Monday, August 3, 2009

First Day of School Part Two

Is it ever good to wake a child?

I feel like we've burned the candle at both ends since being home. It's no surprise that I had to wake him for the first day of school. Not once, but thrice I disturbed his slumber. Note bed head below.
Did you also notice the security rope and popsicle sticks?

As I mentioned before, we're doing a homeschool co-op where he's with other kids on Mondays from 9-3:40 (from 12:30-3:40 I pay $8 to let him stay...a steal for childcare!)  Basically, I drop him off at 9:00 and pick him up in the afternoon.  I don't have any responsibilities the day of the co-op.  The rest of the week, we work on memorization as well as the set curriculum and other fun things.  Beautiful situation for a first time homeschooling mom.

I was shocked when I took him to his classroom.  My extra-extrovert latched onto me like a leach.  I had to stay for the first hour.  Weird.  Not at all like last year.

I'm glad I was able to stay the first hour.  It's when the co-op worked on their memory facts.  Kindergartners through 5th grade assemble together to learn the same facts.
This week's facts include:
Historic Timeline (that I hope to get on video soon. Edit: It's here.)
Creation, Garden of Eden;
Noah and the flood;
Invention of the wheel;
First writing - Cuneiform; (during dinner tonight, Hubby whipped out a seminary textbook and explained about Cuneiform.  Good family discussions.)
Menes unites upper and lower Egypt.

History:
Tell me about Cheops.
Cheops, a principal pharaoh of Egypt, spent over 20 years of his life building the Great Pyramid at Giza which was completed after his death in 2550 BC.

Latin roots:
photos - light
graph - write or draw
tele - far away or distant

Science:
What are the three components of the skeletal system?
axial, appendicular, and cartilage
What are the four types of body tissues?
connective, muscle, epithelial, and nerve

Grammar:
What is a noun?
A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.

Math:
Multiples of 2 to 24 (in a chant, using their fingers) and 3 to 36.

Granted, he won't fully understand everything he's memorizing but the boy is a sponge.  I want to at least fill him with vocabulary.

When I came to pick him up, he walked right past me.  He was too busy goofing off with his pals (pictured below in camo backpack).  If I counted correctly, there are 15 boys and 4 girls in his (morning) class.  Sure glad I'm not the teacher!  :)
Tonight we celebrated the big first day with a trip to Purple Cow for purple shakes.
They serve Yarnell's, made in Arkansas and is oh-so-yumm-a-lish.  Check out some of the specialty flavors, Arkansas style.
Because he had money to burn (thanks Magaw!) he bought a gum ball.
And maybe the highlight of the day was talking to a sheriff's deputy, who showed us his taser, billy club, handcuffs and even demonstrated the cruiser lights.  Below the officer is giving Mr. Intensity a sticker and tattoo.  Mr. Intensity is showing his camo wallet.
Overall good day.  

Even though it will take a while for us to get into rhythm, I'm looking forward to learning together.

4 comments:

i said...

i am starting to home school too this year... funny coincidence. what a nice co-op you have!!!

John and Pam Majors said...

I am going to have to study to keep up with my grandson's kindergarten education!
Love the picture of him with the sheriff. And the smile on his face drinking a purple cow milkshake. What a great day!

reprehriestless warillever said...

This sounds like a great fit for your social butterfly -- with just enough kid-time to keep him happy while still allowing you to do the bulk of the teaching.

Bethany said...

It sounds like a great fit for your family :) I hope he enjoys it! :) I was homeschooled from 6th grade on, and my mom is still homeschooling my younger siblings. She's heading into her 14th year!

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