August 15 - 26

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

PRESTON

Preston has had a couple of really busy weeks getting back into a full school routine, plus keeping up with karate lessons and family adventures.  

He is rotating using CTC math and Elephant Learning Math as well as using a few MTH resources to review math facts so he can solve problems more quickly.  This week, he's been working on a placement test for elephant learning math and also completed several lessons in CTC math.  

Preston (and the whole family) finished a read aloud of "The Tale of Despereaux" for the book discussion Preston and Marissa will have at the Polar Star kickoff next week.  We all loved the book and had fun listening to it together! 

MARISSA

Marissa worked on a placement test for elephant math learning this week.  She's also been reviewing her handwriting and poetry in addition to working on some reading assignments that will be coming up in her Polar Star classes in a few weeks.  

She loves writing and one of her favorite things is listening to audiobooks while following along in the book and taking notes and highlighting things she loves.  

CALEB

Caleb took a placement test for elephant learning math as well (it took several days to finish).  He is doing really well in math.  He also decided to review some math facts using "Imagine Math Facts" and also "Prodigies Math."  Math comes more naturally to Caleb so he gets in a lot of extra practice playing games.  

Caleb's birthday falls in the middle of "Birthday Week."  Half of the family has birthdays in the middle to end of August (both parents and Caleb) so Caleb ends up with a week-long celebration most years.  This year, Caleb chose to celebrate his birthday playing at the Treehouse Museum with his sister.  He also had a Nerf war with friends over the weekend.  He had such a great time and was excited to get a pass to the Treehouse Museum to get to play this year.  He and Marissa were both selected for parts in the partici-play.  Caleb got to play the emperor in "The Emperor's New Clothes" and did a great job.  Marissa was one of the seamstresses that tricked the emperor.  She did a fantastic job playing the role of villain in the play.  

OTHER

BEAR LAKE

Our family had an end-of-summer family vacation at Bear Lake right before school started.  We got in lots of outdoor play time with cousins including days at the lake and a ropes' course.  

HIKING

During birthday week, we always get in a hike or two with the family.  This year, we hiked the Duel Creek South Trail in Centerville (with our puppy, who is now finished with training so she can join us on adventures).  The kids had a great time on the rope swing and playing and balancing on logs in the creek.