Our Growing Zoo

Wow!  The last time I gave you a homeschool science update, we were just finishing up Lessons 1 and 2 of Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 3- Land Animals of the Sixth Day, I think!  This week, we will be finishing up Lesson 7 so I wanted to do a quick update.

We have now covered Carnivores, Felines, Marsupials, Primates and Rodents (yuck!) and will be crossing the half way point of the book after next week.  See, a growing zoo, I tell 'ya!  Let me tell you what we have done...a LOT of reading!  I forgot how much there is to read in these books when you have a child who is just not ready to read on their own, or even really share in the reading yet.  CJ is a first grader reading at a 2nd grade level, but there are just too many higher level words to pronounce.  Hey, I cannot even pronounce half of them! ;)  So anyway, we read three to four days a week to cover a chapter and then usually spend the next week doing the activities.

The notebooking has slowed down for us a little as well, again because of CJ's age.  He does tell me things he remembers and I write them down, but most of the time even that is like pulling teeth.  Why?  Because all he wants to do is this-

 And this-

Yes, that is a possum playing dead!

  And this-

Can you see the resemblance?  ;)

And this!

Seriously!  All the boy wants to do is make the animals for his zoo.  And so EVERY day, oh, who am I kidding, every MINUTE he asks "Can I make an animal yet?"  So that is what we do.  Not all of them even end up in the zoo box because, quite frankly there is not enough room.  We were using clay at first but he was not satisfied with animals that were not the correct colors, so this past week the playdough came out.  wheeee!  I am now also counting this as art time, because I can! ;)

I do love Apologia Science!  But, it is hard work sometimes.  Worth it, but hard work none the less!

Oh, and my 6th grader is still working through his Exploring Creation With Chemistry and Physics, and YES, he still loves it!  I only have one experiment picture for you this time, as we have found that many are done on YouTube and we have resorted to watching them.  Let's face it, it is the lazy way of doing things, but does save dad's money and mom's stress!  I will take it for now and he has resigned himself to it. When dad is off for a few days at Christmas we will do a few "live" experiments with him!

Other news in school- CJ passed his first level of All About Spelling.  If you are new to this program give it a try!  This is the only child I have used it with, and maybe it is just a fluke (doubt it!) but he is a GREAT speller!  We started level two this week.  Here he is with his certificate that is now on the fridge.  Anyone want to tell me when the fake smile stage is done?  haha

So that's where we are.  Well, we have plenty of other subjects we are working on,


but that is all I will bore you with today.  Two more weeks of school here and then we are taking off a few for the holidays.  Can't wait- this momma needs a break!

Have a blessed week!