Monday September 4
Of course today I had planned to take a day off of school because of the Labor Day holiday but at 6:30 Anthony brought his math to Dom in the office and wanted help working on his multiplication tables. Ben wanted to read to me before I got out of bed, but I was not awake enough. By the time I got up, he was on to something else. Still, I love that he had the impulse.
We went to a pool party and had a long, fun day.
Tuesday September 5
Anthony did a page of math, read to me from Stories of Great Americans, and did copywork.
Ben did a page of math, a page of Explode the Code, read a Bob book to me, did a line of copywork and read it with a bit of help.
Sophie did some math, got stuck in the Miquon but worked on her times tables, did copywork, we reviewed a bit of French, she read to me from her geography. We also took a nature walk, just the two of us.
Bella did Khan Academy math, some Latin, copywork.
Afternoon stories:
Finished Hitty. The Golden Fleece, Augustus Caesar’s World, St Elizabeth, Secrets of the Universe.
Mighty Jack and the Goblin King arrived and the kids dove in, Sophie reading it to Ben.
Bedtime story: a book about Basquiat.
Wednesday September 6
I had everyone do math and copywork before we went to the grocery store. Well, Ben did a page in his letter book, but not the copywork page I gave him. He promised to do it when we got home, but I was wiped and didn’t follow through.
Afternoon stories: We began Ella of All of a Kind Family. In which we learn how not to behave when your older sister is entertaining her beau. I was a bit worried the boys might balk at a story which so far revolves around the heroine trying to get in some smooches with her guy. But they laughed and groaned and opined on what the younger kids should have done. Maybe it’s that they are already invested in the characters, maybe it’s just the humorous touch with which the story is told, but here there are no groans about it being a kissing book. This is so very promising. Eventually I’m going to be reading DIckens and Jane Austen and such at them.
We finished Story of the World Vol I. Ready to dive into the Middle Ages. We also read Story of the Chosen People and talked a bit about the patriarchs. And Minn of the Mississippi. And a chapter of North with the Spring, which is one of my new favorites The writing is lyrical and lush and I love the wide ranging natural history. This chapter covered what makes astronomical spring and how that differs from the actual weather and growing season which changes from year to year. And the way different organisms experience spring. What is spring to a robin? To a hummingbird?
Bedtime story: Hand Christian Andersen, Little Fir Tree.
Thursday Sept 7
Sophie did math, copywork, French, and read Geography.
Anthony did math, copywork, and began reading Child’s History of the World.
Ben did math, copywork, Explode the Code, and read a Bob book.
Bella did math, copywork, Latin, composition, worked on dictation passage, read and narrated
Afternoon stories: Ella of All of a Kind Family, Golden Fleece, Blood and Guts, St Elizabeth, North with the Spring.
Bella decided she wants to make a survey to find out how other children play with dolls.
Friday September 8
Read today’s lectionary readings and the big girls and I talked about the Gospel, had a lesson on comparing the synoptics, considering audience and purpose and context for the writing. Compared the beginnings of Matt, Mark, and Luke.
Sophie did five pages in her Miquon book. She also did her copywork, read a sentence of French with me, and read her Geography.
Ben did math, copywork, explode the code, read a Bob book.
Anthony did math, read Child’s History, and did copywork.
Bella did a lesson in Khan Academy, worked on her Latin, did copywork, read me three poems picked from The Rattle Bag, narrated some of her supernova book to me, also told me about the Spies of the Revolution.
We prayed three decades of the rosary in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. (Then we had pecan pie for dessert.)
Afternoon stories: Ella, Golden Fleece.
