Thane's 2nd Grade Picks

It's hard for me to think of my baby being in second grade, but he is.

History

Thane and Magnus (4th grade) will continue doing this subject together. We're going to continue with US History focusing on the people and events after the Revolutionary War but before the Civil War. We'll be using the Time Traveler Early 19th Century cd from Homeschool in the Woods as our spine. The boys really enjoyed the projects as we worked through the Colonial Times and The Revolutionary War cds last year. I am sure this one will not disappoint either. We're going to stretch it out to last the whole year by adding in lots of books and videos and by doing more in-depth studies on American Indians, Lewis and Clark, the Pioneers, and CA State history.


Science
Thane and Magnus will continue doing this subject together. We're finally going to get to the Human Body unit I put together a couple of years ago. I'm in the middle of planning an Earth science unit that will include a large amount of geology.

Math
The boys will also be working on this subject together. We're going to continue with the Math Mammoth Blue Series. I had thrown around the idea of using Right Start Level D, but I think I am going to give Teaching Textbooks 3 a try. It won't be our "main math", but will be a nice change from worksheets. We will also continue reading books from the large list of books from Living Math and playing lots of games for reinforcement.


Language Arts
This gets tricky with Thane. Towards the end of last year, I suspected some of his reading troubles were due to dyslexia. After much research and speaking to a couple of ladies who specialize (as in are educated) in dyslexia, I am convinced that to be the case, but only mild. I've decided to abandon all of our curricula that teaches phonics with rules and use ABeCeDarian.

Here are some of it's key features:

• Explicit, comprehensive multisensory phonics instruction
• Sound blending and segmenting explicitly taught and practiced
• Letter/Sound correspondences taught in the context of reading and spelling words
• Letter sounds taught before letter names
• Code knowledge organized by sounds with engaging sorting activities
• No rules!
• Precise practice routines and error correction procedures
• Integrated handwriting and spelling instruction
• Expert oral reading fluency practice

Besides the key features listed above, I like that it teaches reading through patterns. Thane "sees" things in patterns so I am hoping that reading will just click for him this year.

We're also going to be using the ARI 1 Level of the I See Sam readers.

He is also going to be learning cursive through the Handwriting Without Tears program to aid in the many letter reversals he does.

Once he is reading fluently, we'll continue with All About Spelling and Explode the Code.

Art
We started using the Atelier Art dvd program last year and the boys really enjoyed it. They liked seeing the work the kids did as they were working through their lessons. We'll also include art lessons from Artistic Pursuits and Discovering Great Artists.

I haven't decided which artists we are going to study this year, but we'll continue with our picture study too.

Other Stuff
Mindbenders, Building Thinking Skills, and Typing.

Activities
Gymnastics, Swimming, and AWANA.

Magnus' 4th Grade Picks

Magnus is going to be in fourth grade. Did you hear me? FOURTH GRADE!!

Collin and I have been talking a lot lately about giving Magnus more independence and responsibility this year. We haven't quite figured out how that is going to look, but it is on our minds. On thing's for sure, he's going to be doing more writing (physically) this year than was previously expected of him.

History

Magnus and Thane (2nd grade) will continue doing this subject together. We're going to continue with US History focusing on the people and events after the Revolutionary War but before the Civil War. We'll be using the Time Traveler Early 19th Century cd from Homeschool in the Woods as our spine. The boys really enjoyed the projects as we worked through the Colonial Times and The Revolutionary War cds last year. I am sure this one will not disappoint either. We're going to stretch it out to last the whole year by adding in lots of books and videos and by doing more in-depth studies on American Indians, Lewis and Clark, the Pioneers, and CA State history.


Science
Magnus and Thane will continue doing this subject together. Magnus has expressed interest in becoming a missionary doctor like his hero, David Livingstone, so I thought it would be a good idea to do a unit on the human body. We'll be using the Usborne Internet-Linked First Encyclopedia of the Human Body as our spine. Yes, it is a little below his level, but I created this unit two years ago and I don't feel like redoing it. Besides, it'll be a good fit for Thane. We'll be doing activities from Head to Toe Science by Jim Wiese, Easy Make & Learn Projects: Human Body by Donald Silver, and the My Body book by Teacher Created Resources.
We're also going to be doing a unit on Earth science which will include topics such as geology, weather, natural disasters, and the ocean. I still have to plan it, but have a massive amount of books I borrowed from a friend.

Math
Magnus and Thane will continue doing this subject together as well. I am pretty sure we will stick with the Math Mammoth Blue series. It's easy to teach and the boys understand it. I may add in Right Start Level D if I feel MM is not getting it done. The boys have worked through RS Levels A-C already. We will also continue reading books from the large list at Living Math and playing lots of games to reinforce the skills they are learning.


Language Arts
Last year we switched to Michael Clay Thompson's Language Arts program. Magnus worked through the Grammar Island book and started on the Music of the Hemispheres Poetry book. It is an absolutely incredible program and one that fits his learning style to a "t". We're going to review the Grammar Island book while working through the Practice Island book and then continue on with the Music of the Hemispheres and Building Language vocabulary book. Once the Island Level is completed, then we'll move onto the Town Level.


