Thursday Homeschool Group Days

Today was our second week of classes for our Thursday Homeschool Group. We have been with this group for 7 years! There are about 75 families with approximately 250students and we use the entire large building of a local church. Our children have participated in many elective classes over the years in several different subject areas, mostly history, art and science. Also gym and fitness classes as well as choir/music classes have been part of their weekly schedules. Field trips, learning fairs, and choir concerts are important events every year there too.

This year, Joel is in the Future City Engineering Class which he really, really enjoys! This class will be creating a city of the future with recycled materials with the help of Sim City software and a guest engineer. They will be competing and showcasing their city at the regional competition in Philadelphia in February. Last year, our homeschool group sent a team there for the first time and they did very well! They were the only homeschooled team represented and they were one of the top teams, winning prizes as well as cash! They are hoping to achieve that level and possibly higher this year.

Joel is also in Yearbook class which is a bit harder for him because he doesn't have a laptop computer to take with him or alot of computer expertise and neither does his mother! Its way over my head. But he is very creative and wonderful with writing so hopefully he'll be able to contribute that way.

Ivy is taking a painting class and I can't wait to see her projects at the end of the semester! We are getting her a set of paints to practice with at home too. She is also in the 4th through 6th grade Choir and is taking gym and fitness classes.

For her fitness class this year, she is going through CPR and First Aid training so she will be certified in both. That should help her acquire some babysitting jobs! And for gym class, she'll be playing volleyball this fall. Not her favorite thing, and she said she would rather play football!

My job at this group is to teach the Kindergarten class. I love that so much! I put together a unit on Robert Louis Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses" and each week I read a poem or two to the class and we do activities, games, and/or crafts centered around that poem. It is so much fun! What could be better than poetry and kindergartners!

Today I read my favorite "The Land of Counterpane" and "Block City." After enjoying the poems and discussing them, the children made their own block cities on paper with colorful shapes and glue. They also played with pattern blocks and a pattern block puzzle. Last week, we did "My Shadow" and did lots of shadow activities and best of all, traced our shadows on the pavement outside.

Jaden goes to the nursery while I'm teaching the class. The rest of the time, he and I spend in the playground or walking around together. Its a nice couple hours with just my little one.

On Monday, we will begin our first week at our Monday Homeschool Group that meets at our church! There are 50 families in that group and this will be our first year with them. I'll probably write all about that next week, as well as the results of Joel's theatre audition on Monday!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Be sure to go to the movie!