Homeschool Week 2/2 - 2/6

We had a busy week this week. It was our first week with all of our activities. The weather wasn't as bad as it has been. Here's a peek at some of the things we did.



Matteo did a few school things this week. Here he is counting. I found out that he recognizes all of his numbers through 20! Lately, he's been spending a lot of time counting down the days until his birthday at the end of the month!!











Here he is matching capital and lower case letters.



Cati began studying reptiles this week - one of my least favorite subjects!! She completed a snake lapbook this week.

Maria's science project for the week will not be finished until the upcoming week. We're waiting for some steel wool to rust - it takes longer when you actually WANT it to rust!

Here is Maria working on another project. One of her homeschool requirements for the state is to study PA state history. So, over the past couple of weeks she has been reading about Ben Franklin. She read a picture book, How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning, and a Landmark history book about him. As she read this longer book, she took notes about his life. I typed up these notes, then she cut them out and organized them.

Then, I organized them on the computer as she did. She was amazed at how easy this is on the computer! Then, she read over everything and told me how it should be divided into paragraphs. As she continued to read over everything, she kept thinking of new things to add. It was fun watching her develop her essay. She was very proud of herself, too. Since it turned out to be rather long, and because I didn't want to put a damper on her excitement, I didn't make her write it by hand. We printed it, and we will add it to her portfolio to turn into the school district.

Ben Franklin was important in U.S. history because he tried to make people’s
lives better as a statesman and an inventor. He was born in Boston.
His friends liked him because he was always thinking of something new to
do. When he was eleven, he invented swimming paddles. He worked for
his brother as a printer when he was a teenager. His brother treated him
so badly that he ran away to Philadelphia where he married and became an
inventor.
Ben Franklin invented many things. He invented bifocal glasses.

He learned that lightning was electricity, and he invented the lightning rod. Lightning
used to catch houses on fire before he invented the lightning rod. He
invented the Franklin stove, which gave more heat than other stoves. He
learned that dark colors keep in more heat than light colors
do.
Besides inventing, Ben Franklin did other important things for people.

He liked reading, so he started the first lending library. He helped start the first hospital
in Pennsylvania. He made the first volunteer fire department in
Philadelphia.

Ben Franklin’s inventions made him very popular. He was so popular
that he was made part of the government of Pennsylvania. He made many
friends, young and old. He tried to get the King of England to let the
American colonies become their own country. He asked France to help
America in the Revolutionary War. He signed the Declaration of
Independence. Ben Franklin made everyone’s lives better.

In history, the girls continued learning about the Greeks. This week, they read some more stories about the Greek gods. Here's Maria's narration on one of these stories.

They also learned about the Parthenon. Cati loves color and really didn't understand why they left it white instead of painting it :) Here's is the way she saw it.

They also learned about some of the Greek wars. They learned about when the Persian empire tried to take over Greece. They also learned about the war between Athens and Sparta. Here is Maria's map about these wars. The girls complete a map exercise with each history chapter. They have learned so much geography about this part of the world!

Cati learned some new math facts this week. She also learned about polygons.

The kids had their 1st classes at St. Vincent for this semester on Friday.

Here is a necklace that Matteo made in his class.

Here is a lion class that Cati made in her Animal Art class.

Here is a fish that Cati made in her Under the Sea class.

Maria said that they painted a smock in her art class that they will use in class in the upcoming weeks. She didn't bring anything home from her classes, so I don't have any pictures to share.

Here are some poems that the girls finished memorizing.

That's all for this week. Stay tuned for pictures of Maria with her braces that she's getting tomorrow morning!