cold school

So all of our state got off of school today, due to the cold.

Poor homeschoolers.

But, man, since my homeschooler melt down (and three weeks off of school over Christmas, HA) we have had revitalized and renewed homeschool effort.

For three days, thus far.

But still.

Three days is three days. Am I right? Worth crowing about, just for a moment.

And, we did what good northern homeschool kids do in the freezing cold. Check out frozen bubbles in the afternoon sunshine, draw snowflakes, practice knitting, and study the jungle next to the woodstove, to warm up.

So, yes. I'm taking a project approach to several subjects for the new year. Its easier with multiple kids and, as little man put it, "We did all our subjects in one project with every smooshed in, like writing, and reading and science!"

Yes, we homeschool moms love to "smoosh" subjects.

Monday. History day, something always easy and fun for us. Stories, biographies, a chapter from our book, and some "Our Island Stories" read aloud online.

Tuesday. We started a science unit on jungles, which I plan to incorporate, or smoosh, culture studies, geography, animal studies, literature, and ecosystems. We just did a basic introduction, making a collage, talking about animals, talking about the equator, and reading a"Just So Story" by Kipling, and a chapter of "The Jungle Book."

A wild success.

This morning we did something similar, reading Laura - we are on "By the Shores of Silver Lake" talking about settlers and homesteading - then putting together a giant US map puzzle, and then doing a flip chart of our world using paper plates tied together from Earth to North America, the US, and then down to our state and town.

Also a wild success.

Math afterwards, was a breeze. We read a math story together, about the numbers fighting over which of them is king - number 12 is in case you wondered. "I'm so, CONTENT, right now" he tells me, in a surprised voice.

Poetry and drawing, not so much. Little miss happily copied a line and drew snowflakes in her little book. Little man, well, he kinda lost his school mojo by then. He pushed through, but not easily. (OY VEY, the DRAMA of 8 year olds!)

And little Green? She danced and sang and drew and then threw blocks at me for attention. You know. Three. Years. OLD.

All very successful. And then. I hit three o'clock. All three days. And I am a bear. NO MORE KID ENERGY I tell dada. Yesterday I sat in my mama chair, drinking tea and watching dada make dinner. Today, thankfully, we did a craft afternoon we another homeschooling family. AT SOMEONE ELSES HOUSE. Ha.

SURVIVED, this mama did, and lived to see another day!

Ah, the rolling tide oh the homeschooling lifestyle. Tomorrow may be a bookish free reading sort of school day. HA HA HA.

How are you all surviving the cold? I'm so grateful for our little stove, we set up our jungle area next to it, perfect time to study jungles really, right?? A trip to the local conservatory is definitely called for this month.

Warm things.

Warm things.

Warm things.

Keep chanting it. Right?