This March…well, what is there to say? We all feel it. Whatever it is we are feeling…we are feeling a lot nowadays.

Despite all of the uncertainty, I was really grateful this month, that despite some extra activities for the kids and church attendance being put on hold, the vast majority of our lives stayed the same. We had the opportunity to just continue doing what we were doing here at home, and I am grateful for that. My heart goes out to all of the families who are now trying to navigate “school at home” on top of everything else that is going on.

But this month felt like a bit of a roller coaster ride looking back on it – and not just because of COVID-19. The beginning of the month was FILLED with appointments for Lydia and then once things settled down with that the COVID-19 hit all of us. And even though homeschool is well established in our life – I felt like there were days where I was only up to doing some school and others days where hardly any happened. And that’s okay. This is part of why we do what we do.

JACOB

Language Arts

Jacob continues to review once a week his phonics cards and sight words. He has also mastered ALL of his spelling charts for the year and we are simply going through his lists again and reviewing where he needs it.

He also memorized his third poem for the year – Giraffes by Mary Ann Hoberman.

“I like them.

Ask me why.

Because they hold their heads so high.

Because their necks stretch to the sky.

Because they’re quiet, calm, and shy.

Because they run so fast they fly.

Because their eyes are velvet brown.

Because their coats are spotted tan.

Because they eat the tops of trees.

Because their legs have knobby knees.

Because

Because

Because. That’s why

I like giraffes.

“The Llama Who Had No Pajama” by Mary Ann Hoberman

This month we covered poetry, past, present, and future tenses, prefixes and suffixes, open syllables, homophones, reviewed diagramming sentences, spelling rules, and OL, TCH, and DGE words.

For geography we talked about different types of maps (specifically climate and road maps) as well as learned about the compass rose.

We also did a lesson on art appreciation.

AND we did quite a bit of reading. We read several short stories and I gave Jacob a reading challenge. He picked three different historical fiction books and read those and really enjoyed them. They were all by Clyde Robert Bulla – he picked: Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims, Three Dollar Mule, and Pirates Promise.

Now, we are reading The Beatinest Boy by Jesse Stuart together, and we both love it.

Handwriting

Jacob is in the home stretch with his handwriting! He should finish his copywork book next month.

Read Aloud

We finished up A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett and it was just as lovely as I remembered it. Such a powerful story and one that I love.

Next we read two books that came together in a set: Susie and Lizzie by May Justus. These were REALLY quick reads. We read Susie in one day, and I think Lizzie only took us two. But they are sweet little books.

Now we are reading Five Children and It by E. Nesbit. This is a new one for me too, and sometimes I like it more than others, but Jacob thinks it is hilarious and overall I am enjoying it too.

Math

We started Level 2 of math and it is going so well. It’s definitely starting to challenge Jacob more – which is good!

Our first unit is about geometry and measurement {but the math curriculum is spiral so we cycle through lots of different material}. This month we covered: lines, addition strategies, horizontal and vertical lines, missing numbers, cardinal directions and coordinates, counting by 3s, angles and shapes, taking away nine, word problems, subtracting from eleven, parallelograms, subtracting from twelve, solving for unknowns, and inches, feet, and yards.

One NEW thing about this level, is that there are lessons highlighting different mathematicians. And the first one was about Our Creator being the master mathematician. It was such a beautiful lesson. I love being able to talk about math and why it is important – even to Our Creator.

Click here to see my review of Level 1 Math.

History

We are still learning about Colonial America. It has been so much fun – and is easily my favorite subject.

This month we talked about the Puritans, Thomas Hooker, Roger Williams, William Penn, James Oglethorpe, what everyday life was like in Colonial Times, the thirteen colonies, and are now focusing some time on Benjamin Franklin.

Amazing.

We have learned so much. We haven’t been able to do as many activities as I would have liked {trying to do my part by only getting necessities right now} but we still have squeezed in some. Make Johnny Cakes and our own butter was a highlight for Jacob!

We are also still reading William Bradford: Pilgrim Boy by Bradford Smith. It’s been such an inspiration story and perfect for Jacob’s age.

Science

This month we finished up our unit on marine biology. It was fantastic. Honestly, one of my favorite units we have ever done. You can read my entire review here.

We have now moved on to our BOTANY unit. We are just getting into it, but so far we have learned about what botany is, the life cycle of a plant and the different parts of a plant.

We are currently growing some green beans in our window and it is the kids favorite thing to check on them throughout the day and first thing in the morning!

Typing

Typing took a BIG blow this month. It just hardly happened at all. But Jacob did add the letters Y and P to his letter bank and he was pretty excited about that.

Music

We are continuing our study of the Classical Era. This month we talked about Piano Sonatina in C Major, Op. 36. No. 1 by Muzio Clementi. We spent a lot of time talking about Clementi and his influence on the Pianoforte and Modern Day Piano playing.

We also studied Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. We will be learning about quite a few of his pieces, but we studied his Papageno/Papgena Duet from The Magic Flute and that was a lot of fun to get into some opera!

Civics

Do you remember that blah feeling I was having about civics? Well, it’s still there. I don’t know why I can’t just stop it {because I am not planning on using a separating civics curriculum next yet}. Probably just feeling like I payed for it therefore I need to use it up – but it’s not very enjoyable for me. Jacob, on the other hand, likes it, so that’s good.

This month we discussed the Pledge of Allegiance, The Star-Spangled Banner, My Country, ‘Tis of Thee, and are focusing a lot of time about America’s pioneers.

SARAH

Peaceful Preschool – Letters O, P, Q, R, S

Sarah is so easy to teach. Every time I tell her it is her turn, she comes yelling, “I LOVE LEARNING!“ We are crossing our fingers BIG TIME that that continues.

For Letter O we read: Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall, Orange in January by Diana Hutts Aston, and Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell.

Sarah did a glitter glue O, some watercoloring, citrus fruit drawing, and baked some sugar cooking.

For Letter P we read: The Story of Ping by Marjorie Flack, The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, and The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston.

Sarah did a glitter glue P, handprint duck picture, and made some popcorn balls.

For Letter Q we read: Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine by Gloria Whelan, The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, and the story of Esther.

Sarah made a glitter glue Q, a crown, painted a picture of a queen, and made a quilt out of paper!

For Letter R we read: Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran and Red Riding Hood retold by James Marshall.

Sarah made a glitter glue R and watercolored.

And finally, for Letter S we read: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and Stone Soup by Marcia Brown.

Sarah made a glitter glue S, hot chocolate, and a snowy day collage.

TGTB Language Arts

Sarah is in the final leg of her preschool curriculum and has done incredibly well. I am excited to get her going in her primer book and get this girl reading – she is SO excited!

Handwriting

Sarah’s handwriting continues to go well! She loves it and if I let her could probably do the entire book in two days!

Family Studies

Come, Follow Me

Our study of The Book of Mormon continues to be wonderful. We finished up our study of 2 Nephi and then moved into Jacob, Enos, Jarom, Omni, and Words of Mormon.

We also spent some time talking about General Conference and the lives of the prophet and apostles.

Our focus this month was on how to gain eternal life {we talked A LOT about baptism since this year Jacob will have that opportunity}, not to be prideful, how we can be missionaries and help gather Israel, and how Heavenly Father will answer our prayers.

“…For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.”

2 Nephi 31:17

Wrap Up

This month was A LOT of learning and growing and stretching but not in all of the usual “academic” ways. We are grateful to have the opportunity to make our home a special place. A place of love and learning.

A full list of Jacob’s curriculum found here and Sarah’s curriculum here.