Solorio Academy, Week 2: Co-op kickoff

This is the 5th school year of my teaching career at Solorio Academy (tenure?). This school year will be a little different, because it's the first year to belong to an organized home school co-op. It's an elementary level co-op that will have various classes on an alternating schedule each Friday morning, and one field trip per month.

Last Friday was our first day of classes, and this week was our first field trip. My kids are having so much fun! Abby is excited for the science fair that will be held later in the school year. I'm excited because the lady who wrote science curriculum for Bob Jones University is one of her her science teachers! How's that for a lucky break? 

In addition to science class, the kids also enjoyed an art lesson in symmetry. The older group got a good grasp on the concept, the younger group was just excited to use paint!

This week was our first field trip. We toured the different departments of a grocery store. We saw everything from pastries being made, to a forklift demonstration. I was hoping for a sample in the bakery, but it didn't happen. As soon as Evah-Kate saw the lady frosting a big tray of cupcakes, she started signing "Please, please" Haha!

After the tour of the grocery store we went to a park for a picnic lunch. I brought supplies for the kids to try a STEM building challenge. 

Here they are trying to build structures using gumdrops and toothpicks, hoping they would be strong enough to support a heavy book resting on top. The kids were very creative. 

I would say co-op is off to a great start. There are several girls Abby's age, lots of boys the same ages as my boys, and the moms are awesome! 

Poor Jonas has missed both weeks of co-op due to appointments with his Orthopedic doctor. What are the chances that his very first handwriting workbook would be delivered the same day he has surgery to set his broken arm? He is looking forward to getting started in 5 more weeks. :)

It has been a good week at home. The kids are all doing very, very well with their workbooks. We are beginning to settle into a routine, and we started our first unit study...more on that next week!