Homeschool week in review (week 5)

I'm still trying to find the best time to write up our week in review. Yes, I know. Friday seems like the obvious right answer, doesn't it? If only I were EXHAUSTED by the time Friday rolls around. 

Bible: The name of God this week was Qedosh Yisrael, the Holy One of Israel. 

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel 

and say to them: 'Be holy, because I, the LORD your God, am holy.'"

Leviticus 19:1-2

Another thing we've been doing in our Bible time is getting to know where things are in the Bible. I made this chart for the kids as kind of a cheat sheet while they learn.

Both kids had a decent grasp on where the "biggies" were located, but I wanted them to be able to flip to, say, 2 Chronicles without having to check the table of contents. We drill these in a couple of different ways. I might call out a book and ask one child if it's in the Old or New Testament. Then I'll ask the other child what category that book is in. They also like me to ask what comes before it and after it.  Sometimes I ask them to name a book of history (or poetry or gospels) and they go back and forth until they can't think of any more. And finally, the good old-fashioned sword drill. Remember those? I try to choose a key verse or passage that sums up that book and have them look it up. For example, I might say to look up Exodus 3:7-10, followed by a brief discussion about how Exodus is the story of God's people's exit from Egypt. Or Proverbs 9:10, with a discussion about what God says is wise.

Math: My younger child is working on division, and my older child is working on converting fractions to decimals.

Grammar: Nouns & pronouns for one, direct and indirect quotations for the other. 

Literature: Everybody is within a few days of finishing their biographies and starting their project for this unit. They're going to be putting together a newspaper based on their subject's life. It will include at least two articles, a cartoon strip depicting an event from the book and a timeline showing significant dates and events in their subject's life. I'm hoping to see some historical context. And dare I hope for evidence that they're really into it? Here's hoping!

History: We read about the Peace of Versailles that ended World War I, including Woodrow Wilson's idea for the League of Nations and the punishment of Germany. We also touched on the emergence of Joseph Stalin as leader of Russia. I'd like to spend a little more time on that topic.

Science (co-op class): Have to brag on my son a little bit here. He had an opportunity to go on a fishing trip with his dad and uncle, but only if he agreed to take his science along so he wouldn't get behind. He actually did the entire week's work before he left! That's a massive jump in maturity and responsibility over what I would have seen even just a year ago.

IEW (co-op class): Their assignment this week was to choose a paragraph out of any book and give it the "IEW treatment." Will, wisely, chose a section about Stalin from Story of the World that can double as his next history summary, and he finished it before he went out of town. Katie chose an exciting excerpt from one of her favorite books. Since she's not going on this trip, she'll finish her assignment on our regularly-scheduled IEW days.