Not sure if we're going to do the writing portion of the MCT curricula yet. We've been using Institute for Excellence in Writing Student Writing Intensive A and I believe it's a great fit for him. It's straight forward and he enjoys doing it. He's going to be taking a writing class, this year, that is using the Medieval History Based Theme Writing Lessons. I'm very excited to have him take a class from someone other than me!

As far as spelling goes, he'll continue working through Phonetic Zoo which is also produced by IEW.

There is also a possibility of him joining a Great Books discussion group. This would be an answer to prayer! Magnus wears me out with his talking and asking questions. Don't get me wrong...I love it. He is curious and sees connections and needs to discuss things, but I can't always do that with him. It'd be great for him to be able to share with others and contemplate their ideas too.

Latin
I tried to teach it to him last year and I failed miserably. Thankfully, he'll be taking a Latin class this year using the Latin for Children program.

Art
The Atelier Art program was a big hit last year. We'll continue working through the DVD modules as well as other projects found in Artistic Pursuits and Discovering Great Artists.


Not sure which artists we are going to study this year, but I am pretty sure a couple will be Van Gough and Renoir.

Other Stuff
Mindbenders, Building Thinking Skills, Typing,and Handwriting Without Tears Cursive.

Activities
He'll continue with fencing and drama, as well as, AWANA.

I'll post Thanes stuff soon.

Morning Routine

I've been giving a lot of thought to the kind home I want. The type of atmosphere and environment I want to create for my family. I decided it needed to begin with me. I needed to take care of myself in order to take better care of my family. Not sure why it's taken me so long to realize that. Collin has been saying that for years and is always encouraging me to take "time outs". So, this is how I have been starting my days the past four weeks.

I set my alarm and don't push snooze. This has been a huge adjustment. I don't like something, especially a loud buzzing something, interrupting my sleep. However, it's been good.

After spending a few minutes getting dressed and washing up, I unlock my bike


and ride to Starbuck's. It's a beautiful 2 1/2-3 mile ride (one way) gazing at the mountains in the distance,

listening to the birds greeting me, and trying not to get run over by the more "serious" bikers in the bike lanes. It's the perfect way to sneak in some exercise.

Once I am at Starbuck's, I grab my tall, non-fat (a girl's gotta watch her figure!) caffe misto and sit at a corner table. I'm officially a "regular" now. The barrista girl has my drink ready by the time I get to the register. Pretty cool. While I am there I say my morning prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, read an encouraging book/devotional (current one is Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George), journal, and plan out my day.


After I get home, I start setting the stage for the rest of the family's morning. I put on the appropriate uniform...

I love aprons! I feel so feminine wearing them.

I open up the windows to let the cool breeze in,

I turn some chant or classical music on softly, I light a scented candle, and check my email. The internet is a big time waster for me, especially in the morning when I should be doing other things, so I make sure I am ONLY checking email.

As I am preparing breakfast, I start hearing evidence of life. The boys know they are not to come out of their room until I call them for breakfast. This insures a more peaceful and quiet morning which Collin, especially, appreciates. Breakfast was something that was lacking. I don't like cooking or preparing food. The boys would usually fix themselves some toast or cereal. That's changed. Some mornings they'll get eggs, fruit, and OJ or maybe a muffin, fruit, and milk. Regardless of the menu, the table is always set nicely.

After the breakfast mess is picked up, the boys get started on some sort of math game while I get the homeschool materials set out for the day. Then, the school bell rings.

I have really seen and felt the benefits of taking time for myself. I am less grumpy and irritable, my family is less grumpy and irritable, and I feel good about getting some exercise (I have to fit into a bride's maid dress in June!) As Martha Stewart says, "It's a good thing."

Claude Monet Artist Study

We're diving into Impressionism for the last weeks of the 2009-2010 school year with the "Father of Impressionism", Claude Monet. I'm curious to hear the boys' opinions on his work since they didn't care for the paintings of NC Wyeth's that were not within his usual 'realistic' way of painting. I have gained an appreciation and love for this style of painting and I am excited to learn more about some of the artists who use it.

We'll be using these Monet art cards to study and then the boys will add them to their art album.

We'll be reading lots of books:

Charlotte in Giverny by Joan MacPhail Knight

The Magical Garden of Claude Monet by Laurence Anholt

Katie Meets the Impressionists by James Mayhew

Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies by Steven Packard and True Kelly

What Makes a Monet a Monet by Richard Muhlberger

Getting To Know the World's Greatest Artist: Monet by Mike Venezia

I'll get some ideas for projects from here:

Monet and the Impressionists for Kids
Discovering Great Artists
(Love this book!)

Found this DVD at the library for us to watch:


I also ordered these J-I-N-G-O games from Rainbow Resource.

Lastly, if you are looking for some incredible notebooking pages to go along with your Impressionists study, look no further. Nadene from Practical Pages has created some. They are simply amazing! Oh, and check out this great narration idea her kids did for Seurat's "Bathers at Asnieres". We are so doing this!

If you missed the post about how we do art study, you can read about it here.

Gotta Have a Good Foundation

Math is one of those subjects that builds on itself. You gotta know the simple facts to do the more difficult problems.

