Grade 4, Lesson 2, Day 1 ~ Math Again

In general, I try to preserve Monday as a home day. I don't make appointments for Mondays unless it can't be avoided. I don't plan on going to the grocery store or doing any other errands. We plan to stay home, do some laundry, and put the house to rights (am I the only one whose house can look like a tornado hit after a weekend at home?). Monday is our soup and bread night because I know I will be home to simmer a soup and bake bread (usually a gluten-free quick bread).

Of course, the Monday plan also includes the return to lessons. Today went fairly well; J-Baby was slow but he wasn't complaining, and honestly, there was a lot of writing today. His hands get very tired writing, especially when he must write in small spaces; the OM4 math worksheet today was filling in number sequences. Monday is also the day the boys write their spelling words in their spelling journals. Plus they had journaling and penmanship work.

I think I chose to start our weekly lesson rotation with math because it is one that doesn't require a lot of prep time or materials. I'll admit it; Monday are hard for me. We always need to get back into our groove after the weekend with Papa. Right now math is exceedingly easy; we are doing review and honestly it is review of second grade concepts. I want to make it harder but I also know that review is good and that we are establishing rhythms.

The workboxes are still working fantastically. It doesn't take me long to set them up the night before and the boys, T-Guy especially, like knowing what comes when. For now I have been setting the boxes up with all of the independent work first (giving me time to accomplish morning chores), however, T-Guy is finishing before J-Baby and he ends up with time to kill while waiting for the focused lessons (done with me) to begin. I may try switching it around.

Once again the OM syllabus is obviously not geared to our climate ~ today the suggestion is to take nature walks. Not only is it 103 degrees right now, but our air is full of smoke from nearby wildfires.