I was worried that Esme wasn't going to have enough summer activities this year, but so far she's still got lego league, she'll do eight days of swimming lessons, and now she's going to do Junior Rangers. I think we're okay after all.

I am so excited to be out of school and have a chance to actually do Esme's lessons for a while! This year we divided our homeschooling activities almost perfectly in half - I did the research and lesson plans and Ethan taught Esme the lessons. We are about to start a new unit so I have some research to do, and then I'm looking forward to getting started on lessons next week! I am so lucky to have this summer off!

Gym and Swim

Esme finished up gym and swim this week. A local YMCA offers a class for homeschoolers during the day, and this was Esme's first experience playing typical gym games in a group and swimming with an instructor in a pool. Most of the kids were older so Esme didn't get a huge amount of individual attention, but she really liked the swimming teacher and he made sure to spend some time working with her each week. This summer she'll take swimming lessons with a group of kids her age and at her experience level - we're hoping maybe she'll have the same instructor.

Soccer Star

On the way to her first soccer practice Esme was worried that she wouldn't be a good soccer player. I told her that confidence comes from within and that if she didn't believe she would be a good soccer player, then no one would. I told her when she stepped onto the field in her mind she should say, "I'm a soccer star!" Every water break she ran over and shouted gleefully, "Mommy, I'm a soccer star!" She is learning how to play the game and is actually pretty good at it!

Before we even heard when the games or practices would be she said she wanted to be number five. I told her not to get her heart set on it, that the coach would probably assign her a number and that would be that. But when the uniforms came, the players got to choose their numbers when they arrived to practice. Five was still available so she got her wish!

changing for a while

Esme's schedule is going to be changing for a few weeks. She's just about finished her weather unit. For the next few weeks Ethan and I will both be working during the day, so we won't be doing formal lesson plans. Esme will have independent work to do on her days with her Nonna and some guided work to do on Fridays with Grandma. Right now she is also involved in sessions of soccer, gym and swim, and lego league on top of her other activities, so we think all of this will keep her pretty busy.

Today I decided to try out a drawing lesson with Esme. We talked about how objects closer to us appear larger and objects further away appear smaller. We talked about how all objects can be broken down into simpler shapes and drew some dandelions, breaking them down into lines and circles. We had fun drawing out in our yard together!

Our Drawings from Today

Esme insisted that the buds in my picture wouldn't grow without any sun, so she added the sun in her picture to make sure hers would.

Mom's Little Athlete

Esme is staring soccer and gym and swim this week!! I'm so glad she'll have the opportunity to play a team sport - we're on the hunt for cleats and shin guards now. She is especially interested in gymnastics - I'm sure she'll be tumbling all over the place soon.

I'm on vacation - Esme isn't!

Although she doesn't have a book of the week, Esme is working hard. She's doing her phonics lessons, learning math tables, and playing the the envelope games I've set up for her.

I went through the MA Standards, which is what we've been using as a guide this year, and am happy to say that we have hit almost all of them! I thought I'd be overwhelmed by what we have left but I was pleasantly surprised to learn the only thing we haven't touched on is measuring. We got a balance and weights this week and she'll be using them next week!