Weekly Wrap-Up: The Kids Talk Me Into Hermit Crabs

The kids at Chick Fil-A earlier this week... I love the Instagr.am app on my phone!

It's amazing what a difference a little warm weather can make. I do love a bit of cold, but at heart I am a native Floridian and I just think I am happier when it's warm outside! Much of our week was spent outside - so everyone slept well this week (and LATER, because of the time change) and I did more laundry due to the dirty clothes from playing outside!

If you didn't catch the posts about music this week, you can catch them here (piano advice) and here (general music resources). Hopefully they were helpful and I'm so grateful to many people who left comments with additional thoughts, ideas, and resources. The blogging community is an endless font of knowledge!

In our homeschool this week we finished our study of seashells, using a Download n Go unit. The children REALLY enjoyed this, and on the last two days of the study I let them do it together while I disappeared. They sat with the iPad and completed their questions, watched videos, and just learned a lot in general. We went to the pet store and purchased everything for our crabitat, and tomorrow we will be the proud owners of hermit crabs. (Am I crazy?) If you have any hermit crab tips, please leave me a comment!

Gman has been going through First Language Lessons - we love this program! He has been reluctant to narrate for me verbally, but I know he loves to write and draw. When we got to the lesson with The Boy Who Cried Wolf I had him write a little narration for me. I was SO PROUD of him...although he can be your typical six year old - all over the place and quite energetic - (what boy isn't?) most of the day, when he sits down to write he means business.

Miss B has been writing letters to a penpal in Ohio a couple of times a week and I need to get her journaling and writing more. That is my goal for next week. I have a book here called "The Magic Pencil" and we are going to do some of those activities.

Our Story of the World chapters this week were about Moses and the Ten Plauges... fascinating stuff for kids, and moms! We read the chapter in SOTW, but also are reading through the section of Exodus where it occurs. I know I say it every week, but SOTW is a hit!

Miss B has bumped up into the next math book, and the first 20 lessons are a gentle review of concepts from the previous book. Here is where I see a benefit in year round schooling, because we didn't stop for two months between grade levels, and she has transitioned so easily into this new level. Thank you, Horizons Math!

Yesterday was crazy hats and shades day at our co-op. We didn't go so much on the crazy end of things, but the kids did make their own hats here at home, and Miss B sewed all of the buttons on hers, which was quite a task. I love how they turned out!

Lots and lots of reading was done this week. The kids each have a favorite series right now. For GMan, it is the Cul-de-Sac Kids, by Beverly Lewis. GREAT books, similar in length to Magic Treehouse books, so perfect for first chapter book readers.! For Miss B, she is enjoying The 39 Clues. She started these last year and read the first five, and picked up the next three at the library this week. I love the way they incorporate history.

Read-alouds include The Wonder Clock, Mara (Daughter of the Nile) , and any Matt Christopher baseball book GMan can get his hands on! Yesterday we went to the doctor and we were all in the waiting room with our books - the nurse complimented the children on their behavior and reading and I was very proud of them. Oh -- I'm reading The Read Aloud Handbook. I highly recommend this!

Music is humming right along. Last weekend Miss B earned a superior at a piano competition. This was her third year in a row, so she earned a gold cup trophy. We have also been preparing music for GMan's co-op class each week. I'm having so much fun teaching this. When it's all over I'll do a post about what we've been up to the past ten weeks.

We are reviewing a PE curriculum, so that's gotten us out and moving ~ in addition to tennis and baseball. Both kids are enjoying it, but I need to be more active myself. This is something I struggle with, so please encourage me if you can!

A final thought - the longer I homeschool, the more I realize one of the largest goals I have is bringing our family closer together. I want our children to depend on their FAMILY for support, and not a network of friends. Friends are good to have - in monitored doses. I believe, however, that children today are "farmed out" too much and begin to see their peers as the experts on life. It warms my heart to see my children playing with each other and depending on each other so much. When it comes down to it, this is what is truly important. If I can nurture their relationship with God and their relationship with each other, I feel I have done my job well. Believe me, this week I've heard some "unsocialized" comments about homeschoolers and it initially makes my blood boil, but then I take a deep breath and look at my own kids and realize the naysayers have NOT A CLUE!

Here they are trading baseball cards - probably not Miss B's favorite activity, but she wanted to spend time with G and she knew he would want to do this. They sat outside for a good thirty minutes one afternoon trading cards. Wow, I love homeschooling.

I'm linking up today with Kris - check out other homeschoolers' weeks, too!

Have You Seen These Music Education Resources?

I've been fielding readers' questions about music education this week. Tuesday, your questions about piano lessons were answered. Some readers also left some interesting comments on that post, so check them out!

Here's another question that really was all encompassing and I'll address it in today's post:

For music education in general - what do you think is important?

I know music can be intimidating if you aren't a musician. I've heard so many people say "I can't carry a tune in a bucket" or "I just don't sing!" , which makes me so sad. Music is actually one of the easiest things to bring into your homeschool because you don't have to DO anything except provide music for your children.

Exposure, in my opinion, is critical. Children are innately musical (in fact, all babies are born with perfect pitch, did you know that?) and if that musicianship isn't fostered they lose it over time. It is my belief that all children should be exposed to the great musicians of history, have an opportunity to learn a musical instrument, and respond to music in their own unique way (song, dance, ensemble playing, etc...)

Here are some low cost ways to do just that:

1. Have a composer of the week- go to Classics for Kids and listen to their radio shows. This site lays everything out for you (including listening to the music free online). Wouldn't it be great to keep a composer notebook with your kids? This site makes it so easy.
2. Keep a set of quality rhythm instruments at home for younger children. I recommend this set. Let them make their own music to accompany poetry, their favorite songs or just about anything. Music should be FUN.
3. Make sure you have a lot of music playing in your house. Classical music always soothes the soul, but highlight a different GENRE each week in your house. How about playing classical one week, then jazz the next? You can use Pandora to get lots of free music in your home! (for fun, go to the link I gave you and create a "Louis Armstrong" station. This is one of our favorites!) Other favorite recordings of ours include Beethoven's Wig, (classical music with funny lyrics that kids REMEMBER!) Raffi, Greg & Steve, and Veggi Tales.
4. Are you a member of a homeschool co-op? Is there someone willing to teach a music class for your child's age group? I teach a music and movement class to K-1 grade children once a week. We learn songs, play instruments, highlight a different composer each week, and recently started talking about different musical forms.
   
5. Have you checked to see if there are any homeschool choirs or bands in your area? I know there are several where we live! Exposing your child to music making in a large group is a gift. There is something special about working with a group towards a common goal.
   
6. I love the plan for composer study on Simply Charlotte Mason. It's all laid out for you. We follow this plan.
   

I wish I could speak more about packaged music education curriculums for homeschools, but I have never had experience with them. I have recently received a trial membership to an online music community for homeschoolers, so I'll keep you posted on what my thoughts are.

I hope this has been helpful.... if you have any other resources you can share with me, I'd love to hear about them. Or, if you have additional questions, ask away!!

I'm linking this post to Many Little Blessings today.... she is also reviewing a great music education resource, so click her button and check it out!