Ok, do any of you look at the sheer amount of work that some of the traditional Montessori presentations require and balk a little bit? I know that I do! Especially when it comes to language materials. There are about a million three part cards, grammar farm labels, grammar boxes, object boxes, sound bins, and the list goes on! Not only do I not have time for all of that cutting, laminating, and printing, I also don’t have that much space. On top of that, sometimes we never even use the materials! So I have learned over the past few years of Montessori homeschooling how to cut corners. Bunny hated most of the work to be done with three part cards, and I really could not keep up with making a million boxes for just about everything! Soooo….enter simplicity! I have gotten rid of grammar boxes and Bunny and I do the work together on the chalk board and practice it with the grammar boards. Simpler! I don’t make eye spy boxes for practicing sounds, we do it where ever we are! Beginning sounds, ending sounds, middle sounds, rhyming….it turns out that this a perfect car game! See simple! Another thing that I have done, is use those pink series cards for more then just learning to write. I used them for rhyming games, beginning sounds, and lots of other little things for Pup. Why keep making a hundred boxes for one kids, when the lessons can be done with some simple stuff. I know that it really isn’t traditional, but I think that it works for us. Sometimes I think that we over complicate the Montessori Method with stuff. When I really think about what Montessori was able to do with poor kids in poor parts of the world, I wondered how we ended up with a method that requires so much stuff for each and every step. After all the goal is to teach using small steps and hands on materials an lots of free time to practice, So, I am going to cut a few corners to keep things easier here. After all, simpler means easier for me, and easier for me means that I am not so stressed, and when I am less stressed I can be a better mommy and wife! So what’s not to love about that? So do you cut corners? Be honest! What do you change?
I am linking up over at Montessori Monday, so be sure to stop over there for lots more Montessori fun!
What do you think of our school pics this year? I took them with my mom last week! The kids had a ton of fun! Today though, we have officially started school here. However, we are easing into it! No real long work or big new things! We are starting with basics. So today Pup and I reviewed some sandpaper letters, writing, and her numbers. Bunny started her math book (simple addition) and we also read the beginning of her history book. Plus we started her notebook for her First Communion preparation! Nothing earth shattering, but enough to get things moving! I think that it will be a good year. Here are the first day pics!
As you can see it went pretty well! We even used the chalk board a couple of times! So my question for all of you is….when do you start school? Have you made the big leap yet, or are you going to wait until after Labor Day (which was my plan originally)? And I am linking up at Montessori Monday! Be sure to join me there!
Well summer is in full swing and full of fun! However, I get the feeling that my girls are needing a bit of nudge to starting finding some creative work and maybe a bit of learning too! Since we are planning on going to the Ocean this summer, I thought that making some ocean themed work would be fun! So a basket of books on the stairs, new art materials, some magic school bus movies on the computer, and some trays of ocean fun are now gracing the shelves of the school room. We are not really having school time, but I am hoping to read a book or two each day, and ask some questions to hopefully inspire some more learning! If not, there is plenty to create amazing ocean things! Now I know that you are dying for me to show you what we have so you can do it yourself, so here is what we have out for our ocean theme!
Nature Tray with Ocean Items (Some of these are from our dear friends over at Mi Escuelita Montessori)
Now again, I really don’t think that we are going to be “doing” regular school work. It is summer though and summer is about playing and having fun! But, if my plans work, we can play with our learning! Now, if you want to see more amazing Montessori based by, be sure that you Montessori Monday! We are linking up there this week! I am also linking up over at Link & Learn!
Hi there everyone! I am happy to report that the this new site is ready for some new posts! Hooray! I have missed sharing all our fun! However, I am begging you to hang in there with me, things are messy all over, but we are working on getting it all there!
Last week we spent a lot of time talking about the stems of a plant! We observed how the plant takes water up from the roots by letting some celery suck up some food colored water! The girls love seeing this! It is such a basic experiment that never fails to seem like magic to kids! My girls are no exception! It was really amazing to see how the food coloring really allows you to see the veins of the leaf too!
While we waited for the celery to become magical, we talked about the two different types of stems~ Woody and herbaceous. After a quick talk about the differences we walked the neighbor hood figuring out which ones were which in the plants we saw. The girls were quick to understand it. I have found that although it is fun to sort cards, most of the time my girls would prefer to get out there and see it for real!
