Taking a Step Back

I really enjoy watching my kids learn. I love the choices they make. Today I started to panic and for a moment was headed out the door to look at curriculum. My panic had nothing to do with my kids or their lack of learning. This panic was a result of my teacher instinct feeling like I needed to be working on a specific curriculum. UGH! Obviously I still need to remind myself of everything my kids are learning. 

Ella will be working on:

• Mini Movie Maker weekly challenge! When I started to panic instead of hopping in the car to pick up curriculum, I did a subject search online about movie making for kids. After browsing the site and getting extremely excited about its potential - creating storyboards, writing scripts, movie making techniques, tips and tricks, plus a weekly challenge - I asked Ella to come and explore the site with me. She just kept saying, " I want to do that. Can we do that? Can I get that?" YEAH!
• Math this week will consist of Teaching Textbooks 3, Math Rider, and Math Blaster games. 
• I am reading aloud Charlotte's Web this week, which will be fun after our visit to the fair this past week. 
• Ella has not yet picked out a book for the week yet, but she informed me she has a couple she is interest in.
• We have some Magic School Bus videos and some science books she es ready to explore and has been peeking over Natalie's shoulder this past week as Natalie has been creating slides for the microscope.

Natalie will be working on: 

• Science: continue exploring the microscope book, experiments and starting biology. She is really excited about both of these.
• Math this week will consist of Teaching Textbooks 6 and Math Rider.
• I am reading aloud The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles.
• Natalie is reading a couple of books right now - Storybound and How to Catch a Mermaid.
• She is reading Lives of the Scientists: Experiments, Explosions, and What the Neighbors Thought. Natalie hates history, but loves science so her choice of learning about important scientists is a great alternative to traditional history!
• Writing a book of quotes from her favorite Disney movies, complete with illustrations. This was again her own unique idea and I thought it a great alternative to dictation/copy work! Her finished product will be turned into an actual book, so we are both excited about this project.

Olivia continues to work on:

• Psychology, which she informs me each day as to how much she enjoys her psychology book and the topics that she reads about. She says it is fascinating. 
• She is reading The Everything Mafia Book, and we watched The Untouchables Friday night. After watching the movie she informed me about all of the characters that were in the movie that she has read about in her mafia book . YEAH! Love how things like this tie together.
• She started French last week and will continue it this week. She is very excited about learning a new language.
• She is doing Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2.
• She is reading The Hobbit, and finishing The Princess Bride.
• She is editing chapter 3 of her novel and beginning chapter 4, reading several writing books, and writing in her writer's notebook.

When I write everything down I relax. I realize there is no need to panic my kids are doing just fine without me interfering!