Because the weather this month had been erratic and kids have been showing interest on how the weather is predicted, we created this Weather Station where they identify the relative temperature, amount of rain, cloud, sun, etc. This kind of activity covers both Science and spelling. 🙂 Since August is the month our country, the Philippines, celebrate “Buwan ng Wika” (Month of Language), I’ve decided to study Baybayin, an ancient Filipino script, and teach my kids how to write them. To help our fellow homeschoolers learn how to write the scripts, I’ve created a free downloadable worksheet in the related article below.
It has become a personal advocacy of mine to teach parents and kids to how to write Baybayin. So last Saturday, August 31, 2019, I mentored fellow homeschoolers and their parents at Ka-pe, a quaint coffee shop along Maginhawa Ave., UP Village.I’m slowly introducing my kids to household chore. In this photo, Ian is helping me prepare the dip for cheese sticks.My boys used this racing game through fractions. Each player’s car only moves forward if he is able to solve the fraction where he lands. This month we also acquired this 8-inch globe for Gugu for their Geography lessons. In this photo: Gugu is answering a worksheet on Least Common Multiple (LCM).Ian may be too young for HELE but we do play games that may help foster the entrepreneurial spirit at home. In this photo, Ian is selling ramen using the food cart I made out of upcycled materials. We also pay using toy credit card and play money.My kids helped me upcycle cartons into this tree house which we converted into Ian’s donut shop (next photo).We added fairy lights to Ian’s Sweets Tree House made using cartons. 🙂Ian has been showing interest in planets so I scored this Solar System map from a nearby bookstore to support him. 🙂Using Opposites Flash Cards for English which works like a puzzle. I bought this box of flashcards at the National Bookstore.Ian’s watercolor painting – the template came from his MAPEH book. We visited QCX museum during Quezon City Day where the kids learn about Manuel L. Quezon, the history of the city and the government’s vision for the city. In the photo: Ian and Gugu on board a jeepney model inside the museum.
The kids’ first ever quarterly exam as homeschoolers happened this month as well. We followed about 80% of the exams given by their school provider, the remaining 20% I had to revise according to my kids’ pace and extra lessons covered. I’m very happy that both of them passed the exams!
We started the second quarter by splurging on books. I’m just so happy that I was able to score all the books above at Chapters and Pages UP Town for a little over 1,000 pesos. Since our mini library is growing, I’ve also decided to create our database of books. I’m working on it now using Microsoft Excel – hopefully, I’ll be able to come up with a dashboard where my kids will be able to search for books in our library by searching using “author” and “topic” keywords. I’ll share about it here too once I’m done.
Some of the books I scored in the sale are the ff:
Exploring Geology – simply because my kids love reading my earth science books
The Messiah – a manga about Jesus Christ that Gugu picked up
Story books such as Rip Van Winkle (illustrated), Dog Man, Lego Novel, Wolves, and Terrific Trains
Art books such as Usborne’s Art Ideas Drawing Animals and Make Clay Charms
General knowledge books such as Everything You Need to Know (The Answer Book for School Survival) and 100 Most Awesome Things of the Planet
Puzzle books such as Sit & Solve Pencil Puzzles (in the shaped of toilet seat, Ian’s choice) and Spot the Difference picture book
The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas
Writing Books for me and Nereus
Science books such Introductory Chemistry (my choice), Science with Plants, Man on the Moon (Limited Edition), Hurricane Destruction, & Do It Now! Science Wild Experiments & Outdoor Adventures
This is one of the books I scored for only 45 pesos at Chapters and Pages. We got to use it last August 21 for assembling our own kaleidoscope. My kids took turns looking through it (next photos).We used packaging tubes and empty M&M candy tube to create our kaleidoscope.Ian enjoyed looking at patterns made by crystal beads in our kaleidoscope. My sons collaborated on creating their photo collage/newsletter about their experience at the QCX museum using Canva, an app we currently extensively use for creating newsletter, posters, collage, and more. This second quarter, I’ve decided to add book study in my kids’ Filipino and English subjects wherein they will be assigned book/chapter to read per session and they’ll be asked to fill-up a form that asks for the book’s details and summary of the story. They will also be asked to rate the book and define the new terms encountered. We had a dry run of the book study last August 21. During snack time last August 20, I made my kids watch about a Pan-am documentary of the Philippines in the 1960s so that they will be able to appreciate how beautiful and simple life in the country back then.We have had so many struggles but I’m also proud to say that my kids’ love for books has made our homeschooling journey possible. I’m just lucky my kids love the books naturally, I never have to force them to read, they are just inclined to be readers.
I also wish to highlight our first visit of Adarna House showroom located at Scout Torillo, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City. My kids have been given Adarna books written by local writers and artists during Christmas and birthday thus, it was a dream come true for them to have been able to visit the showroom. Our stay was short but my eldest snagged a copy of the book guide so we could choose which ones to buy in the upcoming Manila International Book Fair come September of this year. My main purpose for the visit was to also get our Mini Wikahon boxes (A and B) to supplement our Filipino lessons especially after I found out that they were going to be on sale from August 22-24. Lucky me! Photos below say it all!
We will use Wikahon boxes to supplement their Filipino subject.
The most important Science-related event that my kids did this month was our coop’s Science Tour wherein the parents and kids got to visit the Pagasa Weather Forecast Center, Pagasa Planetarium and PHIVOLCS. I will write a separate blog about this soon but for now, suffice it to say that our kids learned geologic hazard, got to experience the earthquake simulator and also learned about the roles of scientists in weather forecasting and hazard predictions and disaster management, among others. More on this in my future post!
The Fabulous Scientist 
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