Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Catching Up!

Last Tuesday we didn't have science class because we had already done the project that Imajine That had scheduled. Thursday we didn't have swimming because it was Thanksgiving. We were pretty laid back with work.


At one point, I decided to have Jayden try a website, Starfall.com to see how well he did. He is definitely beyond that site so I will have to find something harder for him.





I have decided that I will no longer teach both children at the same time. Jayden gets distracted by  Caitlin's antics and Caitlin wants all of the attention on her if she sees that I am focusing on Jayden. So for the benefit of all of us, school starts with Jayden and ends with Caitlin.

Today we did a bunch of things! We started off with a spelling test with our last 5 words.

He wrote out today's day and date.
He worked on his spelling words for this week

Then we did math. I decided to teach him how to add double digits (without regrouping). I thought it would be a little tricky but I definitely underestimated him! He learned how to do it with the first problem! The lesson literally took less than 1 minute! So he worked on the sheet by himself. Once he was done he said "Mom I need harder work! This was too easy!"



There is a HUGE sale going on at Currclick.com where I downloaded a bunch of free and inexpensive lessons (25¢ or less). One thing I got is a "Cloze" packet. I remember doing these in school. With the Cloze packets words are deleted from a passage and the reader is required to fill in the blanks. The cloze procedure is great practice for reading comprehension.

Then we made our first science lapbook. Jayden is very interested in the human body. He wants to know how everything works. He even asked one of his aunts for two anatomy science kits for Christmas!

He gave me a list of things he wants to learn (which we are still adding to with whatever he requests) which started with the eye. I found a lesson at Currclick.com about the eye. It was recommended for 5+ which I actually think is a little too young given the vocabulary. So we used most of the lesson but will be saving the more difficult part for another time when he is ready to go more in depth about the eye.

While he colored the eye, I assembled the lapbook.




 Finished product:

 He LOVES it! He has been reading it all afternoon!

While all of this was going on, Caitlin started out watching a couple of learning shows.


 She quickly decided that she was "angry with mommy because this is baby work and I am not a baby!"


Caitlin did join us when during the coloring part of the eye project.
She also worked on writing her name before calling it quits for the day!

Friday, November 18, 2011

TGIF!

Yesterday was our longest day of the week! We started off with a play date at Olivia's house. The kids had SO much fun! They have a bearded dragon, 2 cats, birds and fish!





Olivia, Eric and Rachel shared their really cool toys with the kids. They have the perfect playroom!












After destroying the beautiful and clean play room, the kids made pizzas















Cait ate every single pepperoni off of her pizza before it even made it to the oven!

Eric eating his lunch!





Olivia supplied Cait with tons of pepperoni while the pizzas were cooking LOL!
 Afterwards we went to the library to drop off our DVDs and headed to swim class. Joel was a little tough  on Jayden but I know it's because Jayden is constantly trying negotiate or compromise instead of just doing what he is told. At one point, Joel pushed Jayden into the pool. Jayden immediately surfaced and started coughing a little and I popped up from my seat, not to help Jayden (who was fine and actually quite proud of himself!) but to go flip on Joel! I was LIVID! At the end of the class I told Joel that I SAW him push Jayden into the water. He then told me if he didn't think Jayden could handle it, he wouldn't do it. I think Joel is trying to teach Jayden that he is not in charge and some things are not up for negotiation. I have to admit, Jayden DOES act like a businessman, just like someone I know. LOL! He is CONSTANTLY trying to negotiate and Joel always tells him "You will be a great salesman, but this isn't a class for selling, it's a class for swimming!" Jayden LOVES this class and never complains so maybe I am just being overprotective, but I am always ever-so-grateful when 2:30 approaches and swim class is over for another week.
Giving credit where credit is due, Joel is a really great teacher. The difference from the first class to yesterday, his third swim class, is AMAZING! Jayden puts his head in the water completely and tries to swim under water for longer periods each time! This is the boy who, in the first class, would not have anything above his lips in the water for more than a a few seconds! I suppose this means that his methods with Jayden are working, I just find it hard to remember in the moment.

I simply can not believe how big my baby is getting!










Jayden negotiating with Joel about how he will get in the water




 








Joel about to push Jayden in the pool!

When Joel pushed Jayden in!



After swim class we headed to Imajine That for science class where the kids learned about magnets. They walked around checking to see what surfaces the magnets stuck to.



After that Jayden stayed in the craft section. Apparently he was cutting out hearts for the ladies!
 They ran around and played for awhile with Olivia and Eric who joined us at Imajine That.  And Cait played with baby Rachel and even got to carry her! Rachel is seriously the happiest baby I have ever seen!
 





 




The kids had a really busy but great day!