--World War 2 leaders were researched and memorized, spelling words were reviewed, grammar pages were completed, many comic strips were created--
--butterflies were fed, and we even found that elusive honeybee for our Citizen Scientist project! As always, Monday's tidy workspace looked like this by Friday:
Nevertheless, by the end of the week both kids were notably less enthusiastic about our work than they've been in the past three weeks, so I decided to shake things up by declaring this week a Project Week.
I've given each kid a log for each day this week, with entries that challenge them to find their own math activity, to read something interesting and to watch something interesting, to create or build or engineer something, to do something outside, to independently choose a helpful chore, and to write down something that they've learned. I'll be on hand, of course, to assist with projects and offer options when asked, but I'm curious to see how each kid will design her own school day within these parameters.
Combined with our usual extracurriculars, a playdate or two, and a day at the Children's Museum, I think it'll be a great week!
And whether the week turns into a fabulously-enriching curriculum of each child's choice, or a simple week's vacation, I think it'll be just the break that we need to look at next Monday's schoolwork with refreshed minds that are ready to focus.
2 comments:
It's always good to be able to see that this need a bit of a shake up. We did great with the first two weeks of school, but kind of fizzed out on the last two days of week three. The goal this week is to finish up last weeks school work and take a "field trip" on Wednesday (probably hiking somewhere with trees). Not sure the likely hood of getting much done though, because right now she is outside playing with the neighborhood kids.
On the plus side, all the kids in the neighborhood go back to school either this week or next week, so the mid-day doorbell ringing should be down considerably.
It has been a wonderful week so far! The kids have been choosing a lot of really cool activities, and we've been spending some great quality time together.
I LOVE catch-up weeks!
Post a Comment