This Week in Learning: August 29th, 2015

As the last fortnight drew to a close I realised with surprise that we have only three weeks of Term 3 left. It's been a solid term of learning and we're rather proud of how hard all the children have worked.

Speech Therapy
Yippee, we've graduated weekly lessons. Well we have a huge pile of homework but no regular lessons until next year.  Plan is: we were given three weeks of homework, we do it and return to show progress. Mmm already missed first week of homework, time to 'crack the books.'

Faith

• Jem made his First Confession!!! He did it, declaring it not as hard as he thought, in fact it was "cool" and he is eager to go regularly:) Once again astounded and impressed with the maturity 'jump' a child displays spiritually and naturally once they have made a Sacrament. Sacramental Graces, we should never underestimate them. 
• Preparation for Jem's First Holy Communion still progressing, he will be making his FHC in only 9 days! We read some more of Ten Eager Hearts, also My Holy Communion - Daniel Lord,  First Holy Communion - Fr Demetrius Manousos and The Weight of the Mass. The later  of which totally captured Jem's interest. 
• Jack Jack's Confirmation Preparation focused on revising relevant Confirmation catechism questions and reading various saints stories, JJ thinks he may have finally chosen his Confirmation patron, deep breaths, only 9 days to go! 
• Jelly Bean is reading through a volume of Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories. 
• Princess read a chapter of Introduction to Catholicism, completed the answers and read a couple of chapters of Where is That in the Bible? - Patrick Madrid
• Michelangelo read several sections of Beginning Apologetics Set and referenced source material.

Maths

• Maths Online -  The older children and Jack Jack are working steadily and making solid progress. Jelly Bean has plateaued and is needing encouraging. Jem needs assistance with reading questions and I admit I struggle in this area to find the time, so maths for these two is a little patchy at present. 

Science 

• Read Egg to Chick - Millicent Selsam and Terry and the Caterpillars - Millicent Selsam to the younger boys and they orally narrated. Jelly Bean listened in as well as undertaking her own Science readings.  The 'Science I Can Read' books have been very popular and we're most grateful to my friend Ruth for lending her collection.  
• Jelly Bean completed reading the second half of Tiger Tales - DK Reader, Benny's Animals and How He Put Them in Order  - Millicent Selsam and Slinky, Scaly Snakes.
• Princess listened to several Kahn Academy lectures: Hubble Image of Galaxies, Intergalactic Scales, Scale of the Galaxy, Scale of the Distance to Closest Stars and Scale Of Solar Systems. She has been taking notes as she listens. 
• Michelangelo read four chapters of Science Matters and watched two Kahn Academy Physics Lectures about quasars and took notes. He also watched documentaries on Engineering; building a tunnel under the Swiss Alps and and the canals in Holland.  

Geography

• Read a couple of picture books; Along the Luangwa: A Story of an African Floodplain and Paper Chase: A Chase around the World by Land, Air and Sea to the younger boys. 
• JB and the boys have been using World Geography Games to learn the Continents, Seas, Deserts and some countries and flags. 
• Princess has been using Sheppard Software to learn the states of American, Canada and Mexico. 
• Michelangelo read three chapters of A Writer's World: Travels 19-50-2000 by Jan Morris, keen to read more by this author. 

History

• Continuing to read to the younger boys (and Jelly Bean for whom this is an optional extra) Book 3 of The March of Time - Horniblow, still so impressed. This fortnight we read about Barons and Castles, Monasteries and Monks. Murder in Canterbury Cathedral, Thomas a Becket and Henry II. The Crusades and Richard the Lion Heart and Marco Polo and his Travels.  The children all narrated orally. 
• Also read a few fun picture books about this time period(see list below)
• JB read Minstrel in the Tower and The Wright Brothers - Quentin Reynolds (half) the first she orally narrated, the second for which she wrote an impressive narration!:)
• Princess read a little from Story of the World Vol 4 and read half of Calico Captive - Elizabeth George Speare
• Michelangelo began reading Story of the Church - Johnson. Whilst it's a lighter read for a student of his age, Church History is an area he has't covered much and considering time constraints before he graduates we felt a brief history would be beneficial. For a supporting history read he read The Big Fisherman - Lloyd Douglas. He also finished The High Deeds of Finn Mac Cool - Rosemary Sutcliffe

Logic

Michelangelo still enjoying reading and pondering Critical Thinking 

Spanish

Princess continues to apply herself to her Spanish studies several times a week with keenness. 

