The Best Surprise

The Home School Experiment went over surprisingly well on the First Day.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that we had prepped them so far in advance, but they did not sniffle and fuss and fume over it. In fact, they seemed rather eager to get to work. They ate breakfast, got dressed, cleaned up their rooms (!), went downstairs, and got right to it.

The first assignment was easy: read for fifteen minutes, writing down all the words that are unfamiliar. Since each of the children had selected a challenging book (Mary was reading the first Harry Potter book), they had substantial lists in a short amount of time.

Next, look up each word in the dictionary to find the definition, and write it down. This was a little more difficult, especially since we didn't have enough dictionaries for each child to have one. Which meant sharing. Which meant waiting. Which meant an opportunity to get bored. Which meant an opportunity to get in trouble.

Note 1: Make sure each child has a dictionary. Preferably identical copies.

Next, Break Time for stretching exercises. Especially the hands, since we're going to be doing a bit of writing next.

Game 1: Children are broken up into two groups. Each group gets a pair of indoor balls (i.e. soft). Each group practices tossing balls back and forth (playing "Catch") to help stretch finger muscles and limber up the arms.

Next, SIT DOWN and write each unfamiliar word ten times in your best handwriting. Father will walk around and inspect your work, and if he feels you aren't writing "up to snuff", he'll make you do it again. This will be repeated until Father feels you are actually doing your best work.

Note 2: It helps to have the children first "draw" the letters slowly, as if they are doing artwork, and then gradually increase in speed.

Note 3: Writing a set of identical letters in a vertical column - the first letter of a word - and then adding the second letter in a second vertical column, and repeating this until all ten copies of a word have been written, is a violation of Good Form. Words must be written out in their entirety before moving on to the next line! Mary, this means YOU! No cheating!

Following inspection and approval, all children are ushered outside for a bit of physical activity, consisting of soccer drills.

Drill 1: Children are instructed in the proper methods of kicking the ball using a toe kick, a side kick, a lateral side kick, and a reverse kick.

Drill 2: Children are instructed in the proper method for manuevering the ball downfield and back with short kicks.

Drill 3: Children are instructed to pass the ball back and forth to each other with short kicks.

Drill 4: Children combine drills 2 and 3 to manuever the ball downfield and back with a partner.

After exercise is complete, students return to the classroom to work on a short math drill worksheet, each appropriate to the age of the student.

When Math is complete, a short poetry reading is performed, where each student is allowed to select a Silly Poem and read it out loud to the class.

Afterward, it's time for Snacks! And we're done!

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Tomorrow, we'll get some History in...