But yes, today was the last day of scheduled lessons for Babe. 160 Calvert Lessons! AMAZING. We had so much fun and Babe said she can't wait to start First Grade already! The gap between the two grades has yet to be decided.
Babe started with Math and did a quick lesson on fractions, concentrating on one third. She completed her worksheets, and then we went ahead and started on completing her writing assignment - her own story!
I had her transcribe her original draft onto other paper, emphasizing the use of her "very best handwriting." She was so excited to begin.
While Babe worked on her story, I worked a bit with Z and Bubs on recalling their shapes. Bubs was able to recall EVERY ONE OF THEM without hesitation, woohoo! Z still had trouble with rectangle and diamond, but with some repetition he was able to also say them all towards the end of the lesson.
I let them play with the tangrams a bit, then when Babe said she didn't want to take a break from writing, I brought out the Old King Cole bowls for Z and Bubs to start painting.
Babe ended up transcribing her whole story in one sitting (with minimal complaints about sweaty hands and tired fingers).
"I think I'm going to illustrate after lunch."
"That's a good idea."
I then grabbed her bowl so she could paint hers.
"Can I have brown, pink, and black? I'm going to make a bear."
"A bear? You're going to paint a bear on the bowl?"
"You'll see."
I was very impressed with her creativity during this craft. She didn't paint an ordinary bowl, she literally turned the bowl into a bear.
I have no idea where she comes up with this stuff.
While lunch was cooking, I grabbed the US Map from the back room and had her collect all the postcards she has has received from her grandparents (they are traveling cross-country and mailing postcards at each spot). I outlined each state they have been to so far and circled the location of the postcard's origin.
I then had her put the postcards in order of when her grandparents travelled.
We then hung the postcards up on the mantle (in order) and I had her draw each state on a scrap piece of paper so she could easily see where each card came from.
"I can't wait to see where they go next!"
"Me neither!"
Before Babe spent the rest of the day illustrating her story, I handed her the book "Detective (Little Boy) Blue" by Steve Metzger. I waited all month to read this book and I wasn't disappointed! I told Babe it might be a little hard to read (it is in comic book format), but she got through it pretty easily and was wide-eyed at the mention of each Mother Goose poem's name or characters.
The plot of the story is that Miss Muffett went missing and Detective Blue is on a mission to find her. He questions a bunch of different characters from different nursery rhymes, until he gets a clue that leads him to her location! I don't even want to spoil the ending here but Babe was so amused at the ending. I'm so glad I found that book. Babe loved it!
After she read that, I read her "Kindergarten Cat" by J. Patrick Lewis. Very cute story.
Next was Babe's turn to read again, and she read "The Last Day of Kindergarten" by Nancy Loewen. She breezed through this book! Crazy!
Then I was up with "When It's the Last Day of School" by Maribeth Boelts. Another good one.
Babe saw the theme right away and previously knew it was the last day of school, but only got excited after reading these books.
"I can't wait to go to the beach!"
ha!
She spent the next couple of hours illustrating her story and didn't even get to finish! I surprised them with a new movie that even I was excited to see, but my end of the day came before it ended, so I told Babe she needed to tell me what happened at the end.
"OK! But you have to remind me."
haha. What a grown up.
And with that, KINDERGARTEN WAS OVER! Today wasn't too thrilling because tomorrow is her real last day of Kindergarten, but today finished up the Calvert lesson plans. WOOHOO!!!
I have a four-day weekend to go through Calvert First Grade and plan out June's unit for The Littles: The Beach!
