Week 6 (10/3-10/7)

When I was a public school teacher, I charted out year after year of instruction using conceptual planning. Although my classroom now looks much different and my pupils are far more multi-aged that I previously worked with, my planning method remains the same. Our concept for the year is interdependence. We spent the first five weeks laying down the foundation for this study by really articulating our family's interdependence on each other as well as with our country, our Earth and our God.

Now, we are shifting our studies to consider entrepreneurship. We will be looking at how people in our community work individually and within groups to develop an interconnected local economy of unique services and goods. I hope that our children will contribute to this web with their own small business venture.

Scripture:

1. Boys - Thankfulness: I show gratefulness with words and actions.
2. Girls - Let the peace of God rule in your hearts...and be thankful. Colossians 3:15

Reading:

1. C&C - Read Arthur's Pet Business by Marc Brown.
2. Madelyn - Read Chapters 1-4 of Eddie, Incorporated by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.
   

Social Studies: We are exploring the concepts of small business ownership and entrepreneurship as a group. We started this week defining entrepreneurship and brainstorming friends we know who are entrepreneurs. Then we brainstormed business ideas for our family. Finally, we researched the elements of a business plan.

Math:

1. C&C - Continued working on Math Sprints, which they will finish next week. Also completed Unit 1, Week 4 of Singapore Math 2A.
2. Madelyn - Also continued working on Math Sprints. Completed Unit 1, Week 3 of Singapore Math 4A. After Sprints are done, I need to continue reviewing factors and approximation with Madelyn. The test this week was tough on her.

Writing:

1. C&C - Completed Week 3 of Writing with Ease. The trouble with not making everything up from scratch is that the objectives sometimes become clear after, rather than before the lessson.
2. Madelyn - Completed Lessons 140 through 147 in Primary Languge Lessons. It won't be long before we get to start the Excellence in Writing Program.

Science: We are now looking at Energy. We defined energy as the ability to do work. We also quantified it as work=force x distance. We studied the law of conservation of mass. I demonstrated this by weighing two liquids and then combining them to create a solid (chemical reaction) and proving that even as a solid the weight was unchanged. We are using Energy for Every Kid by Janice VanCleave for these labs and information.

(Experimenting with friction during work experiment)

Preschool: The boys completed Week 4 from their PreK Sonlight program. They also started handwriting using Handwriting without Tears. They continue to work from Essential Math and Developing the Early Learner.