We're Back!

Our jet-lag is mostly gone so it was back to school for the big girls today. We started with a few worksheets from Starfall. We practiced writing the letter "O" (an easy one for sure!), did a connect the dots worksheet and a counting/numbers worksheet. After that, the girls decorated "O's" with tissue paper. This is a great prewriting activity. Encourage your student to scrunch/roll up the tissue paper with one hand - if they have a preferred writing hand, have them use that one to scrunch the paper. The act of scrunching and rolling the paper strengthens the muscles that are used when writing. Zoe complained that her hand was hurting, so I had her alternate hands. After the tissue paper activity, we played a round of number bingo. The girls are still inconsistent at recognizing the numbers 11 - 20, so I need to make more of an effort at including that in our lessons.
While we were away, a new issue of High Five arrived for the girls. This is a great magazine. I have great memories of reading Highlights as a kid, and my girls get so excited when their magazine arrives each month. Not only are the stories just right for preschoolers, but they also have fun crafts, action rhymes, games and recipes. This was what they picked to read while eating snack.

While I was making snack (grapes, melon balls, teddy grahams and pretzels), I had the girls go through the house and find 3 objects each that either looked like "O's" or had an "O" on it. They brought their items back to the table, and then took turns showing and telling about their objects to each other. I happened to mention that the pot Zoe found from her play kitchen could be traced to make an "O" on her paper. Well they loved that idea and started tracing lots of "O's" with their objects. It was cute to see them get excited and take the initiative to try out the idea.

Be sure to check back next week. We're getting together with another homeschooling family to do a super fun fall craft!