We have been using Right Start math for a few years now (Levels A-C). I love the fact it stresses mental math. I love its use of manipulatives. I love the games. However, I do not love the way it teaches subtraction. Maybe it's just me, but I don't get it. I have poured over the explanations and still can't get a grasp of it. I tried teaching it to Magnus and he picked up a bit, but if I don't understand their way of doing it and can't adequately teach it, he isn't really going to understand it either. Besides, the past few weeks he has been doing geometry. I don't think he needs to be learning how to use a t-square and a triangle if he can't subtract 15 from 28. So, we're putting it on the shelf for awhile.

In all honesty, my life just got a bit easier. Thane just finished Level B and was moving onto C. I am not going to waste my (or his) time with the beginning of Level C. I am going to teach both he and Magnus together!

I have purchased the Blue Series from Math Mammoth. This series is grouped by topic. We're going to start from ground zero with subtraction and work through the books together. As we are learning the subtraction facts, they'll be getting a great review of their math facts.

We're going to be a little "math heavy" for the last part of this school year. It's a subject that has not been given a place of priority in our school and that needs to change. Along with Math Mammoth, we will also be doing the following:

* Fridays will be set aside for other topics of math such as fractions, telling time, graphing, money, ect. while we are focusing on subtraction. They been introduced to these topics and I want to make sure they retain their skills. Fridays will include games, literature, and "living math".

* Playing more games. We have the Right Start game set already. I just need to take some time to plan some into our week. I have also purchased the Math Noodlers Game, printed off this fun game, and checked out Family Math from the library.

*Reading books about the different topics/skills. We have a pretty good library system and I plan to utilize it by getting books off this list and this list. Magnus especially likes learning this way.

*"Living" out math. As and example, I will have them help me look for the better deal at the grocery store, measure ingredients for recipes, pay for items they buy with their allowance instead of me handing the correct amount of money to the clerk. I will be keeping an eye open for learning opportunities.

**For the record, I still LOVE Right Start!**

Picture Study Ah-Ha Moment

Don't you just love it when you have one of those moments? You know...when something just finally clicks. I had one of those today and it was glorious!

I have a strong desire for my boys to not only learn their 3 R's but to be educated in the fine arts as well. At this age, that comes in the form of picture study. Look at a work of art closely, ask them a few questions about it or have them describe it, and tell them a bit about the artist. Seems simple enough. Well, it wasn't that easy for me. I was having a difficult time figuring out who we were going to study and then which works. I was stuck.

So, one day I just decided that my desktop wallpaper was going to be a rotating display of art. I chose a painting by Renoir first. Without doing anything "formally", they asked a few questions about it and I asked them a few questions back. To be honest, it did not go the way I had hoped. They really were not interested. But, at least they are being exposed to it.

Well, then today we did another lesson from our unit study on Pirates. We are using this guide from Homeschoolshare.com. We looked at this picture by Howard Pyle...


I didn't have high hopes about our discussion, I just wanted them to look closely at it. Well, after a total meltdown from Magnus over me asking him, "What do you think is going though that man's mind as he is standing on the plank?", I thought all was lost. After we got to the heart of why Magnus was crying...maybe I'll post about that another time, but let me just say that it is hard raising a highly creative and imaginative kid and he is dealing with challenges of that as well (poor kid)...I couldn't get him or Thane to stop talking about it! They were making connections, getting emotional and telling stories just from this one picture! IT WAS AWESOME!!!!

So onto my ah-ha moment. This is something we *can* do. And to keep them interested in it I have decided that we are going to study artists and pictures that they would be interested in. Knights, Pirates, Cowboys and Indians, battles, ect. You know...boy stuff. We already have big coffee table books on Winslow Homer, N.C. Wyeth, and John William Waterhouse (a personal favorite). What boy wouldn't want to look more closely at this...

or this...

Needless to say, I am excited about this. We'll get to Monet, Renoir, and Michelangelo soon enough.

Daily Summer Schedule

Summer is here. I have had the plan set and now I have the daily schedule. (We NEED the structure of a schedule!)


Some things I needed to consider:

1. The days are HOT! Luckily the mornings can be tolerable so the boys need to get outside during that time to get their wiggles out.

2. I like having the house clean before we do school.

3. I need to have some "me" time during the day. (This is easy since the boys have always had quiet time.)

4. I want to have some quality time with my boys that isn't centered around school. (Of course, learning can still take place!)

Here is what I have come up with:

9am-11:30am...play outside (during this time I will clean)

11:30am-lunch...time with Mom (reading, playing games, baking, ect.)

After lunch...school (about an hour)

After school...quiet time (first 1/2 hour-reading, next 1/2 hour-quiet activity; Mom time)

After quiet time...chores and then free time 'til dinner

Of course, we will be flexible so that we can include time for activities outside of the house. For example, on Tuesday's we will meet our friends at the park for water gun fights and twice a week our student housing community sets up a huge inflatable water slide for the kids. We also have plans to go to the zoo, the Train Museum, and other fun places. Oh, but we are taking a break from our studies for three weeks in July while we are in Iowa visiting my family! I can not wait!

Summer Is Here!

We have officially started our summer schedule this week. Something I have learned about myself and the boys is that we need structure. We need to have an idea of what our day holds for us. We are going to continue "doing school", but take time off for travel, trips to the beach, park play dates, and other activities. I figured we will have roughly 10 weeks between now and the end of August to complete a few lessons and some units.

Here is the plan:

Science...We are going to be finishing up our Dinosaur Unit in a few weeks. After that, we will start our next science unit when school starts in Sept.

