This is what I've been reading aloud to the boys this month, plus non-fiction they have read themselves.
(Does not include reading done in course of other studies)
1. Usborne History of Britain, The Middle Ages
2. My Story, "Armarda, diary of Thomas Hobbs"
3. My Story "The Queen's Spies, diary of Catherine Lumsden"
4. The Danger Zone "Avoid Being Mary Queen of Scotts" by Fiona Macdonald
5. DK 24 hours Mountain
6. DK 24 hours Arctic
7. Extracts from Stories of the Prophets, Ibn Kathir
8. Extracts from Atlas of Quran
9. My Story "Spy Smuggler, diary of Paul Lelaud"
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Organizing
It is that time of year again, alhamdulillah. Around the approach of spring I start to look forward to tidying up the current academic year, and preparing for the next, inshAllah.
I get the need to record more! Maybe you think I record quite a bit already, well, there is lots more on paper! I don't look back on old waffle on the blog too often, but I like to have lists.
So, I've been listing completed work for this year, by the boys and Ia. Lists of topics covered, chapters of textbooks completed etc for the boys, and lists of workbooks completed and other projects by Ia. Of course I have all the actual paperwork too, in box files.
Obviously it is not possible to record all learning in such lists, the reading, the online stuff, the daily experiences. But it helps to capture some of it.
I've also been looking through the boys' files for Year 2, thinking forward to what Ia could be doing next year, and looking for old workbooks for U to reuse. I think I erased the pencil work from about 5 workbooks this afternoon.
I've also been completing lists of work to be completed this academic year, and looking through the shelves to make sure I haven't missed a resource bought long ago. I also need to reaquaint myself with the contents of some storage drawers, to make sure U is getting the most out of what early years stuff I have.
All this helps me to organise and streamline my thoughts. Uncluttering my head you could say.
I get the need to record more! Maybe you think I record quite a bit already, well, there is lots more on paper! I don't look back on old waffle on the blog too often, but I like to have lists.
So, I've been listing completed work for this year, by the boys and Ia. Lists of topics covered, chapters of textbooks completed etc for the boys, and lists of workbooks completed and other projects by Ia. Of course I have all the actual paperwork too, in box files.
Obviously it is not possible to record all learning in such lists, the reading, the online stuff, the daily experiences. But it helps to capture some of it.
I've also been looking through the boys' files for Year 2, thinking forward to what Ia could be doing next year, and looking for old workbooks for U to reuse. I think I erased the pencil work from about 5 workbooks this afternoon.
I've also been completing lists of work to be completed this academic year, and looking through the shelves to make sure I haven't missed a resource bought long ago. I also need to reaquaint myself with the contents of some storage drawers, to make sure U is getting the most out of what early years stuff I have.
All this helps me to organise and streamline my thoughts. Uncluttering my head you could say.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Unstructured day!
I started a topic on reflection today with the girls. (Yes, U is in on this one too.) We started looking through the book above, then went on to do fold pictures.
In this one I think the two red shapes look like women wearing abayah running towards eachother, with a big blue butterfly in between!
These look like ice creams!Today was another unsturctured day due to kids feeling unwell. For the boys it was mostly reading and documentaries.
The girls used Education City and Ia read and did some tapestry sewing.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Arctic Lapbooks
Once again this morning U was in an URGENT RUSH to get her lapbook done.
As you can see above, attention to detail is not a top priority for U. Getting things DONE is far more important, as is making sure you have a lapbook with your name on it filed in the lapbook storage area.Below is Ia's lapbook on Arctic animals. As you can see I used many printables, partly due to the lightning speed I was expected to conduct the project at.
Useful links:
Other than the lapbooks nothing much got done today. J is ill and the boys spent the morning reading, being read to and watching documentaries. J then went to bed. Later Ia wasn't feeling too well either.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Pics from yesterday
Space Hoppers. Kids can bounce on them all day. You can't do that at school.
The book I mentioned yesterday.
U implementing ideas from book. (Playing).
A balanced model.
An arrangement.
Arctic art in progress.
The girls wanted to do Arctic lapbook work IMMEDIATELY upon waking up. Today we used printouts, many from Enchanted Learning. We've also been watching more video clips about various Arctic creatures.
U has decided to start learning Arabic sounds from Tajweed in English. She also used her Learning Ladder CDrom today and did some more rod work, (as in pics above).
The boys have done a graph, Pashto work, typed up yesterday's Wind in The Willows work, made a lapbook piece for their current Islamic lapbook etc.
