Homeschool Highlights - Week of February 6, 2011

Weekend School:

Phys. Ed:  Too icy to play outside, but we have discovered Wii Fit.  I LOVE this!  We have been working daily on the Body Test, Yoga, Aerobics, and Strengthening.  This goes right along with the Occupational Therapy techniques (left brain, right brain) and body balancing, that I  learned about and worked on with her last year.  She really enjoys doing this and daily seeing the visual progress she is making in running and hula-hooping.

Social Studies/Countries and Cultures:  Watched DVD "Babies."  This is the documentary story of how babies around the world are raised through their first year.  We learned about the cultures of American, Japanese, Mongolian, and Nambian babies. 

Discussed differences in culture and child rearing techniques.  Example:  American and Japanese cultures are more into providing educational and social situations at a young age, while Nambian babies are allowed to explore nature and the world around them.  They often have large families, so the socialization comes from family groups.

This goes well with the countries and cultures we have been studying.  AND, Shayla is curious of babies, especially since recently becoming an aunt. 

Social Studies/Holidays/Valentines:

Picked out Valentines cards and filled them out for classmates.  (fine motor)
Read To My Valentine and Eep's Valentine, Or That's What Love Is All About by Tom McGowen (reading, social studies)

Activities: 
Played racing cars.  Discussed which one we thought would win based on weight differences and body styles of automobile.  (science, math)

Bible:   God Made Babies.

Isaiah 45:12 I am the one who made the earth and created people to live there.   

I wasn't sure if this would be too young for Shayla, since the curriculum was meant for toddlers,  but since we have a new baby in the family, she really enjoyed this lesson.  I changed few things for her age.

Music & Movement:  Listened to baby songs.  Moved like a baby, crawling, walking, jumping.

Lifeskills/Home Ec.:  Discussed care that babies need.  And played through modeling childcare.

Bathtime!  Practiced giving baby a bath.  Make sure the water temperature is just right.  First, playtime, then wash time!

Baby in a Bed.  Color picture and cover paper baby with a piece of cloth for a baby blanket.  *This was easy to do since I just made a baby blanket for the new baby yesterday. (fine motor)

Rattle and Move.  Babies like to play with rattles.  Using a baby rattle, shake to music.  (music)

Read Aloud:  Ramona the Pest

Learning Games galore!  (multi-subject)

 Monday:

Bible:  The Woman at the Well: Jesus Offers Living Water.  John 4:7-14, 25, 26

Devotions:  Whatever You Do.  Colossians 3:17

Read Aloud:  Ramona the Pest

Language/phonics:  Watched Super Why!

Science:  Watched Sid the Science Kid:  Healthy Foods.

It became apparent Shayla wasn't feeling well.  Dad has been suffering from a terrible cold and it looks like he shared it with Shayla. She spent the rest of the day laying on the couch watching educational tv and videos. 

Although I needed time to get things done, I didn't want to do them while everyone else is miserable in bed! :(

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 

More of the same.  Only by now they shared the plague with me.  I don't know what kind of bug this is, but it hurts to move, it hurts to eat, it hurts to lay, even the clothes on your body make you hurt.  UGH!  The coughing, fever, and chills is terrible.  One minute you are so hot, the next minute you are shaking from being cold.  It is so bad, that hubby called off work for two days.  This is only the second time in ten years he has ever done that!!!!

More educational videos!!!!

Friday:

We took our sponsor child's package to be sent.  After that, the fatigue caught up with us and it was back to bed and more educational videos!