Today's Learning

Currently, the boys are doing math with M&M's.

I have 6 blue ones. I ate 2 blue ones. How many do I have left?

I have 5 groups of 4 colors each. Four, 8, 12, 16, 20. 5 X4 is 20.

They are having fun (thank God! - its not usually this smooth - lol). Earlier, Nicholas also did a worksheet from Math U See, which he enjoyed and two pages from his Explode the Code book.

This morning, we read about caves and about rainforests in the Usborne Children's Encyclopedia, at Nicholas' request. I'm going to consider that Science and geography. Then, Andrew asked for me to read aloud about WWI and WWII in that same book. History . . . check!

We also read Alpha Bravo Charlie: The Military Alphabet by Chris L Demarest. Phonics . . . check!Alpha Bravo Charlie

Nicholas asked for Dance at Grandpa's: My First Little House Books. We are reading through the little house books again before bed (just finished On the Banks of Plum Creek last night). When he saw the picture book at the library, he decided to check it out to enjoy as a read aloud. Literature . . . check!

This after noon, we are going to do some work outside in the garden, turning compost, caring for seedlings and planting new seeds. We are also going to plan the boys' spring gardens. We need to measure and mark the area for the gardens and decide what they will contain. I'm enjoying Roots Shoots Buckets and Boots: Gardening Together with Children by Sharon Lovejoy. I'm sure some of her ideas will make it into the boys gardens. Science, math, nature study, botony . . . check!

We will also read Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson and then read some books about how Crayons are made. We will probably also watch this video about crayons being made. Literature, social studies . . . check!

If time permits, we will also make brownies - both yummy and a math lesson in measuring :o) We'll use Alton Brown's recipe from the Good Eats Episode "Art of Darkness II". In it he talks about emulsions, the history of chocolate, making chocolate and more. Math, history, chemistry . . . check! (ETA: brownies are in the oven - they smell wonderful! We could not find our one cup measuring cup, so we had to use our 1/4 cup measure. That worked even more math into our cooking. Now the boys have really worked up an appetite).

Other lessons they've had today: whining does not convince Mom to give you your way, keeping a home and caring for their things, food and nutrition, getting along with others (sometimes known as aggressive negotiations), caring for pets, sharing and taking turns and using their imaginations. What a great learning day!