Review - Sequential Spelling

We've been using Sequential Spelling for about a year and a half.  We found it after we had gone through two other spelling programs and I would notice that words that had been on the spelling list, weeks ago, would be correct for the test; but wrong in later writing assignments.  I didn't want my children to just memorize words, I wanted them to see the patterns of word families, to let it really sink in and to remember their spelling words when it came time to use them in a document.

I spent several nights reading reviews of spelling curricula, "looking" through sample pages that were available on websites, and just thinking through the whole "how does my child learn" process.

There are 7 books in the Sequential Spelling series. For the most part, they recommend that any new student should start with Book 1, though they do give ideas for how to "double up" so that an older student can get though the books at a quicker rate.

Here is their website for more information - http://avko.org/sequentialspelling.html

Here is Gwangi doing his spelling.  We just started him on Sequential Spelling, Level 1, this year.  He was still struggling with his reading last year, and I have found that waiting until their reading is on a more solid footing, really makes the spelling stick.  Otherwise, it's just a bunch of random letters.  You can see, that after just 5 days, he's spelling words like beginning.  It starts with 'be' and 'in' and they see the patterns of adding prefixes and suffixes.  The "days" are spread throughout the book so that a child can't copy the previous day's words on his new list.

Krypto is about a quarter of the way through Sequential Spelling, Level 2.

A look at the lists that Krypto was working on this past week.  The book has notes at the bottom that explain the "starred" or darkened words.  Those have to do with homophones and homonyms.  You can explain those to your children as you go...the different spellings and meanings of words.  I always give each word in a made up sentence, to give it context.

A Week of Mostly New Recipes

I thought that for this past week, I would try some new recipes.  I get a daily email from http://allrecipes.com/ and if something looks good, I save it in my "recipes" folder in my email account.  Every once in a while, I go and take a look, and get some new ideas.  Here is what we had to eat this past week.

Monday - Penne and 'Vodka' Sauce with steamed broccoli (though, obviously, I left out the vodka :))  I also replaced the special meat with some average, easier to find around here, bacon.  Very good dish, everyone enjoyed it.

Tuesday - Tilapia Fish Tacos - a favorite, so I left it in this week.  Recipe to follow next Monday.

Wednesday - Chicken Pesto with roasted potatoes

Thursday - Slow Cooker Beef Vegetable Soup - I made this in my pressure cooker, since I didn't bring a slow cooker to Tanzania.

Friday - Garlic Alfredo Tilapia with a salad.  This was a great homemade alfredo sauce.  I'll be using it in other dishes.

Saturday - Grilled Lemon Chicken Stir Fry for "Saturday at the Stamps"

Leftovers on Sunday

I hope that one of these recipes will give you a new idea, or that you go and check out allrecipes.com  It's really a very good site, and it's free!  Enjoy cooking this week.

A few pictures from our school week - 24 Aug, 2012

We're studying "The Human Body" this fall.  We do science on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  The kids make a picture of what we read about and then write a sentence or two to "sum it up"....a bit like notebooking or journaling.

Sissi really enjoys her drawing.  She was working on an ice skater this time.

Geography with Tapestry of Grace.  At the beginning of each school year, there is a review built in.  Here we are covering the oceans and continents.  I printed out the labels for Gwangi and he is cutting and pasting them onto his map.

Krypto doesn't mind the writing now, so he labeled on his own and colored in the continents.

Math U See, this is one of the "systematic review worksheets" after the 5th lesson in Beta.  Gwangi is moving right along doing inequalities, solving for an unknown, and working through story problems.  Based on the blocks he's using, I would say he is doing problem number 11...figuring out that the unknown is 7.

After Sissi finishes up her Kindergarten work, she has a "grab bag" where I wrote little slips of paper with a bunch of activities on them...Leap Pad, Play Doh, Dolls, Stickers, Magnet Board, Felt Board, Cutting and Pasting, Starfall.com, Free Choice, Lace Cards, etc.  She picks out 3 a day, so she can have some fun time while I'm still working on school with the boys.  I don't put the slips back in the bag each day either...I wait and put them all back in at the end of the week, so she gets different stuff to do each day.