Another thing we did last week was talk about the parts of a woody steam and look at an old stump in the neighbors yard! (She didn’t mind). Bunny thought it was interesting that they get new rings every year.
Finally, to make the week a little fun, we decided to paint plants with all their parts! Not only that, but I thought it would be fun to use mediums to see how different each picture looked. We used water color pencils, watercolors, and tempera paint. They loved it, plus they got to see and feel how different mediums worked. Plus they got to think about the parts of a plant
So there you have what we have been up to with our Botany fun! I am sorry for the sideways pictures! I have been trying and trying to fix this, but I am new to Word press and cant figure it out! I am going to link up over at Montessori Monday, so be sure to stop by there for more amazing Montessori fun! I will be back tomorrow with lots more fun! Happy Schooling!!!
Spring is here and the warm weather is just begging for days outside! But then you remember that there is school work to be done, and summer….well its a far way off still! *Sigh*. The long dreary winter is heading out and frankly, you are ready for school to go with it and so are the kids. Work is starting to get old and boring to everyone. Text Books, which were like treasure chests in the fall are now like jail cells. All of the beautifully organized materials are used, old, and cluttered. The bright happy school room, is dark and confining and everyone is trying to escape given the right opportunity! Ok…I may be getting a little overly dramatic here, but that feeling is real. That feeling is often the beginning signs of burnout. Burnout is a word that is feared among homeschooling mamas all over the world. Burnout means you lost your edge, that learning is no longer fun, and that you may need to give up or go under! To me, early spring is right when most mamas are feeling that burnout starting to happen and summer break cannot get her soon enough. My goal is today is to share a few ideas that can help stop (or at least slow down) the burnout feeling that threatens your whole amazing year! Here are a few thoughts that have helped me and some that other moms have mentioned that were helpful too!
1. Find a new learning path: These are sometimes referred to as Bunny Trails, side paths of learning that are not in the curriculum, but that have great discoveries along them. For example, we are jumping head long into Botany. I had not planned on doing that this year, but everything came together for it and the girls were excited about it! So we are going to embrace it right now! Maybe your new Bunny Trail will take your outside and into the fresh air where you want to be anyway! The nice things about Bunny Trails is that sometimes they are long, sometimes they are short, but they are always exciting. Plus they will still allow you to hit some of the important goals on the curriculum plan at the same time!
2. Change the Scene: Try taking your school work somewhere new! Drag a table outside to the back yard, head out to the park, go to the library, even school at the zoo! Sometimes you may get less done, but you may find out that it is more relaxing and a bit more fun! Who knows, maybe you find a place where everyone works the best!
3. Take the Pressure Off: Another tip that I think is super important is to take a real look at what you have done this year and what you needed to get done. What are really required by law to make sure your kiddo learns? Just because you only got through 2/3 of the lessons you wanted, chances are you have probably met or even exceeded what they have to know to pass. That doesnt mean you need to stop schooling, it just means that you can relax a little bit! By taking pressure off of yourself to get EVERYTHING done, you will unconsciously take pressure off your kids too! That will allow you a chance to have more fun while you learn because you wont be worrying about the to do list! 🙂
4. Have an Adventure: Take a field trip! There is a reason why all the schools start taking field trips in the spring! It can spark some fun, some real learning, and may even start you down a Bunny Trail! Plus scheduling some a few field trip into your month gives everyone something fun and exciting to look forward to! Work and school time doesnt seem quite so bad when there is a field trip to look forward to in the future!
5. Get Rid of Screen Time: Ok….now I am not talking about giving up all your screen time, but I am saying, take a close look at what your a reading. Pintrest, social media, blogs, etc are full of amazing ideas, but sometimes these amazing ideas can make you feel like you just dont have your stuff together! So a good way to look at it is, if you read a blog or search for things on pintrest and it leaves you feeling overwhelmed and stressed, then stop! If you leave feeling inspired and uplifted, then read on sister! Honestly, every blogger out there probably feels just like you most days, like things are out of control and overwhelming. The Internet is filled with a million and ten amazing ideas for learning and having fun, however there are probably a million and nine that are not right for you. So pick what works and what feels like it will work for your family, and throw out what doenst!
6. Talk it out: And sometimes talking with a really good mommy friend is the best way to help get your mojo back! There are days when I dont know what I would do with a good chat with my mom or my best friend! Sometimes just talking about the stressful things that are driving you to burnout and hearing that you are not failing, is all you need to kick it back into gear!
