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Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:38 am
by my3sons
What was YOUR week Like?

You can post:

a- A picture
b- A blog Link
c- A written synopsis
d- Your favorite memory
e- Anything you want that shares your HOD excitement!

Important Note: If you are linking us to your blog, please make sure it's not just a general link, but to your specific post of HOD. That way if someone reads through these a year from now they can find your share without needing to hunt!

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:45 am
by LynnH
We were actually on spring break this past week, but it allowed me to catch up on my blog. So here is the past 2 weeks of RTR. http://www.graceandfur.blogspot.com/201 ... -4212.html

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:51 am
by my3sons
Revival to Revolution:
There have been so many posts on the board about the bittersweet feeling of finishing an HOD guide. Those posts have captured my feelings exactly - we are excited about all of the amazing things we have done together in RevtoRev, thrilled with the fulfilling year we have had, tickled pink about the feeling of contentment completing an HOD guide brings - and yet we are sad too, as RevtoRev is coming to an end. The "sniff, sniff" posts on the HOD board hit home - I am "sniff, sniffing" too. We have 9 days left of RevtoRev. My, my, my - where did the year go?!? The only consolation is we are getting very excited about our next year with HOD, as we will be doing "Missions to Modern Marvels". This thought chases away those "sniff-sniff" feelings quite effectively, I must say! :)

It's moments like this I love - Wyatt curled up reading a good book. He didn't even notice me snapping his picture he was so into it! :D I feel so blessed that my ds gets to just settle in for a great read he loves with HOD - and he's learning history while he does it! I used to love to read, and ps just about killed my love for it. How I would have loved learning this way! With amazing living books, and in HOD EVERY subject area brings this delight because of all of the wonderful living books...
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You know what else I love? The discussions. We are enjoying those so much. The discussions we have with "Who Is God?..." about Biblical Worldview are priceless, and we take our sweet time and really talk it all out. I love that. I also enjoy our DITHOR discussions - especially the Godly Character Trait ones. They are so very timely - sometimes for my dc, and sometimes for me! :D Great reminders of how to live life for the Lord. Our discussions about the Storytime history books have been surprisingly deep too. There are just a few questions, but they beg to be talked about. Likewise, our period painting discussion questions, and our primary source document questions - those are enlightening. I needed some help in the understanding the painting area of CM studies, and HOD's leading questions have made it easy on me. :D We like to settle in with our favorite beverages (hot, black, strong coffee for me; hot tea with milk and sugar or with honey and lemon for Wyatt), and enjoy our meeting times. :) I'm so thankful for these heart-to-heart times planned in the guide. They keep us close. They keep school personal. They keep learning alive. I am so thankful they are planned for us in the guide!

One more thing I really love? The FUN. Yes, there is still FUN planned in HOD's upper guides. I remember thinking once I hit sixth/seventh grade back when I was in ps, 'Wow - where did all the FUN go?' It was gone, and not to be seen ever again until about my junior year of college. :shock: Well, RevtoRev didn't leave the FUN out. It's purposeful, it's connected to standards, it's a method of assessment - but it's still a part of each day. I still get to see my middle school aged son SMILE, LAUGH, and even have a SKIP in his step as he hurries to do something he has been looking forward to doing in school each day! :D This is no small thing. For example, Wyatt was humming a happy tune as he b-bopped around the kitchen gathering straws, yarn, tape, etc. and all of a sudden I saw a suspension bridge emerge between 2 chairs in our dining room. A small car was soon whizzing down the straw suspension bridge, and Wyatt was enthusiastically explaining suspension bridges to me as he told me all about the Brooklyn Bridge (another impromptu oral narration that was not a planned part of the guide, but just the natural result of years of HOD's solid CM teachings :lol: )...
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Another FUN part of our week was the solar fan Wyatt built for science in Exploration Education. He loved taking it outside, trying it near our light bulbs, etc. and seeing it run on solar power...
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He has truly loved his science in RevtoRev - well, really every year with HOD he has loved his science. I think this year is like a culmination of all he's learned type year though - skillwise, that is. He just gets it - he has become a person who thinks like a scientist. He likes to experiment with ways of doing things, he enjoys researching science topics, he likes using what he's learned to build things or to solve modern day problems, he loves reading about scientists' lives - it is a scientist's mind at work and in action that I get to see now. I really enjoy watching him work. His attitude toward science is polar opposite from mine back when I was his age. I used to think science was drudgery, a bunch of facts just to be memorized, and I thought scientists were stuffy, a bunch of people who disliked their jobs and rehashed what someone else had told them to be true, redoing experiments where they knew the outcomes, and talking about the same old, same old things. Wyatt sees science as exciting, as a way to solve modern day problems, and he sees scientists as incredibly interesting people, who love to help solve problems, and make the world a better place. What a better science education he is receiving than I did! :D

