My 3 Sons: Heart of Dakota Week-in-Review: Nov. 27

Heart of Dakota Week-in-Review:
Nov. 27 - Dec. 1

In Creation to Christ Emmett has been studying about Israel and Judah at the time of Elijah and Elisha. He researched the northern kingdom of Israel using his Story of the Ancient World book, his Bible, and Wikipedia. He learned about King Ahab, what he gained by marrying the wicked Jezebel, what caused the end of the northern kingdom, and what exactly happened to Jezebel (yikes - we all that Bible history, and it was not a good end for Jezebel). Anyway, one of his favorite things this week was his clay map he made of Israel. Using his Heart of Dakota notebook, he followed the map to make his own clay map of Israel, along with flags labeling each country. He then removed the flags and had to put them back from memory. He did a great job!

Another definite favorite of this weeDrawn into the Heart of Reading Adventure genre project. He did a retelling of Cabin in Trouble Creek, like an advertisement to try to entice us to want to read it. Well, he got so into the advertisement that at 25 minutes I had to cut him off and have him say the line "Now, doesn't that make you want to read this book?" I had our other sons listening as well, and with both of them being in high school, time is not always so free. However, they clapped and promised to listen to the rest during their playtimes with Emmet. My little Emmett adores an audience and retelling readings with special objects!!! So glad this is one of the assessments for what he remembers in homschooling with HOD!!!

One thing we have LOVED in our homeschool routine this year is our morning sessions. With older high school students with jobs, along with my part-time job, it is important for us to get up and get going on homeschooling early in the morning. I used to get up super early, shower, get dressed for the day, and have the kids do the same. It was kind of a jolting way to wake up each morning.

Last year, I really thought about what made me feel so weary (other than the obvious - yeah, I'm getting older and the days are getting fuller). I decided it was the start to the day. So, I changed up our morning routine. The kids have what I call homework the night before, which really is about an hour or so of independently assigned work for the next day in HOD. Then, in their rooms, they get up in the morning and do an independent subject or two. I do my Bible quiet time during that.

Then, here comes the part we all really love, they each have an individual time they meet with me in my room. All of us are still in our pi's, I have my coffee (strong), and they bring in their homework from the night before and their completed work from the morning. We go through it together, laugh, talk, share, and correct/edit the work as we go. We LOVE it! Emmett sings his Bible song for me, shares his Bible memory work, shows me his science, shares something he found interesting from his Bible quiet time, shows me his independent history, and does dictation with me. Riley goes through his World Religions and Cultures study with me, says his Bible verses, shares his Storytime sentence summary, and any oral narrations. Wyatt shares his Bible study, his British Literature, and his Living Library written/oral work. I love having time alone with each of them, and then we whisk off to do our chores and get ready for the day. After breakfast, we do our next homeschooling block. Just thought I'd share as it has been a wonderful change for us!