Classroom update!

I wanted to briefly update on our home classroom space. We quickly outgrew our little hallway classroom when we started Classical Conversations. This new space was already set up like this with the mantle, table, and chairs. It was not used for schoolwork  - just crafts and snacks mostly. It is basically in our "great" room though, so I am trying to make it match the surrounding decor. "Great" room sounds silly - we have a small house, but through some renovations, we have opened the floor plan significantly so our living room, dining room, and kitchen are mostly one undivided space, other than  structural necessities.

I bought a few Deka hanging systems from Ikea and use them to display the subject matter for the week. On it, I hang worksheets, visual aids, mini timeline cards, maps, and our science and history acts and facts cards. I love that I can clearly see what all we have going on and can just pull things off the clips when ready to use.

I finally came up with a system for cumulative reviewing. I have this little photo box that has 4 sections that you can pull out. I pulled up images of fabrics used in my living room and printed for the outside of the box. The 4 sections each have 6 weeks of material for me to reference when quizzing Blaine. They have all material we have learned and mini maps for the geography for each week. Then I hand cut envelope pockets from some coordinating scrapbook paper I had in my hoarder closet that I have mentioned before in a previous post. I printed squares for all 24 weeks of curriculum with subjects for each (I will add as the weeks go by). All they have are week numbers and subject so I can reuse them for all 3 cycles. We divided the squares up between the 5 envelopes and will pull them out throughout the day to go over material. I am trying to think of a way to make it fun - probably reward stickers to go with it. I'll figure it out, but I feel like our homeschool is lacking rewards and discipline.  I am also considering something along the lines of a red/yellow/green light to go along with a reward system.

On the mantle, I keep our globe, review box (for my reference), supplies, and random things pertaining to our schoolwork. I've been trying to get the kids to say the Pledge of Allegiance lately, so I framed the flag to go above it. Last 6 weeks, our science studies focused on ecology, but we are about to start some astronomy, so we have the telescope out and ready! 

Opposite this area is a roll top desk with my desktop computer on it. It is very convenient to sit Blaine at the table and direct his attention to the computer for expansion YouTube videos.

I am still trying to get a loose routine going for us. I just can't seem to figure that part out. I'm still not sure that I want to.  I feel like a major bonus of homeschooling is that you don't have to set alarms, but I am trying to figure out what to designate for certain days/times. I also have to work around the things on our weekly/bi-weekly schedule of CC, MOPS, PE, Little Friends Club, and basic errands.  All of this while retaining flexibility. These first 6 weeks of CC, I feel like I've at least partially figured out what works for Blaine and what doesn't, so I'm hoping by the end of these next 6 weeks, I will get more of a feel for our rhythm.

MOPS!

I am so excited that MOPS is finally starting again. MOPS meets every other week for 2 hours. There is free childcare provided, breakfast, coffee, speakers and small group discussions. I joined this amazing group of women when Blaine was 1 and I was 3 months pregnant for Vivienne.  I was desperately searching for companionship with other moms.

I cannot express enough how much this group has changed my life. It was scary going through struggles of motherhood alone.  Exhaustion, postpartum depression, breastfeeding issues... you name it. MOPS has given me a support system that every mother should have. They have brought me dinner when I had a newborn. They have held my babies when I felt like I was about to cry or pass out.  They have helped with birthday parties. They have gone grocery shopping and running errands with me to help lend a hand.

If you're interested in joining - we have 2 different MOPS groups - night MOPS for working mothers (new this year!) and day MOPS for stay at home mothers.

Night MOPS starts tomorrow night from 6:30-8:30 at someone's home, so I won't be posting the address.  If you would like to attend, please get in touch with me and I'll send you the information!

Day MOPS starts THIS THURSDAY from 9:30-11:30. For more information - feel free to get in touch with me or click here.

Homeschooling: CC - Cycle 2 - Week 3

This week is not over and we have not completed everything listed here, but I thought I would post anyway. 

History

Week 3: We learned about Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lion-Hearted, and the Crusades. Blaine did some coloring pages while I read and we made a sword and shield with cardboard, paper, and foil. 

Geography

Week 3: Western European countries - I made another puzzle (printable here). Blaine really seems to like these. I will probably do one every week. 