Those are my tips to help you keep going and loving what you do! Some of these ideas are ones I have used, some were shared by my mom (who has been homeschooling for more then 20 years) and some were ideas from other friends! That is what a good community is all about, sharing ideas and helping each other through the tough moments! So that being said, be sure to add your ideas for avoiding burnout in the comments! I would love to hear them, and I know the other who stop here too! I am linking up to Montessori Monday and Hip Homeschool Hop and The Super Linky Party so stop by there for more great learning ideas!
(Click the Picture to Enter)
Another thing that I wanted to take a moment to share with you is that Kiwi Crate is offering an amazing giveaway! I personally LOVE Kiwi Crate! They offer amazing art kits, sent right to the door for your kids! Their boxes come with perfect step by step directions that kids can easily follow on their own! And Kiwi Crate is giving away everything on their website along with a Pottery Barn Table! WOW! So Stop by and maybe you will win! Plus for everything you buy there, I get a little bit to help me out too! I really hope you can win because this is amazing! All you need to do, is click on he picture above! Good Luck and Happy Schooling Everyone!
Well everyone, I know its Monday and I usually have some words of wisdom or some amazing school time stories, but today I have something even more special for you all! John Bowman, a certified Montessori Teacher, has his latest, and best edition of Montessori At Home e-book for sale! I know that I have talked about it before, but honestly it is the best of the best out there for anyone with a 3-6 year old who wants to add a little Montessori to their homes! There is enough information here to homeschool, but it is simple enough if you just want to add a bit to start with! But wait there’s more….its ONLY $10.95! SERIOUSLY! This book is over 500 pages of information and activities. It starts off with an amazing quick start guild (for those of you too impatient to read the whole book first), and it follows with a rather detailed overview of Maria Montessori. It is divided by subject matter and even includes the cultural work that is sometime hard to figure out how to do! This is always my first recommendation for a Montessori resource, and today you can get it here! Plus my girls are in the book, which is always fun too!
Now, another thing that I really love about this deal is that Montessori Print Shop put together a bundle of 21 of their amazing material to help you do the presentations in the book! The value of this bundle if you bought the material separately would by $60, but for only $24 you can get them all! This is really an amazing way to get Montessori in your home and working quickly, inexpensively, and the way Maria Montessori designed it! I have signed up as an affiliate for this book, which means, if you buy the book from the link on my blog, I will get a few bucks! So if you are thinking of buying the book, it would mean the world if you just click on the link here to get to the site! The money will help me keep things going on the blog! Check it and see what you think! If you already have the book, you can always check out the Materials Bundle! If you have it all already, leave me a comment and tell me what you think of it so far! What worked, what didnt, and what you LOVE! If you need more convincing, here are some reviews of other people who have the book:
“Your book appears to be EXACTLY what I have been looking for. I have only recently begun researching the Montessori method and I’m currently feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of info and ideas. I had no idea where to start. Your book is a fantastic summary of everything I wanted to know and it looks as though it is going to be a wonderful tool for focusing my ideas and beginning an actual routine and plan. Thank you so much!”
“This is an amazing book! You have done parents an enormous favor. Thanks so much!”
“I didn’t know what to expect when I downloaded Montessori At Home! So many things don’t live up to their hype. This book not only lives up to it, it exceeds your descriptions. What a find! As soon as I read a bit I am going to do our first activity – thank you!”
Happy Schooling Everyone! Have fun making Montessori fun and Memories!
