Our 4th day on the 4th

This is our 4th day to go through our whole schedule for the day. Between field trips and other classes, we haven't had a full day in two weeks. We have certainly managed to get a lot done during the last two weeks but today it was time to get back on schedule. Even though today is a holiday, we still needed to get in a day of school plus nothing really happens in the morning on the 4th, the excitement is in the evenings. July will be a jam packed month of school because we will be taking a lot of time off in August and September for some awesome field trips!!!!!

My middle girls opened their Complete Book of Animals for the first time today. We read the short stories about horses and frogs. They colored while I read and then they filled out their worksheets. Butterfly and Ladybug took turns reading the worksheets and the questions. Butterfly especially liked doing the frog because she got to do a Venn Diagram.

I have a bunch of plastic animals. These came in handy for Dragonfly today because while the middle girls did worksheets she got to play with the plastic horses and frogs. The lessons discussed the life cycles of the animals as well. My girls have seen many tadpoles because of the ponds we have near us but they have yet to see a foal in person. Well at the stables across the street there are many horses and this year there is a foal there too. So after nap time, I am going to take the girls over to see it.

I used red and blue beads to help Butterfly and Ladybug with addition today. We use Math-u-see which typically we use blocks but I thought the beads were more festive for today.

Right now they are both practicing adding 9. Butterfly was really grasping the concept today which is extremely exciting!

Center: Writing Journals

The girls used their 4th of July writing journals for today. Their topic was "If I was president..."

PF: If I were President

The White house would be pink.

Everything would be my way

I wouldn't even have to think.

I'd have a fifty meter swimming pool

A giant tree to climb.

A tree house way up in it

Does this all have to rhyme.

Someone to tuck me in

When the sun has gone away

And the moon gives this promise

Tomorrow's a new day.

(She is into poetry these days)

Butterfly: If I was a president, I would play in the swimming pool and I would play baseball. I would be a good president.

Ladybug: If I was president I would help my sister.

This is the first topic writing I have given them in a while. Usually they fill up their page but today not so much. This brought up the opportunity to set an expectation for their writing journals....a minimum of 5 sentences.

Center: USA puzzle.

Ladybug finished and said "Look Mom, I did the world."

We explained that our country isn't the whole world but a part of it. I think it is good we are study world customs and cultures this year. I think Ladybug will be surprised how much more is part of the world.

Center: Craft Table with Red, White and Blue gliders.

I always have a craft set up at the art table to do during their center time. All of my girls really love being creative and this allows our day to include some fun time. I try to pick crafts that they can complete independently so that I can have one on one time without being interrupted. This is the first time, I set out a craft that had directions to follow. I was thrilled that they read the directions and put the gliders together without asking for help.

Center: File Folders.

I made these file folders during this past year. I loved that I had some file folders that went with the theme of our country today. File Folders today were The Star Spangled Banner (put the song in order), States and Capitals, Western states, Northern States, Southern States and Eastern States.