Handwriting
Completed cursive letters with the older children, and they are now ready to begin more challenging work however due to the age differences I'll be expecting a higher amount of written work from some than others. Jem has nearly completed all of his printed letters, though I admit he is still not a fan of writing;)

Dictation/Spelling

• Princess continuing with 20 words weekly from 'Spelling for Secondary Students' still spelling well. 
• Spelling Wisdom with our teens has not happened yet this I feel is vital for them. Resolving to amend this in the following fortnight!
• JB and JJ have transitioned well to Spelling Wisdom for their dictation lessons, happy with their progress. 

Grammar

• JB and JJ - continuing with comprehension passages and pronouns.
• Teens - synonyms and vocabulary. 

Composition/Creative Writing

• JB and JJ have continued their weekly essays, at this stage my expectation is for a short essay but am slowly increasing the amount expected. They will always take the 'short' option in writing if allowed. 
• Michelangelo and Princess - a couple of lessons on Precis Writing. 
• Princess wrote an essay using Story Starters.

Poetry

By reading A Child's Book of Verse daily to the younger children this term we've read nearly the entire collection! 

Princess and Michelangelo reading daily from Four Corners, a mix of Australian and English poetry.

Reading

• Jelly Bean is reading so often for her various subjects, it's such a relief to no longer have reading on her list of 'to dos'
• Jack Jack however lacks motivation and application. This is an area I need to insist on, he is so close to 'taking off,' but to 'find the key' we'll keep trying. 
• Jem has been revising many of the cards from AAR 1, and can easily recognise 114 cards! So impressed and more importantly, he is too:)

Extra Curricula

• Princess has three dance classes a week, including practice for their end of year concert. 
• Soccer games for Jelly Bean, Jack Jack and Jem drew to a close last weekend, end of season, yippee!! 

Family Read Alouds

John of Sydney Cove - Doris Chadwick -  With JB and younger boys. Hooray we finished, what a fantastic book!! We have now begun its sequel John and Nanbaree
All The Green Year - Finished reading to our teens, we were sad to see the book draw to a close. We have now begun The Borrowed House - Hilda Van Stockum

Science Read Aloud
Under 11s
Egg to Chick - Millicent Selsam
Terry and the Caterpillars - Millicent Selsam

Geography Picture Books
Along the Luangwa: A Story of an African Floodplain 4 Star
Paper Chase: A Chase around the World by Land, Air and Sea 3 Star

History Picture Books
The King and the Seed - Eric Maddern - Light read with a strong message
Over at the Castle - Boni Ashburn - Catchy rhyme for the very young
Good Knight, Sleep Tight - David Melling - Fun, nonsense read
Small Knight and George and the Royal Chocolate Cake - Ronda Armitage - Very light read

Michelangelo Read:
The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Cranen - finished
Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
History
The Big Fisherman - Lloyd Douglas
The High Deeds of Finn Mac Cool - Rosemary Sutcliffe (finished)
Science
Science Matters (a few chapters)
Geography
A Writer's World: Travels 19-50-2000 by Jan Morris (a few chapters)
Faith
Beginning Apologetics Set (a few sections)

Princess Read: 
Seven Little Australians - Ethel Turner
Crystal Snowstorm - Meriol Trevor
History
Calico Captive - Elizabeth George Speare (half)
Story of the World Vol 4  (a couple chapters)
Faith
Where is That in the Bible? - Patrick Madrid (a few chapters)

Jelly Bean Read:
Faith
Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories
Science
Benny's Animals and How He Put Them in Order  - Millicent Selsam
Slinky, Scaly Snakes
Tiger Tales - DK Reader (1/2 book)
History
Minstrel in the Tower
The Wright Brothers - Quentin Reynolds (half)

Jack Jack Read:
26 Storey Treehouse - Andy Griffiths ( a few chapters)