Spaced Out

Pope Academy is easing back into lessons after a long month off.

We are gearing up to start our first real curriculum and getting pretty excited.  I had hoped it would all be delivered in time to start right at the first of the year, but we are waiting on the math program.

Since reading, writing, and math are going to be all laid out for me, we are going to add in more fun stuff with our themes.

This month, Josie and I are learning about the Solar System.

Yup, I'm learning right along with her.  Prior to this week, I could only name 4 of the 8 planets.  

Forget about putting them in order.

I found so many fun activities for the Solar System!  It's going to be a great month!

Our Memory Verse for the first two weeks is Psalm 147:4

"He counts the stars and knows them by name."

Andrew was off in the middle of the week (we've decided his off days will be our school weekend too) and we are going to Florida this weekend so our school week was short.

Here's a few of the crafts we did this past week.

We started out by going over the planets and then making a tiny solar system out of play-doh.

We had such a great time with this!  

Josie was way into it and wanted the planets to match our reference book.

It's hard for me to sit down with her and do these open ended projects that tend to go on for quite awhile.  I sit and think of all the things I could be getting done while she is entertained.  But part of my new years goal is to be present with her, so I made myself sit there during our art time.  It took me actually forcing myself to stay seated at first, but half way through the project, I was having just as much fun as she was.  So glad I did it!

The next day we read about what it is like to be in space and then did an art project.

We colored our picture with crayons.

Then painted over it with black water colors.

This subject was easy to find videos and books on at the library.  We spent a lot of time snuggled on the couch reading together.

Next week we are picking back up with the Sun and the Moon!