History...After our Dinosaur Unit is finished, we'll begin our Pirate Diary Unit. The boys are real excited about this...what boy wouldn't be!?!

Magnus...
Grammar-We've gotten a bit behind so he will be doing 2 lessons a day to finish the 2nd grade level.
Math-We are just beginning Level C. We're going to do 2 lessons a week and hope to finish C by the end of 3rd grade.
Latin-I have not been consistent with this so we are way behind. He is going to be doing 2 lessons a week in order to finish by the end of summer. Luckily it's just vocabulary and he picks up anything having to do with "words" rather quickly.
Lapbook-The boys are going to be working on a lapbook of their choice independently and Magnus has chosen to do one on Gray Wolves.

Thane...
Reading-He is doing real well. He received Hop on Pop for his birthday and he has read it, by himself, over and over. Very exciting! Anyhow, we are going to complete a lesson a day unless he gets hung up somewhere.
Phonics-He'll complete 2 pages of Explode The Code 3x a week.
Math-He will do 2 lessons a week in Level B.
Lapbook-He and I will be completing a Cooking Lapbook together. He loves to cook and told me he wants to be a chef when he grows up...or a builder!

I am going to try to continue to post about our weeks and our summer activities so be sure to stop on by! Hope you have a great summer!

2009-2010 Curricula

This is the time of year to start thinking about plans and curricula for the up coming year and I have been doing just that. Mulling, actually. I can't believe I am going to have a 3rd and a 1st grader!

History-Both

We are going to be covering American History...starting with the 13 Colonies and ending with the Westward Expansion/Pioneers. I am going to be planning my own thing using various books, lapbooks, and notebooking pages. Here are some of the resources I plan on using...

Time Travelers History Studies from Homeschool in the Woods-I didn't really care for their Colonies unit, so I will have to find something for that, but I really like the American Revolution and the Early 19th Century units.

"If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution" Lapbook from A Journey Through Learning-We really enjoy the "If you..." books so when I saw a lapbook for it I knew we had to have it! We are also going to complete the "If you Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620" lapbook and the "If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon" lapbook.

Other lapbook/notebook activities will include items from these books:
Interactive 3-D maps: American History
Colonial America Make and Learn Projects
History Pockets
The Pilgrims, the Mayflower & More Easy Make and Learn Projects

Also plan on watching the Liberty's Kids Videos.

Here is a sampling of the great books we are going to read:
Exploration and Conquest by Betsy Maestro
The New Americans: Colonial Times by Betsy Maestro
A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution by Betsy Maestro
Liberty or Death: The American Revolution by Betsy Maestro
Struggle for a Continent: The French and Indian War by Betsy Maestro
A Pioneer Sampler: The Daily Life of a Pioneer Family in 1840 by Barbara Greenwood
Daily Life in a Covered Wagon by Paul Erikson
This Country of Ours by HE Marshall
George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster
Abraham Lincoln's World by Genevieve Foster

Magnus and Thane also enjoy listening to audio books. Here are a few we are going to listen to:
Story of the World Volume 3...Jim Weiss
Horizon's West: The Lewis and Clark Expedition...by Jim Hodges
Your Story Hour
American History Studies...by Jim Hodges
Boys of Grit Stories...by Jim Hodges
True Stories of Great Americans for Young Americans...by Jim Hodges
True to the Old Flag...Jim Hodges

Magnus' literature selections will also correspond with our history study. I need to really research this part of my plan (and I purchased The Artner Reader's Guide to American History to help with that), but here are a few I know for sure:
The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty (Landmark Book)
The American Revolution by Bruce Bliven Jr. (Landmark Book)
I am also going to give Socratic discussion a try...once I get through my Teaching the Classics dvd course.

Like I mentioned, this is just a sampling of the resources we will be using. I hope to post my lesson plans/resources as I create them. I am really looking forward to planning and teaching History next year!

Science-Both

I'll be piecing together our science for next year too. We looked at the lapbooks and units available from Homeschool Share. I chose a few topics and I let the boys pick a few. Again, this is just a sampling of the resources we are going to use.

The Human Body:
Usborne's First Encyclopedia of the Human Body
My Body
Head to Toe Science by Jim Wiese (not be confused with Jim Wiess the story teller)
Easy Make and Learn Project: The Human Body by Donald Silver
The Magic School Bus-Human Body DVD
And other Magic School Bus books and DVDs

The Seashore:
Pagoo by Holling C. Holling
This unit from Homeschool Share
One Small Square: Seashore by Donald Silver

Chemistry:
Real Science 4 Kids-Pre Level Chemistry
Periodic Table Lapbook from Homeschool Share
Fizz, Bubble, and Flash

Sharks:
Shark Lapbook from Homeschool Share

Meerkats:
Meerkat Lapbook from Homeschool Share

Penguins:
Mr. Popper's Penguins Unit/Lapbook from Homeschool Share
Watch March of the Penguins and Happy Feet (maybe)

Crocodiles and Alligators:
Crocodilians Lapbook from Homeschool Share

Some of these topics might get dropped and others added as their interests change. That's okay. That is one of the reasons we homeschool! However, we are covering the Human Body, Chemistry, and the Seashore no matter what! Lesson plans are already written. I also hope to do more of a "formal" yet laid back approach to our Nature Studies. We'll be using Adrienne Olmstead's 'My Nature Journal' as somewhat of a guide as well as Barb's Handbook of Nature Study Blog.

