For some reason, lately I have a habit of putting large spiders in jars to keep on my desk for days on end, for observation. A few weeks ago it was a massive wolf spider who ate pretty much everything I threw in the jar, although, like the Kat, he did prefer his "food to MOVE." I let him go when he appeared less than vigorous. I didn't want him to die in my care. I turned him loose in a brushy area with lots of dead leaves on the ground (the sort of thing wolf spiders like, according to my research)
Now I have some sort of brown house spider. I found it creeping (quite quickly!) along the top edge of the shower curtain while one of the boys was inside. The boy didn't know the spider was there, thank goodness. I popped it into a quart mason jar and proceeded to watch.
When I caught the spider its body was probably an inch long. The abdomen was massive, easily twice the length of its thorax and probably 5 times the volume. We were intrigued that the spider started to spin a bit of a web almost immediately. It was a tiny, erratic kind of web, about 4 inches across (the spider is probably 2 inches when its legs are at rest) There was a good reason for that massive abdomen- Friday, the day after I caught it, a big white egg sac appeared under it!! She (I assume now that it's a "she") was sitting on the little web with the sac under her abdomen, attached to her by a tiny bit of thread.
This morning I noticed that the web now has a much denser area directly in front of and below the spider. It looks a bit like fusible web used for crafting (like Stitch Witchery) and is about 2 inches wide by 3 inches long. I am really eager to see what happens with these eggs. I would like to know what kind of spider this is but she's so very ordinary and without unusual markings that I haven't even tried WhatsThatBug.com or any of the usual bug-indentification sites. (Yes, I know that spiders are not bugs, but "bugs" just works) |
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Mar. 24, 2008 Monday March 24, 2008
We've done lessons in fits and starts over the past couple weeks since I last posted but I haven't had the mental energy to post anything. So I will start today with a brief overview of where we're hanging out and where we're headed.
The boys are coming along swimmingly with their reading. TH especially is still trying to guess words from context and from previous sentences but he is fully able to sound them out when I admonish him to do so. We're moving through 4-5 sentences per day from The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading which works out to about one-third of a lesson per day. They're all working in their new Explode the Code workbooks. I had to let TH get a page or two ahead to eliminate the temptation for both of them to look at each other's pages. It's not so much that they're trying to cheat but it's hard to not to peek at your neighbor's paper when he's at the same table, 6 inches away. Also, being a page or so ahead helps TH to feel like he really is the older brother and therefore capable of more than AC. Truthfully AC is just as capable (except perhaps in the handwriting department) but what TH doesn't know won't interrupt our lessons with teary tirades.
We drove to Nashville last week and listened to the first 6 or 8 chapters of Prince Caspian. I count that as lessons :) TH and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's something else he excells at- listening to and retaining a story. He is constantly begging me to put it on so we can listen to some more. I think he and I will listen to some more during naptime today while we fold some laundry. I don't think anyone else will mind since they fell asleep during a good part of the car ride.
We've started doing addition problems in our math which is just extraordinary to me. How can my children possibly be old enough to learn addition?? It doesn't seem possible but it's the truth. I am gobsmacked at the very idea of it. AC has been doing them in his head and out loud for a few weeks but now they're doing them on paper with plus signs and equals signs and everything! AC is definitely a natural math geek- he just "gets" numbers in a way that is pretty much effortless. It's exciting to watch and perhaps a bit scary because I only went through pre-calculus in school so we may be in for some serious learning together in a few years time. Thankfully I really enjoy math so we'll be able to tackle it together and I will end up learning as much as he does.
The boys' handwriting seems to be slacking a bit so we need to get some more practice in on that. Last week we started thank you notes for the gifts from AC's 5th birthday party (TH and MJ got a gift each as well so there's more than just AC writing notes) I reckon that's handwriting and practical life skills in one. One stone+ two dead birds= awesome! Or maybe "gruesome." I always thought that was a bit of an icky metaphor but it works and it's practical. |
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Feb. 27, 2008 Wednesday February 27, 2008
We had big shopping to do in the CIty yesterday (a true emergency fabric store run plus a stock-up session with Chas and the gang at Sam's Club) We did manage to read two chapters of Farmer Boy but that's it.
