Week two

"The lines and forms are visible signs of divine gestures.  Learn to understand them and you will comprehend how God created the world."  ~Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446)





This second week of school we embarked on more forms. 
Only now they were standing forms that everyone is more familiar. 

We did the circle, star, square, triangle, clover, and crescent.
I told the story of the star child.  The story relates to these shapes very well. 
It talks about mother moon(crescent), father sun(circle) and their star child.

First, we went up to the park and brought chalk. 
I draw the forms huge on the basketball court.

After we drew them, we walked them and rode bikes on the paths.

We made cookie cut outs in the shapes.

After, moving through space via our forms we drew them.

We set stones on our paper for a guide.

(draw from one stone to the next) 

For hand work we did more finger knitting.

We also, made a fun Rupunzel craft.

we made our tower out of a paper towel center. 

We braided the golden hair and when you say

"Rupunzel, Rupunzel let down your hair"

out you pull the braid.

It was fun.  

They thought it was cute.

This week we had a lot of fun and Matthew is still on board with everything.

He also started his first Chinese lesson this week.

I was very nervous for him.  

He hasn't taken a class without me being his teacher before. 

He absolutely loved it!!  

He said it was so fun and he didn't understand anything she said.:)

For further adult contumplation on natural forms that I found interesting

are the Chaldni plates and fractals.  We will be continuing form

drawing for the duration of his education.  It is considered 

fundamental to a Waldorf education.

Next week we start letter introduction.

until then,

~blessings

First week of schoool

Once upon a time an eager and anxious mother

approached Albert Einstein for advice.  Her young son was a budding

scientist, and she needed help in laying out an appropriate course for his studies.

"What should I read to him?"  the mother queried.

Einstein nodded his cloud of white hair and replied,

"Fairy tales."

Startled, the mother came back with, "Fine, but then what?"

Einstein peered at the woman over his spectacles and said,

"More fairy tales."

Exasperated, the mother persisted, "And after that?"

Einstein leaned closer to the woman,

"Still more fairy tales."

~From The Braid of Literature: Children's Wolds of Reading

by Shelby Ann Wolf and Shirley Brice Heath, 1992

This absolutely sums up the whole first grade year!!!!!

This year it is all different from what we have done before.

Starting with our first two week block.

Form drawing

beginning recorder

beginning knitting

all of which are brought to the child through

...Fair Tales.

Mostly classic Grimm's.

Daily rhythm:

Everyday starts with a morning walk.

We released our baby turtles on one of our morning walks.

Then, collected flowers.


Next, we come in and we sing to get the wiggles out.
We do a couple finger plays to get ready for the day.

We always start our day with this verse from Steiner~

The Sun with loving light
makes bright for me each day.
The soul with Spirit Power,
Gives strength unto my limbs.

In sunlight shining clear,
I reverence O God,
The strength of human kind
Which thou so graciously
Hast planted in my soul,
That I, with all my might
May love to work and learn.
From thee comes light and strength.
To the rise love and thanks.

R.Steiner


After, verse I will begin with a story relating to our current group of forms.
This first week I told the story of the Water Nixie.

We entered into LINES and CURVES.

We walked lines and went in nature to find lines and curves.

We modeled them with beeswax.

then, we took a field trip to the
Sculpture garden to see human manipulated lines and curves.

CURVE

LINE

LINE AND CURVE

After, more practice moving through space and recognizing them... we drew!

With our feet :)

Here is his work.
(he finally got to use his hands)

That was our first week of forms.

Then, we started knitting!


I told the story of Rapunzel
we followed the prompts from this lovely blog
to introduce it.
Thank so much!!

They learned so well and loved it!

That sums up most of our first week.
I am sort of exhausted but, am loving it so much all
because of Matthew's incredible enthusiasm. 
Someone gave me the advice once that the closer you get to the age of seven
before beginning formal education the smoother it is.  I think it may be true. 
I never have to fight him on anything.
He wants to do school all the time.
:)


Until next week
~blessings

Cabin

Our annual trip to the cabin is a must.

We never miss this trip for anything:)

This year was extra special.  We always travel with my husband's family.  

This year was different because this was the last time we were to see his sister for at least a YEAR!

Aunt burp and her husband moved to the UK.

Andrew was accepted to Cambridge university.  

Now they are off traveling Europe.

Here are the highlights...

FROGS!

Deer Swimming

FISHING

CRABS

MORE CRABS

CHICKEN

Aunt Burp!

Coloradans

Shore lunch

Good times

Molly and Andrew

Uncle Matt's huge muskie

We had another great year!
Thank you for spending this awesome time with
our family!!!

Love you

More Summer

Before I go into our first day of first grade I wanted to post our best summer highlights. 

We never want to forget all the fun we had!

There is always a trip to visit Great-grandma and Great-grandpa.  

The children love seeing them and spending time out on the lake.

Two evil-Knievel's hittin' jumps!

The gang getting towed behind the boat.

Tillie and Great-grandpa

Aunt Burp and Sir Matthew enjoying a boat ride

We enjoyed our annual parade!

The boys running with their loot!

In August was our first experience with CAMP.  

We took the kids to family camp at a ymca camp in Wisconsin.

Everyone had such a good time.  The kids had opportunity to try things we would normally have no access to.  Matthew and dad square danced late into the evening!

and we...

Wesley tried "throwing clay".

camp kids

horseback riding

Matthew zip lined through the trees!

And he reached the top of the climbing wall.

They made sock puppets and presented them in a show!

Thanks grandpa :)

Where we stayed.

We had a great time and met a lot of new friends.

Then, we went to my father in-laws cabin.
Always such a good time.  I will do a post on that tomorrow.
:)

Thanks everyone for spending vacations and summer with our family.


love~
nikki