Also, there are lots of field trips and presentations. If there is something nearby that relates to the study of the month, they'll go see it. They also have people come to the school. Like this summer they studied simple machines and had a fire truck visit the school to point out all the simple machines at work.
The numbered packets are the basics. Some kids are way ahead of others. They seem to try to keep them moving along in packs of 3-4. So if one kid is ready to learn how to carry and the other two need to work a bit more, the ahead kid might work on something else a few weeks before the other two catch up. We are lucky in that there are a couple of really bright kids in his class.
