Session 1: I have them count the beads on every row of this little abacus, confirming that every row has ten.  If an abacus isn't available this step could be skipped and go straight to some other manipulative like my magnetic marbles a few steps down. 

Session 2: Again with the abacus we begin dividing the "tens" in each row into "different kinds of tens" We count them, counting the two parts of each ten and then recounting that the whole row is indeed still ten.  When this has been verified, we then do a little chant as she touches the groups of beads,

Chant:

9,1:10;

8,2:10;

7,3:10;

6, 4: 10;

5,5: 10;

5,5: 10;

4,6: 10;

3,7: 10;

2,8: 10;

1, 9: 10; 

Session 3:

Substituting magnetic marbles for the abacus we again make groups to match our chant.

Session 4: As a child points to each section of each ten, we do the chant again, going faster each time to make it a game.  Sometimes I say it and demonstrate, sometimes I have one of the children chant solo, and sometimes we go through the list in unison.   

 Session 5:  (The wee ones are feeling mathish so we have several sessions in a day.)   This time they help set up the groups.   I get out 9 and ask, "What does this need to be a 10?" Keianna (or maybe Keegan) answers, "1".  Then they may get out a contrasting marble.

Once we've formed the tens by adding up, we will do our chant.  The chant changes this time though, and we add in addition termonology!   Instead of just saying, "9,1; 10" we change to "9 plus 1 equals 10" and so on...

 
Session 6: Again I have them count to verify that each set is ten.  (Easier to count if break the circles into rows.)  They count, and then break the groups into the two parts.  They will now touch each part as they say the chant, touching the 9 marbles as they say, "nine" then touching the single marble and saying, "plus one", then touching both togher and saying "ten".  We continue through all the groups.

Session 7: At this point I introduce numeral symbols instead of just the concrete numbers. I simply have them match up numerals to the dot values.  Somehow they knew the numerals already, so it was a short lesson.

Session 8: Now it is time for subtraction.  we separate the contrasting marbles, but keep them near their partners and again do our chant, but this time saying, "10 minus 9 is one; 10 minus 8 is 2; 10 minus 7 is 3" and so on first with the larger number first, then back the other way touching (and saying) the smaller number first.

Session 9:  Now for the chalkboard!  I write a chart of our chant.  I tap the chart while we go through it backward and  forward.  Sometimes we just say the numbers (like the first chant), sometimes with "plus" for addition, sometimes with tapping the 10 on top first, and doing subtraction.  We go through it until it is firmly set, usually just 10 minutes or so because really it is the same thing we'd drilled with abacus and marbles already.

Session 10: Finally I begin erasing numerals and drilling the children on "what was here?" as I erase a single numeral.  Then we run the chart with that numeral missing.  When it is solid, I erase another, tapping all the empty  holes saying, "What goes here?"  Again, we then run the chant with my tapping the chart.  Then we erase another numeral and so on until the chart is a blank tree.  I then drill them tapping just the blank tree a few times a day for a week or two to make sure it is set. 

Additonally, I'll tap the chart as I call out the random facts, calling "10-8" and then tapping the place the "2" would go, I wait for a child to call out, "two!".   

After that, we move on and do the same thing for the 9 chart, 8 chart, 7 chart and on down to 2.  We go through the same steps--marbles and all. (Except after the 10 chart, we skip the abacus in steps 1& 2 and the numeral cards in step 7.).  Usually long before we get to the two chart the child has predicted, "I know what the 2 chart will be, Mommy!  One, One Two!"  They catch on to the pattern pretty quickly.

Once they know all the charts (hence all the addition and subtraction facts up through sums of 10), they are ready to zip through a first grade math text--mostly just doing the text to acquaint themselves with written math.

------------------------------------------------

*Note: The abacus and marble adaptations are my own, but the chart idea came from the Professor B Math Curriculum.  I used Professor B with Kaira for several years, and retained a few aspects in my teaching for the youngers.

In just two weeks we planned to study the first hot air balloon flight in 1783. Our study (part of our Tapestry of Grace journey) was to focus on the exhibition in Versailles in September. At this demonstration the Montgolfier brothers launched a balloon with a small crew of barnyard animals.