Bible: Mark chapter 6
Reading: Farmer Boy ch. 6 and part of ch. 7
Phonics: OPGTR lesson 36 "The mad man sat in the pen. The big pig had jam in his den. The big pig had a nap in his den." We've finally finished this lesson and I feel like we have a good grasp on this new method of taking the lessons a few sentences at a time, all together, on the white board. Hopefully we'll be able to start moving a little faster now that the boys are accustomed to the routine of it.
Saxon Math 1: worksheet 18B I forgot to buy 3x5 cards yesterday (never made it to WM) so we just did the other worksheet from Monday's lesson. The boys were pleased that it didn't take very long and we got to skip the "dumb meeting stuff." I may have to pare down the "meeting" portion of the math lessons even more. They're both doing a good bit of spontaneous counting throughout the day- sometimes getting down the 100 number chart just to count along with it while we're not doing anything in particular.
Writing: gouge (AC's choice because he heard me say it last night) icicle, doughnuts (ahhh, Farmer Boy, you make me hungry with all your tasty farm meals. If I was your mother, I'd be "plump" as well!)
Vocabulary: beheaded (The account of John the Baptist's death was in our Bible lesson today and TH was fascinated and horrified by it, as usual. I know I have told him this story at least twice before. He is always very indignant that anyone would want to cut off John's head. He always gets furious with Herodias.)
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Feb. 25, 2008 Monday February 25, 2008
Bible: Mark 5
Read Aloud: Farmer Boy ch. 4 "Surprise" and ch.5 "Birthday
Phonics: OPGTR lesson 36- We started something a little new with this. We read through two sentences together, a word at a time, the boys taking turns and sharing the sight words. They really enjoy this method and we go through part of a lesson in about one tenth of the time it takes to read the same two sentences with each boy individually. They really have a very limited capacity for sitting and sounding out words right now but they're both improving each week. We might not be moving as quickly as I would like but they're making progress and I am satisfied with that. Sometimes real life doesn't live up to my expectations but it so often exceeds them that I am learning to be content when things go a little slowly.
Saxon Math 1: lesson 18, worksheet 18A
Writing: pannikin, woolen, oxen
Vocabulary: pannikin (a small metal drinking cup), woolen, oxen, plead, sober, subdue, jostle, yoke, bow (a piece of a yoke [for oxen in this case]) |
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Feb. 22, 2008 Friday February
Bible: Mark 4
writing: turnips, plump, hoopskirt
read-aloud: Farmer Boy chapter 2 "Winter Evening"
phonics: Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading lesson 36 (still)
Saxon Math 1: lesson 17, worksheet 17A
vocabulary: see writing words |
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Feb. 21, 2008 Thursday February 21, 2008
We took yesterday off to goof off in the City with Granny and Poppy but we're back to business today!
Bible: Mark 3
Read Aloud: Farmer Boy ch.1 "School Days" (we discovered a page is missing from The Hobbit so we skipped that today and will hopefully pick that up at the library this afternoon)
Phonics: TH- BStoR "The Woman"; AC- BStoR "The Bear"
Saxon Math 1: lesson 16, worksheet 16A
Writing: thrash, primer, tardy, recess
Vocabulary: see handwriting words above plus "moccasin" |
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Feb. 21, 2008 Tuesday February 19, 2008
Bible: Mark 2
Writing: oats, wheat, hulled corn
Read Aloud: Little House in the Big Woods chapter 13 "The Deer in the Wood" (FINISHED!); The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien pp 13-17 (this is going to take a while)
Phonics: TH- OPGTR lesson 36 (still plugging away at this one); AC- started BSTR "The Flower" (but didn't get very far)
Saxon Math 1: lesson 15, written assessment #2 (flying colors all around) worksheet 15A |
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Feb. 21, 2008 Monday February 18, 2008
Memory Verse for the Week: Psalm 23: 4 (with review of v. 1-3)
Bible: Mark 1
Read Aloud: Little House in the Big Woods ch. 12 "The Wonderful Machine"
Writing: straw, thresher, horsepower
Phonics: TH- Beginning Steps to Reading "The Apple"; AC- none
Saxon Math 1: lesson 14, worksheets 14A & 14B
Vocabulary: braid (with a demonstration on MJ's hair) |
