It's just the beginning, insh'Allah

Assalamu alaykum,

one more week of home education has gone. It has been a quick and easy week, very enjoyable and with the sun out there is a renew wish of being out there!

But...we have been mainly indoors due to the half term. I don't like half term, too many kids out and about, traffic and shops are always full.


From Monday kids are back to school and the sun is out again. Time to be out? Not yet!! We had so many other things keeping us indoors!


A. had a full 5 days Calvert. We are catching up for all the days of Ramadan we didn't do 'schooling' and for some other weeks when the sun was too nice to resist...cheeky!! :))


Let's see what A. produced in the last 5 days.In English he had lot to write; two compositions and a dictation. His spelling is getting better and better. Calvert has a really strong curriculum when it comes down to writing and reading. Just what I need for A.


The use of the dictionary has continue and many of the words found where not in my 'small' English vocabulary too...I still have lots to learn and a reminder that English is not my mother-tongue.


In Maths he finished the section about measuring. He learnt how to measure using a yard stick, a measuring tape using both imperial and metric scale. He also learnt how to measure liquids in pints and litres. And finally to measures weights in kg and pounds.


In Science, he completed the worksheets related to the last section about ramps and lever. Started a new topic: magnets! We made couple of nice experiments with the magnets kit we bought last year at the Science Museum. A. was so interested to know how the Maglev train works. I remember we had a book about trains when we did the 'All About Trains' lapbook. So we took that out and read it all about.


In History, this time he looked at conflicts resolution the birth of the Olympic games and the role of the UN (United Nations).


We have been using the CT booklet (Critical Thinking) again. The new chapter is about 'facts and opinions'. He had it to read a story and then divided into two columns marked 'facts' and 'opinions'. A good exercise to understand what's a fact and what's an opinion.


With A. we started a new project, another big one. This time is about Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alayhe wa sallam). We are still working on the 'Ancient Romans' but A. insisted we start on Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alayhe wa sallam). He was watching Sultan Fatih on DVD and wanted to learn about fort and fortresses and asked thousands of questions...we ended up talking about the battles at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alayhe wa sallam) and watched the DVD related to it.


So a new lapbook it's on its way! But I have already 'warned' A, it will take weeks before we finish both works, so no more wondering about 'what's next project?'



Quran and Arabic as usual. Still in Surah Al Baqara making little progress each day, mash'Allah.



S. is getting along very well with mindsprinting. I am also using a bit of parentsintouch.com worksheets and finally I got around getting my membership renew with enchantedlearning.com! I am so happy I did as their resources are great and best of all, most of them, are in black and white, just what you need when you print so much like we do.

In English S. has been reading and writing a lot. He can now write almost all my shopping list and he goes around with a little pad in his hands pretending to write all that we say and do: a little bit too ambitious!! But well done anyway!

In Maths he carried on with tens, ones, hundrends, thousands...a bit boring really. I think mindsprinting sometime get stuck on a topic for weeks and unless you don't want to fall asleep, it's better to jump over those lessons and get on with the rest of the curriculum! So I swapped mindsprinting for Schofield&Simms books for additions and subtractions, just to get things moving a bit, a change of scenery after weeks of hundreds, tens, ones...

S. started his weekly art&craft club. He came out his first lesson running happily. He quickly told me all about his new passion lines! He has been learning about lines, curved, straight, zigzag etc and he was so excited to show his big folder and his arty works. Jazakillah to sister U. for making this possible!

Qur'an and Arabic as usual for S. too and guess what? He has reached his older brother! He just started Surah Al Baqara! Mash'Allah we are all so proud of him. The teacher is always full of praise. Mash'Allah.

I would need to write down so much more about our week. It has been full week and now that kids are back to sports activities and their clubs it will be difficult to keep this blog update so bear with me if you don't see me around.

More on this week:

S. asked to start a lapbook about Arabic letters and words based on a book for kids in Arabic called 'Fi Al Souk'. He was happy to write few words and colour some pics, but after a while he got bored and left it all uncompleted. :( Maybe it was just too much?) I will leave it for now and see if he asks back for it, insh'Allah.

Also S. made a small booklet about the bean plant just as our french beans are growing so well.

Design and technology? Have a look at our metal models. A. built them both from scratch, no instructions included in the box just a small picture on a cardboard. They are so nice: one is a sporty car with a spoiler and the other it's a small airplane.

And more...

We bought a new board game. The caterpillar story, a colourful game where kids can learn about counting, colours,healthy diet and of course the story of the butterfly. All based on the book of 'The hungry caterpillar' by Eric Carle.

Kids finished their first week of the 'change for life' challenge. They did really well and I was happy to see for once that charts really do work! A. has never had problem with eating, hamdulillah but S. doesn't really like meal times. The chart was a great incentive for S. He was asking for fruits and veggies for lunch and dinner, hamdulillah!

Finally, we got around creating our first little project with felting wool. It's not much but it's a big step for us. We got to touch, use and finally make a small piece of 'art' with this great versatile material.

Just have a look! It's just the beginning, insh'Allah.

wa alaykum assalam

Felting wool beginners kit

Starting with the first layer.

I think we should have brushed the wool, what do you think?
The second layer is up and trying out a design

A. opted for a more linear look

Rolling it up after wetting and soaping it

No yet finish! Almost, just need to dry.

Once dried it will be used in any crafty project including

cards making, felt board, coaster, sewing, stitching etc

Romans in their fortress fighting against Sultan Fatih army

The Roman fortress

The 'Vellum' just a booklet where the Romans used to record their days,

like a journal. A. used it to write the story of Rome.

Roman mosaic: a shield, a spear and a sword

Roman mosaic, a shield

The Hungry caterpillar board game

Our dwarf french beans

S. little bean booklet

Arabic lapbook by S.

metal model

sporty car