Math

Magnus-He will continue with Right Start Level C. I am planning to add the Addition Deluxe Kit from City Creek Press and the Basic Times Kit when he gets to multiplication. We'll also continue to supplement with Singapore's Challenging Word Problems. If you want to continue using these fabulous workbooks you will have to buy what you need NOW! They are going out-of-print. Apparently Rainbow Resource will continue to cary them through the summer, but I wouldn't chance it.

Thane-He will continue with Right Start Level B but then move onto Level C pretty quickly. He will also be using the same supplements as Magnus.

Magnus' Language Arts

Grammar-He will continue with Growing With Grammar Level 3 once he finishes Level 2. He absolutely despises this subject.

Phonics-He will continue working through the Explode the Code workbooks since he never really went through a phonics program.

Spelling-Yeah!! We finally found a program that works for him and that he likes! Amazing! He will continue to work through Phonetic Zoo Level A that is put out by the wonderful people of Institute for Excellence in Writing. We'll also be using a new product from Marie Rippel of All About Spelling fame. It's a workbook called All About Homophones. We will also continue to build our Sound City.

Writing-He will continue working through the Writing With Ease Level 2 Workbook. It doesn't directly teach him the mechanics of writing but I love it for the copywork, narration, and dictation. He will also be using the U.S. History Based Writing Lessons Volume 1 from Institute for Excellence in Writing. I am still working through the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style, but I can not say enough good things about IEW's products!

Vocabulary-I am on the fence with this one. I am not sure if I want to add it yet or not. If I do, then we will use English From the Roots Up.

Handwriting-Handwriting Without Tears Cursive.

Thane's Language Arts

Phonics-He will continue working through The Ordinary Parent's Guide To Teaching Reading and Explode The Code.

Writing-I am going to start him on the Writing With Ease Level 1 workbook.

Grammar-He will use Level 1 of Growing With Grammar. BUT...as I am typing this, I am wondering if First Language Lessons wouldn't be better for him. He may need the slower pace, less writing, and constant repitition. I will have to give this some thought.

Reading Lapbooks-Thane really enjoys doing lapbooks. I have thought about just having him and I complete some on some stories we like. Homeschool Share has some we might try...
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
Henry & Mudge

Magnus' Latin

He is going to move onto Latin for Children Level A from Song School Latin. There is a possibility I may be teaching it at our charter school.

I am also trying to fit in picture study, composer study, and poetry memorization.

I am not sure what classes will be offered at our charter school next year, but I hope to get both boys into drawing, PE, and music appreciation again. Magnus has been begging us to learn how to play the violin since he was 3. He would be able to take lessons at the school for free, it would just be a matter of finding him a violin for free too.

Yikes! This is a lot of stuff! I hope I will be able to fit it all in without overwhelming us all! We'll just have to see how things shape up. I am okay with dropping some things and/or taking a different approach.

Wanna know a secret...

...I am not using Tapestry of Grace Year 3 next year. There. I said it.

I got it in that mail last week, looked it over, began planning a little and realized that I was not excited about it. It wasn't what I wanted to be studying. And I know that if I try to teach something that I am not interested in, it won't get done. I know. Might be a bit selfish, but in these first years (the grammar stage) that is just the way it is going to be. I will have many years ahead of me to teach things that aren't of interest, so right now, I am going to do it my way.

So, what are we going to do? Well, we are going to continue working within the same time period, early modern, but we are going to concentrate on American History. We are going to learn about the Revolutionary War, the Pioneers, Lewis and Clark, and end with the Civil War. I am planning to use the Homechool in the Woods Time Travelers Unit studies on The American Revolution, The Early 19th Century, and The Civil War. I am in the midst of planning some of it and researching different books we might use. I am really loving the books by Betsy Maestro and will use them. I also hope to have Magnus read some historical fiction from the Landmark Series. I purchased the Artner Reader's Guide to American History published by Memoria Press. I am anxiously awaiting it's arrival so I can see what books they suggest.

I do plan to go back to TOG when Magnus hits the Ancients again in a few years. I love the program and will need more guidance as the boys hit the dialect and rhetoric stages. Until then, we are just going to do things my way.

Wow...it feels good to get that off my chest!

School Starts...again!

School started back up for our household. It's always difficult to get back into the swing of things. Collin is on break when we are so we get to enjoy his company more without the distractions of his classes. This quarter, he is taking three seminars that each require a 20 page paper due in 10 weeks. That is going to be a lot of work for him. The boys and I dove right into our studies today but not without a little attitude being displayed...and not from me! No biggie though. The behavior changed and we had a fulfilling day!

We decided to take advantage of the great resource we have and sign the boys up for more classes that our charter school is offering this semester. Magnus will be taking a science class discussing plants (which means I can skip that part in our NOEO curriculum and concentrate more on animals!), a computer class that is suppose to enhance creativity, and a drawing class. We are very excited about the drawing class. This is an area we see potential and I am glad he will be receiving instruction from someone who knows what they are doing. Thane will continue working through the alphabet in his kindergarten class. Both boys will also be taking a music appreciation class using the Themes to Remember curriculum and a PE class. Each class is only one day a week for an hour with the exception of Thanes' Kindergarten class that is 2 1/2 hours. However, our school's new building isn't quite finished yet so their classes will not start for a couple more weeks...bummer.

