WR: Memory, Logic, Discussion.

Phonics/ Reading/ Read-Alouds- Flower is 2 lessons away from finishing AlphPhonics. I'm having her read through the older lessons and she is doing so with ease and skill. She read 2 paragraphs from Little House on the Prairie this week, too -woohoo! Cub read Mr. Revere and I and was disappointed when it was over. I've been reading Little House on the Prairie out loud - again. It's still wonderful.
Feche-boy finished the Omni II intro to Beowulf. Cub keeps insisting that this is THE story to do for drama camp.
KB read aloud the Shakespeare selection for the week, complete with voices.

Math- introduced subtraction on Monday. Flower freaked, cried and claimed that she couldn't do it. At bedtime we went over simple subtraction using my fingers and she's been whizzing through subtraction ever since. Math memory has included square, cubes, primes to 100, common measurements, months of the year. It's coming along. Cub is working on memorizing multiplication facts. He has skip counting down, but I want it memorized. It's getting easier for him. Viking Man worked with FB & KB this week on Saxon math. They are both feeling like they are mastering it, even if they don't like it. Of course, Viking Man takes every opportunity to show the kids the astronomy picture of the Day, relate that to math, which inevitably leads to a discussion on apologetics or what is happening on the front page of the Jerusalem Post or any manner of other things. The kids come down from our upstairs office full of happy-being-mentored-I-love-my-geek-Dad smiles. It's so good.
Grammar- Introduced Verbs from the Grammar Catechism, from Living Memory a couple of weeks ago. We've done nouns, adjectives, pronouns and now the verb sections- about 10 pages in all. It's so daunting to start a huge memory work like this- for me anyway, but we are getting through it. We are understanding grammar in a new and deeper way. We are owning it, and it's made all the difference in Latina Christiana II for Feche-boy. Cub continues to do Shurley grammar worksheets. FB & KB worked on their IEW theme book assignments, which are, of course, excellent.
Logic- Traditional Logic II. It was an easier week. The kids watch a lesson at the beginning of the week and then have 4-5 lessons to complete. Another lesson down. It's been going slower because the lessons are getting harder. Thank-you Memoria Press and Martin Cothran and Leigh Lowe for their vision and hard work. We are so blessed to have their materials available.
LCII- watch the video, get the work done, practice vocab, and grammar. KB and FB spent a lot of time during vocab memory work insulting each other in Latin. Viking Man was working at home and came down to tell me how impressed he was that they knew enough to throw around insults! Of course Latin sayings- this week- Fronits nulla fides: Place no trust in appearances. Amen to that.
Christian Studies II- read 3 lessons this week. The Bible reading is longer, we're slowing down.
History Sentences- we have all 24 CC sentences memorized. We take great joy in singing them LOUDLY and as goofily as possible. And believe me, we can do goofy.
Listened to Andrew Pudewa's CD this week on Redeeming our Educational Paradigm. Led to many interesting discussions about leadership and education. Also read a couple of profound articles on education in the latest Memoria Press Classical Educator.
Spent 2 afternoons with Anne's this week, booth of whom I cherish as friends, both who have as wacky a sense of humor as me, or at least laugh at my jokes. The kids had a blast playing and it was good to get out of the house. We love you guys!!
Went to Maundy Thursday service last night, which was very touching and enriching. There were different stations set up- communion, giving, to pray for family, to pray for one's own sins and lay them at the cross. The notsolittles were very invested in going to each station and participating. The music was powerful. It was good to be in the house of the Lord with fellow believers.
We also had a simple discussion and nice meal together over Peasch, watched Joseph, King of Dreams and everyone tried to one-up each other on memory work regarding the plagues, Moses, etc.
Cub and Flower are watching 300 Titans, which ties in to the Pudewa discussion on the training of Spartans - they truly believed in getting the kids young to be trained in a compound. This was the way to insure a powerful society. Conformity, commitment, etc. Great discussion on TWTM boards about a move the Secretary of Ed is proposing, which of course, brought more discussion into the home about education. I've decided that we are not non-traditionalists, but neo-traditionalist, any way I define it I think my kids are ruined on "normal."
Tomorrow school will consist of gardening, seeds, starts and dirt. My kinda day. Hope your week was productive and full of JOY.