Carryover. There is a lot of carryover of learning into daily living with HOD. Wyatt, at first, did not have a love of poetry, nor of writing. Thank God HOD has cultivated a love for poetry over the years! I was surprised to see a poem waiting on the counter for me one morning. Wyatt had decided to write poetry the night before in his quiet time before bed. :shock: If you had told me my sixth grade, all boy boy, would be writing poetry for fun late at night someday, back when we were first doing poetry in Beyond, I would not have believe it. Here it is - just for fun I will share it...
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Can you guess what he is describing? It is water. I thought this was quite clever! :D I also see a ton of carryover in cooking skills. Wyatt makes a dessert or two every single week for our family - and he is good at it! :D This is totally a carryover of the cooking and baking he has done in HOD. He's started his own recipe book, and many of them in there are from HOD (Egyptian pastries are still his favorite back from CTC :D ).

We are finishing our last genre study in DITHOR now. Wyatt and Riley are having such fun completing their timelines of important events. They read through their final project options and both chose to do this together, though each of them are doing it for their respective books. We turn on praise music, and they work on their timelines together for 20-30 minutes each day. They love it! I can't wait to show you when they are done...
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This has been another great week for school. It has been a tougher week for our family. My Dad has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and his surgery will be coming soon. The cancerous tumor is contained and small at this point, so it can be removed in surgery. Please join me in praying for him - for his surgery to go smoothly, for there to be no more cancer, for his recovery to go well and quickly, and for him to be with us even another 20 years in excellent health, body, mind, and spirit. Yes, it is a big prayer - but our God is a God of possibilities. We are all depending on the Lord right now to be our strength. Last week I posted a picture of my Dad reading with my little one, Emmett. How special those thoughts are to me now! I love my Dad dearly. As my Mom says, 'Dad is as solid as a rock', and that has been his approach to his cancer. He is calm and completely dependent on the Lord. As always, he is a nurses' and doctors' favorite - full of jokes, smiles, praise, gratitude, and good humor. He is an incredible Christian man - so easy to love. The Lord knows what is best though, and I have turned this over to Him. Praise God we have heaven to look forward to!

In Christ,
Julie

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 10:25 am
by my3sons
Preparing Hearts for His Glory:
Riley is cruising through PHFHG like Mario Andretti. :D I love teaching this guide - I think it is just full of moments to remember. And milestones - lots of them. I can see the Lord really getting into Riley's heart and soul now. It is all clicking together and making more sense, and our discussions are getting more and more meaningful. The Bible Study box has been special for us. Reading, memorizing, and discussing Psalms passages has been a great way to spend our time together. I love that the focus is going back to the Scripture - what is the mood of the Scripture? When would you go to this Scripture? Those leading questions give dc the mindset that you go to Scripture for all sorts of reasons - to celebrate joy, to grieve, to remind yourself that God is in control, to remember to help others, to have compassion, to find strength, to conquer fear, to choose wisely, and soooo much more. The discussions have really been timely, as we have much going on in life to discuss (as does everyone, I am sure).

The history projects have truly been such fun for Riley and me. I love to give him ample time to work on them, as he whistles while he works and takes great joy in making his projects look just so. He loves to create, and our Creator has given him a talent for it. It is a blessing to see each of our ds's different gifts and talents emerge through their days spent in HOD. I truly feel HOD cultivates these gifts and talents, and makes it clear to this wondering mama what each of her dc were born to do. :D Here is Riley's stain glass window creation he made, and though it is a cloudy day, you can see the bit of sun trying to peak through his lovely stained glass window...
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Step by step directions were a blur to Riley at the start of PHFHG. He really just did the last thing, which as you can imagine, caused things not to work out right. :lol: He has now learned to read the entire set of directions through before beginning, and then to go back and read it again multiple times, to work in the proper order. Riley's science experiment showed how varying levels of salt in water caused water to be varying weights - the more salt, the heavier the water. This neat experiment with different glasses of water with different colors and varying amounts of salt added to them was so neat! :D Adding a dropper full of each color of water to an empty glass one at a time slowly, showed how the color of water with the most salt sank to the bottom, and the lighter water rose to the top. Riley did a super job of following these many directions carefully, and he was proud of his results! :D
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Another neat science experiment was the waterspout in a bottle one. Riley loved swirling the debris around in the bottle and seeing its tornadic like activity. He did a nice job on his science sheet as well...
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Riley is now reading his own history, as he turned 9 yo, and he is loving being responsible for that. I can tell that what Charlotte Mason said is true - dc do retain more when they are able to read it themselves. His narrations have improved so MUCH since he began doing his own reading for history. He has many more details, it is much more in a storylike format rather than a list of facts to be told, and he remembers the people's NAMES better. I am sure this is because he is reading the words himself.