I had grand plans to evaluate our progress and curriculum choices over the break, but none of it happened. I had hoped to work through the DVD series and workbook of Teaching the Classics...didn't happen. I wanted to plan out the rest of our science for the year...didn't happen. I wanted to look at how I am implementing TOG and do a little bit more planning...didn't happen. I wanted to create a reading list for Magnus and make sure that "twaddle" has no place in our home...didn't happen. I wanted to plan out and implement our Picture Study...didn't happen. But, it's alright. I'll find time to do that soon...I think. In the mean time, we are just going to continue doing what we are doing...learning, loving, and living.

Chug, chug, chugging along...

In the midst of the chaos, I am trying to make things as normal for the boys as I can. We are getting back on track, at least for the next few weeks, and trying to get caught up on some of our lessons.

Magnus is going to be doing a math lesson, two grammar lessons, and a page from his dictionary skills workbook a day. Thane is continuing to complete Book C of his Get Ready for the Code phonics workbook. I am still planning to complete our history lessons on the road by listening to the SOTW cds and doing the coloring pages. That will leave off exactly where we are starting with TOG Y2 U1 this coming school year.

I am also trying to plan at least our first month of school before we get to CA. Once the apartment is in some sort of order, I want to be able to open up my lesson planner and get started. I am going to have more accountability this year since I have decided to register with a charter school. I am going to have to meet with an "adviser" every other week and present to her what we have accomplished. This was a hard decision for me because I do not want to have "big brother" looking over my shoulder as I educate my boys. However, money is really tight and they will buy/lend us curriculum and books, I can sign the boys up to take a couple of classes if I choose, and it will give us an instant homeschool community. If I start to feel uncomfortable and not in control of our education, then I'll just drop it. No biggie. But right now I feel I have made the best decision for us.

I'll keep you posted on our packing and moving process.

What's going on this coming school year?

Things are up in the air and I am not liking it. I am a planner. I like to plan. I like having a plan. Right now, I really don't have a plan. I had a plan, but there is so many things I don't have control over that are messing with my plan. I don't like it.

We still have not heard from UCDavis if we have a place to live. We've been on a waiting list for student housing since February for a move in date of August. Nobody is returning my emails to give me some sort of indication of where we are at on the list. We have to give a 30 day notice at our current apartment. We have to pack. We have to reserve a truck. If we are unable to move into the large apartment (594 sq ft!), then we need to somehow find a place to live there, while we are here. Sight unseen. AND most other 2 bedroom apartments I have looked into are anywhere from $250-900 more a month! We are on a fixed income and that is just not going to work for us. Besides, a lot of these places have already leased everything for the coming school year. I need a plan.

Homeschooling...we have decided to register with Natomas Charter School. The boys will be able to take a few classes there (like Latin, Art, Martial Arts, Music, ect.) a couple days a week and they will pretty much buy/lend me curriculum of my choosing (with the exception of curriculum with overt Christian content). It will also provide us with an instant community which is something we will need since we know no one! With that being said, I am not sure if we have been accepted yet. If accepted, I don't know exactly what classes are being offered and when. I am also a bit unclear as to what they will buy/lend as curriculum. Do they just supply the framework (the teacher manual, the student manuals, ect.) or the additional books to supplement and read along with it. It's making it impossible for me to make final decisions to what we will be using next year as well as how to plan my time during the week. I need a plan.

Jobs...I will need to work part time. I don't want to, but it really might be good for me. It'll get me out of the house and with other adults. I need that. Plus, we need the money. But, where am I going to work? Who is going to hire a homeschool mom with scheduling issues? Okay, I am probably borrowing trouble from tomorrow as far as this is concerned, but it is still on my mind.

It's just hard. This summer has been hard. We know we are not staying here. We know where we are going. We are doing our best to prepare for the coming school year, but it kind of feels like we're running in place.

That's all. Thanks for "listening".

Summer Plans

It's already started heating up this summer. The humidity has made an appearance and I am dreading another summer in the south. I don't like heat. I don't like humidity. I really don't like the sun that much either. Move me back to the Seattle area and I will be a happy camper! I hope the "dry" heat they have in Northern California will, in deed, be different.

Anyhow, after I took a look at where we are in each school subject, I discovered we are behind a bit. It's to be expected when one changes curriculums mid-way through the year. We are having to play catch up with Story of the World, Right Start Level B and Growing with Grammar. No biggie. I have a plan.

June...we are going to move to a 5 day school week instead of a 4. We will be able to do school this whole month without any interruptions...I just cursed myself! Collin is going to teach history to the boys to help me out. Magnus is going to to a lesson a day in math instead of 3 times a week like we have been. He is going to continue doing 2 lessons a day in his grammar studies. Thane is fine. He only has the C book to finish in the Get Ready for the Code series. That will be completed by the end of the month...maybe by the end of the week with how much he likes doing it!

