Homeschool Wrap-Up July

This week I was told I was the best teacher my kids ever had.  They said that they were having fun and that I didn't yell as much as their teachers at school.  Not so sure about that, but I was flattered none the less.  Overall the school attitude has been great, even though it is summer for most, the kids are willing and excited to get their school stuff out each morning.  I don't think anyone feels like they are missing out on to much.  We try to work our schedule around school but friend activities are important as well so we make time for them.
My energy level has certainly been down as I have fought off a cold turned bronchitis.  With lots of encouragement the kids seem to be becoming more and more independent with much of their work.  There will always be days or subjects that require a lot more of me but the more independent each child becomes the easier it will be for me to concentrate with one child at a time. 
In History/Geography we have learned about the state of Connecticut.  Next week we hope to make Connecticut Clam Chowder.  Along with our group study, Bentley has also studied about the English, French and Spanish Explorers.

Math was probably the subject that I was most concerned about when we started.  The boys are using workbooks that are challenging but not so difficult that they get discouraged and shut down.  I am proud of their persistence to learn.  Bentley is doing a computer program and is also doing very well.  One aspect of homeschooling that I really appreciate is that mastery of each lesson is achievable.  We can take extra time needed to truly understand hard concepts without disrupting anyone else's learning.  We don't move on until we get it.
Reading has been mostly some silent reading for the kids and some read alouds.  Payton is now buzzing through chapter books much like Bentley.  They are both such strong readers.  Bentley is now well over half way through Little Women and is enjoying it.  The next book she plans to read is Invincible Louisa, which is the story of Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women.  Payton is reading Toliver's Secret, a historical novel, that tells the tale of a child traveling during the time of the Revolutionary War.  Conner is doing a Phonics Program called Rocket Phonics.  We backed up a bit for him and are working on laying a good foundation for reading through practicing concepts of rhyming, blending, and letter sound recognition.  His reading has improved rapidly once we reviewed, and sometimes learned for the first time, those important basic concepts.  I know we will never regret spending the time it takes now to help him become a better reader.

For Science we have been learning about Animal Classification and flight, specifically related to birds.  We ended this week on an experiment involving two gliders with two different types of wings, one had long narrow wings while the other had shorter wide wings.  The kids had been looking forward to our experiment all week.  I really appreciate our science curriculum (Apologia Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day) as it really brings together God's plans and designs with the science of why it works the way it does.

Our Bible Reading is going well although I am not sure that we will achieve the entire Bible this year but we will get there.  We are currently reading the book of Mark.  Character study has been about honesty which is a much needed character to be addressed in our home.  I have enjoyed watching each child's "aha moments" as we read scriptures and Bible Stories about how dishonesty affects us, God, and those around us.
So that's it in a nutshell.  We are all having fun and learning lots (even mommy)!

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it

Proverbs 22:6.