Last week Pup was working more on her Cheetah project and as I worked with Bunny I realized that she was crawling all over the room with her stuffed cheetah in her mouth. She told me that it was her cub and she was the momma cheetah. She then proceeded to hide her cub in the tall grass and go hunting {Which was too cute}. She crept along the floor and then started to run on her hands and knees as fast as she could! She then brought her cub back some of the gazelle she caught. It was really sweet, but it got me thinking about play in the Montessori classroom. Traditionally Montessori classrooms dont have play as we know it. However, Montessori referred to the work a child does as play and games. Each and every work that was created was created to be play. Hmmm…it makes the whole view of Montessori just a little bit different, less ridged, and more accessible to me personally. However, it didnt address the issues of imaginary play. Honestly, Maria Montessori didnt believe that children needed that in the classroom. Why? That is the big question. Why no imaginary play? Well she observed that the child would rather learn to use the real material then to play with the toys that were in her first Casa. And you know what, she was right! Kids would rather help in the kitchen, then play with a kitchen set. Or they would rather sweep a real floor then use a pretend sweeper and rather wash themselves then wash a doll. But they cant always be using real things in a real place. Kids need down time too. They need to play. In observing my own kids and other kids, they love to work, but they also need to play. In fact sometimes their play is a reflection of what they have been thinking about and learning about, like Pup being a cheetah. They need the down time to absorb more fully the deep things that they were presented with, to explore new ideas, and to relax. Now these are just my observations, but I think that this is one of those “aha moments” that make me realize again that a Montessori homeschool is vastly different from a school. Playtime and work start to become the same thing and all an important part of total learning. So how do we make playtime and Montessori work together? Here are a few tips on what we do to make this work together:
1) Keep it simple We have mostly open ended toys. I have gotten rid of any movie or character toys and most toys that move, need batteries, and all that little junk stuff that seems to filter in! We kept the blocks, the trains, the kitchen toys, the dolls, the Barbies, the Playmobiles, the Polly Pockets, animal models, and of course Legos! Everything has many ways to play with it. The people can go different places and be different things. They can work together and create all kinds of world. And the girls do! They are happier with a few baskets of good stuff then with a room full of everything!
2) Make it Pretty Like Maria Montessori says, the enviroment is the teacher. Make sure that everything is arranged well and organized in a way that allows for the child to see what he has to play with, and to be able to clean up what he got out. This doesnt mean that they will clean up one thing before they get out another. It is playtime, not school time. Mixing is encouraged and really good. It means that they are really experiencing their thoughts. You can even use rugs to help them create an area if you have more then one child and space is something that becomes an issues. However, sometime working together is better and more fun!
3) Make it Creative Creativity is so important! Playtime is not work time. So let the kids make things, make a bit of a mess, and really dig deep into what they are thinking. Art supplies (if possible), playdough, craft supplies, blocks, pieces of wood, what ever the kids need to create something that is meaningful! And relax….it can all be cleaned up (at least that’s what I tell myself)!
4) Make it Real This is super important! Add things to the play area that are real and are a part of what you are learning about! Studying the ocean? Add some shells and a blue material to the play area. Are they plaything kitchen? The come in with groceries, real ones! Are they making a house? Find some cardboard or blankets that you can leave for them to use! You dont need to say anything, just add it and see what happens. They wont always do something with it, but its there to think about! Play and learning is the same thing and if you have a real stuff then they are going to respond to that by applying what they are learning!
5)Make it Fun This is not a structured time and its time for kids really be and explore their world in the safety of their playroom! So relax and let it happen! It will be messy, it will be a little bit out of control sometimes, but it will be good and it will make memories and thoughts real! And feel free to play too, but only if they want you there! It is their world, just like the kitchen is your world! Dont take over and do what ever you think it should be. Ask how and if you should do something! It will make their day and it will really help you get a chance to see into their minds a little bit!
6) Make it Practical Life Work Think outside the box and add some practical life work to their play area! Pour tea, give the baby a bath, invite your guests to a party, etc. You get the idea! Use water, beans, tables, whatever to let them practice all those skills that they have been practicing in their work time! They keep absorbing their skills while playing!
So those are some thoughts about making time for play within a Montessori home! They all work together and really there is room for both! It is a beautiful time in their lives and there is no reason to leave it out because it doesnt fit with an education method. Play! Its fun! Its Important, Its good for them! If you want to see some really awesome Montessori fun, stop on by Montessori Monday! I am linking up there so join the party! Happy Schooling and Happy Playtime!!!!
