Weekly Wrap- Up: Unschooling Summer Week # 7

We had a pretty quiet week around here.  I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease on Thursday and spent a good day and half on the couch prior to that.  Not wanting to move or do anything left the boys to their own devices so they spent a whole lot of time playing video games and watching TV.

I spent a lot of time re-reading through ALL the posts I've ever written and in doing so realized how often we have fallen back on unschooling over the years.

Many times I was struck by how much MORE we seemed to cover when I let the kids take the lead.  I was also truck by how much MORE fun we seemed to be having when we were unschooling.  That said my boys are chronically complaining they're bored and I'm being asked when we're going to start school again.

I'm not looking to start back to school until September this year but promised the boys I'd look through Pinterest and find some fun/ educational things for us to do over the next few weeks; but just a few!  While they might complain we haven't been doing school or learning much of anything, we have been doing so much!  Here's a quick summary of our week:



Reading/language arts:  Together we read Bats in the Band, Cat & Dog, Raindrops Roll, Hidden Walkingsticks, and some more of The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom.  We listened to Inkspell in the car while we drove around.  Evan read  Look!, Going to the Sea Park, and some more Dick and Jane stories.  Alec read Little Bird Takes a Bath, Warriors, How to Pick Your Dragon, In One Tidepool; Crabs, Snails, and Salty tales, Marsh Music, and a few more Warriors Manga books.  He also read Evan's Batman comic book to him.  Ian and I read a few more chapters in Mockingjay.

Science/ technology-- We attended a fishing class and learned all about salt water/ marsh fish.  The kids learned how to fish in the ocean.  We saw a clam egg (I had no idea they even laid eggs!).  They look like the top half of a clear jellyfish bobbing along in the water.  We saw a few birds and several different types of seaweed.  The boys spent some time at home fishing too and observed the birds in and around our yard.  We managed to capture a picture of a finch eating out of Alec's feeder.  Alec and I spent a morning cleaning algae off his fish tank decorations and cleaned out all the water and stones.  Ian and Alec both spent lots of time playing Trivia Crack with various family members.  All three boys watched TV & played video games and "found" some new computer games to play.  Alec often discovers that many of his favorite book series have websites and most have games he can play.  The boys all watched a new episode of Wild Kratts and learned about the Golden Bamboo Lemur.


Physical Education-- they spent some time swimming and diving this week. They also learned that surf casting requires some muscles to reel in the lines when they get stuck on rocks and weeds.  The boys dug out Twister one morning and spent a good 30 minutes playing and laughing together.  Alec is so flexible that he nearly always wins but all three enjoy playing just the same.

History/ Geography--  We were surprised to learn that the park we went surf casting in was once part of an air field.  They had left part of the runway in tact and there was a sign telling about the importance of this air field during World War II.  It was a training field for fighter pilots and Former President George Bush & Barbara Bush met up there.  It had once had three runways and over 150 buildings.  We also learned a bit about Madagascar and Pangea while watching Wild Kratts.

What is left of the old runway 

Math-- The kids spent a bit of time each morning reviewing math facts again this week.  All three boys also learned how to play Dominoes and spent lots of time playing and adding up scores.

Life Skills-- With me pretty much out of commission for a good portion of the week the kids pitched in a little extra around here.  They each made their own breakfasts and lunches or would occasionally work together to get meals on the table.  They did laundry for me and were extra careful about picking up after themselves.  They were great help to me and offered to get things for me so I wouldn't have to move.  They even offered to make me breakfast a time or two.  Ian mowed lawns and did a bit of weed whacking too; even though he hates having to weed whack.

Social Skills-- We met a few new families at our surf casting class and met up with their cousins and friends as well.  They spent the day socializing and having great fun.

Comments

  1. I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnoses. Amazingly though, you guys still had a full week! You must have super powers that you aren't telling the world about :-) Feel better soon! I love reading about your weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you! I'm feeling much better now! Amazing what a few days on antibiotics will do.

    ReplyDelete

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