Fun Creation & Writing by Emily

Some random pictures.  Derek made the lego airplane and pipe cleaner flag.  

Emily has been practicing her writing.  I have her copy sentences, and sometimes I let her tell me the sentence she wants to copy.  This is the sentence she chose.  The big boxes between words are from her reading lesson book.  In the early lessons of the book, those boxes are used to show space between words.  She is very observant, and chose to do the boxes too.

Our Spelling Routine

About a month ago I was struggling to find a way to help my oldest learn spelling.  I needed something more flexible than a Mon-Fri routine.  Something to fit in to my Day 1-4 rotation.  I wanted something that eliminated busy work, as he gets so frustrated doing things with no purpose, like writing out words from a list he may already know how to spell.  We had tried All About Spelling, which I liked but he didn't.

One day while searching the internet, yet again, for an idea I came across a website with the perfect Spelling Curriculum.  Best part...so simple, so flexible, he loves it so much better.

I have modified the idea for our needs.  I have a simple index card file and a stack of index cards.  I have one divider to separate his daily words from his review words. I printed word lists from off the internet to use as a reference.  I have 15 words in his daily spelling pile, writing one word on each card (this number could be increased or decreased based on the child's needs and abilities). Each day I have him spell the words.  He usually spells orally, but for longer words I encourage him to write them down.  I make two piles...right & wrong.

He takes the "wrong" pile and writes out the words 5 times as he spells them out loud, and we go over the spelling.  We discuss tips for remembering the spelling, or just pointing out "how" the word is spelled...are there any special rules to remember, phonograms to remember, etc.

I take the "right" pile and put a star on the back of each, and place back in the box.  I also keep one card at the front of the box with a running list of words he spells wrong in his school writing, or words he frequently asks me to spell.

Reviewing Words: After he has 5 stars on the back of a card it is shifted to the review pile (behind a divider in the box).  As cards are removed from the daily pile I replace them with new words from my running list or printed list.  Each day I take 5 words from the review pile to have him spell.  If spelled right a tally is placed on the back.  After 5 tallies I remove it from the box entirely to save for future child.  If spelled incorrectly, he will add to his study pile (I haven't had this happen yet, so I'm not sure yet if I would add it back to the daily pile to earn another 5 stars or what...I will decide if and when he mis-spells a review word)

This has been so wonderful for us, and he remembers the words.  It is extremely flexible.  We go through a larger amount of words much more efficiently.  He isn't having to write out words every day that he already spells with confidence.  Plus, I love the simplicity!

Rainbows

For school one day we learned about rainbows.  So, for a little fun we filled a bowl up with water and placed a mirror halfway in the water.  When we shined the flashlight on it just right, we had dancing rainbows on the ceiling.  The kids really got a kick out of it.

Cooking with Sarah

I made brownies one day for fun, and Sarah wanted to help with the clean up:)  Isn't she soooo cute.

Sneaky Princess

Saturday is my grocery shopping day.  Usually, none of the kids have any desire to go, but this particular Saturday Emily decided to come.  At home she was getting her purse ready and she told me slyly she had something in her purse I wouldn't like.  I was too distracted to worry about it and I figured it must not be that bad if she was telling me about it.

On the way to the store at one point I looked back, and she was all dressed up in jewelry, her crown, and talking on her phone.  It was so funny.  She knew if she put it all on before leaving the house, I would have made her take most of it off.  This way, it was just so funny that I let her wear it.  What a sweet, silly little girl I have.