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Feb. 21, 2008 Friday February 15
Bible:
Reading: Little House in the Big Woods chapter 11
Phonics: AC- OPGTR lesson 36a
Writing: populate, multiply, covenant
Saxon Math 1: lesson 13, worksheet 13A
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Feb. 21, 2008 Friday February 15 Feb. 14, 2008 Thursday February 14, 2008
Bible: Genesis chapter 9
Reading:
Saxon Math 1: lesson 12, worksheet 12A, some of worksheet 12B
Phonics: TH- OPGTR lesson 36 B (still haven't finished this loooong lesson)
AC- BSR "The Lady"
Vocabulary: multiply, vineyard, descendants, covenany, populate, drunk
We also have errands to run so we'll be swinging by the library to pick up my reserved book. Man, I just LOVE interlibrary loan!! |
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Feb. 14, 2008 Wednesday February 13, 2008
Bible: Genesis chapter 8
Reading: Little House in the Big Woods chapter 9 “Going to Town”
Writing: buds, maple, sugar snow
Saxon Math 1: lesson 11, worksheet 11A
Phonics: TH- Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading lesson 36 part a (a very long lesson), Bob Books- Sam
AC- Beginning Steps to Reading "The Apple" |
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Feb. 11, 2008 Monday February 11, 2008
Reading: Little House in the Big Woods pp 131-155 "Dance at Grandpa's" We started this book a few months ago and got away from it. We had a little discussion about the first half to refresh our memories and now we're finishing it up before moving on to a new read-aloud book. We should finish this week as we have just 3 or 4 chapters to go. All three of the big kids are getting better at sitting still for longer and longer chapters.
Beginning Steps to Reading p5 "The Fish" Both boys did really well with this story until the very last word. For some reason neither of them could figure out "fuss." TH kept guessing "fun" and "sun" and "fed", the last of which was in the previous sentence. AC kept trying to say "sun" as well. AC finally got it. Whew!
Handwriting:
Saxon Math 1: lesson 10, Oral Assessment #1, written assessment #1 AC did really well with the OA- he had to count to 100 (or as high as he could) and he got mad when I made him stop at 100. I told him he could keep going and he insisted he had to start over from 1 so I wouldn't let him. TH had a hard time counting without his "hundred number chart." He missed 13 altogether and then got thoroughly muddled around 39 or so. He has come far with the chart in the past week so I expect that another week or so without the chart will bring him right up to speed. I ain't bovvered!
Bible: Genesis chapter 4-5 |
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Feb. 7, 2008 Feburary 7, 2008
Tuesday we had a field trip to the City for Cub Scouts and we finished up the grocery shopping that we didn't finish last week. For lessons we didn't do much except read aloud a couple of library books.
Thursday-
Bible: Genesis 2
reading: The Trumpet of the Swan chapter 20 and 21- hooray! we've finished it! AC gets to help choose the next book.
math: ditto to writing :-P
writing: nada
vocabulary: buds (that's it but I have a bunch for us to talk about tomorrow from today's reading)
extra- field trip to the sheriff's office- another Cub Scout thingy that we're making up before the Blue and Gold banquet when TH moves up to the next type of Cub Scout.
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Feb. 6, 2008 Wednesday February 6, 2008
Bible: memory verse- Psalm 23:3 (learned 1-2 last week; we're working toward the whole psalm by the end of Feb) and Genesis ch.1
Reading: The Trumpet of the Swan chapter 19
The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Reading lesson 34 (with each boy individually)
Writing: nothing except the number writing that comprised most of our math lesson
Saxon Math 1: lesson 8 (I think) and worksheet 8A
Vocabulary: rucksack, vanished, appearance |
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Feb. 4, 2008 Monday February 4, 2008
Bible: Psalm 23:3
writing: gaze, captive, rage
reading: The Trumpet of the Swan chapter 18
Saxon math 1: lesson 7, worksheet 7A
vocabulary: amputate, captive, rage, gaze
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Feb. 2, 2008 January 31 and February 1, 2008
Thursday we were all (except TH) still feeling pretty miserable so we took it easy. I think we did some reading aloud but not much because it made Mama cough to read for long.
