I feel like we have really hit our stride this winter with the flow of our day. It has really been great and it is encouraging as we move forward. That is…until a couple months when I am sure we will have to adapt some more because that’s life.
BUT…right now, we are doing pretty great!
JACOB
Language Arts
Jacob has MASTERED all of his phonics cards! I am so proud of him. We will continue to review them once a week but I think he has got them down! WOOT!
Jacob ALSO completed all of his sight word lists for the year – YAY! Just like with his phonics cards, we will continue to review them once a week but he is just cruising with them!
AND he finished two more spelling charts! Things were happenin’ this month!
For language arts we covered: poetry, what three things a sentence needs, multisyllable words, proper nouns, days of the week, homophones, prefixes and suffixes, spelling rules, nonfiction, adverbs, open syllables, compound words, UI and UE words, and the different sounds o can make.
We talked about symbols in literature and studied some artwork. Jacob also is learning more steps in diagramming sentences {I am learning more about grammar than I EVER have!}.
Jacob also wrote a personal narrative about riding the BIG roller coaster on our Idaho trip last year. He did a really great job.
And for geography, we studied the poles, hemispheres and the seasons.
Handwriting
I am always really impressed with Jacob’s handwriting – he does a really nice job and moving along well in his book.
Read Aloud
Oh one of my favorites! We finished reading Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It had been a long time since I had read this and it was just as beautiful as I remembered. Jacob loved it.
We are currently reading A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This is another one where it has been a long time for me and it has been so wonderful. There have been giggles and really thoughtful questions. My little Sarah loves to sit in on the book and has really been drawn in by the story. We are absolutely loving it.
Math
MATH!!! Oh my goodness, this month has been great for math! Jacob finished his Level 1 Math the last week of February and we are so excited. We love our math curriculum {more on that next week!} and Math 2 is going to be just as wonderful – I can already tell!
This last month of Math 1 we covered: taking away nine, eleven take away, LOTS of subtraction practice, learning time to five minutes, twelve minus, thirteens fact families, planning our days, one less, MORE fact families, and adding three numbers.
Jacob reviewed and did really well on his last unit test and then also did amazing on his big FINAL test covering the whole year’s worth of material.
History
Have I mentioned how much I love history? Ahhh…it’s just golden. We finished up our study of the Vikings, Exploration, and Pre-Columbian America. It was fantastic. You can read ALL about it here.
In February, we wrapped it up with learning about the Aztec Civilization, the Inca Empire, and the Conquistadors.
Making some Aztec Hot Chocolate was definitely a win for Jacob.
We also finished our book, Beorn the Proud by Madeleine Polland and really enjoyed it. It was such a great book to immerse ourselves into the world of the Vikings. I would definitely recommend it!
We have now switched gears and have begun our new unit about Colonial America and the United States Constitution.
So far we have studied Jamestown, John Smith, and Pocahontas, LOTS about the Pilgrims, and Henry Hudson and the Dutch Colonies.
We also began a new book to go with our new unit: William Bradford: Pilgrim Boy by Bradford Smith. We are only a couple chapters in but are really enjoying it. It’s a simple read and tells the story of William Bradford’s childhood.
Science
MARINE BIOLOGY! This month has been SO fascinating. I have truly loved all of our science units but this unit has definitely moved up to a favorite. We have learned tons and enjoyed every minute. We cannot wait to go to the ocean in May!
This month we have learned about: marine invertebrates, marine reptiles, fish, sharks, and LOTS about marine mammals.
It is so hard to pick a favorite activity because there has been many memorable ones, but I think our blubber activity is something Jacob won’t forget anytime soon!
Typing
Jacob continues to progress with typing. It’s challenging him but not to a point where he gets frustrated or anything. He loves learning it. This month he added the letters n and u, as well as the period key.
Music
We finished up our study of the Baroque Era with a bang! We studied the Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah and it was AWESOME! Jacob got SO into this song and singing along. We loved really diving into it – and learning what an oratorio is!
Click here to read all about our study of the Baroque Era.
Now we have moved into the Classical Era. We discussed what sets the Classical Era apart from others and what instruments were used during this era.
Our first song was by Franz Joseph Haydn – Symphony #94 “Surprise”. This was so much fun and we loved learning about the “Father of the Symphony”.
Now we are diving into “The Celebrated Minuet” by Luigi Boccherini. Jacob loves this song!
Piano is also going really well. I am definitely glad we went back to the basics this year. His confidence is growing and he has a much better foundation moving forward.
Civics
If we are being honest, I’ve felt really blah about civics lately. It just feels like a less in depth version of our history and just feels unnecessary. We added this additional curriculum because Wyoming law requires the teaching of civics but I think next year we will just let our history speak for civics as well.
This month we covered the American War for Independence and the flag of the United States. We also discussed the meaning and traditions behind Washington’s Birthday {aka Presidents Day} and Flag Day. And learned the history behind the song “Yankee Doodle”.
Nature
This month we learned about earthworms. Our February climate was not very helpful in trying to find any earthworms, but it was still fun to learn about them.
SARAH
Peaceful Preschool – Letters L, M, N
Sarah is continuously doing so well with her letters. She knows there sounds really well and is so ready to begin reading! We are both pretty excited about this next year coming up!
For Letter L we read: The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle and Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn.
She made a glitter glue L, a fun grouchy ladybug collage, cut out some hearts out of construction paper, and made a letter L page for her alphabet book.
For Letter M we read: Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman, Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans, and “The Moon” poem by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Sarah did a glitter glue M, a full moon picture and made an omelette {to celebrate Madeline in France}.
And for Letter N we read: At Night by Jonathan Bean, and Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren.
Sarah did a glitter glue N, drew a fruit with shadow, made an evergreen picture, and made GINGERSNAPS!
I was a wee bit bummed about letter N only because it suggested Christmas books and activities and we are not doing it at Christmas time. I would much rather have had activities about the letter and not have it be seasonal so we didn’t do too much with the seasonal crafts – but Sarah thought it was great to bring out some Christmas books a couple months late 😉
TGTB Language Arts
Sarah is doing so well with her preschool. She is going to soar and I cannot wait to watch.
Handwriting
Sarah is cruising through her handwriting as well. I am glad we dropped back to the Pre-K Doodle book because even though she can do her letters, I think it has really been helpful to do the exercises in that book.
Come, Follow Me
Our study of the Book of Mormon continues to just be special. I don’t know how else to put it. I am just filled with gratitude for this book and the Spirit it brings into my home and heart.
This month we were immersed in 2 Nephi. We focused on how obedience brings blessings, why we need the Atonement, the prophesies of Isaiah {Sarah did a great talk about her feelings on this}, and how Jesus Christ wants all people to come unto Him.
“He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.”
2 Nephi 26:24
Wrap Up
This month flew by in a blink! I can’t believe we have finished up February but it was good to us in many ways. We have learned and grown a lot.
Click to see an overview of Jacob’s curriculum here and Sarah’s here.
Another amazing month…well done ❤️