But we now that seem to be (mostly) on the mend, I did want to try to participate again in Susan's Virtual Curriculum Fair, but I have to be honest that this week is going to be somewhat of a cheat. It was only in October that I wrote about how much we love, love, love PAL Reading and Writing and how we are using them in our home. So the first thing I want to do is direct you to that post so you can read all about it. (Don't worry; I'll wait right here for you to return.)
There now. And every word still rings true. We are now at the start of the second semester, and we are still loving the program. Olivia finished part two of the writing and within the next week or so (once Mama has had a chance to get her stuff together and look over part three), she will begin the last portion. I have a feeling she is going to fly right through it with great enjoyment.
I gave John a little review quiz of his words last week -- one of the few schooly things we got done, and he remembered most of his words. I think after a few days he will fall right back into it as well. I am also going to spend some time with him doing specific exercises to strengthen his fine motor muscles and see if that will help him move forward with writing.
Other than that, we are still loving and using the program in exactly the same way.
I did want to share a few pages with you from Olivia's who/which project in part two. The assignment was to make an ABC book (over a period of about a month), making one page a day. She learned the who/which form and then as she made the pages we also talked about dress-ups like adjectives, -ly adverbs and strong verbs. We chose animals as her topic, since that is what we are studying in science this year.
I invite you to visit the other bloggers participating in this week’s edition of the Virtual Curriculum Fair:
Building Blocks of Education--Learning to Read by Kristi Kerr @ The Potter's Hand AcademyFinding Our Way Through Language Arts by Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool
How Does a Unit Study Teach Language Arts? by Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun
Our Language Arts Adventure by Linda @ Homeschooling6
2013 Virtual Curriculum Fair-Playing with Words: The Language Arts by Leah Courtney @ As We Walk Along the Road
Virtual Curriculum Fair-Playing with Words by Karyn @ Teach Beside Me
Virtual Curriculum Fair ~ Language Arts by Dawn @ Guiding Light Homeschool
Writing Help in a Critical Thinking book? by Missouri Mama @ Ozark Ramblings
Virtual Curriculum Fair: Foreign Language Immersion in the Homeschool by Tonia @ The Sunny Patch
Formula for Reading by Erin @ Delighting in His Richness
Words and Learning by Annette @ A Net In Time
A Custom Designed High School English Credit by Tech Wife @ A Playground of Words
Word Play by Lisa @ Golden Grasses Loving Language Arts by Kristen H. @ Sunrise to Sunset
Learning Language Arts ~ 2012-2013 School Year by Laura O in AK @ Day by Day in Our World Virtual Curriculum Fair - The Language Arts Department by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory
Playing with Words: The Language Arts by Christa Darr @ Fairfield Corner Academy: The Story of Our Life
Playing with Words: Language Arts by April @ Coffee, Cobwebs and Curriculum
What Language Arts looks like in our house - Are we doing it right? by Hillary M @ Our Homeschool Studio
Getting lost and finding our way in Language Arts by Piwi Mum @ Learning and growing the Piwi Way
Oh what a great way to use the who/which project. We have simply used the sheet-- boring. My kids always want to draw pictures to go with it and I never let them. I'm so mean! Advance! Advance! Next subject! Next thing... And so on and on... And in this new year I am changed. We lost a baby just days after we rang in the new year and that, my friend, will change everything around here. I surrender! More drawing, less charging ahead just for the sake of moving forward. It looks like Olivia has really enjoyed that wonderful project. You are a wonderful teacher, Pam! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Those things -- they do put life in perspective I have found. Olivia does love the drawing and the writing. I have a secret, though. We would write the sentence during writing time and then set it aside. For the last thing each day it would be her job to do the sentence as copy work and draw the picture. I would be free to get up and do other things. (That is why the handwriting is not as neat as it could be -- Mom wasn't watching her form the letters.) This way she could take as much time as she wanted to work on the pictures and I didn't have to be as patient about it. ;-)
DeleteI'd never heard of the who/which project.
ReplyDeleteSounds fun. :)
Stopping by from the VCF
Annette @ A Net in Time
http://anetintimeschooling.weebly.com/a-net-in-time-blog.html
Oh, what great pictures she drew!!!
ReplyDeleteI love how you did the who/which project! I think we may need to do that one again! :)
ReplyDeletefollowed you here from the homeschool blogroll
Heather
www.onlypassionatecuriosity.com
I love the ABC book. My children were never into drawing but I wish they had been. Love the memories of seeing pictures and coloring pages from years before =)
ReplyDelete