Friday:
writing: revive, gale, abide
reading: The Trumpet of the Swan chapter 17
Saxon math 1; leftover worksheets from earlier in the week (4A)
vocabulary: curiosity, felicity, apathy, gale, revive, abide |
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Jan. 30, 2008 Wednesday January 30, 2008
Granny went home this morning and it's dry, cold, sunny and windy outside so we got straight to work. Mama got 4 loads of laundry washed and hung out and the boys got caught up with some lessons. We didn't get anything done yesterday so we had plenty to get done.
Bible: Matthew 6:25-34- Daddy's favorite Bible passage- the boys enjoyed it too.
Writing: celebrity, watercress, revulsion
Reading: Beginning Steps to Reading Primer Story #2 "Man"- both boys did a great job with this and are really enjoying this little book that I bought 2 summers ago and had never used.
The Trumpet of the Swan chapter 15 and 16- I had a little plan last week that I finally hatched out today. After lunch we usually have a 2-ish hour nap/rest time. I offered to let everyone stay up an extra 15 minutes today if they'd sit still and listen to another chapter of their book. It worked a charm! Everyone was quite pleased to have 15 minutes lopped off of naptime (especially the boys) and we got a half hour of reading in today instead of our usual 15 minutes. I am thinking of implementing the same thing at bedtime. Perhaps everyone who gets their "bedtime business" done without dawdling can stay up for 15 minutes of read-aloud time. They're being rewarded with something that's actually good for them!
I also read aloud a short fable from our Aesop for Children book and had TH practice narrating it back to me. I really want to get in the habit of narration a la Charlotte Mason. TH loves to talk so I think this would be a natural way to enhance what he is learning. AC is still a bit young but I'll let him try if he wants to.
Saxon Math 1: Lesson 6, worksheet 6A- We're supposed to do 2 worksheets each day, one with the lesson and one later in the day. The boys don't really love the second worksheet because when they have finished their morning lessons they want to be DONE for the day, not coming back for more every couple of hours. I'll have to think of a way to get this in there in case we actually need the extra review at some point in the future. Right now the concepts are familiar and simple so they really don't need the second worksheet every day. Hmmm. |
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Jan. 28, 2008 Monday January 28, 2008
We had big doin's in the City today so lessons were cut a bit short. We managed to get in a few things so we didn't get behind in anything. Also Granny came to visit around lunch time so we squeezed these things in before lunch and around chores and various tidyings and bathings. Busy, busy!
Handwriting: impression, accommodate, possession (lots of double letters today!)
Reading: The Trumpet of the Swan chapter 14
Saxon Math 1: Lesson 5 and worksheet 5A
Vocabulary words: impression, accommodate, molest, arrange, possessions |
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Jan. 22, 2008 January 22, 2008
Bible: Matthew 6:1-15
Writing: canoe, ashore, prejudice
Phonics/Reading: letter sounds flash cards; Story #1 God in the Beginning Steps to Reading reader from Rod and Staff- both boys did pretty well with this. TH is getting much better and blending the sounds together; AC tends to add vowels at the end of each letter (eg. G says 'guh" instead of /g/) I try to be very precise in my own pronunciation so I have no doubt that he'll get it in time.
Saxon Math 1: lesson 2- making towers for the numbers 1-5 using linking cubes; worksheet 2A and 2B.
The boys both really enjoyed the worksheets. I don't know if it's the novelty or if it just feels like "school" to them which makes it fun. I must admit to enjoying the few minutes of quiet while they work. I can only imagine how welcome "worksheet time" must be to a teacher in a classroom with 30 pupils who are not her own children. Can you say, "Sigh of relief!"? We did the first worksheet in the morning with the rest of the math lesson. We did the second one around 4:30 along with our reading lessons.
Vocabulary: canoe, ashore, privy, prejudice
Read Aloud: The Trumpet of the Swan chapter 11- we're halfway through the book now, ten chapters to go. If I can manage to read a couple of chapters at the weekend we could finish by the end of the month and start February with a new book. I'd like to bulk up our read alouds anyway. We're nowhere near the 2 hours per day that is suggested at Trivium Pursuit and that's for kids under the age of 10. My boys have trouble sitting still for the 15 minutes or so it takes to read one chapter of our current book. If I could get in TWO 15 minute sessions per day I'd be thrilled. Maybe I should strive to add an additional 15 minutes per day each week so that in two months we'll have worked up to the full two hours. Must ruminate. |
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