While Sissi is doing her "grab bag" activities, and I finish up Reading, Spelling, Grammar, and Writing with Gwangi, Krypto is doing his Literature Upper Grammar (UG) reading and worksheet.  This week, he was finishing up "A Diary of an Early American Boy."

...and this is what our dog does during school time...poor Smokey, so bored :)

We were finishing up our study of Napoleon and learning about the Industrial Revolution this week...Lowell, Whitney, Fulton, etc.  One of the Fine Arts Activities was to build something.  Gwangi of course built a robot, with a grabber hand, a little shooter gun, and a shelf coming out of his chest to hold things for you.

Then, they had to make an advertisement for their creation.  I left him alone for this one...I just told him, when he asked, "What's an advertisement" (remember, we don't have tv), that "An advertisement is what people make to get you to want to see and buy their product."  So, this is what he came up with, "See Nathan's Robot"...Perfect!

Our artist this week was Norman Rockwell.  We were trying to copy his famous piece "Triple Self-Portrait" here.  We have "mirrorized" windows in the house, so each child was trying to do their own self-portrait.

Krypto working on his self-portrait.

Gwangi and his self-portrait.  It was actually very good!

Review - Math U See

We've been using Math U See for the last 3 years.  I discovered it after I noticed that my 1st grader was still "counting" on his fingers, even though he was finishing another program's 1st grade math and had moved on to double digit addition and subtraction.  I was concerned that it hadn't stuck with him, and so began to look for a more visual and hands-on math curriculum.

That's when we found Math U See.  The summer between 1st and 2nd grade, I had Krytpo re-complete 1st grade math, the Alpha book in Math U See. We did math everyday that summer and flew through the lessons as he finally got the concepts that he had been missing in the other curriculum.  By the fall, he was very firm in all of his basic addition and subtraction facts.

For his 2nd grade year, we were able to cruise through Beta and half of the Gamma book.  Beta covered all multiple-digit addition and subtraction.  Gamma is devoted to multiplication, single digit in the first half of the book and then multiple-digit in the second half of the book.  Entering his 3rd grade year, Krypto was able to complete Gamma and Delta and even got 6 lessons into Epsilon.  The Delta book covers division, both single and multiple-digit problems.  Epsilon is devoted to fractions.

This year is 4th grade for Krypto, I had him spend the first week of school doing a review page from each of the first 6 chapters of Epsilon, to be sure he remembered what he had learned last year.  He will continue to work through Epsilon this year, and I also brought Zeta with me, to finish out this school year.  Zeta will cover decimals and percents.

It's hard to believe how far he has come in Math.  Next year, he'll be in 5th grade and doing Pre-Algebra!

Gwangi is more the norm, he completed Alpha last year, in the 1st grade.  This year, he is doing Beta and enjoys it just as much as Krypto does.

What I love about Math U See is that it is hands-on, the manipulative blocks are bright, easy to use and the children really do enjoy using them in their lessons.  I also like the videos that come with each text.  Steve Demme is personable and finds really neat ways to explain simple concepts to the children.  I really struggled with teaching the concept of "borrowing"...I just "do it"...but, he showed how and why we "borrow" and it made sense to the children and I, by using the manipulative blocks.  Finally, I really enjoy the free access to the math drills that Math U See has on their website.  If we run up against something this is a bit tough, or I want to be sure they don't forget what they've learned, we throw in a few math drills during the week.

Math U See is definitely a "mastery" style of math.  It is not a "spiral" concept that many other curricula use.  You will stay with the same concept and keep building on it and building on it until there is mastery of that concept, before you move on.  Other curricula have you touch on something for a few lessons, and then they move on to a new topic, spiraling back again at a later date to build on what was previously learned.  Math U See doesn't just leave a topic behind though, in case you were worried...every lesson is divided into 3  sheets for mastery of the new topic, and you can get more on the website if you want them.  Then, there are 3 systematic review sheets, EACH LESSON.  Talking to other moms, most try to do all three each week.  Many times, the new lesson is something they can grasp in a day or two, then you can spend the next several days doing the review sheets and a quiz before you move on.  We have often done 3 lessons in 2 weeks time.  If they get a concept, review and move on!

