Spelling Power

This is the new spelling program I am using with PF now but will use for all my girls. I actually want my hubby to test me and then do the program myself. Spelling has never been my strongest subject and it is never to late to improve.

Anyway this week was our first week starting the program. I gave PF the initial test and she scored "4.0" (meaning 4th grade). I quote it because they say they just put the grade there for the mother-in-laws information.....actually I thought that was pretty funny. Although I did find the info reassuring because I wasn't sure how well she was doing. Now at least I know she isn't behind in spelling. After the first test, you give another test to help place them in the program. PF tested into level C. From this point you start giving spelling words from this section.

For 5 minutes each morning, I give PF words to spell in a unique way from other spelling tests. Those she misses she does activities and practice with. Those she gets right we leave behind for now. Then the next day, I start testing her on the words missed from the previous day and then continue from the list. The activities are pretty simple such as text your spelling words or spell them out with magnets.

So far we have made it through three lists this week. The words on each list start our simple and then get harder. Each list has a rule that all the words in the list fall into. Such as usually /a/ is spelled a as in cat. Then the spelling words range from rat to catch to even harder words.

I like the program because it is all laid out for me and simple. We don't waste time studying words she already knows and focus more time on building skills to learn new words. She isn't just memorizing words for a test but learning them for life. How is that for a product plug!

School Update

We have still been keeping up with school despite my lacking of blogging about it. The move to VA added alittle challenge but we remained flexible and let a few things slide. Feb and Mar are always PF and my most productive months and this year is no different. PF is working to finish her 4th grade LA and Math books. She is working on a new devotional Bible Study, A Child's Story of American History, Chinese Made Easy for Kids, Biology and our new spelling power curriculum (more about this later). She has read too many books to list but her favorite books right now are the American Girl books and the Sarah Plain and Tall series.



After coming back from GA a couple weeks ago and her sisters starting therapy we decided to have an easy week and do some fun projects that we don't seem to fit in at other times. PF is always asking to sew. I am still a beginner so it is not very easy to instruct another beginner but we are learning together. PF got some fabric for her birthday that we decided to make into pj bottoms. So far the pattern is cut out and ready to be sewed together. We ran out of nap time to sew it so hopefully we will finish what we started soon.
The other project we worked on was making backdrops for the American Girl Felicity play. We acted out the play just the two us but we are hoping on a weekend to get Daddy involved.


We put up a magnet board on the wall which all the girls are loving. PF makes words with the letters, B and L listen to the letter sounds and D pulls them all off. I am hoping to find more activities that we can use the magnet board with.

We got a Wii and Wii fit last month which all of us plus some friends have been enjoying. Each of the girls have their own mii and have been working on balance, yoga, strength exercises, and aerobics. I have heard this counts for gym requirements!

Behind PF is the hammock that we returned to Lowes....it was more like a bed and we need a hammock that swings to provide certain therapy components for the girls at home. We are shopping around for a new one that will fit our needs.

B scavenger hunt

Butterfly was doing a B scavenger hunt around the room. She found tons of stuff.

She even marked her baby sister's binkie.

Blocks

We got a new set of blocks for Christmas as well. The girl's created a zoo to put their zoo animals in and their new horses.

Calendar

PF got a new calendar for Christmas. It came with stickers for each holiday and ones for birthdays. She is going through the calendar finding holidays and placing her sister's birthday's in.

Back to School

We kind of had a laid back December. School wasn't totally pushed to the side but we also didn't over do it.
This week we are back in full swing. I hope to be back to updating this blog with our school happenings this weekend if I get a spare moment while getting the last of our stuff organized for the move.