Second Grade Work...

Well this freaky snow storm has just killed off our spring nature block. We had big plans for visiting the beaver dam and the frog pond grrr. Not to mention Ferdinand of all the kids hates snow and it arrived in his birthday week. He is entirely put out.

He did do some drawings for his main lesson book though and has read lots of story books on various pond animals pulled from our shelves. We have been working on more word families and he is now able to come up with and spell words almost completely on his own (big sis like to help though ).

He has been also working on this weeks tongue twister and poem which is ironically about spring.
And of course some more math review, he and big sis have been getting co-operative with his tables memorization and Iddy is really improving- yay!

His writing also seems to be straightening out after a several weeks of listing and sliding all over the place.

Mother Nature Missed the Memo!

It is Spring!

This was taken early this morning. It still hasn't slowed down - a rarity in Coffeeland!

To all the Mid-West and East coast relatives who had 80 degree weather today pppbbth!

US Geography Main Lesson Block

Iddy Biddy has moved into a new main lesson, we are focusing on US Geography.
I wasn't so sure how she would take to it as last autumn our  local geography block was a bit of a flop.
She seems excited  though she found the idea of free handing maps intimidating. I secretly agree and found drawing the map up on the board quite challenging. I thought her first map of the entire U.S. turned out quite well. She is remembering quite a lot from last years Native American main lesson blocks and that is helping tie in the information we are covering this year.

We will focus on one region at a time , discussing which states they contain- a few quick facts about each, a little about climate/land forms, recall some of the Native peoples from the area,  listen to a regional story or folktale and prepare regional dish.

We may finish off with learning one of those State/Capital songs I vaguely remember from my school days. (I seem to remember South America's Country/Capital song but not the U.S.  )

For our first region I tried to convince her to try a locally infamous salmon ice cream but she remains steadfastly against the idea, we will stick with Marionberry and hazelnut! :)

Little Hands, Big Prayers

Well they got away!

Despite weeks of diagrams and maps, some good ideas using very sticky tape and lots and lots of advertising the kiddos did not catch that Leprechaun.
We were hoping to wish for a new job for Daddy but  were still tickled to see all the snacks they left and the thanks you note on the chalkboard.
Even if they did turn over all the kitchen tables and leave a mess on Mommy's counters from making green spinach almond crackers. :)

March Storytelling.

We have said goodbye to the last of the pinecones and hearts.
Our seasonal basket this month has had leprechauns and rabbits, pots of gold and spring creatures. It serves as a sort of storytelling basket/ miniature sensory bin (minus all the rice to sweep!)
More and more our two little ones are spending time playing and creating stories together instead of just vying for mommy's attention.

Second Grade Main Lesson Block: Nature/Spring

Ferdinand noticed that the last living cactus from Iddy's desert terrarium was looking a bit droopy and asked what year he got to make one. Hey! Second grade! What would I remember if these kids didn't keep reminding me? Probably not a lot.  He had just finished up his King of Ireland's son block and since our March started out very "lamby" a Nature Main Lesson seemed just the thing.
We started off enjoying the first really dry sunny day and searching the sides of the bike path for weeds and mossed that crop up in the gravel and mulch. Unfortunately right by our apartment the path gets hit by fanatic doses of weed killer but just down the path are some farms and we can find a lot of interesting stuff.

He potted them up with just the perfect touch...for some reason those sisters just don't appreciate it. :)

Just past the farms is a little nursery and later in the week we headed over for those cacti.
With a little help he took apart Iddy's old pot (with her permission! :) ) and built his own. We are hoping that old cactus perks up now that it has friends again.



But the project Ferdinand has been most proud of is his herb garden.
He found the pots on sale and was so excited  "Mom, Mom, The whole spectrum Mom!"
He went to pick out herbs was very upset to find they had not grown chives yet. I was prepared for a meltdown but he took a deep breath and decided to save the green pot until they came in.
He spent an entire afternoon potting them up just so , putting  them in order and sternly warning away any sibling who came near.
They make our otherwise drab , coat and boot cluttered front entry quite lovely.

All finished just in time for the temperature to drop 20 degrees and the freezing rain to start again. That trip to our frog pond will have to wait. In the mean time we are enjoying the scent of the herbs and reading stories about frogs.

End Of the Day...

Any one else have a living room like this at the end of the day?
I had a really productive afternoon working with Ferdinand and Iddy was playing upstairs with Valentine so threre could only one culprit. Blue Eyes assured me she had no idea who made the mess.
Though to be fair, the binders on the rocking chair are all mine.

Spring Snapshots