Oh yes, one more thing...story problems.  One of those "yucky" words that so many of us remember from school...well, they have them everyday.  Not kidding.  What's funny is, I held back my dislike of story problems, so the kids wouldn't pick up on it, and not only are they not afraid of them, they love them.  They like that math is used in everyday life.  They like doing math that tells you how many books someone read, or how many tomatoes they got out of a garden, or how much wood someone needed to build a house, and on and on.

Using math, in everyday life, visualizing it, and making it enjoyable.  What more could you want out of a math curriculum?!

Gwangi is working through Beta.  You can see his book there, with 3 story problems at the end of the lesson.  I have them do their work in a spiral notebook, that way I can reuse each book with my subsequent children.  Saves quite a bit of money...I only buy each level one time.  The blocks are so much fun to use as well.

Krypto is working through Epsilon.  Shown here are the fraction overlays.  He was working on adding two fractions and figuring out what the common denominator would be for this problem.

Here is the website to find out more about this curriculum - http://www.mathusee.com/

Bagels for Breakfast

A friend of mine here, in Tanzania, posted pictures of some bagels that she had made.  It got me thinking...I LOVE bagels and I really miss them, and quite honestly, had forgotten about them as a breakfast option.  So, I checked out the recipe, figured I could make it, and Sissi and I dove into the fray!

Here is the recipe that we used...  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bagels-i/detail.aspx

The bagels, all finished and cooling!

I did start the mixing and kneading in my Bosch, about a minute or two into the process, the sounds it was making were literally hurting our ears and so we turned it off.  We did the rest of the kneading by hand.

I've got a few ideas and things I might change for next time; but, the kids all asked for seconds and Gwangi said "This is the best breakfast of my life!"  Hmmmm, I think that is saying something was good :)

This was breakfast today...eggs and cheese on a toasted, with butter, bagel.  Some yogurt on the side with bananas and strawberries.  Yummy!

Baked Oatmeal :)

My sister recently sent me this recipe.  We tried it last week for breakfast and it was super good.  We halved the recipe, and ate almost all of it.  I also just put it in my 9x13 baking dish, rather than the individual "cupcakes."  There was just too much batter for my 1 lonely muffin tin.  Hope you enjoy it!

Getting everything together.  Notice the use of the skirt hanger on the window bars, to hold up the recipe.  It was perfect.  Kept it off the counter, so it was kept dry and still at eye level.  I've also used it to hold books open.  Very practical solution to the "recipe in the way" quandary.

Homemade applesauce, with some cinnamon.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 t vanilla extract

2 cups applesauce

1 banana, mashed

1/2 cup of honey

5 cups of old fashioned oats

1 T ground cinnamon

3 t baking powder

1 t salt

2 3/4 cups milk

Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips, syrup, butter, cinnamon and sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.  Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana, and honey together in a bowl.  Add in the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well.  Finally, mix in the milk and combine well.  Spray your muffin tins, use liners, or put some oil in your 9x13 baking dish.  Pour the mixture evenly into your dish.  If you're using any toppings, you can add them onto the top of the oatmeal now.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  Cool and enjoy!

Weekly Wrap-Up, 17 August 2012

Wow, this week was full!  We got to start back to school!  Here are a few pictures of what we were able to study...

Sissi, working through her Rod and Staff books.

Krypto is working through Math-U-See Epsilon, the 5th level.  It's all about Fractions.

We used the Story of the World Activity Book and printed out a Napoleon game.  The kids played against Daddy and tried to stump him :)

The game board, that they decorated in a bit of a rush.

Krypto, reading through 1 Chronicles.

Sissi, working on her Explode the Code Book B.

Making some necklaces during her "bead time"

This is most of the books we used this week.  Krypto has 1 or 2 that he was reading on the Kindle, specifically a Marshall biography of Napoleon.  We also got to use http://www.myaudioschool.com/ and hear the story of Rapunzel and a General Mills Radio Theatre dramatization of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

A Very Full Birthday!