Today we started off with some school time and both girls started the day by creating things with pipe cleaners. Bunny made a butterfly with woven wings! It was really pretty. Pup made a… you guessed it….cheetah! She then wanted to read more books. We did and then I asked her where she thought we could find out more about cheetahs, she suggested that we could see the two at our zoo! I told her she was right and asked what she thought she could find out. She wanted to know their names and what they eat in the zoo. She also suggested that we could talk to a zookeeper to find out. So…we packed up and headed to the zoo since it was sunny outside (cold, but finally sunny)! I wasnt sure what we would see since it was so cold out, but we luckily saw a lot of great animals! While we watched the cheetahs, we werent able to find the answers she was looking! So I thought we would find some people, but it turned out harder to do then we thought. We finally found someone at the Administration Office who called up to the zoo librarian. The librarian was more then happy to help us out! She found the names of the cheetahs, called up to the zoo educators to find out if they eat live food in the exhibit, and how old the cheetahs were. She also gave me her number so we can set something up next time! Hooray! Pup was there with me to ask the questions (even though she was too shy to do it). And I think that we learned alot! We found out that the cheetahs are about 10 years old, that they are both males that are brothers, and that they dont get live food to eat (they do occasionally get a squirrel that finds its way into the exhibit). Their names are Amani and Moja. It was a great trip and a wonderful start to helping the girls understand how to find information in the real world from experts. We also got to see alot of other things too and the girls had a really great time!
I forget how very fun going out can be and how much the girls can learn. Today we may not have found alot of information about cheetahs, but we did learn how to get out into the world and how to ask experts our questions to find answers. In the real world, to be able to find information is more important then knowing everything! Not only that, but we also got to see a real cheetah. There is so much value in a child being able to really see something that they are studying. They can see the claws, the eyes, the way the animal moves, the way he eats, plays, and where they live. I think that they can learn and solidify what they have learned by seeing things in real life! This is what Maria Montessori called the extended classroom and she was right is saying that this is just as important as working in the classroom!
What do you like to do with your kids to get them learning outside the home?
Well I have been working really hard at giving us more time to go deep into our interests. Bunny has been trying more things with ink (it is not going well) but we are going to try blackberries. Pup has been going non stop with cheetahs. And I have decided that I need to model learning by choosing my own project, so I will be learning about photography. That being said, I really felt we needed to re-evaluate our space and make it work better for an more open creative path. So my sister and I put our head together and came up with a new arrangement! One major thing that I felt we needed and that was an art area. In Project based homeschooling, a major element is having materials available to the children to create things as they learn. So we needed to make sure that thing we available. This meant adding a shelf, and that came with a whole set of new issues- mainly, where to put it? After a LOT of pondering (and a ton of furniture moving), we finally figured it out. Then it was all about putting materials on the shelves. I read about Montessori Moments school room tour and something she said really changed how I felt about organizing materials on the shelves. She said:
“Some people organize the materials by theme. For instance, one shelf will be all of the practical life materials. Another will be all of the language materials. I don’t do this. I place them on the shelves as they fit and are visually appealing. I like to think they will be more well-rounded with their choices this way or will pick something they are less likely to pick because it’s near something they love.”
What a brilliant idea to try. I was noticing that Pup has not been choosing any sensorial work and I am wondering if maybe having things in different areas all together might help make these things appealing. Not to mention, from a decorator stand point, the Montessori materials just beg to be a highlight of the decor! 😉 I do still have a few things I need to add to the walls to make it pretty, but it will happen eventually. But I’m sure you are screaming “Show me pictures already” so, here it is:
Here is Pup’s work table
Here is Bunny’s work table.
Next to Bunny’s desk is the continent boxes.
Next is is our open work table. I really want to use some wooden letters to write words like learn, create, and play above the table, and maybe add some colored frames with clothes pins to display art!
Here is our main shelves for work. As you can see, many of our more colorful works are our for display. I love this more colorful, playful way of making work available. The girls still have full access, its just a prettier way to do it.
Here we have Pink Tower, our easel, Brown Stair (top shelf of the cabinet), metal insets, and our money set.
Shelf two!
Number rods, Division board, golden bead, and stamp game.
The box in the middle shelf holds all of the kids homemade books. I also have the clock, sandpaper number, and botany puzzles.
Shelf three has our books to read, the snake game, rainbow puzzle, grammar symbols, and the zoology puzzles,
Inside this cabinet its really boring looking. I think that I need to make labels for all the boxes since Bunny has to look in all of them to find what she wants. In here is the rhyming box, cards and counters, puzzle control chart sets, thermic tablets, colored beads, fraction circles, and geometry sticks.
Shelf four has the multiplication board, globe, and spindle boxes.
Inside has all the practical life trays, and our bells. I finally found a way to have them in reach! 🙂
Here is the other side of the room.
