Weekend Catch Up.

Those pesky tubes that run around my eyes and connect to my ears, are experiencing congestion and ickiness.  Friday was the day of copious painkillers until sweet relief descended, followed later by the sweet relief of cider and smokey whiskey.

Life in the co-op does make down days much easier.  There's plenty of other adults who can ensure Rye is fed and looked after, and of course, there's 8 other children he can play with - tho that does mean when his friends are away he mooches around and seems to think lack of play mates means 24/7 access to a screen... er no!

Screen time is pretty relaxed; mornings Rye can use a screen for learning time, and I usually reward him with leisure screen time afterwards, and he usually has the option of screen time on an evening after dinner - though he does often choose to play with his friends.  Screen time is a tad weather dependent - after all this is the British Isles!  So when the sun out, the rule is "no screens" - well, at least not until after dinnertime.  We also have movie / favourite shows screenings on the projector several times a week - a movie, Saturday it was Jurassic Park, and through the week a documentary, Dr Who and in his leisure time, Rye often watches Clone Wars on the Ipad; the current favourite.

Learning time is relaxed at the weekend, Saturday I showed Rye Nessy - after finally managing to log in - seriously don't ask, I'm feel a bit dim at the moment - it's taken me weeks to get in!  Anyhoos, Rye loves Nessy and finds it hilarious.  And I think the boy has finally cracked single phonemes.  He had a spelling test, and the phonic three letter words he spelled correctly, and had he remembered which letters made up "ch" he would have spelled "lunch" correctly too (he forgot the "c").  Really proud of him - he's working really hard.

Rye spent a good hour on Nessy, really proud of his progress.  Definitely need to work on diagraphs, it will improve his phonological fluency massively; and also rhyming words - he still struggles with this a lot.  Perhaps I'll dig out some old nursery rhyming books - ooh and Dr Suess and read those with him for a bit.  By the way, check out PopArt Home Education facebook page for fantastic discounts on Nessy, Maths Whizz, Literacy Planet, and much more. (UK only)

Sunday, is lazy-bum day.
It's one of those days when the "sun shines no screen" rules is relaxed.  Rye woke me to ask if he could go on the laptop and play Nessy.  One hand chuffed to bits he's enjoying it so much, on the other very grumpy he woke me at an ungodly hour on a SUNDAY!    Kids!
He also watched Dinotrucks.

Once screen was away, the moochiness started - I'm bored was mouthed, primarily because the other kids in the house  are away.  I am rather proud that phrase did not pass his lips until he was about 6 years old - it was a concept he had no idea about.

Naturally, when there are friends on tap, he can quite often be found playing on his own in his room!

Anyway, he decided he wanted to do experiments; so teabag rocket it is then.  Oddly, when I set fire to the tea bag it worked, but not when Rye did, and we had a panic when the bag fell over burning, so he blew it...argh!  Thankfully, tea bags burn out very quickly, so there's just a wee mark on my rug.  Then bugger me, he tried again, and blew the match out, blowing the tea bag on the floor again!  At that point I filled up the long necked lighter with butane and let him use that instead.  He wasn't setting light to the tea bag right at the top, so it burned unevenly and didn't woosh.

 How it works?
Well, its because the hot air raises and as the tea bag burns it creates a thermal, or convention current under the bag, and once the bag has burned to ashes, it wooshes up into the air (if burned evenly).

Afterwards, crafting.  Rye decided he wanted to make spirals.  Why? I wondered and he said because spirals are "awesome".  Very true.

 

  After the spiral has dried, we'll cut it out and he can hang it as a mobile in his room.  Oh, and the other day he drew a portrait of us both.  I love my colourful dreads!

I'm joining in This Homeschooling Life, its where Home Educators/Schoolers share what they have been up to for the past month.  Why not join in too :-)

Friday - Money, money, money.

Rye began the Singapore Math curriculum today.  He's probably on Level 4, but the advice is to start a level lower if the child isn't familiar with Singapore math methods, so I've bought the level 3 books.

Irritatingly, the parcel split and the first half of curriculum was lost, I'm still waiting on Maths No Problem to resolve this issue.  Frankly, they can chase Parcel Force for the pennies back for the shabby service, I still expect to receive the first half of the curriculum; I bought the books from them not parcel force!   So in the meantime, I've started Rye on the 2nd part of the curriculum, which is "money".  While the actual sums are a bit easy for him; it is good mental arithmetic practice, writing money in the correct numerical format, and of course reading too.    Gawd he doesn't half faff though.  I was beginning to get really irritated with the constant pencil tapping, waving, fidgeting, and telling stories that counting the various amounts of money reminded him of.
I must remember in future to ensure there is music playing, and have some manipulative available, as these things all seem to help him concentrate on the task.
The only aspect of the math work he did find difficult was remembering how to write the numbers.  I think it will be worth reviewing writing numbers in his grid math book before each math lesson.  It took an excruciatingly long time to complete the 2 pages in his work book, and it was because he couldn't remember how the numbers were written - well along with his constant faffing too.

After the break, I sent Rye to get a book from his room to read to me.  He chose "Rosie goes for a walk".  A good choice, while there were a number of word he struggled with, he made a good effort.  Definitely need to work on diagraphs with him, I'll have to think of some games to help cement the sounds in his mind.

 And finally, I read to Rye about Electricity in preparation for our Science Club on the 1st October.  This is a good little book, tells the history of Electricity, while then going on to explain what Electricity is and how it's made.  I did ask Rye to read a bit of it too, while its above his current level, there were plenty of words he could read, and again, it's another opportunity to remind him that he can use the phonemes, and introduce him to diagraphs.

Oooh and Fiddlesticks, great little game; simply use the lolly pop sticks and write sight words on on end of the sticks; and on one end of the sticks put a red dot.  The sticks go into a cup or tub with the stick (or a few sticks) with the dot on it bottom down in the tub.  Then the players take turns pulling out a stick and reading the word.  If read correctly they keep the stick - but if anyone gets the dot, then all their sticks have to go back in the pot.  After ten minutes the winner is the one with the most sticks.   Rye loves this game, because despite playing with me, the red dots give him a chance of winning too, and he loves it when I get a red dot and have to put all my sticks back, the rotter!

The rest of the day has been taken up with playing skoolbo - which has gone a bit weird, speaking too fast and the games ending before he has a chance to respond - so attempting to re-download it again.  Rye also spent some time watching cartoons - I like Netflix because it automatically puts the subtitles on, yet more exposure to the written word!
He also helped me with the clearing of a room in preparation for the work weekend.
Busy and productive day.

Sunday afternoon.

Another lovely sunny day.
A home day today I've been doing laundry and putting on the line.
A little while ago, I noticed that Rye had disappeared upstairs so I called upstairs to find out what he was doing and discovered him in my room. He was on my laptop and now it was a little bit difficult to be crosswith him, because he'd snuckef upstairs to do study ladder.

Laptop is now downstairs and Rye is now doing reading eggs, not what you think a five year old would want to do on a Sunday afternoon.