School Days: Week 3: Butterflies

This week we changed things up. We went with my original idea for homeschooling preschool: a theme a week. I threw in the letters A,B, and C (A and B were more of a review) and numbers. Our theme this week was butterflies. The Monarch caterpillars we had that made their chrysalises last week were born and released yesterday. Sean has really enjoyed the butterflies so we're picking up more caterpillars tomorrow.

Sean's artwork from this week...he made a chrysalis out of leaves and a twig, a butterfly out of more leaves and twigs, and did some coloring and painting.


Making a butterfly with his hands


A look at our Monarchs becoming butterflies












It's time to release them!








This week's reading:
Gotta Go! Gotta Go! -Sam Swope
Waiting for Wings -Lois Ehlert
The Very Hungry Caterpillar -Eric Carle

School Days: Week 2

Week 2 went very well. We started the week by reviewing the letter A. Sean wrote an A all by himself!



Our lessons then turned to the letter B and caterpillars, chrysalises and butterflies. A friend brought over 2 Monarch caterpillars that were just about ready to change to chrysalises. We watched how they first hung in their J position and then changed to their chrysalises. This lesson will go into late next week when they emerge as butterflies.







We also found a Tawny Emperor butterfly. They are a very tame butterfly. We caught it, put it in a jar to look at and then let it go.


At the end of the week, Sean surprised me by spelling his name. I always write his name on his papers and have him help me. While we write it, I call out the letters.



This week I've had changes on my mind. I'm debating on buying the curriculum again. I think we will try October with me making my own lesson plans and then decided. I think the curriculum is going too fast in some areas and too slow in others for Sean. The other change was a physical change. We do school more at the kitchen table than in the playroom. I think the toys are too distracting. Our school supplies now live in our kitchen:



Dance class...I guess you can say it went a little better. I still couldn't leave him but he did dance a little. He then had a melt down near the end of class so we left early.

Tiny Dancer

Another first this week was Sean's first dance class. For weeks now, this has been all Sean can talk about. "I dance in my classroom." was heard very often! It started out well. Before we left the house, he was so excited.


He was still very excited when we got there.


Then it was time to go to class and mommy to leave the room... He screamed... I tried coaxing him into class but he wasn't going by himself. The teacher then suggested that I come with him and then gradually slip away. So we sat. He at first wouldn't leave my lap. Then he was sitting by himself. Then he was sitting/standing on the dance floor. Progress! Slow, but still, he made progress!



We go back next Saturday. I'll hope for the best but prepare for the worst. My hope is for him to atleast get up and dance with the class...even if I can't leave the class. I know if he can just get comfortable there, he'll have a blast!

Oh, and of course as I'm buckling him in the car, he screams and cries "I want to dance!" ..sigh..

School Days: Week 1

My little boy is growing up! This Tuesday, he started pre-k3. One of the great things about homeschooling is I don't have to force my son to go to school in the morning. He is NOT a morning person. So, we have school in the afternoon. He loves it! Last year we tried out Carol's Curriculum but he just wasn't ready. We're using that curriculum this year with supplements. The first week went great!

Day 1 we did the first day of school craft which was painting a school bus. Then we worked on the color blue.













Day 2 was circles and opposites. He was thrilled to be able to tell Grandma all about opposites at dinner.

Day 3 we started on the letter A. He wrote a letter for the first time and made an alligator puppet. He also did one of his favorite things; practice cutting. Boy does he love to cut things!





Day 4 didn't go as well. He wasn't having a good day. So we played our opposite game, practiced tracing and called it a day.

Lesson of Opportunity

We did not have any schooling planned for today. That is, until I stepped outside during the kids' nap time. I happened to look down and spot an injured dragonfly. He was missing a leg and had holes in his wings. As sad as it is, it presented an opportunity for us. I decided then that we were going to have a lesson on dragonflies when nap time was over. This dragonfly barely moved, couldn't fly away, making him perfect for a toddler to take a closer look. I carefully scooped him up, put him in a bucket and brought him inside. I then started putting together the lesson.

The lesson all together, waiting for Sean to wake up.

Life cycle print out from: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/dragonflylifecycle.htm

Working diligently...

Examining...


Coloring...


Then we got too caught up in cutting, gluing and just good old learning for pictures.


Proud boy with the finished product...


The final part of our project was letting the dragonfly go. Unfortunately, he couldn't fly away. Once again, I carefully scooped him up and this time placed him in our butterfly garden.






Close ups of our little friend:

Sean's GI Appointment

Today I took Sean to see a gastroenterologist (GI) for the first time. This was the next step in finding out if there's a medical reason for him being so small. After our experience with the endo, I was very pleased to find a doctor that was caring, had great bedside manners, and explained things well.

He pointed out that Sean did grow well between 18 and 30 months. He explained that that, along with Sean's lack of other symptoms, was why he wasn't very concerned. Like Sean's ped, he did agree that it's a good idea to look into causes...better now than later. BTW he did not grow but an ounce in the last 3 months, nothing in height. He explained 3 options and then left it to me want I wanted done.

Options from most invasive to least:
Option 1- we will not do for a long time, unless there are signs that show up saying we should. Option 1 would be putting him under general and putting an endoscope down his esophagus. He didn't explain this too much because I decided that we would wait after he described how it was done. Just putting him under general is risky. He himself thought it was too invasive at this point.

Option 2- we are waiting until after Sean's endo appointment in October to decide. Option 2 would be to redo the blood tests they did in May 2009. He says there's always a possibility that something could have changed. We'll wait to see if the endo orders blood tests and maybe have them done at the same time.

Option 3- we are doing. We will collect urine and stool samples.

Urine sample will be tested for sodium, potassium, and chloride. These electrolytes can give insight into how the kidneys are working.

Stool sample will be tested for several things.
Occult blood- blood could be in the stool for several reasons.
Reducing substances- this would point to malabsorption of sugars.
Qualitative fat- this would point to malabsorption of fat
PH- this would be lactose intolerance
Fecal elastase- this would point to problems pancreas or small bowel

The doctor also suggested that we go ahead and give him a pediasure everyday instead of just when he's not eating well. He said that while his calorie counts were good, some kids just need more. He did not say that this was the reason for Sean's size but just merely a suggestion as it can't hurt.

We go back Oct. 15th for a follow up.