(Another math book, that is)

This time it is Kaira who finished off the last lesson and took the triumphal march to the dumpster.  (They love this tradition.) 

Having disposed of the math book, we celebrated with our usual student-teacher lunch on the town. 

She was so excited she could barely stay in her chair.  (Of course, this is Kaira--who has a hard time sitting in her chair regardless.)
 

After lunch we lingered to walk the sidewalks downtown and  see the flowers in bloom.  Such a lovely afternoon!

Kaira just brought this to me.  They've been having so much fun with our Haiku adventure.  This one makes me smile. 

All around the ground

Like a little noisy train,

Kieran chugs, chugs, chugs.

-Kaira

We've been reading, studying and trying our hands at writing Haiku this week.  After years of my teaching the girls to write in complete sentences, they find it counter intuitive to elevate image over conventional prose syntax.  Haiku is a great  exercise in painting word pictures and seeing things from a different angle.
  

We talked about the 5, 7, 5 rule and counting syllables being a more western adaptation, and a bit stilted.  Evidently Japanese sound-bits (um... not the technical term...I don't remember what they are really called...) are shorter than our syllables, and many serious Haiku writers shun the 17 syllable form they consider the bane of classroom Haiku.  Still, we did some 5, 7, 5 rhythms.  They give nice cadence--and structure can sometimes free creativity rather than bind it. 

Here's a few of their first attempts.  (It should be fun to watch them grow through the summer!):

Harp sweet and peaceful,

Like birds chirping with the wind

making my heart dance.

-Kaira

Spring dandelion

Beauty, reflecting the sun;

My sister Kendra.

-Kaira

 Stars Twinkling

In sky so deep, so dark

Is God's Creation.

-Kendra

I used some of the teaching tips from The Haiku Handbook and we thoroughly enjoyed reading Haiku on Your Shoe together.  Haiku on Your Shoe is a charming story about friendship, cultures, and how God melts the ice barriers to bind hearts together.  (Images below link to the books.)

And just for fun: Kieran amid the dandelions:

After I read aloud Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride, we enjoyed listening to this NPR clip.  Historian Jane Triber (I know nothing about her outside this broadcast) reads the poem, then discusses the liberties Longfellow took in departure from the historical facts.  The girls enjoyed this immensely and want to listen again. 

While in the "online audio" mode, we also enjoyed Patrick Henry's famous speach at Kids Learn Out Loud.  This speech is free, but take the time to add it to your cart.  The cost is $ 0.00.  There isn't a catch, and you can easily click to not even get email mailings.  If you don't add it to your cart, but just do the sample you only get part of the speech, which isn't at all satisfactory.  If you download from the cart you get the whole thing free, clear up to his famous concluding declaration, "I know not what course others may take; but as for me,  give me liberty of give me death."  Naturally the children want to hear this one again too.  Sure!  Why not?

Ken's been on afternoon shift more than midnights or days lately, and I've somehow resisted reworking our schedule.  Perhaps I wasn't trusting the shift to "stay put."  I'm sure he'll bounce shifts a bit, but it looks like it is going to be his default shift for the present. 

This printed sheet seldom gets looked at after a week or so, because it just becomes our routine and is usually pretty close to what we've fallen into naturally.  Still, it helps so much to have it on paper somewhere. 

Ah, beautiful!  It feels good to have things readjusted!

Today Kaira was excitedly anticipating our end-of-unit activities which will wrap up 8 weeks of Tapestry of Grace.

She chattered eagerly about making parkin, cornhusk dolls, a talking feather, maple sugar candy, hardtack, and a host of other things we’ve been planning.  Oddly, Kendra didn’t seem to share her enthusiasm.    With an Eyore-look she said,  "I don’t want to get to the end of the unit.   It will be all gone!   I like reading so many books and learning the people."

Her mood soon brightened.  Kaira--motioning to the next thick binder up on the shelf--reassured her, "After this unit we get to do the next unit!  And after that another!   We just get richer and richer!"

We tease Kaira that for math and handwriting (two subjects that must be done at the table) we might resort to duct tape to keep her in her chair.