Dictation has been quite easy for Riley up until this point, but now he is in Level 4, and on some poetry selections. It has gotten significantly harder, and Riley is realizing he actually does need to study the passage at this point. :wink: He dislikes missing any passages, and in the past, he rarely has had to redo a passage, as this comes naturally to him. Little honey is realizing that studying is important now, and I am kind of glad for this, as he does need to learn to slow down sometimes. :wink:

Riley really is an auditory learner, and I have been surprised at how well he knows the answers to his oral review questions in R & S English. Just the repetitiveness of him hearing the terms and knowledge base over and over has helped him memorize it quite successfully. Wyatt, on the other hand, is more of a visual learner, and his being able to read the oral review questions and answers in studylike format has helped him, as well as making index cards of the key information. R & S English has been a wonderful English program for the pair of them, even though they learn quite differently.

We really have had a good week in school, and I hope you have as well! Happy Easter!
In Christ,
Julie

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 10:48 am
by my3sons
Little Hearts for His Glory:
We have been reading about the hand writing on the wall in Biblical history this week. Emmett got to trace his own hand, cut it out, and pretend to write on the wall. Every time I read a story from the "Family Time Bible" in LHFHG, Emmett says the same thing when I finish reading , "Awww, Mom, that was so GOOD, can you pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease read it, just ONE more time!" :lol: I usually comply - who can resist that plea? :D The pictures are just beautiful in that Bible - it is one of our favorite children's Bibles...
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Emmett has been memorizing "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". He loves the activities HOD has planned for working on these verses. They are usually large gross motor type skills, and I have been glad to see some improvement over the past months. (It was downright dangerous for me. He was throwing balls wildly, and I was fearful of a black eye. :shock: :lol: ) He now can toss a ball in the general vicinity of my hands, and roll a ball through my legs. He can also toss a tissue in the air and say his verse before it hits the floor - which he LOVES. :D
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Painting is a favorite pastime of Emmett's. I am so glad it is planned in the LHFHG guide, because I am not a fan of painting, and I know I our paints would be collecting dust without HOD. :wink: I also am thrilled that the activities don't have to turn out a particular way to be called a success. The novice painter and the experienced painter can enjoy HOD alike, each doing the best they can and putting their own stamp of creativity on their painting. Here Emmett is painting the fire to show the 3 men + 1 angel that survived the fire in the furnace they were thrown into...
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Singapore math does not shy away from the harder skills early on. I appreciate this, as by the time they come around again, dc have a familiarity with them, and each year they become better at understanding them. This week Emmett learned about nonstandard forms of measurement. He used his feet, handspan, and other objects such as linking blocks to measure the width and length of things. Here he used his linking blocks to measure his Peter Rabbit book, the pretty flower he picked for me (a dandelion :D ), and the phone...
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We are loving our time together in LHFHG! I mentioned my Dad's cancer in my post about Revival to Revolution. Should the Lord lead you to pray for my Dad's upcoming surgery on April 16, I thought I'd include this picture of him from last week with Emmett, so you can picture who you are praying for - my Dad was listening to Emmett read his phonics in this picture as I was leaving for a book fair...
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I hope you had a wonderful week, and may you enjoy a blessed Easter with your loved ones!
In Christ,
Julie

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 3:39 pm
by John'smom
Dear Carrie and Julie,
I just want you both to know that we will be definitely be praying for your dad. I loved seeing the picture of your dad last week with your sweet Emmett.
Love and prayers,
Edwena

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 5:21 pm
by scampbell2003
Praying for your dad!

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 6:06 pm
by Samuel'sMommy
Julie,
I love seeing pics of your boys and reading about their weeks! It makes me so excited to be back with HOD next year! I'm sorry to hear about your Dad's cancer, and will definitely be lifting him and your family up in prayer!

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 11:35 pm
by Molly
LynnH, it is so lovely to read the descriptions of your son and his learning. As always, it creates such a joy and hope for my own wee boy with his learning through HOD, and also it excites me for what my oldest daughter will be doing next year.

Julie and Carrie, my prayers will be lifting your Dad and your entire family up to our heavenly Father. He has you all in his hands.

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 4:48 pm
by LynnH
Julie and Carrie, praying for your Dad.
Molly thanks for the kind remarks.

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:41 pm
by KristinBeth
Julie and Carrie, praying for your dear dad.

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:52 pm
by raceNzanesmom
I'm just now seeing this. I'm also praying and believing for your dad!

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:32 pm
by Great2kids
Julie and Carrie,

I am also just reading about your fathers cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I pray that everything went well in sugery and he has a full and speedy recovery.

Re: Week in Review April 2-6

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:13 am
by annaz
Wow, Julie. I have to confess I only read the reviews of the current program we are using or next years' program :oops:. Wyatt's poem is excellent! I have to agree on the sniff, sniff as I am a bit depressed that we'll be moving on to 6th and the younger levels are over. I had one chance to do it right with one kid and I messed it up, but I learned a lot. Your post on Rev to Rev was very heartwarming.

I am so sorry Julie and Carrie to hear about your father. I will be praying for his healing.

Ann