Then comes July...this month is going to be tricky. The first week and a half, we will be going through everything in the house and decided what we are going to be able to take with us to CA and fit into our 594 sq. ft. "little tiny baby pretend house". Then, the items we are not going to take with us, I will have to clean and tag for the consignment sell I am participating in the middle of the month. I have sold at this sale many times and have made quite a bit of moola. Especially the year I sold all of our baby gear. Hopefully that will be the case this year since we will be going broke paying for gas in a moving truck to go across country! Then, we will probably get started on packing things up for our move in August. As far as school goes, I plan to have Magnus continue doing a lesson a day in Math and complete a lesson of grammar during his quiet time.

August...CA, here we come! Not quite sure on the date yet. This month we will continue packing, then loading, then driving, then unloading, then unpacking. Wanna come help? Ugh! We have moved more times than I can count! Okay...this will be our 15th time in the 10 years we have been married!!!!! (That number does include moving everything into storage 4 different times.) Anyhow, on the way out West, I am going to have the boys listen to the SOTW on cd and do the coloring pages. Then we will be caught up on history. As far as math goes, I think we will only have a few lessons to complete in Level B. I am going to continue playing the games with him and give him some review sheets to complete. Grammar should be done by now.

As far as activities this summer we will be participating in the library's summer reading program (they have a lot of different activities planned...magicians, puppet shows, animal acts, ect.), swimming, canoeing, local festivals and fairs, and packing! I'll keep you updated on our progress!

***Edit*** Ugh! I just realized the boys have VBS next week. Not sure when we will be making up that week. I'll have to figure something out.

Content yet? I think so.

Alright. This is it. I am done changing our schedule around...until next time. (For those of you reading this who are not homeschooling parents, I think I am pretty normal. At least I think other homeschooling moms go through these transition times until they find their groove. Can I get an "Amen"?)

I was looking through the Green Hour Challenge for Week 5 and getting excited about our bird study. There is so much I want to learn, teach, and do regarding this but I can't find the time in our schedule to do it. I know that if I do not schedule the time to do it, it will not get done. I am also trying to keep our "formal" studies scheduled for the morning to allow for free time, field trips, activities, and quiet time in the afternoons. Our Nature Study has been happening on its own and it is going great, however, I want to do a more directed study of birds. So, I have, once again, tweeked our schedule to include it in our formal studies in the morning. Here is what it looks like now...

Tuesday...
Language Arts (Magnus)
Phonics (Thane)
Tea Time-Nature Reading
Bird Study
Math (Magnus)

Wednesday...
History (Both)
Math (Magnus)
Tea Time-Poetry Reading
Language Arts (Magnus)
Phonics (Thane)

Thursday...
Math (Magnus)
History (Both)
Tea Time-Nature Reading
Phonics (Thane)
Language Arts (Magnus)

Friday...
Language Arts (Magnus)
Phonics (Thane)
History Project (Both)
Tea Time-Picture Study
Fine Arts Friday (Both)

The boys have said they like not having the same subjects scheduled at the same time each day. I like it too. Keeps things fresh.

So, now that I have officially scheduled in time for our bird study, guess that means I need to get on the ball and get our bird feeder journals assembled! Off to work...

Changing it up a bit

Our new gentle approach to homeschooling has been going well. The boys and I have really responded positively to it. Learning has always been the atmosphere of our home, but it's just feels different now. I truly think more learning is taking place. Well, with the exception of math. This seems to be the one subject that gets pushed to the side. Right now I have our book work scheduled as the last subject of our school day. It's not working. So, I have decided to revamp our schedule and try this out for the next few weeks.

Tuesday
1. History (both)
2. L.A. (Magnus; directed play for Thane)
3. Tea Time (Nature Reading)
4. L.A. (Thane; directed play for Magnus)
5. Math (Magnus)

Wednesday
1. Math (Magnus)
2. History (Both)
3. Tea Time (Poetry Reading)
4. L.A. (Magnus: directed play for Thane)
5. L.A. (Thane; directed play for Magnus)

Thursday
1. L.A. (Thane; directed play for Magnus)
2. Math (Magnus)
3. Tea Time (Nature Reading)
4. History (Both)
5. L.A. (Magnus; directed play for Thane)

Friday-"Fine Arts Friday"
1. L.A. (Magnus; directed play for Thane)
2. L.A. (Thane; directed play for Magnus)
3. Tea Time (Picture Study)
4. Math (Magnus-review with Math games)
5. Fine Arts (Magnus-Artistic Pursuits book 1; not sure yet for Thane...maybe AP too)

Like I mentioned, we are going to try this out and see if it works. I am still tossing around the idea of learning a variety of subjects everyday, but only for about 20 minutes at a time. This is how Charlotte Mason scheduled her schools. I am not convinced it would be a good choice for us, but I might try it out for a few weeks if the schedule I just posted doesn't work out well.

Looking Ahead to Next Year

I have been doing some planning for the coming school year (and the remainder of this year). I am trying to think of everything I may possibly need so I can add it to my list for mine and Collin's discussion about the budget. To my benefit, there has been a thread on the WTM boards asking homeschoolers how much they spend a year on schooling. Here is the link... homeschooling budget.

I've also been thinking a lot about the direction I want the boys' education to take and what I want our school days to look like. I was having trouble at first, listing things like: fun, relaxed, challenging, but then it hit me and started to flow. These are a few of the things I want for my boys...(this list is by no means exhausted. It's just a sampling.)
1. To learn how to think & observe critically. To be able to think for themselves and not be "spoon fed" their opinions.
2. To understand history chronologically and how events effect each other.
3. To have an analytical understanding of great literature.
4. To have a clear understanding and grasp of the English language ie., speak correctly, write correctly, write creatively.
5. To be fluent in several languages ie., Latin, Greek, and French.

