Homeschooling in the Afternoons

I've debated about whether or not to post about what I'm doing for homeschooling the kids, and at least for today I will.  I love reading what other families are doing, and I know it has really helped me get a grasp on what I want to do and how I want to do it.

My greatest challenges with homeschooling the kids are that: 1) they are in Chinese preschool from 8-12 every morning, 2) there are 4 little ones who want to do "homework", and that 3) there is simply no way I can do all that I want to do in the time that I have with each of them.  We are getting into a groove and I'm learning what I have time and resources for and what I don't.  I've learned that if I spend a little time with the boys as soon as they get home from Chinese preschool and do most of the girls' work while the boys are sleeping that everyone seems to get some good "mommy time" and we get the most accomplished.

First, the boys.  I'm using a combination from Confessions of a Homeschooler's Letter of the Week curriculum (LOTW), and 1plus1plus1equals1's Raising Rock Stars Preschool curriculum (RRSP).  Through those I'm able to do a lot with teaching letters, numbers, and shapes as well as a Bible verse each week.  I try to find a book (or several) that we own that can be used along with the Letter of the Week.  I'm using the letter order and Bible verse from RRSP, but the "theme" from LOTW.  Last week we worked on the letter L and read The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle.  Here are a few pics of the boys at work!

Tobey LOVES tracing the letters!

And he is SOOO proud when he does a good job!

Using bingo markers to "write" the letters is probably their favorite activity so far!

Both boys LOVE to cut! 

This is another favorite.  We use a toothpick to poke holes in the letter of the week as another way to "write" the letter.

At the end of the week, they hung their work on their bedroom doors.   They were so proud!

It's been easy to figure out what to do with the boys.  Whatever we get done is great, and if we don't do a whole lot, they are only 3, so they still have LOTS of time to learn!

The girls however are both "officially" kindergarten age.  Vera is a very old Kindergartener and Eden a very young one.  I've found that V is mostly working at a first grade level and Eden is very comfortable and successful at a Kindergarten level.  They are both using Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code (Vera is just starting book 2, Eden is just finishing up Getting Ready for the Code book C), and Horizons Math (Vera in grade 1, Eden in K).

For both girls, we are doing studies from the Five in a Row curriculum.  The books the curriculum uses are for the most part wonderful choices.  The idea is to spend one week on each book, rereading each day and focusing on a different aspect of the book each day: language arts, social studies, art, math, and science.  This is definitely the girls favorite part of their day!

Last week we started with The Story About Ping.  It takes place along the Yangtze river in China.  We marked that on our wall map.  We even had a tour book and pictures to look at as Matt and I went on a cruise down the Yangtze river during language school.

Eden was thinking hard about what to add to her art for the week!

The boys were awake when we did our science lesson.  We all read Ducks Don't Get Wet, and then I had them paint part of a brown paper bag with oil and leave another part plain.  They dropped water onto both bags and saw that the water sat on top of the oiled bag and soaked into the other bag.

You can kinda see the the difference in the two bags.

The girls are using plain art books to display their work in and enjoy being able to look back at what they have learned.  

Both the boys and girls had a great first week of homeschooling!  We are well into week 2 now and the kids all continue to enjoy what we are doing.  I have so much more I want to do with the kids (especially the girls), but it will probably have to wait until they "graduate" from Chinese preschool!

Just a little funny from the week...  One night right before dinner Kai wanted to take out his "homework".  I told him we were getting ready to eat and he could do it later.  This resulted in a full temper tantrum with him screaming, "I WANT TO DO MY HOMEWORK!!!"  I had to laugh.