Fortunately for her, not all her work is true seat-work. Supplemental reading for our history studies can be done wherever she chooses. "Where she chooses" is usually half in--and half out--of bed. As her bed is the top of a triple high bunk-bed, this ends up being an interesting position.

Really, we do have comfy chairs in the livingroom, love seats in the study, and even a little child-sized rocker in the girl’s room. For that matter she’d be welcome to get entirely up on the bed.

Ever since Kaira and Kendra finished  First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind (Levels 1&2), I’ve been quagmired in a swamp of indecision, searching for a nonexistent blend of Classical and Charlotte Mason.  I've determined that there simply isn’t a curriculum that does both to my specifications.

After scrutinizing Rod and Staff, First Language Lessons Level 3, Primary Language Lessons, Jenkins, and a few others, I’ve reached a verdict! Drumroll....

The winner is.... Language Lessons For the Elementary Child (By Sandi Queen). (Just to complicate things, I might insert Karen Andreola's Simply Grammar , which compliments Queen's workbooks beautifully.  I'm thinking it will fit well in between the two Elementary level books.)  These materials have a lovely "kindling" quality that awakens awareness to the art of language, making them a  graceful balance to my unadorned and somewhat austere teaching tendencies that lose the art of language in the study of its anatomy.  Combined with our other copywork (and the writing incorporated with our history studies) it should harmonize well!

While it isn’t the exact blend I was seeking, I suspect it will ultimately be better for us than what I might think is perfect. At least I’m no longer quagmired.  (And I think the children will really enjoy this approach!)

Kaira's been on a math kick. My general rule is "no more than three math lessons a day." More than that and I think she'd sacrifice absorption. (And we like to encourage a balance.)

Still, that ceiling of 3 math assignments has been frustrating to her lately.  She kept asking, "May I please do one more math assignment?"   I finally found a solution, and gave her permission to do "review math" after she's finished her Calvert assignments for the day.  She's having a grand time going through Singapore just one symester back from her present Calvert level.

Interesting child. 

Kendra inquired about why I was laminating the "wives of Henry the VIII" paper dolls.  I distractedly pointed at a slender paper neck and answered,  "Because I don’t want them to tear;  They could lose heads."

After a long pause, Kendra replied, "But they did lose their heads, Mommy." 

When the New Year dawns, we prepare to set Sail! We are going to "Sail to the New World" with Tapestry of Grace! (Actually we will spend most of January bridging over with the royalty and explorers of the Renaissance, so won’t we be true Tapestry users for a month or so.)

Years ago I’d looked at Tapestry at a friends home, and loved the concept. The design of the original, "Classic" release confused me though. I decided it would be more worthwhile when I had children in several trivium stages.  I filed it in the back of my mind, thinking, "I could see this being a great fit when my oldest is 11."

Well, my oldest is barely 8, but several things have come together. It seems that what I’ve kinda put together on my own is really quite similar to Tapestry! It is a less polished, less thorough, less organized, stab at the same means and goals, with more preparation and work on my part.

Basically though, I’ve been reinventing the wheel and doing Tapestry the hard way. This was confirmed by four different friends–two online and two local, who chuckled and said that it seemed to them I was pretty much doing Tapestry of Grace all along!

So, because their redesign releases are perfectly in step with our history progress, I’m going to jump aboard, right at the point we are in our history studies. For the next month or so we’ll move into the explorers and late renaissance, then we’ll Sail to the New World, with Tapestry of Grace, and jump into the middle of TOG’s "Year Two" What began as a history "blitz" has really been more of a stroll. It seems that zipping through is just too hard to do with so many wonderful flowers to stop and smell along the way.

Tapestry has enough flex to work with my eclecticisms. The spine is optional, and I can choose the spine that best fits us. They suggest certain "living books" but in most cases I can use most any book on the same subject. One picture Biography on Queen Lizzy will work as well as another! I’m thinking it will be a wonderful balance of giving me assistance and structure while still letting me do it "my way."

If the blog’s been a bit quiet it is because I’ve been spending much of my computer time (and brain power) studying out Tapestry. I love the way it interconnects so many disciplines--history, art, literature, Bible, and philosophy, so that we all learn together as a family.  

Testing acids and bases:

Lab Assistant shaking the solution.