The boys have done a graph, Pashto work, typed up yesterday's Wind in The Willows work, made a lapbook piece for their current Islamic lapbook etc.
I checked through my maths resources for Year 1, and found that I have SO MUCH! Alhamdulillah. I don't know how I got time for them all with the boys! It has made me think of all the extended maths activities I should be doing with Ia!
Must get on!
Monday, March 23, 2009
So much to do!
We had a busy weekend, alhamdulillah. The boys were out a lot, doing sporty stuff. U was still home and chickenspotty, but she helped me clean and bake for my sister's visit with her children. My sister bought Space Hopper toys for the girls, which have been a big hit. I have said these things will have to go into the garden in the summer, but for now they are bouncing round the downstairs, then taking the hoppers to their bedroom at night. I did take photos but I'm having another of those technical breakdowns where I can't get the pictures to come out onto the computer.
I did lots and lots of home ed thinking! Had a few discussions about copywork and dictation before realising that I do do copywork with Ia, I just don't call it that! As for dictation, I don't give the boys any passages to study, but I do actually give them dication work here and there amongst the daily stuff. Again, I just don't call it that! I might give the passage thing a try though, inshAllah.
I really need to check through my resources again and make sure that I'm using everything I want to for the different levels. Try to set out a bit what I would like to complete before the summer, inshAllah.
U is more and more keen to have her own task list, alhamdulillah. She has even taken to scribbling extra squiggles beneath her name, to indicate the subjects she wants to cover. Today I started using the "Idea Book for Cuisenaire Rods at the Primary Level" by Patricia S. Davidson. (Again pics stuck in memory card). I wouldn't exactly recommend this book, as many of the ideas are really pretty obvious, but they are enjoyable ideas for the child, so I'll use them again. With the boys and Ia I really started with the book too late, when it was already too easy. This time with U I hope to target it more accurately.
The boys started some project work on the "Wind in The Willows" play today, in the form of a plot summary and review. Ia is due to begin her Arctic project, so I've been searching out online ideas. Just put "Arctic lapbook" in the Google box, and lots comes up. It is all you need to get a project going, an interesting library book and a quick google search.
I did lots and lots of home ed thinking! Had a few discussions about copywork and dictation before realising that I do do copywork with Ia, I just don't call it that! As for dictation, I don't give the boys any passages to study, but I do actually give them dication work here and there amongst the daily stuff. Again, I just don't call it that! I might give the passage thing a try though, inshAllah.
I really need to check through my resources again and make sure that I'm using everything I want to for the different levels. Try to set out a bit what I would like to complete before the summer, inshAllah.
U is more and more keen to have her own task list, alhamdulillah. She has even taken to scribbling extra squiggles beneath her name, to indicate the subjects she wants to cover. Today I started using the "Idea Book for Cuisenaire Rods at the Primary Level" by Patricia S. Davidson. (Again pics stuck in memory card). I wouldn't exactly recommend this book, as many of the ideas are really pretty obvious, but they are enjoyable ideas for the child, so I'll use them again. With the boys and Ia I really started with the book too late, when it was already too easy. This time with U I hope to target it more accurately.
The boys started some project work on the "Wind in The Willows" play today, in the form of a plot summary and review. Ia is due to begin her Arctic project, so I've been searching out online ideas. Just put "Arctic lapbook" in the Google box, and lots comes up. It is all you need to get a project going, an interesting library book and a quick google search.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
DK 24 hours Series
I really like this series of books from DK. 24 Hours tells you about what goes on in a certain habitat, what the creatures that live there are doing on a typical day. We are borrowing the two books above from the library at the moment, and we already own the desert and rainforest ones. The rainforest book was an essential resource for us with the rainforest lapbook Ia made a while ago. Ia found the Arctic one of these at the library on our last visit, and she is keen to make a lapbook based around it. InshAllah I hope to start work on that next week. Ia is very interested in animals, maashAllah.
Today every one worked hard to get their work done in the morning once again
Ia has finished reading Peter and Jane book 7a. She and U are working on learning Surah Masad. Inexplicably Ia knows it, except for one word, which she misses out every time. Every time I remind her, then straight away she misses it out again. Sometimes Ia's learning is baffling. Very different from the boys.
J has memorised Surah Duha, and is due for a treat from the shop this afternoon, inshAllah.
The house has got really messy again. Spring sunshine is beautiful, maashAllah, but it also shows up all the dust and dirt! So, tackling that looks to be my mission for the rest of the afternoon.
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