Must Speak More Chinese...

Yesterday, T completed his Chinese homework. He practiced writing his words: big, family, smile, not, need, cry. T practiced reciting the phrases. He also watched another DVD on community. This one was about school. We compared the school we saw on the DVD and our homeschool.



On a side note, T threw up after dinner last night. We're pretty sure he must have eaten something wrong as opposed to him being sick. But I said that just in case, if he wasn't feeling well in the morning, we would not go to Chinese school. T then tells me that he shouldn't go to Chinese school because there are germs there! Oh my, that was funny. Here I was thinking he might not be able to go to school because he might be sick. He was the one with germs and shouldn't bring the germs to school. And he thought it was the other way around! Too funny!

T also read some easy readers I got from the library.

Today, T went to Chinese school from 9:30 to 11:30am. His new words were: Dad, early, Mom, good. The phrase is Dad is early, Mom is good. There is no infinitive or 'to be' in Chinese. His teacher, Ms. Chan, says that we should speak more Chinese at home with T. I need to work on that. I will also play more of the Chinese dubbed movies for the boys. The boys watched Wall-E in Chinese. Any bit of exposure to the oral language has to be a plus.

Science day!

Yesterday, T caught up on his math. He finished up on groups of four. Then he went on to practice writing his fives (5) and found groups of 5. We also read another chapter of Flat Stanley and worked on prediction skills.

Today, T and L watched a few Magic Schoolbus videos on recycling, the rainforest and the desert.



T also watched a Talking Signs video and practiced his sign language.

We also had a whole science lesson on sink and float. T made predictions, grouped like items and reasoned.

We also read another chapter in Flat Stanley.

Pluto's not a planet anymore?

Yesterday, I read another chapter of Flat Stanley to T.
We went internet searching for the names of the dinosaurs in The Land Before Time II. T made some good guesses, isolating choices bases on features as he compared the pictures on the videotape box and the pictures on the computer. There were many possibilities. Then I finally had the smarts to look at the videotape box and the summary actually named the dinosaurs. They were struthiomimuses. And I also showed T that Spike in the movie was a ankylosaurus.

Today we
- reviewed how to write our Chinese words for the week.
- practiced writing three (3).
- found groups of four.
- discussed Pluto and how it lost its status as a planet.
- discussed the discovery of the possible tenth planet, Xena, that was eventually named Eris.

Classes, classes and more classes...

Through OB, we have
T - Preschool classes at Camp Robin Tuesday/Friday 9:15 - 11:15am March 10 - April 14
T - Little Chef at Camp Robin Monday 5:15pm March 9 - April 27
L - Game Fun at Municipal Monday 3:00pm March 9 - April 27

Through Monmouth, we have
T - Tball at Dorbrook Wednesday 10:30am -11:25pm May 6-27
L - PeeWee Soccer at Dorbrook Sunday 11:00 - 11:45am Mar 15 - Apr 5
L - PeeWee Soccer at Dorbrook Sunday 11:00 - 11:45am Apr 19 - May 10
L - PeeWee Soccer at Dorbrook Sunday 11:00 - 11:45am May 31 - Jun 21

Community DVDs

Sunday, February 22

The library has a nice selection of DVDs about the community. Yesterday T & L watched two videos. Actually, they watched a whole lot more than that yesterday, but we shall not talk about that.... The boys learned about the community and the library. During the library video, when the new books were discussed, T was able to read the "New Books" sign. I was particularly proud.



While watching the Land Before Time video, we briefly reviewed different dinosaurs: triceratop, pterodactyl, velociraptor, tyrannosaurus rex, parasaurolophus. T and I different in opinion on whether the Long Necks were brontosauruses or brachiosauruses. We will have to look these up. And I wasn't sure about one dinosaur. I was thinking it was an ankylosaurus. Another one we will have to look up.

Teachable Moments

T had Chinese School today from 9:30am to 11:30am. Daddy brought him to school, so of course, he was on time. I have got to work on our tardiness.

His new words are: big, family, smile, not, need, cry. Of course, if we put all the words together, the two phrases are "We all smile, no need to cry."

I brought L to the dentist. It turned out to be just a checkup. This time. Then L and I had a nice lunch, just the two of us. I can't remember the last time we did that, if ever. I also took advantage of our time together and a mini lesson on numbers and dinosaurs. In the elevator, we identified the numbers 1, 2 and 3. Talk about applying to real life! Then we briefly discussed carnivores and herbivores during lunch when L decided he was a tyrannosaurus rex. Have to love teachable moments! And the fact that big brother was not there to jump in with unwanted answers!

New Start

I am just hoping to keep a blog dedicated to homeschooling with the boys. My other blogs have taken on a life of their own, so I needed to create this new one. Hopefully, I will be more organized in documenting the work that T, L and Z have done, well, mostly T.

- T completed Chinese homework: grass, ground, up, red, flower, open. Well, technically those are the individual words. They are two phrases, "The grass is coming up" and "Red flowers blossom." Pretty, huh?

- T read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss without too much difficulty. Daddy was so impressed. I was so proud of him. There were some words here and there that he didn't know. I think if T reads the book a few more times, he will recognize the words. Yay, T!