A Big Box and a New Term

A week before we finished up summer school, this arrived!

The big box from Sonlight! Flower was sure enjoying seeing what all we had. It was a major effort to hold Jewel off for a week, lol.

We officially started Kindergarten on 10 September. This year we are using Sonlight K (Core C) with 1st grade readers, Singapore Math, Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code, and continuing Rosetta Stone German. All is going very well. Jewel loves, loves, loves to read. Although I am a little concerned about using 1st grade readers, I know she would have been bored to tears with the Kindergarten readers. She is trying really hard, and on the things that are above her ability (e.g. writing similes) we are discussing and moving on. There will be plenty of time for that later. As we are getting accustomed to the new schedule, I haven't re-added German, but that will come later in the week.

My goals for Fall 2007 school term are:
*build confidence in reading and writing letters
*improve concentration and retention when I am reading aloud to her
*learn the weekly memory verses
*learn at least 5 facts about Turkey and be able to relate them to our holiday
*achieve next badge level in swimming
*provide a good starting foundation for history and science study

I am less concerned with how many book-facts she can spout off, and more concerned with how she is relating the things we are learning to real life. I'm really praying this year is a fun foundational year for her.

Here she is on day one, hard at work:

Summer School Recap

We had such a great time with school this summer. Our focus was Geography, German and Art. The geography text was over Jewel's head at times, but we supplemented with Australia to Zimbabwe, Children Around the World. I can't say enough good about this book! The pictures are gorgeous, and Jewel is fascinated with how the kids live. It has led to many a great discussion. We couple it with Google Earth--looking up and marking the countries we study and the ones we have visited. Good fun! German has been amazing. I'd say her vocabulary is about 40 words right now. We practice at the dinner table (colors, foods, what is on the tisch, what we see in the air in fligt, etc.). And we practice the numbers while playing dominoes or yahtzee. A fun way of practicing, and so rewarding to see her pull it all together. Art has been fun to see some of the masters and then have her draw her own version of the theme.

She has continued in swimming lessons as well. We've had a few fun field trips. In Portsmouth we went to the submarine museum and toured a sub, visited two castles and the cathedral, and watched the fishing boats. In Winchester we went to see the *round table* and the cathedral. In London we toured the Tower of London. All great educational spots.

I was pleased with the progress we made during the summer, especially since the schedule was totally relaxed. I hope she is able to continue this for the fall term! :-)