Wrapping Up Week 27 (2015-16)
Science
The one subject we did get to was science. I was battling a sore throat, so I had the boys switch off reading the “Beginners” sections up through lesson 10 in Our Planet Earth (from God’s Design for Heaven and Earth). It ended up leading to some good discussion between the three of us, so I think I might do that more often. Then I let them watch three episodes of Bill Nye the Science Guy: “Outer Space
Field Trips
The boys (and Daddy) had a great time at the First Flight field trip sponsored by the Mighty Ducks hockey team. They learned a lot about electricity and had a blast exploring the different exhibits and watching the demonstration on the ice.
Our other field trip was to a restaurant, California Pizza Kitchen, with a group of homeschool friends. The kids got to tour the kitchen and make their own pizzas, and it was definitely a hit. It’s one of those things I would never have thought to arrange, but I’m so thankful for the community with which God has surrounded us. Having other moms around who come up with fun ideas broadens our horizons.
Upcoming Reviews
We’ve got a lot on our plate right now! Watch for these reviews in the next few weeks:
- The Dragon and the Raven from Heirloom Audio Productions
- Math-U-See – Primer level with Digital Pack
- Owlegories: The Ant, The Fruit, The Butterfly
- Essentials 2nd Edition (Multi-level reading, spelling, grammar, and vocabulary
from Logic of English) - TimesTales (videos teaching the multiplication table)
- Stopmotion Explosion Animation Kit
- homeschoolcopywork.com
- Plug n’ Play Hub by Securly (helping provide safe wifi for kids)
Another product we’re currently reviewing is 
However, realizing that he’s almost through second grade and still is struggling with spelling (at least when he’s writing in context–he does great with lists in the “Skills Bank” on Reading Eggs), I found myself starting to feel some concern that he needed a more direct, analytical approach to spelling, something that would help him make sense of the crazy rules that make up the English language.
Ian has been a reluctant reader. He is an auditory learner, amazing me with what he picks up just by listening, but that has made him prefer audio books and being read to rather than actually reading himself. I’ve often tried to encourage him but trading chapters (or pages), but I really want to start having him read independently more. This week I introduced him to 
This week in Ian’s 
The kids and I are really enjoying 
by Angela M. Burrin. The daily readings are just the right length to keep everyone’s attention (especially when they’re captivated by the candle burning on our wooden wreath). I especially like the “Jesus, Speak to Me” section each day, which is similar to the devotional we had been using but is tied in with the stories. The short prayers are also perfect prompts for the kids to guide them away from the generic prayers into which they tend to fall. It’s written from a Catholic perspective but is very usable for families from any Christian tradition with a few minor edits.
After we read, we turn down the lights (our dining room has no window), sit around our table and one child moves the candle and Christ figure on our “
In the evenings, we’re also going through 
by Arnold Ytreeide. It doesn’t have a chapter for each day, so we’re just reading it with Daddy a few evenings a week. We’ve enjoyed two of Ytreeide’s Advent books, so I knew this would be a special treat for everyone to help us draw our hearts to Jesus during this season.
by Dandi Daley Mackall.
.
by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I remember loving the Boxcar Children series as a child, but I’m not wild about some of the newer additions. Thankfully, this was one of the books written by the original author, and we both enjoyed it.
by Joann Johansen Burch. Ian was more interested than I had thought he would be, and we had no problem getting through the book in three days.
by Roald Dahl. I’ve actually never read it before, but I enjoyed many of Dahl’s other books growing up, and after a friend mentioned this one I thought we’d give it a shot.
by Eleanor Porter, just finishing it up this weekend. I wasn’t sure how a book almost entirely about one little girl and the adults around her was going to go over, but it was a big hit all around. Ian was constantly begging for more chapters, and Elijah and Arianna actually stayed and listened for most of it as well, which is unusual for them.
We also enjoyed stepping back in history with 
by Sarah Young (adapted by Tama Fortner) is due to be released February 2, but the publisher was kind enough to send me a copy a little early so I could share about it as soon as possible.
, in which she shares daily devotions written from her personal prayer time. They are written as though Jesus is speaking directly to the reader, and this intimate style and the encouragement Young’s writing brings has made that book the #1 bestseller in Christian devotionals on Amazon. I’ve been going through the kids version (
) with my children, so I was eager to get a glimpse at Young’s latest offering.
, ECPA 2013 Christian Book of the Year). The bright, sturdy hard cover with a ribbon bookmark makes it practical for daily reading. It continues Young’s signature style of writing, where each devotion is a personal message from Jesus, along with related Scriptures for each day. The simplicity is what makes it profound. My children really respond well to starting each day with a little note of encouragement and time in the Scriptures to give them food for thought.
, which is a great DVD for learning more about the subject from a biblical worldview.
, and then the boys and I played several rounds of our new favorite, 
emergency room to stitch up Arianna after she split her chin open on our patio, followed by a complete crash of the hard drive on the computer where Ian does his 
I think I may have found a good option. I decided to go back to the curriculum I used with Ian for Kindergarten and most of first grade: 
We made our first visit to the