6 weeks into school

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men get me in trouble every time. We are moving ahead slowly but surely but not according to plan. Sigh. I don't think I have ever followed a plan. I either have toooooo much planned or not nearly enough.

We just began Latina Christiana last week and the son of a friend is joining us. It is rather fun, I get to teach for real, something my kids think is funny but something I have been training for since I was 7 and played with my sisters in the basement. I took 4 years of Latin in high school but don't remember much. That is my only real credentials. We will see if we get past : amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant.

I have been using FIAR for my dd4 and we have really enjoyed it. First we "rowed" Ping. A wonderful living book about a duck that lives on the Yangste River in China. We learned about China, went to the zoo and learned about ducks and geese and what makes them different. We also learned that ducks don't get wet. It was great fun.

This past week we rowed Madeline and have had great fun with this book also. We learned about France and the Eiffel Tower, appendixes and other gross innards. We learned about things that are asymmetrical and symmetrical. We counted to 48 by groups of 6 little girls in 2 straight lines. We multiplied up to 6x6 with these little girls. We even learned the following fractions: 1/2, 1/6, 1/12, 3/4, 2/3 to name a few. We will end the week on Monday by watching a movie about families in France.

DD3 is smarter than a whip and is doing most of her work on her own. She does resist reading real, wholesome, living books -- she discovered teen books this summer and now rarely "wastes her reading time" with the good stuff. At least that is my opinion.

DS2 Is learning about the solar system, partly motivated by his desire to build a rocketship and go into outer space when he is older. A time machine is also on his list of things to do. He is reading American History about different Indians. He has asked some very serious questions about how the white man treated the Indians. Questions I am not sure I answered well.

DS3 Is also learning about the Indians and also wonders about how they were treated. He is learning about ants in science and we just got our ant farm in the mail. We have to send away for the critters. I wonder how they come??

DD5 is only 29 months old but she is also learning many things. She can tell all her colors - who taught her I am unsure. She "reads" Brown Bear Brown Bear What do you See?. She even has her puzzles she works.

All in all it has been a good 6 weeks. Maths we are behind but that is it.

God Bless to all who may read this.