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Homeschool Diary #7: 22 Kislev, 5771 – the Chanukah Edition

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I missed a week in there… please forgive me.  No excuses, and lucky me, here’s another week just beginning!
Last week was actually a very good week, school-wise.  We got tons and tons of stuff done, just didn’t have a bunch of time to blog about it.  I felt we made great strides in math, reading and a bunch of other stuff – seriously.  And we had fun, too. 
One day in there was the most miserable day ever.  I forget which day.  It was just a terrible, overwhelming time.  Everybody cried, I think.  And everybody yelled and screamed, including me.  Awful.
image This week, well, I know there will NEVER be a normal week.  I am reconciled to there never being a normal week.  So I’m happy to announce that this week will be completely befuddled and interrupted by… Chanukah.  One of my least favourite holidays.  Bah, humbug!
(image courtesy of G-dcast)
Note to self:  we’re looking at COINS later this week… please, dear self, remember to obtain some actual coins at some point early in the week so we are ready by Thursday.
Note to others:  our Living Learning Science “animals” curriculum is on hold to learn about Yom Tov.  After Yom Tov, we will do an “All About Me” unit before launching back into the HUMAN BODY – Naomi’s current obsession.  I hope she’s still obsessed by the time we get there!
Monday (Ted late):
  • Morning:
    • Swimming Lessons
    • Hebrew – Kriyah v’Od with Naomi during his lesson
    • Clocks math with Naomi
    • Doodles & free play with GZ during her lesson
  • Afternoon:
    • Chanukah handprint menorahs for cover of Chanukah lapbook
    • Small map exercise for Chanukah lapbook
    • Bob Books Reading:  one old, one new
    • Dick & Jane Reading:  1 or 2 “chapters”
  • Evening
    • Ballet (last class!!!)
    • Continue reading On the Banks of Plum Creek
Tuesday:
  • Morning:
    • Continue Rod/Miquon Math – introduce concept (making tens)
    • Naomi chooses a worksheet
    • Dreidel statistics graphing from Our Jewish Homeschool
    • Parsha reading and overview
  • Afternoon:
    • Handwriting without Tears w/ rice writing for tactile reinforcement
    • Phonics:  Explode the Code
    • “Chanukah words” insert for lapbook (haven’t figured this one out yet)
    • “Chanukah observances” insert for lapbook – already printed & ready to glue
    • Continue reading On the Banks of Plum Creek
Wednesday:
  • Morning:
    • Add “Chanukah Brachas” to lapbook – not sure how this will go yet
    • Chanukah story & narration – I bought fancy new narration paper (see below) last week, but maybe will find a Chanukah notebooking page instead for this special narration.
    • G-dcast Chanukah video as a reward
    • Hebrew:  Continue with alef-bet learning site
  • Afternoon:
  • Evening:
    • First candle!!!   Family fun…
Thursday (YM off for Chanukah):
  • Morning
    • Introduce money math.  Canadian currency posters (see below):  pennies – with images from this very thorough printable government kids’ resource.
    • Handling coins, playing with coins, adding up pennies, penny tallying, etc.
    • Chocolate coins for snack!!!
    • Chanukah window art
  • Afternoon
    • Handwriting without Tears w/ rice writing
    • Phonics:  Explode the Code
    • Starfall book/site as a reward (GZ is loving it these days!)
  • Evening
Friday (Ted off, YM/EC off for Chanukah):
  • Morning
    • Canadian currency posters:  nickels & dimes
    • Handling coins, playing with coins, counting by 5’s and 10’s
    • Read through finished lapbook together and enjoy!
  • Also – who knows when?
    • Parsha Review
    • Parsha Narration & illustration
    • Gdcast parsha video (reward for the narration)
  • Evening
    • Third candle!!!
Resources we’re loving this week!
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(I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Dick & Jane – the stories are easy to read and even a little humourous.  It’s a nice change from the Bob Books, in my opinion…)
My Own Homemade Printables:
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image click to download
(I’m not uploading this one because it features Canadian money.  If you need Canadian money worksheets, or want a .doc of the file so you can substitute US or any other money images, please let me know!)

As of January 15, 2012, I have now uploaded a .docx version of these Canadian Money posters, with a maple leaf instead of the Chanukah Money picture, that you can customize in any way you like.  Find it here.


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Very basic Handwriting without Tears “numerals” sheet that Naomi can look at and copy from when she’s doing math work.  There are happy faces to show were each number is started.  Not uploading this one either because I think it will have limited interest, but contact me if you want it!
Stopped in at Scholar’s Choice last Friday and picked up some resources that I look forward to using soon!
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Not sure how I will work this in, but it’s the best intro to maps and mapping I have seen at the K/5-year-old level.
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Just way cool!  Draw an outline of your kid, then copy, colour and paste on the organs one by one as you learn about them!
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Reading guides to some of Aesop’s Fables, reworded in simple, modern language.  Perfect length for narration and each has character-related discussion as well as vocabulary lists.  Written exercises for each story as well.
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Touch and trace cards for lowercase letters. Similar to sandpaper letters, these cost too much but the salesperson convinced me that if I bought them, I would qualify for a discount that made them pretty much free.  So I bought them.  Sucker! 
If I’m feeling ambitious at some point, I may make a set of uppercase letters like these ones
What a busy week!  I’m exhausted already!!!
What are you up to this week in your Jewish homeschool…???

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  1. I just added your web page to my favorites. I like reading your posts. Thanks!.

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