Friday, February 12, 2010

Week 22-24: Jan 25-Feb 12

We have spent the last three weeks working hard, and I haven't taken many pictures. 

The boys have been working hard.  Nathan and Kaleb both are doing very well in math.  MM was the perfect addition to Nathan's math program.  He has been so much better with Saxon since we added MM.  Those two math programs really compliment each other!  Kaleb has been flying through Saxon 1.  I am thinking about adding MM 1 for him just because he is going so fast through Saxon.  I want to make sure he is retaining.  He has the majority of addition facts memorized already.  Seriously, he is blowing me away with his math ability!

We are finishing up Apologia Astronomy and have Botany waiting on us.  I bought the Botany Notebooking Journal to go with the book.  I don't like Apologia's free notebooking printables.  They are too plain.  Nathan needs a little bit of guidance to his notebooking/lapbooking.  For Astronomy, I printed the free lapbook pieces from a yahoo group, but  there isn't a free Botany lapbook.  After looking at the samples on the Apologia's website, I just decided to go with the journal.  I can't wait to see it!  We are all really excited to get started with Botany, and what perfect timing!!  Spring is just around the corner.

R&S English is still just as boring as always, but still working so well for us!  I see all these posts on forum boards about fun, exciting, easy English programs, but I just can't take R&S away!  It is working so well.  I don't think Nathan will ever develop my love of grammar, but at least I know he will understand it.  My only complaint is that I don't think there is enough diagramming instruction.  I think I may just get a diagramming book for over the summer to cement what he has learned already before moving on.

OPGTR is amazing as always.  Kaleb is doing so well.  We are covering long vowel sounds so this is pretty easy for him since he has the LeapFrog videos.  When the lessons are short, we do two a day.  It is just about time to pull our my own kindergarten reading books for him to read.  I have been patiently waiting until he make it through long vowel sounds before getting them out.  I LOVE having these old books for my boys.  I can still actually remember reading them myself.

Kaleb moved into ETC 2 a while back and is about finished with it.  I decided to get the 1/2 books for him.  He does so well with ETC, and I heard that the 1/2 books weren't just about having extra practice but had some fun activities that the whole books don't.  We'll see how it goes.

I have spent quite a bit of time collecting materials and planning for my spring co-op class and next school year.   I am so excited about the class and next year's schedule!!  It seems every year we homeschool gets better and better. 

For our spring co-op that starts on the first Friday of March, I am teaching a K-2 geography class.  I hadn't planned on teaching a class since I'm also co-director, but we were in need of another K-2 class.  I've had a lot of fun planning it and can't wait for co-op to start!!  I looked and looked for a program that would fit the class requirements.  I love Galloping the Globe, and purchased it for my homeschool next school year.  However I don't think it will work with my class.  After a bit  more searching, I decided to make my own curriculum for the class and it is working out wonderfully.  I am making the children's books and my teacher's manual myself, and they are looking great!  I can't wait to have it all printed!!

I also have next school year just about planned.   We are keeping everything except WW, R&S Spelling, MEP and MOH.  Nathan and I are both bored out of our minds with WW.  I am currently looking for a new vocab program.  I may just skip it this year since I'm supplementing our history with the Famous Men series.  I noticed last night that each chapter includes a vocab list!  R&S Spelling wasn't getting done.  Plus I plan to use vocab words as spelling.  We dropped MEP earlier this school year and added Math Mammoth.  We just recently dropped MOH in favor of using SOTW as our main history spine now.  I added SOTW AG's and will add GtG and foreign language for next year.  As per Nathan's request, we are going to add an art/drawing class.  Also I would love to {finally} add the CM composer/artist schedule to our homeschool.  I tried earlier this school year but gave up due to our out of the home schedule.  This time around I would like to get it established before that busy fall/sports season.

I know I'm forgetting something, but this is long enough for now.  If you've hung with me this far, please take a look at our snowy pictures below.  We don't usually get snow like this around here so we have had a fun couple of weeks!  I have to say though I am ready for Spring and warmer weather.  There is a reason I live in the south....I'm a hot weather fan!

5 comments:

  1. I'm not sure that grammar is meant to be fun. We love FLL, but it's not because it's colorful or hilarious. Oh, and the SotW's guide is so neat. Half the time our library does not have anything from the recommended reading list, but I DO love the activities.

    Sounds like a stellar week :) Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Look at your snow pictures ... I may be a little jealous! ;)

    I am hoping to start artist/composer studies next year, too. Also, my son loves SOTW, and we do try and do alot of the activities in the AG. I think you'll like it! ;)

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  3. Great pictures of the snow! Yeah, R&S English isn't the most exciting grammar program and I occasionally peak at the greener grass, but it sure does work (for us).

    We are making the switch to SOTW next year also and I'm very excited.

    Sounds like a productive week. I'm ready for a nice normal week at home.

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  4. Heh... we started MOH 2 this year and my littles can't handle it, so I am going to switch to SOTW in a couple weeks for them(we have to get to a good point). I'm trying to figure out what to do next year for my older two (currently 9 and 7) MOH 3 seems like it will be a bit much, so I'm considering a complete change to SOTW also. What level were you on? I'm sad to give up MOH, but it's getting to be a bit much for grammar stage... I think for Logic stage it will be great! I'm curious to see how it goes for you! Fun snow picts!

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  5. The snow looks like a lot of fun. I live in the South for the same reason you do---I can see the snow in the mountains, but I don't have to deal with it. ;) Looks like your school week was productive.

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