grade 4, Week 12, Day 4 ~ Creating Their Own Soundtrack

We don't start our focused lessons at a specific time every morning; the morning unfolds and as I listen and observe I choose when to get started. Each morning the boys joyfully engage in play; I have always thought that they needed to reconnect after the separation that is sleep. At some point in their play the energy will change and the boys will sound less satisfied ~ the moment to grab them is when I hear the the very first, faint rumblings of discontent.

Today they spent a good hour in play, sunk deeply into it and obviously nourished by it. Usually their morning play is some sort of building ~ Lego and/or Keva. As I cast on for a knit hat I heard them singing Build, Build, Clap over and over again. Sometimes they would add a bit of verse about what they were doing. Singing while they play is something they have done since they were little. I like to think of it as them composing a soundtrack for their lives.

I feel ready to end the measurement block. We've introduced the concepts of measurement in terms of distance/size, volume (liquid and dry), and mass ~ now it is time for the concepts to sleep.

Journaling

Free Reading

Concepts Awakened: Parts of Speech

Main Lesson: Measurement

Afternoon Lesson: Gardening (Soil Science)

Other Subjects: Social Studies (A History of US), Typing (Mavis Beacon), Multiplication Tables (Timez Attack), and P.E. (Wii Fit Plus)