Elementary Kid Activity: Weeks Nine and Ten

This is it!!

Last week, baby C.J. was in the hospital. It was a trying week, and blogging was no where near the top of any to-do list. She is much better now, and our follow-up appointment is in a few days. We hope that is it.

I didn't get to do much of a "word of the day" with the kids. We started talking about nouns a bit, so I will show you what we are doing this week in addition to what we did a bit of last week.

Noun: a person, place, thing, or idea

Verb: an action word

Last week the kids and I talked about nouns, and pointed them out when we saw them. Examples included themselves, floor, ceiling, television, pictures, dolls, toys, puzzles, windows, etc. Every noun was very concrete, something they could see or touch.

I wanted to introduce them to abstract nouns (mostly ideas or concepts) without making it too technical for them yet. When we read the story Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, I did. The conversation was basically:

Me: Love. Hmmm, do you think love is a noun?

Kids: No, yes, no, we can't touch love.

Me: Right, but is "love" a thing? an idea?

Za: No!

Ty: Yes!

Me: Why?

Ty: It is a thing!

Za never understood it, I don't think - she said she did, but I don't know. I do think Ty understood. I was ok with this though, because I wanted to start the conversation about grammar early in my children's lives. We are at least talking about it.

This week we are working with verbs - action, not linking.

The work eventually turned into rhyming! Za adores the whiteboard. I think she will practice any subject if I allow her to practice on the whiteboard.

Those are our modified "word of the day" for our unfortunately hectic last days of summer vacation. Having a baby in the hospital is miserable and our "formal" learning was very limited.

I hope you enjoyed our word of the day series, elementary school edition!

Elementary Kid Summer Activity: Week Eight

Two weeks after this! Crazy.

Ty and I will be signing up for first grade in two weeks. That is hard to fathom. I look at him and still wonder where my baby went. Am I the only parent who does that?

Any-who, here are our words of the day, inspired by another set of questions that I never know where my kids get the ideas to ask!

Words of the day: (theme: birds)

Incubator: an apparatus in which eggs are artificially hatched

Bird: has a body covered with feathers, forelimbs (wings), scaly legs, a beak, and no teeth!

Egg: oval or round reproductive body laid by the female of birds

Nest: a structure of twigs, grass, mud, etc, formed by a bird normally high in a tree to lay and incubate its eggs (we spoke about "incubate" being an action or verb, and an "incubator" being a thing, or a noun)

Fly: to move through the air using wings

(We are going to continue only doing word of the day. My kids are busy with VBS and playing outside. We are modifying the plan as we go!)

Elementary Kid Summer Activity: Week Seven

Three more weeks. 

Summer has flown by. I am done working, so these postings will become more regular. Here's hoping, at least.

My kids are busy. They play with neighborhood kids, read library books, or raid my refrigerator. Anyway, here is an abbreviated version of our daily activities.

We read Great White Sharks by Sandra Markle this past week. The book has real pictures, and Ty and Za had me read it more than once. It is full of vocabulary and that is where this week's words of the day are from.

Words of the Day: (theme: sharks)

Gill: a body part that allows the shark to breath

Pup: a young shark

Nutrients: the chemicals food is broken down into for use by the shark's body

Prey: an animal that a predator catches to eat

Predator: an animal that is a hunter

Elementary Kids Summer Activity: Week Six

I apologize for not blogging! I have worked two weeks out of June and this week and the next for July. Any extra time, I've been catching up on laundry or playing with the kids. Plus, I'm exhausted.

Here are this week's words of the day and other activities. We skipped last week (sorry!) but we needed a break, and I couldn't bring myself to research them. ;)

Here is the sixth installment of weekly activities:

Words: (theme: advertising)

Media: the means of communication (radio, TV, magazines) that influence people widely

Brand: a kind, grade, or make of a product

Marketing: the total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing, and selling

Commercials: a paid advertisement or promotional announcement

Endorsements: approval, normally from a famous person or group, for a product or service

(My kids ask lots of questions about advertising, mostly because my husband is in the business. They are around these ideas, and these words are familiar. Also, I believe in honest media learning from an early age).

Quotes of the day: (Albert Schweitzer)

The highest knowledge is to know that we are surrounded by mystery.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possess the only strength which can overcome adversity.

Do something for somebody everyday for which you do not get paid.

Example is leadership.

Bible Quote: 

For I know the plans I have for you. says the Lord. They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Elementary Kids Summer Activity: Week Five

Can you believe it? 7 weeks left!

Typing this made me a bit sad - summer is officially here and I have purchased a few back to school clothes for Ty and Za. We are having a great summer. A tad bit of structure and lots of free play makes for happy kiddos.

Here is week five of our school work:

Words: (theme: water)

Cloud: a visible collection of particles of water or ice, suspended in the air

Liquid: composed of molecules that move freely among themselves but tend not to separate

Hail: showery participation in the form of balls or pellets of ice

Erosion: the process by which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of glaciers, water, waves, wind, etc.

Geyser: a discharge of water ejected turbulently, accompanied by steam

* Note: we are also looking at pictures of these on the web.

