April 2008
02-04-08: We coloured an itsy bitsy k book. Practised writing k over dotted lines and then attempted to write some "oo" words using a template from "kids can write" web site. We wrote "boo", "coo", "loo", "moo", "poo", "too", and "zoo". We bought some first readers for Denali and borrowed some from the library. We read a couple of these and then coloured in our science activity book.
04-04-08: Read two sinhala books. Practised writing "e" (in sinhala) again. Read some poems with the letter "e" in them. We attempted some addition excersies. I placed on pen on a paper and another one on the table. Denali had to tell me how many there where in each group and how many there were when I added them together. We worked on adding things that totaled 5. More work on the itsy bitsy "k" book (its still not done). We made crowns together with Deruni.
07-04-08: Read. wrote I, am, like, the, zoo, denali. Started denali on identifying these words. We are now reading books with her and making her read the few words that she can. We have started with "I", "a", "the", "no", "too". Denali cut some stuff and coloured something but I forget what!
09-04-08: Started learning about Kenya. Denali coloured in the Kenyan flag and we placed it on our map. We read two books about kenyan village life. "Mama Panya's Pancakes" and "For you are a Kenyan Child".
10-04-08: Today Denali learned to read a new word "Arthur". AM field trip to Mt. Davidson, San Francisco. Saw many, many wild flowers and learned their names. PM cookery class. We made North African food. Chapatis, mung bean stew, vegetable cassarole, and vermicilli. The girls only liked the chapatis. Watched the first part of the movie "Born free". No problems yet with it although it is rated PG. I had to do a lot of explaination about the cycle of life and how it worked. They seemed fine with that.
11-04-08: Read a couple of sinhala books. Pracitsed writing the letter "e" and identifying it in a text, that went well. Worked on Denali's math skills. Used her old flash cards to see how her number recognition was doing. She can identify numerals up to 6 correctly. We then did some work with shapes. Took the shapes that I made long ago and made patterns for her to complete. Patterns included those using shape, size, and colour. She can complete these correctly.
14-04-08: Did a science lesson on vegetables. Denali had to identify which were vegetables from a page of fruit and vegetables. She learned that a vegetable could be any part of the plant the flower (e.g. cauliflower), root (e.g. lotus root), stem (e.g. celery), leaves (e.g. spinach), or fruit (e.g. cucumber). She completed an excersise where she had to identify the vegetable given it's shadow and one where she had to colour the edible part of the plant. We read "mama panya's pancakes".
16-04-08: We had Chiara over today during school time. We read Paul in dem baurenhof and started reading the first book in the ladybird keyword series, book 1a. We got through a few pages and then did some writing practise of the new words we read i.e. Peter, Jane, here, is, and. We then read Knuffle Bunny and Little Red Riding Hood. I made some flash cards of the new words that Denali had learned and we took a quick look at them. Watched a bit more of the movie "born free".
17-04-08: Cooked chinese food. Denali helped wash, chop, and stir the food. We also did some more writing practise (Peter, Jane, here, is, and and).
18-04-08: Denali started on the letter "Ja". She practised the letter by following dotted lines in one of the sinhala letter practise books that we have. She then coloured in the Jambu. We then read two sinhala story books looking for "Ja" and "e". Couldn't find many "Ja"s but found some "e"s. We then did some number practise. Denali had to count the number of things in a picture and then write the number. Then she had to count the number of things and circle the correct answer. Did a couple more of the same type of excersises. These were all with the numerals 1 through 5. We then did some english reading and some from the keyword series book 1a. Denali is progressing well and read a couple of pages that she'd never seen before by herself. She was very happy with herself. Denali did some more colouring.
21-04-08: Completed a science lesson on harmful and helpful insects that live in the garden. Identified roots and fruits among a collection of vegetables. Read "A Family in Kenya". Did some excersises with Hamshire the pig. Completed an excersise reading and identifying the odd word out. This is the "Read with Me Activity" #1 on the ladybird page. These words are in conjunction with the ladybird book 1a. Then we played around with some flash cards I made of the words that denali is learning to read.
23-04-08: Did a bit of work with the 16 key words. Made flash cards for all 16. Gave Denali book 1b to read. she got through the first few pages and was very proud with herself. She practised writing the letters h, n, r, and m on dotted lines. We didn't do much else because she was tiered having been woken shortly before 6am and then playing at the playground for a couple of hours in the morning.
24-04-08: Did some sinhala instead of cooking since denali didn't feel like cooking. We read a couple of books and she identified some "e"'s.
25-04-08: Baked some oatmeal rasin cookies. Wrote "oo" and tried to write some digit 6. Student was being defient again, thus has been suspended from school for a week.