Weekly wrap-up--January 29, 2012

This week was a fairly good one as far a balance goes. We were both out and home, but not too much of either!

On Monday afternoon we went to the first of the Wescott Library Homeschool Science Series presentations. This one was presented by MAD Science. We have seen this presenter before, and loved him! He is highly engaging, but still gets the information across. Love presenters like that!

Tuesday we went to a new to us activity, Art Club. I learned about it through a friend, and really had no idea what to expect. It was great. Really enjoyable! There is a homeschool mom in our area who puts together a presentation on an artist (this month it was Kandinsky) and an art project that is related. It is very similar to the format that is used at the KidCreate Studios art classes we have been attending (but missed this month), but only costs, get this, $1 per child. Yep, she provides all the materials AND all the information, and it costs $1. Well worth it in my mind!

Art club is held at a library 3 blocks from where my husband works, so we went and had lunch with him! The kids love going to Daddy's work, so that was a treat.

After lunch, we headed back to the same library for Board Game club. Another homeschool mom has organized this group. People bring their own games and the kids (and parents!) play games for a couple of hours. I didn't enjoy this one as much. I am not huge on board games to begin with, I prefer card games and dice games and things like Bananagrams. It isn't that those games aren't welcome, just that there were lots of bored games, too. There were also a LOT of people there, and the energy level was a bit high for an indoor space. At least I felt it was high--I am used to fairly quiet kids! The kids had fun, but were getting tired, which may have clouded the experience as well.

Friday we went to another new to us activity, Homeschool Book Club. The same woman who does the Art Club also does a book club! Seriously, she is amazing! I know she has assistance, there are other moms who help her out (one of them being the friend who told me about these activities!), but she does the presenting, and does a great job with a wide age range. My kids are on the young side for this group. Kutey is perhaps the youngest actual participant, but she can sit that long, knows not to be disruptive, and loves to be with the older kids, so it works out fine! We loved this, too. The books this month were The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbeck and the Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, focusing more on the former. It was a great morning out!

Curriculum-wise:

• We read Chapter 20: The Diaspora in Story of the World, Volume 2. I didn't do much with this for extras, and I am finding myself doing less and less. I can't decide if that is good or bad!
• We covered Earth in R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey--Earth and Space. I still think there is a lack of depth in the study of the planets. I am still looking for a good way to bulk that up. Ideas are more than welcome!
• Kiddo is nearly done with Singapore 3A, with only review and practice remaining. He is anxious to move into 3B, which is good.
• Kutey started Singapore 1A. I am so excited for her. I had been doing basic math things with her, and will continue that, but this gives us something to guide our sessions. Much of it will be basic and review for her, which I think will help build her confidence!
• Kutey continued with 100 Lessons, and it is going well. I have to remember to do it early in the day, before she gets too tired, but then it goes very well. Makes me wonder how teachers at school handle it! Particularly those kids in afternoon kindergarten!