Friday, January 24, 2014

Week 21 ~ Planning, Performing and Pastimes

In My Life ~ This week has been filled with planning. We are beginning a unit study on World War II that will carry us through the end of the year. I can't believe that we only have 15 weeks to go for this school year! It seems like we just started the other day. World War II is a huge undertaking. There are so many parts to it. I have decided to give the kids an overview and then go through the war from many different countries. I also intend to explain the holocaust to the children, but really stress the heroes of the holocaust who helped to save so many. There are always good people, even when it seems that the world only holds evil. I want the children to feel empowered and know that they can always choose to do good. My library floor is covered with books as I make my plans. I am really looking forward to this unit. I can't wait to get down to learning with them.


Performing ~ Goldilocks is doing lots of cheer leading performances right now. She had one at a local university this past weekend and has another tomorrow morning. She is really having fun with the cheers. The crowd was very supportive of the special needs teams. I think this may end up being a good confidence building activity for Goldilocks.
This is about half of her team.

This little guy is a serious performer, too! He got his new leotard from the Special Olympics. He still needs the special shorts. He was a proud boy and ran outside in the freezing temps to show it off to his sisters (who were playing out in the yard).

Pastimes ~ Little Red Riding Hood is really enjoying making rubber band bracelets. She has learned how to make so many different kinds. She takes her storage case everywhere she goes and spends all of her allowance on more rubber bands. This is very big deal for a girl who usually saves every penny.



Goldilocks has really been working hard with her horse drawing kit this week. All of the pictures are tracings, but she has done a great job adding color, saddles and scenery to the pictures. She is really doing a nice job tracing the horse as well. I love to see the kids being productive.


Parties and Play Dates ~ We had a party in school to celebrate saying goodbye to the 1930's. We celebrated with Twinkies which were invented in 1930. My kids had never had them before. Boy, they tasted like chemicals ~ Yuck! We also had a lovely play date at the mall with some friends. We power walked the mall since it recently has been is too cold to play outside. We then sat in the food court and played board games and drank Chick-Fil-A lemonade. What a fun morning.


We finished up Out of the Dust, which the kids thought was a good, but depressing, story. We also got the 3R's done every day and made considerable progress in spelling. I am also very pleased with Tom Sawyer's typing and story telling this week. Go Tom Sawyer!

Blessings, Dawn

7 comments:

  1. Looks like they all had a fun week. The bracelets look very colorful and those are great patterns. We only got past 2 patterns here before Amber got tired of it. I can't wait to bear more about your WWII studies this year. You all always do such fun extras with your lessons.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love seeing your week! World War II is one of my favorite time periods to study.

    We love using Rainbow Looms and I've collected a lot of pattern tutorials on one of my pinterest boards. Most are video tutorials so my kids can teach themselves! (Here's the board: http://www.pinterest.com/tdrowlee/rainbow-loom-love/ ) Just last night my oldest did the Heart Bracelet and I think she's planning to make more for Valentine's Day gifts. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think it is funny that you thought that Twinkies tasted like chemicals. I grew up in a organic household back in the days when just hippies did it. I was about 12 when I first had a Twinkie, and I thought the same thing! It was a good time for you to try them, though. I had no idea they were that old.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This post is has so many cool things. I love the floor full of books!! We loved WWII so much. We were so lucky to visit the WWII Museum in New Orleans last year. I love that Goldilocks loves cheer leading!! She looks adorable in her outfit. :) Love his leotard and Little Red Riding Hood's bracelets!! Great job. Her horse drawings are really good too!! What a great week Dawn.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tell Little Red Riding Hood that her bracelets are gorgeous!! My daughters are jealous that she makes such nice ones. Tom Sawyer looks very handsome in his gymnastics outfit. We wish him all the luck! And Goldilocks did a beautiful job on her horse drawings. We are impressed with her drawing skills. Have a wonderful week

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow - that World War II study looks ambitious but it also looks like it is going to be a great one!

    (and I'd have to agree with you about the Twinkies tasting like chemicals but it's still a fun idea to go with the theme!)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm excited to hear more about your WWII study as it gets under way. (I can't believe how quickly our school year has flown by either!) I also love the rainbow loom bracelets. I have been thinking about getting Rose a loom, but I'm afraid that she'll get frustrated by it. She is a very impatient seven year old.

    ReplyDelete