My little girl's 5th birthday!  What a day!  

We started off with her choice for breakfast...chocolate chip pancakes, chocolate milk, and bacon :)....yep, that's my girl!  Then, we had to do presents, of course....

She loved the wrapping paper on this one, and wanted me to carefully unwrap it so that she could keep it.  Thanks Babu and Bibi Hanson for the extra wrapping paper.

A Barbie Princess movie and coloring book.

A new outfit, that I had brought with me last year.

Oh yes, Mommy knows her girl!  When she opened these, she said "You're perfect, Mom!"  Thanks Yvette for getting these, and Carol for bringing them out.  They were definitely the hit of the day!

Kissing her new Elizabeth and Felicity American Girl Dolls!

While in Dodoma, she began to love Strawberry Shortcake (thanks for the introduction Garrett family!)  Well, I didn't have time to get any Strawberry Shortcake stuff sent here, so I surprised her with giving up our carefully guarded computer bandwidth and she watched a few episodes on YouTube.  Hmmm, guess the boys like Strawberry Shortcake too :)?!

A picture of the mess left on the school table.  I also brought this Safari shirt out last year, it matches those adorable green and pink plaid shorts she's wearing, I LOVE IT...but she chose the new butterfly shirt to wear today.

After presents and movie time...we actually did a bit of school, learning about Saint Domingue/Haiti and the rebellion that brought about it's independence from the French and Spanish in the early 1800's.  We talked about Yellow Fever/Malaria and how they treated it back then, and colored different versions of the Haitian flag.  

Then, tonight, we went out to dinner with our friends at Mediterraneo.  A wonderful restaurant that sits right on the Indian Ocean.

The view from the restaurant and our table.

Final dinner out with our friends the Clendinens, they leave for the US early tomorrow morning...joined by the Robinsons from England and the Bramsens from Zimbabwe!  What a great group of people!

Watching them make the pizza in the big oven.

After dinner, we went to our church Small Group.  We had made a Chocolate Sponge cake this afternoon, and so we shared dessert, and they sang "Happy Birthday" to her.

Just a few of the friends in our Small Group.

It was a very full and wonderful day!

Time with Friends

On Friday, some very good friends will be leaving Tanzania.  We have been homeschool pals, traveling buddies on most of our trips here in Tanzania, we've done Bible Study together, watched a dozen or more movies together, gone to the beach, shared many meals, and the list goes on.

Over the past few weeks, we've been trying to get in a bunch of 'dates' together.  Here are a few of the pictures.  Many time, we didn't take pictures because we were just enjoying each other's company.

Carolyn and I had a day together two weeks ago.  We spent it shopping down by Slipway, while the guys took the kids to "Fun City."  Might have to do a family outing there during one of the school breaks this fall.

I spent some time with Anissa and Carolyn, working on some sewing projects.  We also had a beading day, to make necklaces and bracelets.

We had a lunch date at Njiani.  Love these flowers.

Playing on the playset at Njiani, while waiting for lunch.

Ariana found a birds' nest.

Catherine is "holding" several chandeliers for another local business man.  They are just amazing.  We all picked which one we would get, if we could.

Some of the crafts that Catherine sells at Njiani.

After lunch picture with Catherine and her Aunt Eva.

Eva is making us some clothing, we'll post the pictures when the order comes in.

We had a going away "Mexican Night" since Verna was traveling.  It was potluck, and amazing!

Just some of the kids, during our Mexican Potluck.

We share lunch after church on many Sundays; but, this Sunday, we went to Epidor, a very nice French and Lebanese Restaurant.  Carolyn and I had also had lunch there on our shopping date.

The guys!

We've already made plans to travel and get together again, when we return to the States.  It's so nice when you find a family where everyone gets along.  The guys can talk, the moms share many things in common, and the kids can play and enjoy each other's company.  What a treat it was to share the past year, and so many, many experiences with the Clendinen family.  We love you guys, and you will be greatly missed in Dar!  Hugs and safe travels dear friends!