LEGO Learning (Among Other Things) - Collage Friday
Friday, September 14, 2012 at 5:00AM
Where did the week go? This was a week where we accomplished all of our academics, and then some. It was a week where we were home each day and could focus on some deeper learning. It was a week where I was THANKFUL to be homeschooling my children and THANKFUL to have this chance to witness their learning each day.
The activity that trumped all others this week was LEGO class at co-op.
My LEGO Pinterest board is home to the ideas I've found, which helped me design a class for second and third graders called "Learning With Legos". Using an idea from my friend Amy I've also made it a bit of a public speaking class, with the children learning about different public speaking techniques each week as they present their creations.
I imagine I will have to post about the class in its entirety once we have completed the 10 week session. For right now we are just building, learning, and having fun.
The two favorite activities so far have been LEGO Bingo and a LEGO tower board game. Both of these games are free printables! It's amazing the social skills these children are learning through LEGO activities, too. Things like sharing, kindness, being humble, etc... It's all GOOD.
I have been blessed with the expertise of an 11 year old assistant - this young man is such a joy to work with and is taking his job as my assistant quite seriously. He is the resident "Master Builder" and the younger children love it! Have I mentioned how much we adore our co-op?
We have been using the Apple TV quite a bit in our homeschool.
This is basically a small device which allows us to project things from the laptop and other devices (iPhones and iTouches) onto our television. It is also the way we watch Netflix and other internet streaming television programs. This week we watched a PBS Documentary, Riding The Rails. (It goes along with our current read-aloud - more about that later) The documentary was online, but using the Apple TV we could watch it on our television, too. Very cool.
Grant did something which made my mama heart quite proud this week.
After reading one of his devotions from the Hide and Seek Devotional about writing a letter to someone who was lonely, Grant decided (100% on his own) to write a letter to a friend of ours who has just started college out of state. This is a young man we know from church and whom Grant admires quite a bit. When Grant showed me the letter I was speechless. In case you can't see what it says in the picture:
Dear Matt: God loves you! He will always be with you when you are lonely. Love, Grant
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 29:11
The Holy Spirit was working through my precious son this week. I know Matt will love this letter!
Two tired children on the morning of co-op... a little sleepy looking in the picture.
We leave the house at 8:15 a.m. - Anna has a math class at 9 - then co-op is for the entire afternoon. Needless to say, it's hard getting up earlier that day, but their love of co-op motivates them.
Anna had a great week... one of her favorite things being middle school fellowship at church. I'm so happy she has this small group of children in our church to spend time with. She also had a fun spend the night birthday party which included a trip to Medieval Times and seeing plenty of her friends at co-op.
Math is (knock on wood) not painful AT ALL this year!!
The predictability and logic in Saxon are working well for both children. This week Anna was learning about fractions and fractional word problems. Using manipulatives really helped her! From using other math programs I can definitely tell that Saxon is where we needed to be all along.
Grant spent some time filling in our Sonlight Book of Time this week.
We are currently learning about Martin Luther, the Counter Reformation, and scientists of the Renaissance. I love the timeline stickers and how neatly everything is laid out. Do you keep a timeline for history? Ours is truly an anchor to our days!
Lots of time was spent reading aloud this week.
We are close to finishing Bud, Not Buddy. This has to be one of our all time favorite read-alouds. It is so full of humor, poignancy, and history. It fit right in with our study of jazz and George Gershwin, too. The other books in the picture have also been recent read aloud favorites: The Witches (read this one cautiously and research before you start - the subject matter may be disturbing for little ones, but in typical Dahl fashion the book is a riot.) and The Happy Hollisters.
My favorite resource this week deserved its own collage.
The Renaissance Art Game, by Birdcage Press, has been a fabulous way to learn about five famous artists of the Renaissance. This is basically a Go-Fish card game. The kit comes with a book that teaches about the artists (Botticelli, Michaelangelo, Fra Angelico, DaVinci, and Rafael) and also contains 30 cards which are 6 major works by each artist.
We spent one lunch reading about each artist, and then I decided it was just best to play the game. By playing the children have learned the artists' works, how to pronounce their names, and lately they have started making observations about each piece of art. This is just one of those resources that makes learning FUN.
News From The Blog This Week
- I reviewed Jim Hodges audiobooks - specifically recordings of books by Henty. Have you entered to win two of the CDs for your homeschool?
