man learn his math facts. My dd is ahead in that area, but I'm drilling her anyway...it will just solidify her knowledge.

Back at the beginning of the week, I realized October was right around the corner! I can't believe how fast this year has gone! Well, I thought, why not make new cards for our pocket chart wall calendar - what a fun idea! I had already done new ones for September (now they look so boring, so I'll have to do new ones again for next year) and new ones for December. I love how my December ones came out - I used one of my digital scrapbooking kits. You'll have to come back at the end of November to see that one! lol

I chose to use Simply Autumn by LawTeeDa Designs. I did have to add in a pumpkin and some leaves from another kit however... but everything else is Simply Autumn...here's a preview of the kit:


I picked mine up at ScrapMatters, my favorite digital scrapping place!

This is a sampling of the cards...you don't want to print this preview as it is not print quality...please download the set of all 31 cards and print those instead...


I saved them to my calendar cards folder in my documents, then I double clicked the image. Up pops the Picture and Fax Viewer window! I then use the button for printing at the bottom and choose full page fax...there you go! I hope you like them - feel free to download them here and tell your friends! Please leave a comment here on my blog if you download...this way I know if someone appreciates them - and I'll share each month. Otherwise, I won't bother! lol

Fall *Ü* Blessings,

Week 3 of School Unit 18 of Beyond

Well, our third week of school has started off nicely. We're adding in a bit more each day and finding our rhythm. I *think* we'll keep a slow pace with Beyond this year, and begin Bigger next fall. Previously I had thought we'd finish Beyond about January and then start Bigger...but I've heard tell that Bigger is a big jump, and I'm thinking it may be too big of a jump for my 6yo son. Of course, nothing's for certain yet, we'll see how it goes. I'd like to keep them in the same manual throughout our HOD years... right now Beyond is working great! He's decided to do the copywork, and is enjoying it; he's holding his own with the Singapore math...though we're playing catch up; and the grammar is perfectly paced for him.

Unit 18 finds us in the colonies, toward the end of King Philip's war. Yesterday's science was so much fun...we learned about how dogs follow scent - and how it gets lost in water. We set up our own trail ending in water, here's a couple photos of the fun:

...sniffing out the scent...

...harder to detect in water...

I had almond and orange extract for scents...I would have added in another if I had had more cotton balls...so you teachers who are only at the beginning of Beyond...get cotton balls now! lol

Today we read about a family making candles, and how they made a special candle called a "sparkling candle" with gun powder...then we did a little art project. (Can I just say how much I love the little art projects in HOD...not too much and not too little either!) Here are some photos of the finished product:



I think if I was on the ball here...I would make REAL candles with my little ones...but unfortunately I don't have the supplies to do it.

I hope you are having fun with HOD (or whatever curriculum you are using) this homeschooling year! I'd love to hear about it!

*Ü* Blessings,