Tag Archives: emma clover

back to homeschooling: a year in review

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Aside from working on math, writing, phonics and geography books Emma Clover enjoyed many other ways of learning. We used the world around to enhance our school year and it gave us all so much purpose and community involvement. She wrote letters, played with her dollhouse, read stacks of books, helped with cooking and gardening, played games, made artwork, went on play dates and traveled all around the Bay Area during this past school year. It gave us time to be together and all of us felt lucky to return to a slower pace of life.

Emma started off making a book about the water cycle and how she uses water. She also observed how her community needs water as well.

Our first school field trip was to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Emma experimented with dry ice at a school hosted science activity day.

We went to see a Dia de los Muertos dance performance, attended the Hansel and Gretel opera and saw the Nutcracker ballet.

Emma read so many books this year! I am impressed with how many books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder we read together and she also read on her own. We checked out stacks and stacks of books from the library and listened to many audio stories.

This year was all about playing games! Lots and lots of them.

We took an unforgettable walk with a naturalist through the redwoods.

We visited many museums including the San Francisco MoMA and the Oakland Museum of California.

Emma is privy to a technology teacher and has been learning about computers for years. Lately they have made digital art and discussed future game designs.

From summer to present Emma has been practicing her knitting. We were fortunate to attend a supportive knitting club at the library.

We attended a musical event at the library given by the SF Chamber Orchestra. They were very kind and played world music for the children.

Of course the most important part of our homeschooling year was the people in it. Emma thoroughly enjoyed the classes that she took with Hickman this year. The classes were Shapes and Structures, Art (this one was art inspired by children’s book illustrations), Faire Science and Kids Cafe. She loves all of the different teachers she has and appreciates the mixed age group settings. The content was so fun that she never wanted them to come to an end. This winter/spring she was able to attend a modern dance class at the Shawl Anderson Dance center with Maurice and she loved it. Unfortunately the session was cut short but we will be sure to return if the opportunity arises.

bubbles in mid March – posted by San Francisco Chronicle

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This photo was taken in mid March. Social/physical distancing was in place a few days and we were going for a walk. Emma saw the person making bubbles and just wanted to run and chase them. I let her but eventually other kids joined in and we left soon after. You can see how much fun it was while it lasted. This photo was published by the San Francisco Chronicle and is still on their site in a slideshow on how the Bay Area is handling covid-19.

more activities that have kept us busy lately

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Lately we have had to stay inside so much more than usual. In addition to focused time on homeschooling subjects like math, phonics and geography we do all kinds of fun activities and projects, only now it’s all inside our apartment!

We were fortunate to receive a few Kiwi crates from a friend a few weeks ago. We excitedly opened the first one and with maiki’s help Emma constructed a zoetrope. The box included illustrated strips to put in the spinning zoetrope to watch the simple animations. Also included were blank strips that Emma can draw on and a flip book as well. We have two more Kiwi crates and are eager to discover the fun inside.

In the last real session of our knitting class at the library it was decided to cast off Emma’s knitted project so she could play with it. It has become a cape for Elsa. Turns out it is a perfect fit for a snow queen with its flecks of silver thread. Pretend play is a constant in our home.

After a trip to FLAX we came back with new clay, drawing paper, a few choice brighly colored pencils and this kit to create your own miniature library. So much creativity pours forth after trips to art stores. 🙂

As always we are playing lots of games like mancala, checkers, Uno, Set, Connect 4, Dragoon and Brain Quest. Games are fun and great learning tools. Also jigsaw puzzles are perfect for times like this. Emma loves a particular Christmas puzzle and wants to construct it again and again with one of us.

Our family read books all day and night. I checked out a bunch of Cynthia Rylant books from the library before it closed and we love every one. maiki and Emma have reading Greek Myths this school year and the Cynthia Rylant version is a great one. I love Emma’s illustrations of the characters.

We finally finished the Long Winter and were extremely relieved when spring arrived at the end of their story. I find I can relate to the parallels in our current situation but am only comfortable reading it when our own cupboards a little fuller. Here is another of Emma’s illustrations to celebrate that we also are joyful for spring and we do not have to experience forty below temps in Oakland.