Quotes: (Harry S. Truman)

Not all readers become leaders. But all leaders must be readers.

There is nothing new in the world except history you do not know.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from our government a fair deal.

Once a decision was made, I did not worry about it afterward.

Bible Verse:

Philippians 4:6,7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Elementary Kids Summer Activity: Week Four

8 Weeks Left!

School seems far away, and that makes sense since we've been home for about a month now. Ty is attending World of Wonder in Peoria, IL this week, and he enjoyed his first day.

I wanted to mention that you can jump into the "word of the day" program at any time - they are themed by week, but not overall. Children want to learn and if your summer is not going the way you wanted, jump in!

Here is week four of our school work, albeit relaxed school work:

Words: (theme: nature)

Insect: an animal with a body divided into three parts and three pairs of legs

Spider: an anachnid that spins webs

Roots: part of a plant that anchors it and absorbs nutrients

Weed: a valueless plant growing wild

Compost: a mixture of various decaying organic substances

Quotes: (Judy Blume)

Little kids are amazing. They seem able to adjust to anything.
Not everything has to have a point. Some things just are.
The truth will make you odd.
Our finger prints don't fade from the lives we touch.
Snoring keeps the monsters away.


Bible Verse: Psalm 96:1

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Elementary Kids Summer Activity:Week Three

9 weeks left!

I just finished vacuuming the living room carpet. It had little pieces of grass and dried flower petals. I'll take it as a sign that Ty and Za are enjoying summer.

Here is week three of our daily start to our "school" work:

Words: (theme: machinery)

Boat: a vessel for transport by water

Crane: a device for lifting and moving heavy weights in suspension

Truck: a vehicle for carrying goods

Aircraft: any machine supported for flight in the air by buoyancy or by the dynamic action of air on its surfaces

Tractor: a powerful motor-driven vehicle with large, heavy treads

Quotes: (Walt Disney)

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.

Never get bored or cynical.

All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.

I believe in being an innovator.

When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.

Bible Verse of the Week

Proverbs 20:11. Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

Elementary Kids Summer Activity: Week Two

10 weeks of summer left!

We are full swing into summer. Ty easily adjusted to sleeping a bit later and both kids love spending time outside. They cannot get enough of playing outdoors. Their inventive games and quests to go higher on the swings really are the moments I hope I smile about when they are teenagers or away at college internships.

They also took well to the "school" we do during the work week. It doesn't even last an hour, but this is what we do:

* Word, math problem, and quote of the day. Bible quote of the week.

* Discussions about what they think is interesting, if anything.

* Study sheets. Both have workbooks that include mazes, coloring projects, letters, etc. (I bought them from a discount store). Sometimes I find fun sheets online; sometimes they relate to the word of the day, other times not.

I hope anyone doing the "of the days" with me is enjoying them. Here is week two.

Words: (energy)

Solar: energy from the sun

Wind: produces energy by using rotational energy to drive a generator

Fossil: a natural occurring fuel formed by the decomposition of prehistoric organisms

Nuclear: powered by atomic energy

Electricity: energy from electrically charged particles.

(We are reading Ivy + Bean: What's the Big Idea. It is about global warming, so we have been discussing all ideas energy).

Quotes: (summer)

The summer night is like a perfection of thought. Wallace Stevens

In summer, the song sings itself. William Carlos Williams

Do what we can, summer will have its flies. Ralph Waldo Emerson

What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. John Steinbeck

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. Henry James

Math

I did not like doing math problems from a website, so I made them up each day. My four year old got addition, such as 12 +1. My six year old is working on subtraction, such as 58-10.

Bible Verse of the Week

Matthew 18:10. See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angles always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Have a wonderful summer week!

Elementary Kids Summer Activity: Week One

11 Weeks of Summer!

A few weeks ago I pondered doing a word of the day, or a math problem of the day. I turned an old picture frame into a dry erase board.

I want to have a bit of an outline for our summer days, while allowing the kids to have lots of downtime and lead me to the areas they want to discover. I'm going to do a word, quote, and math problem of the day, along with a bible quote of the week. I may have to change this up if it does not work, but this is what we are starting tomorrow!

Feel free to use this or part of it, just to spark interesting conversations during the summer.

My kids are young, four and six, so this probably works best for younger pre-K, elementary kids.

Words: (occupations)

Acrobat: a skilled performer of gymnastic feats

Magician: an entertainer who is skilled in producing illusions

Conjurer: a person who puts a spell on others

Actor: a person who performs in plays, television, movies

Conductor: a person who leads

Math:

I am doing the math problem of the day from Math Buddy.

Then Ty and Za will each get one from using this website.

Dr. Seuss Quotes:

Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way!

A person's a person no matter how small.

I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.

Young cat, if you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you would learn! The most wonderful stuff!

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

Bible Verse of the Week:

Matthew 19:14: But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

(Note: I decided to do one bible verse per week so maybe they will learn it. I decided one a day was too much).

Let me know if you make an changes, and how it works in your house!