Keeping those goals in mind, our school days are going to be more relaxed, yet still challenging. I want them to enjoy the process of learning and I of teaching. We are going to cuddle on the couch and read lots of well written books and not "twaddle". We are going to concentrate on getting a strong foundation in Language Arts, the Charlotte Mason way. Latin is going to become a priority as it will aid in and reinforce our Language Arts studies. We will continue to play our math games as that is Magnus's favorite subject. We will get our "seat" work done in the morning to allow time for play, activities, and free time in the afternoons.

With all that being said...


This is what I will be using for both boys:

History...I like using SOTW. I feel it is a gentle approach to introducing history to the boys. The stories are fact filled, yet short. The Activity Guide has fantastic suggestions for extra reading as well as great projects, maps, and coloring pages. I have a feeling we will be spending more time and money on history this year as we will be studying the Middle Ages. Our family is very much interested in Medieval history and talk about it constantly. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Collin is going to school to teach Medieval Literature at a University. Maybe *he* should be teaching the boys! I hope to do several activities as well as lots of read alouds. I am also going to follow Ambleside Online's book list for our reading.

Science...I'm struggling with this. We are not a "scientific" family (well, at least Collin and I) but I see the need for knowing it. Maybe the boys are of the "scientific mind" and I would hate to rob them of finding out. I know they are interested in it. So, I'm trying to figure out a place for it in our house. I have been re-inspired to visit Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education. I think the idea of nature study will foot the bill for me and the boys. We are going to take nature hikes, start a nature journal, and read fantastic "living" stories about nature. Along with that, I hope to do activities like creating a bird sanctuary, planting a garden, and if space allows (we don't know where we will be living), I want to raise chickens (and maybe a sheep or two)!


Magnus will be in 2nd grade. This is what I am planning for him:

Latin...is going to be a high priority. It will aid in spelling and grammar as well as logic. I read Andrew Campbell's book Latin Centered Curriculum and most of it made sense to me. However, I plan on continuing to use a grammar program and to follow the 4 year history cycle laid out in The Well Trained Mind. I have already purchased Minimus and plan to use it. In fact, the boys request to listen to the audio as they read along in the book! I'm just not sure if I am going to start it this year as we study Rome or wait until next year. But then again, I just found out about another program called Song School Latin from Classical Academic Press (the creators of Latin for Children) This would be the first step before doing Latin For Children. I checked out the samples and it looks fantastic. Lots of work with vocabulary and easy grammar. I still don't know which program to do between Lively Latin or Latin for Children after our initial introduction to Latin. They are both incredible programs and it is just a matter of me figuring out what I want our Latin study to look like. I am also hoping to get my hands on the "I am Reading Latin" readers.

Math...we will continue working through Right Start but do level C next year. This seems to be a good fit for him. It is teacher intensive but I really don't mind. Especially since he is learning to master the concepts. I am thinking about adding Singapore Challenging Word Problems.

Grammar...this had me scratching my head. I don't want to continue with FLL. It's not working for Magnus. He gets the concepts easily, but the presentation is rather dull. After reading Charlotte Mason's take on Language Arts and talking to Collin, we are switching to the Language Lessons series by Sandi Queen. It Incorporates a lot of picture study (with beautiful artwork), narrations, dictation, and grammar. Magnus is a very creative boy who has a good grasp on words and does not like to be "spoon fed". I think the gentler approach will allow him to take ownership of his learning.

Spelling...we will definitely continue with All About Spelling. We may be starting level 2 in a few months so we'll have to do level 3 next year. It is moving a little slow for Magnus, but I am sure he is learning the concepts well.


Thane will be in Kindergarten. This is what I am planning for him:

Math...he has been watching big brother work the abacus and has been playing games with us, it only seems natural to begin his formal math program with Right Start level A. In fact, I just bought it on the WTM for sale board and am eagerly anticipating it's arrival. I have a feeling Thane is going to work through this fast. Luckily I already have level B waiting in the shadows.

Phonics...not sure what to do here. I really don't think OPGTR is going to do it for him. He needs something more than a "repeat after me" type program. He is a visual/kinesthetic learner. I love the looks of Sing, Spell, Write & Read but it is pricey. Maybe, just maybe, I can talk dh into this! If not, I'm not sure what I will do. I am also going to look at Veritas Press Phonics Museum. I had considered this when Magnus was in kindergarten, but decided against it because of cost. I will definitely look for it used. I love the way it incorporates artwork and activities into the learning. I might also look into Phonics Pathways. It has more of the visual aspect I am looking for, but not a lot of hands-on stuff. I would supplement with Explode the Code books and Happy Phonics.

Along with this curriculum I am hoping to get a hold of some audio...King Arthur and His Knights, Wulf the Saxon, The Dragon & the Raven, Winning His Spurs, and In Freedom's Cause. Magnus and Thane both love listening to stories on cd, which is good for me since I don't like reading aloud.

That pretty much covers it. None of this is set in stone as I know I will probably change my mind some more as far as curriculum goes. On thing that I know for sure is the direction I want our learning to go in and that is a relief.