Learning Moments {Week 2}

Last week, we dove into Unit 2 of Bigger Hearts for His Glory and doubled up on History, Science, Bible, and Poetry our first day so we could take a day trip this week. Eliana was tired our first morning from staying up late the night before while visiting friends, so we did some extra Storytime on the couch before finishing the right side of the guide. Doubling up and starting slow still had us finishing by 2:00, with an hour long lunch break.

In Science, we continued with One Small Square: Seashore.


On the Shore

Between the Tides



She did lesson 28 in AAR, and we started Lesson 14 in AAS. Reading had her writing clues for a "What Am I?" guessing game: "I have a short tale, I have small legs, I have a small nose, what am I?" {a bunny}, and she spelled her words with tiles today. Tomorrow we will spell on paper and do dictation. She did another page in her handwriting. 

For History, we continue to learn about Columbus and his pride that resulted in his fall to disgrace. Our character trait, humility, tied in wonderfully. 

Our poem this week is about being adventurous. Elli liked it because she is adventurous.


She also learned to recognize the ABAB pattern in a poem.

Day 2 (Days 3 & 4), we doubled up again so we could take Friday off. It was doable, but we got a late start and didn't finish until 3 with an hour break for lunch. Malachi and Bo even sat in on her experiment. And Malachi has been sitting in on her Storytime this week.

We read about John Cabot and now that she knows what is expected of her for narration, she pauses me while I am reading to tell me what she remembers so she doesn't forget. :) I really like the narration prompts in the book when we are done.

Looking up definitions in this... 


I've wanted one for years and ordered it to go along with Prairie Primer, but am putting it to good use with Bigger Hearts! It's not a modern dictionary, so I will have to pull one out to teach her how to look up words in a modern dictionary, but she's still learning how to look up words. 

And this week she wrote her own sentences. :) 

Science was reading about the seashore and our experiment was exploring how birds' beaks help them get their food.


I didn't have a clothespin, so I substituted another tool.  




Yeah, the boys were all into it with the various tools. 



She did a weeks worth of lessons in her math in one day (finished Lesson 2 and made it to Day 4 on Lesson 3).

We doubled up on Spelling (spelled on paper + dictation) so I did not do reading today. I usually do 2-3 reading lessons per week, and 1 spelling lesson per week, depending on how they correlate.

Art - admittedly, I didn't have wax paper to do the lesson for Day 4, so she used a white crayon and then water colored over her underwater scene.



There is a big whale in the lower third with the tail going up to the top, then other sea creatures in the upper third. (Kind of hard to see). 

Day 5


Working on the Timeline. 

Day 5 Science experiment: Which helps objects to float better - fresh water or salt water? Why?

All About Reading Lesson 29 ~ This "What's for Dinner" activity was silly fun. 


(My camera lens is broken so I am shooting completely manual - as in manual focus AND lighting, which is hard and explains why my photos are either out of focus or too bright). 

Fluency practice ~ still always a challenge, but she is completing them in one sitting now. It's the overwhelming feeling of so many words that discouraged and mentally wearied her today, but once she got started, she finished in good time.   

I hesitate to post that last photo because a homeschool mom made a comment on the Bigger HOD board about Eliana looking "super tired or unhappy" in my Week 1 post. My daughter has always had a very serious look when doing school - ESPECIALLY subjects that are hard for her or require lots of thought. These subjects are usually Math, Reading, and Writing (that's a lot of ground). I think she looks very happy when she is not deep in thought. She is a very sweet, and a very carefree girl who never wants to grow up. ♥ 

But, I'm trying not to let that discourage me from keeping it real! 

And that's a wrap on our Bigger week. 

On our first day off this week, we drove to Gillette to meet a homeschool family from southern Wyoming. We spent the afternoon visiting and then took the kids swimming. 

On our 2nd day off, I had a new homeschool mom over to talk homeschool for 4 hours and helped her figure out what won't work for her (everything I have, LOL), but that's GOOD! After lunch, we baked a moon cake for a new moon celebration for the Biblical new year, and then met another homeschool family at the park to play and visit for 2 hours. My homeschool heart was full! Then we took the whole family out for dinner (something we rarely ever do because it costs $100 at a country kitchen style restaurant to feed us). 

