Week 1 Report

Week 1 has been great!  A few changes in curriculum already:

From Savannah's list I'm dropping Figuratively Speaking.  It is too hard for her and she hates it.  Maybe another year.  I'm also dropping the Kolbe literature guide. We haven't tried it yet, but I think it is just pointless busywork.  I have them both reading for an hour a day.  I think that is the best thing to do to keep the love of reading alive.  I'm not incredibly impressed with Memoria Press's Geography I workbooks; I'm undecided on this one.  We'll give it another week.  We haven't tried my science plan yet; we won't do science until week 3. 
Things I LOVE:  Week 1 of Classical Composition - Fable has been a lot of fun.  Everything else Savannah is using is a continuation from last year (math, English, spelling, MP's Famous Men of Rome, Latin) and I am still very pleased with these. 

I also added grammar copywork from MP's Grammar Recitations book this year.  I find it to be very valuable for my kids to memorize the definitions of grammar terms.  We are often talking about grammar terms in Latin, and Charlotte has the hardest time keeping noun, proper noun, common noun, verb, adjective, subject, predicate, and pronoun straight.  Memorized definitions really help her, so I am pleased with our grammar copywork and flashcards.

Everything on Charlotte's curriculum list is working out just fine.  She has a lot more writing to do this year that she is not enjoying so much, but I think it is good for her.  She'll get used to it.

I decided today to drop New American Cursive for Madelynn and do the K workbook of Handwriting Without Tears.  It is so much easier!  I really want to get her writing quickly so we start on Spell to Write and Read lists.

The Gospel Principles study in the morning with Savannah and Charlotte is going really well.  I wake them up at 6 am and give them a piece of gum (they love this).  We sit at the table with the Gospel Principles book, a journal, and their new scriptures.  I taught them how to mark scriptures with their red pencil first.  Then we read one section from the Gospel Principles lesson.  Together we read and mark all of the scriptures that are referenced in that section.  There is a question or two for each section.  We discuss the questions and write the answers to one of the questions in our journals.  I've found this time to be very valuable and it is working really well.

My preschool plan has been fun.  We made A's with apple prints, colored apples, and did a cut and paste project with construction paper and apples, made jello, and introduced them to red-light, green-light and Simon-says.  They also love the read-alouds; however the Children's Bible is way over their heads.  I've actually started reading that to Savannah, Charlotte, and Madelynn at night.

Recitations, Circle-Time, and family scripture reading is going great.  Chocolate milk is the key to a successful family scripture reading time (but don't use straws; they're too loud).

Recitations: happens around 4pm, when school is over.  This is for Savannah, Charlotte, and Madelynn.  They each recite the poems we have already learned and practice the new poem we are learning.  We also are memorizing The Living Christ a few sentences at a time.  We do this 4Xs a week.

Circle-Time: is right after breakfast.  In the front of my recitations folder I have a gospel art picture and a sheet that tells us the song, scripture, and Article of Faith that we are learning this month as a family.  We sing the song, recite the scripture and AoF, and pledge allegiance to the flag.

Family scripture reading: happens right before bed, after the kids have on their pajamas and the house is clean.  We first have family prayer.  Then the kids grab their scriptures and get to the table while I make their chocolate milk.  We take turns reading a verse. Even Caroline, Madelynn, and Zachary participate; I read their scripture and they repeat after me. 

I'm liking our daily routine as well.  It is all working very nicely.  I love the hour break for breakfast and lunch, then my personal one-hour quiet time when I usually sneak some candy and take a nap in the middle of the day.  My only complaint is that our days are long right now.  I'm hoping this will ease up in the next couple of weeks as the kids get used to the new work-load.