Luckily Dill came in ready to get going on school for some reason. He took his summer packet into my room and came out about an hour later having finished 7 pages!! It took us about a half an hour to make corrections, but still, great effort! Made me stop and think - what is the purpose of these summer packets they send home? Are they trying to assess what the kids have mastered vs what they are still having trouble with? In that case I shouldn't be helping him correct mistakes and get the work done correctly. Or is this work that they should already know how to do and they don't want them to lose their skills over the summer? In that case there are a few things in there that Dill seems never to have learned about - like decimals. Not knowing what they want, I'm just going to help him get them done correctly and hope that's what they are expecting. Today he did a great job!
After that he went right to working on the computer to review his states and capitols.
Flossie went heavy on the glue for her collage! When I was teaching preschool years ago, there were some teachers who would never give the kids glue bottles themselves. Only the teacher would put the glue on because of course the kids would use too much or make a mess. My philosophy was always SO WHAT! They have to be able to experiment and practice with the glue if they are going to learn how to use it. You can be there to explain how much should be used, you can model, you can get special glue tips that only let out a few drops at a time, but when you turn your back, there will always be a little pond of glue. It's ok. They are learning. It cleans up. It's not that expensive. Have fun with it!
After Noodley time, we had to take Scout to theater camp and then had to again stop at the store for milk for lunch, something for snack, and something for dinner. Uggh! I need to win the lottery! I am sooooooooooooooooooooo broke! After we got home and had snack, the boys worked on their states some more testing each other with flash cards. The little kids took out their work boxes and did some work on their own. Jem read his phonics book to Flossie. He is blowing through them right now. I think he might be a reader now! :)
No sooner did we do all this then it was time to take Bella to work. Seems like we just get our momentum going and we have to stop and do shuttle service. But such is life. So we all piled into the van and off we went. In the car we did a little carschooling. Jem and Dill got quizzed on their times tables and states and capitals. Freddie got quizzed on some easy addition problems, and Flossie counted how many fingers I was holding up. By the time we got home it was time for lunch and naps.
While the babies slept we finished our reading work. Jem cranked out another phonics book and Dill read another chapter in Boxcar Children. It was quieter today when he read and he did a better job of retelling it back to me. Maybe he should get some cheap earplugs to use when he reads! The distractions just maybe make it too hard for him to focus and concentrate. Whatever works!
Once Naptime was over and we picked up Scout from camp we did what everyone had been waiting for - made Noodle Necklaces!! Not sure why the older kids were so jazzed about this but they were. Jem asked if it was really 2nd grade work and I said no not really. He said, "Then why are you taking a picture of me?" "So I can use it if I ever need it for blackmail of course," I said. At that point he jumped out of my picture :) BUT, he kept on making necklaces. The big boys actually seemed to have as much fun as the little guys.
Guess that's about it for today. I feel that wonderful headache pounding at the sides of my temples once again, so I think it's time for Wendy's Wonder Wrap again! Until tomorrow . . .
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