Meet The Nat Pack!

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The Nat Pack: The super fashionable, super mod, super hip family consisting of Nat, Pete, Jakob, Brock, Troy, and Ivy. Like The Rat Pack, only younger, cuter, and not as rich or famous.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Is That Your FINAL Answer?

Helping Jakob with his kindergarten homework has definitely opened my eyes to how strange the English language is. And how things may seem to only have one answer, and yet can have several.

Example 1: The number one. Jakob had to write "one" in his homework. He wrote "won". I had to tell him that yes, that's how you spell it, but not for the number. When I spelled out "O-N-E", Jakob said, "But 'o' doesn't say 'wuh', 'w' does!" And don't even get me started on "eight".

Example 2: "of", said "uhv", not "off". What's up with that?

Example 3: A section of his homework deals with word families. They kind of stretch it for some of them. The paper was listing "-ag" words, like "bag". There was a picture of a witch: a hag. Who calls witches hags anymore?

Example 4: What rhymes with "fish"? A bowl or a hammer? (These are pictures, by the way.) Oh wait. A bowl is also a dish.

Example 5: There's a page that has pictures of things that begin with a letter, in this case "p". And there's always one that doesn't start with that letter, and the kids don't color that one. So on the page there was a policeman. Jakob didn't color him along with another picture that didn't start with "p", because he called him a "cop", which very obviously does not start with "p".

Example 6: A picture of a doctor with a dog that has its leg bandaged up. Underneath it has "_ e t", where you fill in the first letter. Well, is it asking about the doctor (the vet)? Or is it asking about the dog (the pet)? Either one would fit. Same with a picture of a taxi, with "c a _"; it's a car, but it's also a cab. Hmm.

Example 7: With opposites, a picture of a treasure chest. It says underneath, "It is not open. It's ______." So, is the opposite closed? Shut? Locked? Your guess is as good as mine.

Crazy homework aside, Jakob has continued to bud into quite the artist. Here's a picture of his new obsession, the Bionicle guys:


In this next one, the one on the left is a "to do" list for Pete that he made. Jakob must think that getting dressed ("git clothes") and enjoying life ("have a blast!") are top priority, along with working ("go work") and eating ("pizza" with backwards z's). On the right are, obviously, the Ghostbusters.


One of the boys' new favorite movies is "Horton Hears a Who!" Below is Horton, holding the clover that the speck lands on. The speck at the beginning of the movie floats by Horton and says "Help!"


And this is one of my favorite things Jakob has made. In school the kids were to trace their hands and glue them onto the reindeer head as antlers. Jakob, always thinking outside the box, did his whole arm for one side. Always an original thinker, that one. I was so sad because I thought I had lost it, but I found it! I couldn't fit the whole thing onto the scanner, but you get the idea.


I wonder if all my kids' homework will be this adventurous.

11 comments:

Rachel said...

I agree on this English language thing. Like the books that Mrs. Davenport sends home, it is hard to explain the long vowels like make (if there is an "e" on the end the a is the long sound.

Zoe said...

To say the homework they get this year is a little nuts is quite the understatement. Maddie didn't get any I don't think. Oh well, I just wish it wasn't as much and that page you were talking about with the pictures and the rhyming, it's too much for them and sometimes I even question myself about what the answer is. You have to love kindergartners though, they're great. Syd came home with a picture from Jacob the other week, it has a bunch of bionicle guys on it, so cute! The whole teaching them to read is a NIGHTMARE!!! It's so hard to teach them the sounds etc... It's so nice to see Maddie get it now but I'm SOOO dreading teaching Syd, it will be VERY interesting to say the least!!!

Mindy H. said...

I agree with you about the crazy-making-randomness that is the English language...and I am an English teacher.

As for the entertaining homework...I don't give much myself, but I help at our after school homework club a few times a week and I can assure you that you have many more "interesting" homework sessions ahead of you. :)

Layton Mom said...

So, you will have to remind me to tell you about one of pictures Jake brought over to Ila the other day. It made her cry.

Shera said...

That is why Bulgarian is so great, you say it just like you spell it! English is crazy!

Amy said...

Yes Nat, all homework will be adventurous. And then your third grader will complain about how unfair homework is. Because the kindergartener's is sooooo easy. And then you'll have to remind him that he had easy homework in kindergarten too. And it's only going to get harder and more time consuming as the years roll on. And require more time as you get to do it with multiple kids every afternoon. But wait! I already went to school- and did my homework! You mean I get to do it all again- three more times! Aack!

breymom said...

I used to get stumped on the homework pages too stupid Harcourt! Glad you posted the pictures they're great!

Kar said...

Yeah, Dylan has the same kinds of worksheets - the whole "are they talking about the pet, or the vet??" thing. I always worry that Dylan and I choose the wrong thing, but he hasn't gotten any bad marks yet. I love, love, love Jake's drawings. They are my favorite. Dylan is way into bionicles, too. I got him a couple for his Easter basket, and I'm pretty sure he'll be excited about it.

Kristine said...

Wow, crazy, no wonder people say English is the hardest language to learn. We are freaks! I love the drawings!

susette said...

I'm coming over from Mormon Mommy Blogs, asking for your help. I am in the running for a round trip airfare paid ticket to Connecticut, to meet a friend I became acquainted with through blogging. She is a super fun person and is holding this contest. I entered a funny story titled "Grapejuice Floaties, Now Marry Me." The person whose story receives the most votes will win a trip to meet this generous lady, whom I'm hoping to meet. The voting ends tonight-midnight. I am ahead for now but there is a story coming up from behind out of nowhere and I would so, so, appreciate your help. Her blog is www.becausemomsaidso.blogspot.com and the voting is on the sidebar on the right. "Grapejuice, Floaties" Just go there and cast a vote for me, please. Thanks so much-you're awesome! ♥♥

Beej said...

I'm proud of Jake and his talent for drawing. He cracks me up. It's fun watching him grow up...