We school through a charter (more here and here), which organizes us in 2-month chunks called learning periods. Here are my posts for Learning Period 1 (August/September) and Learning Period 2 (October/November). I share about Learning Period 3 (December/January), below.
Social Studies: During this learning period, which included December and January, we continued to explore celebrations of the Jewish faith for Little Brown Mouse. While Rosh Hashanah is among my favorites, I believe Hanukkah might be the kids' favorite. We made latkes and applesauce, read many books and stories, wrote poetry (Hanukkah haiku, anyone?), dipped candles, and each child lit a Menorah each evening. Lala Bug lit the Menorah she made in 3rd grade (how could that have been 3 years ago?!) and Little Brown Mouse made himself a new one using his hand drill and a piece of driftwood he found on a trip to the beach. We began to learn about Elizabethan England and Shakespeare for Lala Bug. (And Brown Mouse, because who can resist Shakespeare and his inventive use of language, invented language, and lyrical insults?) Lala Bug is participating in the Shakespeare class and play offered through our charter school each winter/spring, and this year they are performing A Midsummer Night's Dream. We have read various versions of the story, read many books about Shakespeare, watched a performance, and are immersing ourselves in Shakespeare fun. I remember seeing Shakespeare live in Oregon when I was about Lala Bug's age, so the memories are sweet right now.
Math: Lala Bug is enjoying the playfulness of the charter school math club she is in. It is making me wonder if I should be hiring a math teacher now! Mostly, this learning period, for both kids, we stuck with Beast Academy and the Key To series, as well as games!
Science: We mostly finished up a block on geology, did a short block on sound and light, and then spent January studying weather. Our weather has been fascinating, including thunder and lightning, hail, and a lot of rain, as well as sun and clouds. In the mountains, there has been a lot of snow. We have enjoyed books, exploring outside, and we have been enjoying Mystery Science. For the weather block, Little Brown Mouse kept a weather journal and then charted the weather systems he observed. Lala Bug is finishing up a weather blanket she knit for her doll, with each color representing a type of weather, so the pattern matches the January weather, chronologically.
Writing: Writing continues to be tied into what we are learning. It is frustrating for Little Brown Mouse, although I can see that it is the mechanics he dislikes. When asked to dictate so I can scribe, he has a lot to say. I do believe it is time to carve out more time for both kids to practice typing.
Language Arts: I might have to refer to the writing paragraph above, with the addition of commenting that I have been working, slowly, through The Wand, from Brave Writer, with both kids, in large part because it is teaching phonics, grammar, and writing in a more systematic way than I had been doing previously. We have also be sporadically using Daily Grams, which are short and simple and help me catch gaps. We have been really enjoying the Little House series as a read-aloud and just finished The Long Winter. In January we participated in The Read Aloud Revival read aloud challenge and each kid read out loud for at least 25 days. It really boosted Brown Mouse's reading fluidity and confidence and it helped Lala Bug to read more loudly and enunciate a bit more.
In addition to the core topics at home, we incorporate lots of play and nature exploration, and 4-H still met for the community service project the kids chair. We gathered a group of volunteers and got out to plant native plants to prevent erosion and invasive plant species. Many activities were quiet or on hold through the holidays. We still managed to stay quite busy, so as we rolled into the new year, I have needed to re-evaluate our home school again!
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