Homeschooling -13th week (19-25 April 2010)

Finally, I got some time to update Javier homeschooling. As I was saying... time is really not enough for me. I got so much things to do with my kids and yet the time is so limited. Every night, after preparing the materials for the next day homeschooling and surfing the internet for some homeschooling ideas, It is already very late. Sometimes I really feel it is tiring to update the blog. Nevertheless, I still make myself update it regularly.
Theme of the week: Goose
Prior to our goose theme lesson, we brought the kids to the Animal Resort last week to see a real goose.

Based on the goose theme, I also teach him a new vocabulary word related to goose that is Gosling (which means baby goose)
Beside that, we learn some new words which begins with "G": Gloves, Gun, Garlics, Grapes

I show Javier the actual things followed by the picture cards, hoping he can related the picture to the objects. Sometimes during the day, I would revise the picture cards and words with him, asking him to fetch me the garlic, gun or gloves. He is able to get the right things for me.
After introducing the new words to him, I would let Javier play with the stuffs before we proceed with our lesson.

I told Javier to smell, touch and to peel the garlic. After sniffing at the garlic... he told me "chou chou" which means smelly! :)

Learning the alphabet G

Each day of the week, I would do a different craft with Javier to let him practice the writing of the letter.

On Monday: we did a tracing of the letter G, I hold Javier hand and guide him to write the letter. So far, he like me to hold his hand to write the letter.

On Tuesday: I let him used a toothpick to poke on the letter. I place the piece of paper with the G printed on a mat for Javier to poke.

On Thursday: Javier uses a dot marker to print on the letter G.

On Friday: I left this this piece of paper on the table while I went to gather some materials. Javier just trace the letter G himself without any help from me. Although he did not write the g correctly, cos he start tracing from the bottom part of the G but I think he did a great job. The 2 Gs are trace by himself!!! I also use this leapfrog fridge phonics to teach him the letter G .

I let Javier watch this elmo alphabet song.... He loves it, he would tell me "Elmo Elmo" when he wants to watch it.

Crafts

We did not do many crafts this week. But I still managed to do 2 crafts with Javier.

Craft 1: The fluffy Goose

Javier like this craft alot, cos we are using cotton wool for the goose feathers. As I have mentioned in my earlier post.. Javier lovessss cotton wool. Whenenver I told him to take out the cotton wool from my room, he would dash in the room and get it for me immediately.

The Fluffy Goose

Craft 2: The cut and paste Goose

Poem and song

Our Poem for this week, is "Goosey Goosey Gander", as I read out the poem, I like to act out the words also. At the line, " I took him by the left leg, and threw him down the stairs." I grab Javier left leg and pretend to throw him... He keep giggling and wants me to do it again. He like this poem and would want me to read to him everyday.

We sing a song of "Old MacDonald have a farm", but I modified the lyrics abit to include goose, ganders and goosling. As we sing this song, I try to used a different voice to sing out the differnt type of goose and we waddle around in the house.

Books we read

One Smart goose by Caroline Jayne Church

A simple story, colorfully and beautifully drawn. It's about a goose that was very lonely and different from the other geese. A fox comes to chase the geese every full moon night, but the fox never chases the lonely little goose. The lonely little goose saves all the other geese, the other geese finds out how smart the lonely little goose is and is never lonely again. It uses small words, only a few sentences on every page so Javier won't lose his attention span while I am reading.

Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri (* Javier favourite book for this week*)

When Farmer Gray takes a trip, Blue Goose, Red Hen, Yellow Chick and White Duck decide to paint their black-and-white farm. Red Hen paints the barn red and White Duck paints the fence white. Then Blue Goose and Yellow Chick pour their paint together to make green for the grass and trees. By the time Farmer Gray comes back, the whole farm is full of color--what a wonderful surprise! Incorporating primary and secondary colors, as well as animals. From this book, I teach Javier about different colours which he enjoy greatly.

Both my boys enjoyed these 2 books alot. Everyday Javier would take this book from the shelf and ask me to read it to him. Once when I was too tired to read it to him, and Jayden gladly volunteer to read to Javier.

Learning Numbers: 3 Three

I borrow this book from the library. It is quite a fun book, where there is a turn wheel for the kids to turn and find the different shape. And besides Javier likes the farm animals in this book, so everynite he would spend some time looking at the book and I would take this opportunity to revise the numbers to him.

I let Javier arrange some m&ms on the 3 to let him trace the outline of 3. He is quite relunctant to do it as he would prefer to pop the chocolates into his mouth. :)

Learning Shapes: Square
This week we are still focusing on square as I realise that Javier is still not too sure about this shape. I have found a really good method to teach him about shapes from other mummy homeschooling blog.

I draw some outline for Javier to put the sticks to form the square. He likes doing this activity, as he is doing this activity, he would also learn that square have 4 sides, as he needs to put 4 sticks to form a square.

Some Square objects which I showed Javier

Learning Colours: Purple

Javier colour the grapes purple

Things which are purple. We played a I spy game to find purple things. And Javier managed to find a purple ball as the other purple things in sight have been taken by me.

During our free time at nite, we did a colour sorting activity. He is not interested in this activity, as he was planning to do his puzzle. Normally when I coach Jayden studies at nite, Javier would sit opposite me to do his puzzle.

