Weekly Wrap Up

In our homeschool this week...
My boys participated in the local talent show at the elementary school. My husband joined them for a few entries. The "main event" was posted here, but the following videos are where my sons actually SANG while they played. A new milestone.

My boys also did presentations at home this week.
Our 5th grader presented about the Bill of Rights to the rest of the family (in a kinesthetic, fun way that might help little brother remember it). The fact that it involved dart guns made it that much more enjoyable.
Our 3rd grader taught his older brother about the scientific classification of animals (with a bit of inspiration from this link). He finished up the lesson by making his brother come up with his own mnemonic to remember the scientific categories.
The categories for classification are: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
So, big brother came up with this mnemonic:
Khaki Pants Constrict Old Fat Geezers Sometimes.
We've been laughing at that all week. Consider the order remembered.

Things I'm working on...
I also discovered a history website with timeline figurines I can print. They have all kinds of collections from different time periods.

Source: etc.usf.edu via Becky on Pinterest

I am making a card game out of the figures.
On one side will be the picture and the name of the character and on the others side will be the picture and a date.
We each get 5 cards placed face up in front of us. (with no dates showing)
Then, one card will get put in the middle of the table (date showing).
Each player will then take turns and place a card from their line of cards onto the timeline.
"Does it occur before or after the event/people/invention already in the middle of the table?"
If they guess wrong, they put their card back and draw a new card from the pile.
Once there are multiple cards in the middle of the table, it gets difficult. Events can happen before, after, or between events.
The first person that gets rid of their cards wins!
This is NOT my own concept. It is based on the timeline game that I bought.

Source: boardgamegeek.com via Becky on Pinterest

In my life this week...
At the breakfast table this week, I announced:
"Learning is a lifelong activity. It's not just something that happens in school - and since little brother forgot nearly EVERY SINGLE ONE of his multiplication facts last summer, we will continue reviewing and learning over the next few months. Don't worry, it will only be a little each day. A timed math drill here, an game of adjective eye-spy there..."
(you'll notice that I didn't mention writing - that would have been my downfall.)

They didn't even flinch. They just sat there with quizzical looks on their faces.
I think big brother was wondering how HE (with his extraordinary memory) was being lumped into my plan...and yet, he was torn - because he kind of LIKES learning.
Little brother was the one who shocked me. No complaints?
He REALLY doesn't want to forget how to multiply AGAIN.
(Oh, and long division! Let's not even think of having to RElearn long division.)

So there we sat. All in agreement. We would do a few minutes of school each day - just like we spend time reading our Bibles, doing our chores, and brushing our teeth.

It went so well...I might even up the ante.
I think I have come up with a BRILLIANT plan.
(I only hope it works as well as I keep daydreaming that it will.)
I am making a file folder full of writing "opportunities" where the boys can MAKE MONEY if they complete a writing assignment. We'll see how this goes...