Maths again...

Successful morning eventually, after a very bumpy start: I was feeling terrible and not sure I could even get out of bed let alone manage the day, and there were multiple tears when it was time to put the lego away, and phone call from England about Mum and Dad's disastrous holiday (we seem to be doing a good line in those!!!!)... All this delayed Matthew getting to work and it wasn't looking good.

But I remembered that things always improve when the boys have work that they are keen on, and LittleHs #2 and #3 are very keen to join in with maths especially. The other day they were nagging me for work too so that is very good.

LittleH#1 and I tidied the playroom while the others watched playschool. Then we began... I got the Sparklebox number doubles jigsaws out for LittleH#1 while LittleH#2 did number writing practice. His maths is good but at the moment he can't really write the numbers very well and gets frustrated, unless he practices them first. So I write the numerals 1-9 out with highlighter, and he traces them. Then he writes his own row. He enjoys that so I'll make the most of it!

LittleH#1 did the number doubles - 1 to 10 - said that he did them all by 'trick' (ie he knows them without adding them up) rather than 'cheat' (that's where you use any method to work out the answer). Rebranding calculations and calling it 'Trick or Cheat' last year got us out of a 'can't do it' rut. We haven't been back there with maths since, thank the Lord! I did feel it was Godly inspiration at the time and it certainly did the Trick...!

I found a number facts addition table on the computer so sent LittleH#1 to colour the doubles in, and that was good practice for using a table. LittleH#2 was frustrated because his column went out by one square (I gave him one but knew it was too hard but thought he could try it while I put Little Miss August 2009 to bed for a nap she was really desperate to sleep!). But anyway, we will do that together with a ruler another time.

I then set LittleHs#1 and 2 on measuring in centimeters from the Miquon book, and that was very successful. The tags for the writing of the measurements were fairly small but LittleH#2 did a great job, and that's really thanks to my mum's advice about practising the writing of numbers before actually beginning the maths.

While the older two did 'real' maths, LittleH#3 and I did some work with the laminated numeral cards I made last year. I have three coloured sets. He laid them out in order and we practised counting them with brain, mouth and finger going same speed. That still needs more work! His brain and mouth are far too quick...!!!

Finally by this time it was 11am and I decided on morning tea now that I can face food again and I grilled English muffins and we had them with peanut butter. After the weekend when LittleH#1 either shamed me or made me look good (I feel the first, but it was taken by everyone else to be the latter!) by calling a piece of cake a 'half of a quarter' I decided we need to learn 8ths. So we cut the muffins in half, grilled them and then I did mine gradually in to quarters and eighths. I have explained to the boys I don't expect them to remember it the first time (think I have mentioned eighths before anyway) but it is good to at least start to look at fractions a bit more in depth. There are some Miquon fraction pages where we have got up to in the Orange Book.

I need to make a decision about Miquon now, because LittleH#2 needs to start maths work properly, and the early pages were used up when we began homeschooling last year. I think you can get it as a download and then print the pages, but I am not sure whether that's the best way for me to get it or not. I do quite like flicking through and tearing the pages out. We'll see. The other option is Math-U-See but I am not sure whether to invest in it or not...

Anyway, as we ate our muffins I read them a chapter of Proverbs - they wanted me to read the chapter corresponding with the date. I have picked a proverb out of that for LittleH#1 to do some copywork but there wasn't a great deal suitable for that.

They've had a play outside and that takes us to lunchtime. We are back into maths at least, but somehow I need to begin to do English properly again. I have some resources intended for Charlie and The Chocolate Factory which LittleH#1 read in a few days last week so I think we may begin there...

Not bad so far for a sickday. Really hoping that I don't feel worse tomorrow because it's a big weekend ahead of us... Was supposed to be Spring cleaning this afternoon. We'll see...