It was fun to have some extra time off this week, but I wouldn't want to double up like this every week.

Bo worked on LaLaLogic this week, but I need to make up a lesson for Artistic Pursuits. Our next lesson involves play-dough, but I was too tired to make a batch.

Malachi did great in all of his subjects. He got his work done each day without me telling him, which was really nice. (I usually have to remind him).

Dylan was home sick almost all week - he missed 3 1/2 days of school. Nathan then got sick, too. After several days of being sick, Nathan finally asked me for essential oils to help him get well (I offered all week, but they don't like them like I do! Teen boys!). They also started high school soccer this week. It was a crazy week for them with getting physicals in and practices and then them getting sick. Thankfully, they are on spring break this coming week, and can rest up a little (before soccer practice).

I am really enjoying the sunny, warm, and spring-like weather this week. It makes me feel so good. I am trying really hard to reduce my stress because of an article I read on the link between stress, low thyroid, inflammation, and your gut. Thinking I may add some GAPS foods into my diet (thinking mostly bone broth, stewed meats, and veggies cooked in broth or fermented) and get back on plan more consistently with Trim Healthy Mama.

Thanks for reading! 

12 comments

  1. I remember doing alllll those things :) Some folks don't like the OSS books, but my boys loved them. What a great week!

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    1. Tara, I like them! Wish I could have taken this one with us to the tide pools on the Oregon beach to really make our own square. I think I will like the Woods one much better since we have woods close to us. Your comments are encouraging because you've btdt! After *this* busy week, I'm even more thankful for Bigger - it was more of a challenge to get school done! We just barely finished Unit 3 this afternoon and I did 3 days of science in one. Really appreciate the guide as it is written even more, phew!

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  2. What a great week. I always am impressed with the look of concentration on your daughters face. It is nice that she takes her learning so seriously.
    Blessings, Dawn

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  3. Always love reading your blog. I enjoy seeing what your children and you are up to in school and life in general. Thanks for keeping it real too. :)

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    1. So happy you are reading along, Christine, and can appreciate the realness. :) Thank you!

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  4. Your kids do so well with coloring and drawing. It would be nice if my boys made their HOD notebooks look so pretty and worth saving. I do save them but it would be nice if they'd add more details and such.

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    1. So thankful for the instructions in the guide! I only require what the guide suggests, but she does like to draw more than write. :)

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  5. I've not read a blog in FOREVER but here I am reading yours. Feeling sad and happy all at once. Miss you beautiful woman! Your children are amazing and gorgeous as always. Sending my love,
    Lusi xx

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    1. Hi Lusi! I haven't been on IG in awhile and not even sure if I remember my password. Miss you too, friend!!! Wait... eeep! Are you BLOGGING?!! :D

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  6. Hi Michelle! Quick question about MLFLE.... We are using books 1,2 & 3 this next year. With book 3 is it recommended that we also buy the math copywriting book? I read somewhere that it was recommended, yet our books will soon arrive to Israel, and it will take another month or so to get the additional book.... Do you think the math books, standing alone are a complete curriculum? I felt that they would be enough, but now I'm unsure! Also, have you done a review of Math Lessons before? I would love to read your review of it! Thank you!! Blessings!!

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    1. I have the Math Facts for Copywork book, but it really is so simple that you needn't rely on it. Plus it is a little while before it starts. Even so, you could skip it and just have them copy math facts on paper - pick a systematic order to follow and have them copy 10-15 math facts per day (I have Elli copy each one 3 times). That's all the book is - a list of math facts to copy. You could also do flash cards or another method to help drill math facts. I like the copywork, and I like having the book, but you can get by without it for sure. :) The math books are complete - the drill is to help learners memorize the facts, but there is plenty of review as well. I'm willing to guess that it will not be included in the new editions coming out since the author is republishing on her own and not through Queen. Hope that helps!

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