- I shared a simple, easy way to incorporate music education in your homeschool. Did you see the SQUILT free download and lesson plan?
- My husband had a birthday this week and Anna made his cake all by herself. This Chocolate Chip Pound Cake is a recipe you will want to make - SOON!
I am also so happy to share with you that I am now blogging for Tommy Nelson!
You will be seeing articles from me on their blog (the first one ran this week) and I will also be sharing resources from Tommy Nelso with you. This is an honor for me to be a part of such a wonderful company.
How was your week? Please link with Collage Friday and share with us!
The rules are simple: Include photos (preferably in collage format) in your post. Grab a button or text link back to this post. Please be sure to visit other blogs in the linky to gain ideas and offer encouragement. I appreciate each and every blogger who links with Collage Friday. Each week I try to visit many of the blogs, but can't get around to everyone. Your ideas and photos are a blessing to those who read your blog!
Reader Comments (19)
Your Lego class sounds great, my kids are enjoying their Lego co-op classes too. So much learning to be had with Lego! I'm going to have to check out that art game, some of my kids would really enjoy it. I'm definitely going to check out Riding the Rails as I have a big train buff in the house. Hope you have a great weekend!
You know we are all about the LEGOs here! Zachary starts up his Jr Lego League (competitive) on Monday! Love all your activities this week! That is just a blessing to work with TN - we LOVe their devotionals! Not long now before vacation!
I love your art game! I haven't seen this one. I'm sharing one that I made for my kids last year. I hope you don't mind. This is one area I've tried to really focus on since bringing my kids home for school.
What a great week! That letter is SO precious!
Mary, what a fantastic week of homeschooling! Lego class sounds incredibly fun. My children would love that. The Renaissance Art Game is something I want to look into - thanks for the recommendation. And, congrats on the writing for Tommy Nelson - that is so cool!
Love, love the Lego learning - an absolutely rich week all around! You and Phyllis are reminding me about the Sonlight book of time. I am headed to pull it off the shelf next. I am right with you on the Apple TV. We've enjoyed ours for years and continue to find it so useful all around. And your art game - we have the Sea Creatures and the Renaissance artists games from Birdcage Press. Such quality games. What a great week you had Mary!
No Collage from us this week. It was one of those non-picture kind of weeks .. busy but not very exciting. Have a wonderful weekend!
Wish we lived near enough for Jeremiah to be in your cool Lego class!
Your LEGO class looks so fun. Honestly I think Keilee would love it. I would love to have an Apple TV. Mary, Grant's letter to Matt brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing God boy you are raising. So beautiful. Also LOVE the way that Art game looks. And Grant looks SO grown up in the picture where he is playing the game! I am definitely putting that on my Amazon wish list! Thank you for your continued prayers Mary. Thank you for hosting this wonderful blog hop. Happy weekend!
We have the Impressionists Art Game!~ Your Grant is a little sweetie to write a letter to the college boy! Love it!
I love your week. The lego class sounds amazing.
Blessings, Dawn
We had a full week of homeschooling but not many photos to share so no collage from me but I wanted to stop by and read about your week. :)
We love all the Birdcage Press products at our house and they are still something I am pulling out in high school.
My kids all did Saxon math too...sort of a not popular choice amongst my fellow homeschoolers here but it fit our style of learning.
Hopefully this week I will take more photos of our school week (and less of the neighborhood birds and insects).
Mary, your co-op sounds so wonderful!! I wish we had something like it, but we are just too rural a community, I guess, and there are too few homeschoolers to make something like it work.
I'm glad math is going well for you...I know that is a subject that can be a source of huge struggles.
Great read-aloud selections!
That art game looks great! I have heard of it before, and had it on my Amazon wish list. Thanks so much for linking with Favorite Resources :) Have a super weekend Mary!
I can't wait to keep hearing about Lego class!! The faith of children just melts my heart! That note was precious.
I know my girls would love that lego class. They've been busy with all kinds of lego creations this weekend:) I like your timeline too. We have a book of centuries that we add to every once in a while, which reminds me...we need to add some things to it;)
Oooh, that art game looks like fun. And thanks for explaining Apple TV. I've never understood it before.
thank you Mary! looks like a great lego week at your place ;)
Awesome week congrats on blogging at Tommy Nelson.
Do you have a printable of the Lego game board? My son would love it! Thank you!