Elementary Round-Up and Then Some . . .

Sep 18, 2011

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I’ve received several comments. You want to know what’s up with Elementary Round Up?

To be honest, I’m not sure.

For starters, I’m sorry. I lied. I told you that I would provide a link every week for the months of June, July and August. I didn’t. Here is my reason why . . . I was trying to take a bit of a blogging break.

It worked – kind of.

June and July only had blog entries in the “teens.”

I’m trying to evaluate what I would like to do this year. With having a second-grader walking in my midst and a rapidly rising kindergartner . . . I have to stay focused. Ahead of the game . . . not to mention just living my life outside of the school room with all of its responsibilities.

There are so many other great blogs out there who host weekly link-ups that are a bit more dependable (read reliable) with their weekly memes. Like,

Preschool Corner (Homeschool Creations)
Tot School (1+1+1=1)
Weekly Wrap-Up (Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers)
maybe some others I know nothing of . . .

It leaves me to wonder if there is room for another?

My issue, though, is that I would like to link up weekly to all three . . . but in order to have enough time to do so, I have to do ALL of the above memes in one post.

One entry.

The question is then . . . is that right or fair to post our second grade activities on a link up for Tot Trays? Or featuring Naomi for a Preschool Post? Not to mention, in order to hopefully have others jump over to my blog . . . I’ve got to manually enter in my links to various websites. And though it sounds like I am complaining . . . that takes time.

Time that could be spent reading an extra page in a book. Or rubbing a tired back. Or having a prepared table to welcome the Engineer home of an evening.

And should my heart be concerned with others reading . . . since the Round Up is supposed to just provide documentation of our school work in a fun way for me?

The reality is that the most I ever had for an Elementary Round Up was seven . . . typically a faithful seven linked up. Though a good number and I value those seven ladies . . . is providing a link for Elementary Round Up (Kindergarten through 6th grade) helpful?

Did enough people use it to document their schooling or gain ideas . . . encouragement that it is worth my time?

I don’t have the answer to that question.

I would welcome feedback.

I have had another idea. I’m curious to see what you think.

What about the opportunity to dedicate a post to what MOM learned that week? Kind of going back to my If You Give A Mom A Book meme I did a year or so ago . . .

We learned all about wasps and termites this week . . . and what an insect REALLY is . . . stuff I had forgotten. It was so much fun to learn. I’d like to share.

So . . . let me know what you think.

Here is our week in review. I’ll probably keep my words few as I have already said my share above.

Gabe – Tot School

Tot trays galore . . . but he only wanted to do them once.

animal figurines

using a spoon to dump buttons into a bottle

dumping buttons with the cap proved more entertaining

putting bouncy balls in an ice cube tray

ripping tickets

playing with Purpllinker

first day at our church homeschool co-op

playing quietly while his brothers did school in the kitchen

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Ezra (Kindergarten)

A big component of Classical Education is copywork. I don’t have my munchkins write to punish them . . . but to learn about language, both written and spoken, using the learning that is already occurring around my boys.

So rather than pull something out of nowhere, I have made some printables for Ezra (with the help of the Engineer and Valerie) using Ezra’s AWANA verses (this is only John 3:16). Feel free to download them as they become available, but please note that they are the NKJV. For other great AWANA printables, check out Homeschool Creations.

Letter K with Handwriting Without Tears . . . lowercase

uppercase

Ezra confiscated Gabe’s Tot Tray . . .

Memorization: The Caterpillar by Christina G. Rosetti

He was so proud of his work. One thing I have learned from all of the books I have been reading . . . assign age-appropriate work. It would be STUPID of me to make Ezra write out this entire poem free-hand. So, I wrote the poem and he traced it. This way he learns letter formation and works within the structure of the poem without meeting frustration. He can still feel proud of his work.

Homeschool co-op

Stick Figure Bible with Grapevine Studies . . . Old Testament

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Asher (1st/2nd Grade)

Saxon Math

Memorization: The Caterpillar . . . now Asher had to do the entire project on his own . . . because it was age appropriate for him to do so. Does that mean he liked it? No. The reason wasn’t because he thought Ezra had it easier – it was because Asher wanted it to look perfect. Sigh. Being the first born can be rough.

Homeschool Co-Op

Science with Apologia Flying Animals of the Fifth Day . . . we captured a wasp and learned how they are different than bees. Quite fascinating.

AWANA copy work . . . see explanation above. And if you have a Sparky in the Sky Stormer book . . . here are some verses to get you started. Once again, we are memorizing NKJV . . . check out Homeschool Creations for other options of GREAT Awana printables!