I love this little sitting area alot! It seems to make the room, not just a school room, but also a place where others are welcome too! Plus I the display of materials here is nice. Above this shelf I really want to get some frames or some art to hang there. Plus a part of me is thinking about adding a little bunting! 🙂
I have the sandpaper letters in sight, the bead frame, knobbless cylinders, knobbed cylinders, sound cylinders, puzzles, and binomial and trinomial cubes.
And here is our new art center! Everything is our for them to use if they have a reason or something they want to create. I have taken pictures of each self so you can see better! Plus this is where the red rods found their home! 🙂
Here is paint brushes, Popsicle sticks, wooden pieces, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, bamboo rings, rhinestones, beads, buttons, pom poms, feathers, and a few other things I cant remember! 🙂
Here is our writing materials, markers, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, tape, scissors, glue, pencil sharpeners, etc.
Paper! I have small pieces, full sized pieces, and tracing paper.
The buckets have recyclables (paper towel tubes, wood scraps, boxes, lids, etc). The other bucket is material pieces like felt, cotton, etc.
Next to the art shelf is a bulletin board for display or work. Underneath is our work rugs.
This sweet sign my sister picked up for really inexpensive because the back was broken (can you tell? me neither). I love it! It is perfect for our new space!
So there you have it! This is our “new” space and I think that it will really work out well for us! I do plan on it getting messier then it did before, but so far its working out! Plus, I love that the girls can create to their hearts content, but it isnt all over my whole house! 🙂 Now I know you are dying for more Montessori fun, so I am linking up to Montessori Monday! Stop over there for tons more posts! Happy Schooling!
Well today we did some school work since yesterday was a “holiday”. (One of the benefits of homeschooling is that we can have different days off then the school kids)! So we were back to work and did some interesting things. Bunny wrote a book and did some very detailed drawings. I tend to be rather resistant to Bunny working on drawing during school time since she will draw the WHOLE time. Today started to turn into that, but it seemed different somehow. She was really focused and the fact that she was drawing small and with great detail seemed to tell me that she was working on alot of pencil control (her pencil control is really lacking and we do need to work on it). She finished 4 pages and told me she was done. There was no words though, so I asked her to write her story and she did. She always asks me how to spell things and I usually just tell her right off since she is working so hard to get the words on paper, that spelling is not the goal here! The results were really good and I was surprised and proud of Bunny’s hard work.
Another thing that we finally did was The Fundamental Needs of Humans presentation. I have really been struggling with which direction to go with presentation and how to start working on where mail came from. I just dont know how to get that research going and where to start. So I thought that discussing the fundamental needs of all people could start us thinking about how people need to communicate and share their ideas with others. She seemed interested, so maybe this will work as a jumping off point! 🙂
Bunny and I also working on the subtraction snake game alot this week. I am not going to lie, of all the Montessori math materials, the snake game confuses me! It took me about 10 minutes of working with it all on my own to just figure out where the beads were supposed to go! Then Bunny and I must have repeated one problem 5 time before it worked out. Argh! This is leading her to be less interested. I thought it would be fun to figure out the multiplication snake game and help her start to work with some memorization. But I am rather at a loss of where to start! So here is my question to all of you Montessori Mamas out there, where would you continue on the math sequence with Bunny? She knows her operations well, but she still seems unsure on some division sometimes. She has memorized some addition facts, but that’s about it! I feel like there are SO many things that she can be doing, but I am not sure what will be the best thing to start first! I would love to hear your ideas about that!
Pup has been working along too! She and I have been working on alphabet sounds and rhyming games. She loves both! 🙂 She is also still doing a ton of puzzles and playdough. I showed her how to roll a snake with her playdough and she is doing that alot. I think that the highlight of her week though was trying to read with me. I put some of the sandpaper letters together and she was able to say the sounds and read the words! 🙂 I loved seeing her so excited about it!
I think that Pup and I are going to start working on some continents. She is interested and i think that maybe doing some study would be good for her. She is really uninterested in any of the Practical Life work, and I have been having a hard time getting into any of the sensorial extensions either. So maybe some geography, and some more math will be good for her. I am thinking that she will love some number go fetch games!
Anyway, there is our week all laid out! It was full of observations and some questions. I felt like I was floundering, but it looks like we did a pretty good job! Do you have weeks like that? I really hope that if you have thoughts on my questions I would really love to hear them! Happy Schooling Everyone!