We are still enjoying the Winter Promise “Children Around the World” program. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been studying Africa. We’ve “visited” different regions of the continent, and have specifically studied Egypt, Libya, Kenya, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe. Kathryn’s been adding lots of figures to our Travel-With-Me Africa map, and the girls’ passports and travel notebooks are getting quite full!

We’ve been reading Star of Light, a fictional a story of a boy who rescues his little blind sister from being sold to a beggar. Material World has allowed us a glimpse into the lives of several African families from various countries; I really love how real this book makes people who live in cultures entirely different than ours. We’ve learned about the history, uses, and value of vanilla in The Biography of Vanilla. And we’ve had to discuss more about HIV/AIDS because it is prevalent in so many African nations.

In Christian Kids Explore Biology, we’ve just finished up a review of a unit on plants and trees. Kathryn has been protesting that she didn’t like biology, but then she realized that we’d get to study animals if she stuck with it through plants, so we’re back on track. Lindsey is doing the same science, for now.

Though we’ve always enjoyed Barry Stebbing’s art programs in the past (like Kathryn’s favorite, Joseph the Canada Goose), the girls both feel so far that Drawing Horses isn’t teaching them anything. So I may have to re-evaluate this and tweak what we’re doing here.

We’re still using The Write Stuff for creative writing assignments, and I’m trying to get Lindsey and Kathryn both to do a blog post each week. Sometimes I give them a specific topic, and sometimes I let them write about whatever they want. I figure this incorporates creative writing, typing skills, and computer skills.

Kathryn recently began Horizons 4 in math, and likes it even better than the Horizons 3 workbook. We used Saxon for grades 1 and 2, but Kathryn likes Horizons better for several reasons: the higher quality feel of the paper, the colors and illustrations (but not too busy), and less repetition of the same types of problems in each lesson. Lindsey is still using Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra with Biology.

Next week, we will be spring breaking!

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 »