Friday, March 18, 2016

Homeschool - A Week in Review - The One with the Renaissance

Wow - it's been a while since I did a homeschool daily life kind of post.  This has been my favorite homeschool year ever, but I'm kind of sad because I haven't documented it with pictures like I normally do.  At the beginning of the year, Boo kept asking me why I wasn't taking pictures of our homeschool day anymore because she LOVES looking back at them on my blog.   I'm not really sure why I haven't, probably because I have homeschooled differently this year compared to the past.  I have become more schole´ in my approach to be sure.  I think in years past, some of my picture taking has been to prove to myself, the world, my family - who knows - that we can actually do this homeschool thing well.  I don't feel that pressure anymore.   It doesn't have to be perfect with all the little boxes checked off (though ironically we still use checklists), we enjoy our learning more.  We take time to wonder in all that learning can encompass and I don't feel the need to document every little thing we do.  But since Boo asked specifically for some pictures from this year - I thought we would take at least a week and try to capture the flavor of our homeschool days in fourth grade so we would always remember them!   Funny how when you take the pressure off of yourself and simply allow yourself to be in God's will, knowing full well He has called us to homeschooling and He will equip us for the journey, the best and most amazing things can and will happen.  

 Boo has been counting down her Veritas Press history cards until she could study the Renaissance - the week has finally arrived! 


 Brody may or may not have enjoyed the Renaissance as much as Boo.


 We developed some more sewing skills when Harmony bear needed minor surgery.
 Some of our March memory work...

Dancing while reciting memory work is helpful and fun! 
Boo attended the Daddy Daughter Dance this past weekend where she received her crown - she has been wearing it all week long - you go girl - you're a daughter of THE KING and don't you forget it! 

 Working on elocution in Rhetoric. 
 Grammar is always a favorite part of our day - she is a lean mean grammar machine. 

 In science we are studying plant life so we have several different seeds growing to observe. 


 We have to get creative sometimes on how to keep a playful puppy entertained while doing school work.  Belts attached to chairs buy us a little bit of time.  It's just like having a toddler in the house!




 The Exploratory Latin Exam happened this week! Boo had been looking forward to that for quite a while.  She said it was super easy - always a good sign. 

Some Shakespeare reading during Morning Basket. 

We ran across a fun story about moles during morning basket one day so we had a little impromptu lesson on moles!



Critical thinking during read-aloud time.
 Recess break during beautiful sunny spring days...



 Spring sprung up all around us!



 The days got warmer as the week went by and we ended up doing lots of our studies on the deck.
 Boo found a new friend and we may or may not have had an entire conversation with that spotted little friend.   We took lots of time to wonder and marvel at her color, spots, and home in our blueberry bush potted on the deck.  Boo named her Lady.



 We said goodbye and got back to our reading...
 Only to discover her still hanging around on the blueberry bush the next day!! Hello Friend!! 

 Baby joins in singing the history song, whether he wants to or not.

 Seeds are coming up nicely! 


And a bit of car-schooling happened somewhere along the way - 
Hope you had a great homeschool week too! 

Linking up to Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers and the Hip Homeschool Hop this week.

Hip Homeschool Moms