I also let Javier coloured the square purple (so he learn 2 things from this activity: purple and square)

Learning Chinese:

We read a story book " 排好队 - 一个接一个", Tang Poem and 一 首 儿歌。

Our chinese story book: 排好队 - 一个接一个. Javier like this series of 小熊宝宝绘本。I have already order this set of books from Dang Dang spree as both my boys likes these books alot.

儿歌:猩猩

Tang Poem: 登鹳雀楼

I also teach Javier the fruits . Javier like this book alot and I try to read to him every nite. (With some help from me, he can say some of the name of the fruits when I show it to him)

Practical Life Skill

1) Sorting

Method: I mixed the macroroni and red beans and put them into a big bowl. Javier would sort and put it in 2 bowls

2) Transferring beans

Method: Javier would use the wooden spoon to transfer the bean and macroroni from one bowl to another3) Uncap the bottle and pour the water into the bowl

Method: I filled the medicine bottle with water and cap it. Then Javier would uncap himself and pour the water into the big bowl.

4) Identify the lids for different containers.

Method: Firstly, I showed Javier the containers with the lid on. Then I opened up all the lids from the container. So Javier will find the correct lids for all the containers and cover the containers with the lid.

Free Play

We have a fun time in dough playing, we make lot of squares, alphabets and all sorts of odd shapes.

Jayden Week 12 School work

Chinese Homework: He need to practice writing these 2 words for the 听写next monday. It is a real challenge to teach him the strokes of these words from scratch. When I told him to do this homework, he is not too sure how to start writing. So I got to show him stroke by stroke how to write the words. It is really stressful for me to teach him chinese, so sometime I would dedicate this important job to daddy who is more patient to teach him chinese.

English Homework: He need to practice writing these 3 words which prepare him for the spelling next Wednesday.
2nd Worksheet for his English Homework: Learning Opposite

Maths Homework: Learning Less Spelling:

At least for the spelling, Jayden is still doing well. So I don't need to spend too much coaching him in the spelling. Normally the nite before the spelling, I would just test him once or twice.

听写

But I cannot say the same for 听写, I got to keep asking him to practice the words everyday. And as the words for 听写 is more difficult now. Now is 2 words instead of 单词. I got to spend even more time teaching him how to write the words.

Me & Jayden

Today while we were having lunch at the foodcourt. I was chit chatting with Jayden, then I jokingly asked him do you like mummy? Then he nod his head... I say mummy keep scolding you and beat you, why you like me? Then he reply me " although you keep scolding me, I still like you." When I heard him telling me this, it really warm my heart. Sometime, thinking back, I was really very impatient with him and ... for so many times while coaching him in his studies, I lose my cool.

I keep telling myself to be patient with him and to control my temper... but saying is easier than done. Many a times, I told daddy that maybe I am not suitable to be a stay-at-home-mum. Because I am a really bad tempered and impatient person. Taking care of kids really takes alot of patience.

Sometimes, It really makes me guilty the way I treat my kids... seeing that no matter how I scold them and spank them, they are still very close to me.

Singapore Zoo 25.04.10!!!!!

After a long awaited time of 1 year, we finally renewed our zoo membership today. I feel that Javier is in a good age to really know how to appreciate the animals in the zoo now. At home, he would keep telling me to bring him to see crocodile, lion, peacock, tiger.... the list just goes on and on.....

So we reached the zoo quite early at 10am and started our exploring of the zoo. The boys were really excited... and Jayden is our explorer and leader for today. He would check the map and told us where to go. :)

Near the entrance of the zoo is a pond with some fishes and stingray. The first thing that they do is to dash to this pond and look at those fishes. They can spend 5mins just standing there looking at those fish.We tood a picture with the colorful parrots before we start our journey.
This is the bridge above the crocodile pond. Javier was really looking forward to see it. But we did not manage to see any of the crocodile today, I can see that Javier was quite disappointed and keep asking where is the crocodile?
The otters crowding near the glass panels waiting for the feeding.
I realised that the animals that Javier likes are those "ferocious" animals like tiger, lion, crocodile....When he sees the white tigers, he leans on the glass panel and keep staring at the white tigers. But it was so hot, that me and Jayden went into hiding in the shaded area, so daddy got to accompany Javier to look at the tigers.
Our little explorer studying the map and deciding where we are going.....
The big Hippo, a favourite with Javier also.
OH.. My boys simply loves the Kangaroo... We intend to let them feed the kangaroo, but we missed their feeding time...
We proceed to KFC for our lunch. We enjoy the yummy chicken while Javier got to eat his plain plain porridge. After our lunch, Javier told me he wants to go to the water play area, but since Jayden is having runny nose, we decided to give it a miss. So I explained to Javier why we cannot go and he was ok with it.
Instead we let the boys play at this tug boat. After playing for a while, it started to drizzle and we ran to find shelter at the horse ranch. Jayden found some grass on the ground and picked it up to feed to the goats.

Our homeschooling theme for next week is horse. So I took this opportunity to explain horse to Javier.

I really like this picture of my 2 boys. They looked so sweet and close togather.

We bought some ice-cream for the boys before we started for home.

The boys climbing onto the cows. Nowsaday, it is a real challenge to bring my boys out. And the most important we need to bring along is the stroller..... I got to put Javier in the stroller, if not I would not be able to chase after them. I can still control them if Javier is sitting the stroller, as Jayden is more well behave when he has no kahkis to run with him.