English

Week 3: Cut and paste activity

Art

Week 3: Upside down drawing activities. If you read this post, you will know that Blaine LOVED THIS drawing activity. He was so excited when he flipped the paper over and saw what he had drawn.

Math

Week 3: I have to be honest.  Blaine has a very difficult time with numbers.  We do our memory melodies and these cut and paste skip counting activities very quickly because I am still working very diligently with him trying to get him to do basic counting. He is showing some improvements, but math has always been a frustrating challenge. I'm open to suggestions.

Science

Week 3: Parts of the food chain. I googled some more random clip art and came up with this cut and paste activity. We took an unexpected trip to the aquarium and insectarium this week and seized the opportunity to learn hands-on about some consumers and decomposers.  Also, we talked again about week 2's topic of consumer types: herbivore, carnivores and omnivores.  We had fun guessing what each animal was by what we observed in their habitats. Our timing was perfect for a few exhibits, seeing the animals being fed.  Blaine will also play a food chain game that I found, available here. 

Seeming underground, in a dark room of the insectarium, I took the one and only picture of our downtown adventures. Here's Blaine on a huge worm... a decomposer!

Latin

Week 3: We are still learning verb conjugation endings - imperfect tense. Nothing fun to show. I did do a cut and paste activity and later we combined our Latin with handwriting exercises. Here are printables for both.  Our tutor came up with a cute pictorial available on C3 that Blaine enjoys and has been very helpful.

That's it! 

Who wants to see an alligator?

MONTHS ago my mom asked us if we wanted to go to the Instagator Ranch in August to see baby alligators hatching. They took my nieces and nephews when they were younger and were dying to take Blaine and Vivienne. So since booking our reservation, every time my mom saw or spoke to the kids she would ask, "Who wants to see an alligator?" And both the kids would raise their hands and excitedly yell, "meeeeeeee!!" We like building anticipation in my family. 

So the day finally arrived and we made the trip to the north shore to check it out. Instagator Ranch is a really cool operation. We spent some time hearing how they got started. At one point, alligators were nearing joining the endangered species list, but because of Instagator and other similar establishments, there are now more alligators than people in the state of Louisiana! The people of Instagator fly out over the marshes, locate alligator nests during June, collect the eggs, and bring them back to the ranch. Here, they hatch the eggs in August and release a percentage of the alligators back to their nest's area once they reach four feet long and can defend themselves from predators. 

We took a tour of the ranch and got to see different sized alligators and feed them. 

We were able to hold some that were probably about 2 feet long (mouths taped shut) in a pool. Vivienne got a kick out of grabbing them by the tail and pulling them closer for me to pick them up. She wasn't the least bit afraid! Louisiana girls are natural alligator wranglers.

 We hatched FIVE baby alligators in our hands. This was a little weird. It consisted of breaking the hard outer shell and helping them break through the thick membrane, an act the babies could surely do naturally without our assistance. It was a little icky, but very cool!

This was such a fun experience.  We will definitely be going again one day! If you plan on visiting Instagator, make sure to go during hatching season and reserve an egg! 

Because I said so

Me: Blaine, you need to go put your shirt and shorts on
Blaine: WHY?
Me: Because you need to wear clothes at the store
Blaine: WHY?
Me: Because you can't walk around Whole Foods in Spiderman underwear
Blaine: WHY?
Me: Because Mommy will get in trouble
Blaine: WHY?
Me: Because that's the rules
Blaine: WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?

I max out at about 5 whys. I've definitely been guilty of a few typical mother responses.  I've been guilty of the "because I said so!" on several occasions and the southern mom in me has yelled "no talking back!" too. I know sometimes the kids really are inquisitive, but sometimes I think they know they are driving me crazy and think that is hysterical. I don't blame them. I know I annoy them sometimes just to get a good laugh. But, sometimes in my head its like they're the seagulls from Finding Nemo saying "Mine! Mine! Mine!" all. day. long.

I'm trying to change my ways and have started answering the dreaded question with a question.... "Why do you think?"  So far, it is a fun experience and has lightened the mood of daily activities.  Sometimes when I ask, Blaine answers, "Because you said so?" and we both get a good laugh.

How many why's and follow-up why's do you willingly answer before screaming "BECAUSE I SAID SO" and envision beating your own head against a wall? (Other moms do that, right?) Do you have any tips for severe cases of the "WHYs"?