Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Journey to the Center of the Earth

OK...how many people would let their kid just dig a hole in the backyard??


Andrew was quite convinced that he could make it to the center of the earth...especially with some help from Aunt Leslie. So they dug, and they dug, and they dug some more.





They struck root! So Andrew went and grabbed his scissors!!!






Then they struck a really big root! At this point Andrew had the grand idea to get the big whacking gardening tool...but this did not put a dent in it.




What shall we do Aunt Leslie?? What shall we do???




I know...WATER!!!! That will do it!








Just one more thing...SOAP! That will dissolve the root!!!!







Monday, May 18, 2009

Unschooling....


We are continuing with our unschooling fun. Already today we have practiced speech, fine motor, listening, guided participation, fractions and art. Paints kind of freak Andrew out unless confined to a small area but I found cool 3-D sidewalk paints at Walmart. They aren't REALLY 3-D paints but rather you put on 3-D glasses and if you do it correctly, they kind of jump out at you. The art was a lesson in guided participation. I drew the first S and the beginning of the second S. Then you draw another third S (in red) to get a 3-D effect. He did get some on his hands and was 'ok' with it. I had also rubbed the brush on the grass to clean it and he ended up sitting in it. He LAUGHED.

I am finding that rather than trying to fit 'autism / guided participation' together with 'hearing impaired therapy, I am just picking and choosing, in true unschooling fashion, to work on it as we go. Yesterday we were outside playing 'aliens' and there were LOTS of opportunity to work on speech. When he says something incorrectly, I either 'repeat' what he has said incorrectly or look at him funny as if to say..'huh?' When we are working on a minimal pair where I think he can hear such as where vs. lair, i will SAY the incorrect word hoping he will hear the difference and how he said it incorrectly. If I don't think he can hear the difference (fat vs. that) I will give him an 'i'm stumped' look. I do work on these harder minimal pairs in isolation rather than play so he can concentrate on them..and then carry them through to play. This is probably clear as mud if you don't know what about guided participation or minimal pairs. But if you don't know...then you don't need to work on them!!


Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wacky Wednesday



Today we tried for another Wacky Wednesday. Don't tell Andrew..but much of the day was spent on math!!! I pulled out the dominoes and we played with Ladybug Girl.

Then we read Math Appeal. This is a Greg Tang book and I highly recommend them. They make you THINK and not just execute the problem. I promise your library will have a few of his books and there are at beginner on up levels.



Then...... Andrew has been WAITING for his new book which he purchased with his own money; Ladybug Girl and Bumble Bee Boy. Can you see the anticipation??? He was so excited he actually went and hid after I opened the Amazon package. It was more than he could stand. And it arrived a day early!!!! Amazon had written mommy an email that said it would arrive May 7...an estimated day. Andrew, being the calendar kid he is, had this written May 7 in stone even though each day I asked, "what does estimated mean?" Praise the Lord...many thanksgivings...it arrived a day EARLY. Whew!!!!









Friday, May 1, 2009

Field Trip Friday





We went to Cranbrook Museum where they currently have a traveling dinosaur museum. Andrew made sure when we got there to inform them, "God made the dinosaurs!" (This is not a creation museum.) His buddy Noah went too..and mom Sydney. As you can tell, the boys really enjoy themselves. Andrew's self awareness is really improving as he said, "let's go home mom." The museum is loud for anyone and for Andrew, even though his cochlear implants cuts off the sound, it is still extremly hard for him to hear in there. I'm glad we have a membership so we can take many short trips.

This was the first time Andrew really was interested in the 'angle' experiment where you change the the angles of the paddles and try to get a ping pong ball into the circle. I just love the expression on Andrew's face as he tries to figure it out! I also noticed I shouldn't worry so much about Andrew's manners.... kids cut in on other kids all the time. I know we should still work on it but I have to stop being so hard on myself and Andrew.





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