Week 7: Technical Difficulties

Part of this week we were without internet.  I knew it was bad for ds2, since all of his classes are on the ‘net, but I also got a hearty helping of realization about just how much the younger boys and I rely on the computer for school!  Other than ds3’s Mathletics subscription, the boys’ schooling is not computer related…all text and workbooks, unit studies, etc.  However, when we had no internet access, we found that we could not complete many of our lessons.  History was based on exploring a website about the Indus Valley.  Reading was a lesson on using the search engine to compile a biography of our current author.  Nature study was listening to various frog calls on some site.  It was frustrating indeed!  Our internet woes are now behind us, but it has me taking a hard look at our dependence on the computer!

History was by far the most fun this week.  When we were finally able to get on the internet, we used our Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of World History to follow a link to an incredibly fun website where the boys were able to explore the Indus Valley.  There they learned about artifacts, writings and archeological sites, and got to be special correspondents for an Indus Valley newspaper.

Ds3 looking over the final copy of his paper.

Ds4 and his version.  It was such a fun way to impart the history lessons!

Ds3 working on decimals for his math.

Ds4 and his workbook.

For reading we have begun 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  We discussed science fiction as a genre and ds did manage to complete his biography of Jules Verne.  We are still plugging away at our 50 states study but did not cover and science this week.  Both boys worked in their HWT books and ds4 continued with his Get Set For The Code workbook.

This week will be light for us.  Ds3 and Ds4 both have birthdays this month so we are having a combined party for them this Saturday.  It’s actually a Halloween/Birthday party and it’s going to be pretty big.  Dh has arranged to be off Friday and I will begin shopping, cooking and cleaning in earnest soon so we’ll just call it our Fall Break and be done with it lol.  Yea for homeschooling!!