Lamp and Quill devotions are going well. Kathryn likes them, and they get her looking up answers in the Bible on her own, but aren’t so hard that she can’t come up with the answers herself. She’s just finished up section one, which covers Genesis 1 through 5.

Kathryn has started learning Hebrew in her bat mitzvah classes, and she loves it. I think it will be much harder for me to learn than it seems to be for her so far! She’s learning plenty of history in these classes, too. Last week we also attended Rosh HaShannah services at her dad’s Messianic synagogue, and she’ll have several more major celebrations coming up soon.

In art class, she has begun studying Van Gogh, and they are going to do their own piece inspired by his painting, The Sower. She’s excited that they’ll get to use oil pastels this time. She was also excited to bring home the John Constable-inspired watercolor painting they finished this week. (It’s a landscape with stormy skies above.)

Although we’re not studying artists as much as I’d like, we do enjoy our calendar from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Every now and then one the works of art featured is a little on the odd (or naked) side, so we briefly read about those and then skip to the next one. I really like this stained glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

We use Wordly Wise for vocabulary, but I’ve recently modified what I require Kathryn to do. I wasn’t planning on using a vocabulary program with her this year because her vocabulary is so advanced simply from reading good books, but she really enjoys Wordly Wise and begged to do it again this year — except for Exercise E of each lesson; this brings much groaning. So we skip it. Doing the other exercises is enough. I’m the mom/teacher and I said so. 😉 Don’t you love the flexibility of homeschooling?

For geography, we’re still doing a map and notebook page each week (from Homeschool in the Woods) as we work our way through the United States, and Kathryn got plenty of penmanship practice this week by writing the thank-you cards for her birthday gifts.

In another enrichment class, Kathryn finished an adorable handiwork project: making an apron out of a tea towel. Isn’t it adorable!? The cloth flowers they made and added to it would look great on a headband or pinned on a sweater, too!

We’re doing several readings covering various parts of American history. This week we’ve read about the Monroe Doctrine, more states joining the Union, and the invention of the steam locomotive, among other things. This morning we did a little nature study, looking for fall colors right here in our own yard.

I agree with what I’ve heard Lee (the HomeScholar) say: put the most money towards your weakest or most difficult subject. For us, that’s math, so we’re starting something new [again] next week. I’ll do whatever it takes to get over this math-malevolence! I was relieved to read Jimmie’s review of the Teaching Textbooks curriculum I’d ordered, and eager to get started with it!

A few more highlights of our week:

1-happy surprise from a friend; 2-Dad left the hospital Saturday; 3-Kathryn enjoyed her first Nancy Drew book; 4-spontaneous family “planking”; 5-Lacy loves the fall weather; 6-building with Legos while I read aloud.

I’m linking up today with Dawn’s Camera Phone Friday and Kris’s Weekly Wrap-Up.

Jamie

Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »