What We Studied

Another week of anatomy, coding, and Greece! We’re taking is easy this month and not pushing the curriculum too far. Plus we have all those fun advent activities to fit in!

Literature and Poetry

We finished Part 1 and have moved into Part 2. Arthur liked the story more when we really get into more of the monsters. He especially liked Scylla.

• Tales from the Odyssey Part 1 by Mary Pope Osborne

• Tales from the Odyssey Part 2 by Mary Pope Osborne

Math

Instead of continuing Singapore Math, we switched over and started learning about computer science. We finished the first book with Ruby and have moved onto the second book. Some of the activities in the back of the book are great to reinfornce certain ideas. This past week we talked about and, or statements, logic gates, and pixels. (Arthur has also been doing daily math pages to keep up his arithmetic skills.)

• Hello Ruby: Journey Inside the Computer by Linda Liukas

• Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding by Linda Liukas

• Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

Social Studies

History was all about Greece (and will be about Greece until Christmas). We wrapped up the Minoans and Mycenaeans and talked about the development of Greece, specifically the rise of the city-states. We focused a bit on Sparta and learned about their way of life. This coming week will feature Athens and then Alexander the Great.

• How People Lived in Ancient Greece by Colin Hynson

• Eyewitness: Ancient Greece

• Ancients in Their Own Words: Ancient Greece by Michael Kerrigan

• Ancient Greece: Voyages Through Time by Peter Ackroyd

• The Wooden Horse of Troy by Cari Meister

• The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War by Emily Little

• Ancient Greece by Mari McGee

• The First Olympics by Lisa M. Bolt Simons

Science

Science until Christmas is all about anatomy and physiology. We studies the muscular and digestive systems. Now Arthur just wants to tell me poop jokes all the time.

• Eyewitness: Human Body

• My Amazing Body Machine by Robert Winston

Art

No formal art lessons this month, but we are doing a variety of projects related to the season and to our other subjects. This week Arthur did a drawing of the Trojan Horse and some free drawing for holiday time.

Music

Our composer this week was Ralph Vaughan Williams. Another composer that I have definitely heard his music, but couldn’t place the name. Arthur was not a fan.

Unit Theme

Our unit theme until Christmas is holidays around the world. We did some random holiday activities this week. Plus, we are doing an advent (see my Christmas Bucket List post) that is all holiday themed. Finally, I wrapped the 24 days of Christmas books again this year to enjoy. The boys love opening a package of two books every night. I got some new ones from the library along with some old favorites (both borrowed and owned).

24 Days of Books

• Auntie Clause for the Holidays by Elisa Primavera

• Maple and Willow’s Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols

• Holiday Heroes Save the Christmas by Adam Wallace

• Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner

• The Perfect Christmas by Eileen Spinelli

• The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas by Laura Murray

• Turkey Claus by Wendi Silvano

• Just Right for Christmas by Birdie Black

• The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Carolyn Conahan

• The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton

• A Christmas Tree for Pyn by Olivier Dunrea

• Was That Christmas? by Hilary McKay

• Dino-Christmas by Lisa Wheeler

• The Knights Before Christmas by Joan Holub

• Henry and Mudge and a Very Merry Christmas by Cynthia Rylant

• Here Comes Santa Cat by Deborah Underwood

Misc. - Random picture books read

• John Cena Elbow Grease: My Monster Truck Family

• Zen Happiness by Jon J Muth

• Goldenlocks and the Three Pirates by April Jones Prince

Highs

• it was 60 degrees on Tuesday and we played at the park!

• And then it was below freezing on Friday and Saturday and the boys played in the snow! They loved both days.

Lows

• Feeling a bit of crunch in terms of getting through everything I planned for this month. Outwardly being very light and relaxed; inwardly a bit wound up.

Next Week

More of the same topics! We will be continuing with the development of Ancient Greece, reading The Odyssey, learning about computers, exploring the human body, choosing a new composer, and doing all the holiday activities!

Next up on the TBR pile: