Language Arts
- Our main program is Spell to Write and Read, which we are in our 4th year of using. It is a phonics-based spelling program, with an emphasis on thinking through sounds as you are learning to spell and to thus read. Along with this program, we are doing cursive writing; my 7 year old already knows it, and my 6 year old will be focusing more on it this year (she was less ready motor-wise last year). We have taken a break from SWR after about 24 or so weeks because my younger child is having trouble with handwriting and some reading and is just getting frustrated with it. I decided to end our phonics for the year and transition to another program that is similar in approach but more visual for next year to see if it help her. Both girls did well with our weekly spelling bees, and in fact my younger one spells better orally than in writing (another reason I am switching approaches a bit for next year). In the meantime, we are trying more of a hands-on writing approach for the remainder of the year. They are writing a story each week, which helps us to cover spelling, grammar, reading, writing, typing, drawing, composition,.... They seem to be enjoying the change.
- My 2nd grader will begin more formal grammar and reading comprehension instruction this year as we broaden our usage of our phonics program, using the suggestions in the Wise Guide (our spelling book) and several other resources their site provides. I actually found some great language arts and writing skills workbooks at Barnes and Noble that we have been using and the girls seem to be enjoying. I am pondering using them again next year.
- We have also just begun copywork and narration exercises using Susan Wise Bauer's Writing With Ease workbook. We fell behind in using this resource, mostly because I bought the workbook and had to copy and print each worksheet we needed. I am going to try again next year with the second level workbook and just make sure to buy a digital copy so I can print as I need them and not have to scan or copy them.
- I have both girls journal at least once weekly, sometimes requiring them to write, other times letting them dictate to me what to write,sometimes having them draw a picture first and then describe it, other times giving them an intro sentence and having them finish it ("I dreamt that I was a princess..."). They almost always journal after a field trip or outside class (like at our local arboretum) so that they can remember what they learned or saw.
- Both girls will be reading from our Christian Liberty nature readers (levels K and 1). We like these books because the selections are relatively short but interesting as we learn about nature.
- We are in our second year of using Singapore math, and so far we are enjoying using it. The girls really look forward to their math times each day. We will be continuing with this program next year. The second grade work is a lot more writing and time intensive, so we have only just started the second book a few weeks ago. I am not sure we will finish it before the end of the year, but I have decided that mastery is more important than just finishing it. If we still have some left, we will begin 3rd grade with the remainder of 2nd grade before moving on. We are doing a lot of mental math in the 2nd grade book, and it has been really neat to see the light go on in her head as she "gets" it! I have also added lots of different memorization techniques for the addition and multiplication tables. Currently, we are doing a lot of jumping around as we recite them. It seems to be working so far. :) My younger child has especially benefited from the use of lots of manipulatives as we work on concepts so that she can visualize them. I have to say that I like this program because it seems to teach them to think the way I have realized that I think about math. So, it makes sense to me and seems to be making sense to them so far.
- I am looking at a new formal "science" curriculum this year and hope to be able to try it. It is called Noeo science and seems very interesting. It uses a sort-of Charlotte Mason approach, using living books rather than textbooks and encouraging much observation and journaling. I'll post more if we get it. We did not purchase this curriculum, just because it seemed so expensive. However, a few weeks ago, we began Apologia's Exploring Creation with Botany, and I am a big fan of this so far! I bought the girls their own workbooks, too, and am convinced that it was worth the money spent. Apologia uses a Charlotte Mason approach, with reading and narration and lots of nature study. When we finish this study in the fall, we will probably move on to their Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day study on birds.
- Most of what we do for science is nature-oriented. We read lots of Thornton Burgess books about animals and then I have the girls narrate back to me what they learned, either through drawings or dictation that I write down for them. We also have nature journals and try to go on nature walks either in our neighborhood or at our local arboretum several times a month. As we discover things that interest them, we try to learn more about them.
- I am excited about our history curriculum for this year! We are beginning The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer. It should take us through a four-year cycle from ancient times to the modern day. The workbook that accompanies the text has lots of interesting map studies and enrichment activities, as well as excellent additional reading lists! We are loving this resource! The girls often comment that they love history (which I never did in school, so that makes me happy!)! Each chapter has 1-3 sections that narrate the history of the time. The girls answer some questions and then narrate back to me, either orally or with drawings or typed accounts, what we read. At the end of the chapter, we map whatever we studied, and it has been neat to see their geography skills grow over the year! The workbook also includes book lists for additional reading and activities to further the study, and we have enjoyed making use of these resources, too. We also have created our own "Books of Time", which are basically just timelines where we record what we have read about to see how it fits into the big picture of history. It was neat last week to see them notice that something they just recorded went where we had already included other events - they made the connection that these were all happening at the same time in different areas of the world! We're definitely looking forward to using book 2 next year!
- For geography, we began learning the countries of Africa last year and will continue until we are finished. This summer, we began learning the states of the US as well. All of these are done using a geography songs CD and our atlas and globe. We have used several different Dover coloring books in our study of the US states as well. Again, we are really enjoying using our CD and maps. We have learned the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Southern Europe, the states of the US and provinces and territories of Canada, and the continents and oceans so far, and we just began the countries in Asia. We will usually sing the song and point to the countries for a few days. Then I print a blank map and we sing and color the countries as we go. Then, we use this map for a few more days when we sing. Then I test them on another blank map by calling out the countries randomly. I think we will continue this next year and add in state capitals for my 3rd grader.
- For general social studies and health, we will have lessons on fire safety, PA history, the 4th of July, the Pilgrims (a favorite November unit study!) and whatever else sounds interesting. We just finished a book on Thomas Alva Edison and are currently reading one on Betsy Ross. We ended up doing a lot of Revolutionary War-time studies, reading several great chapter books about different events during these times. We'll continue in this vein next year, too.
- Our 2nd grader will be beginning piano lessons this fall and our 1st grader in the spring.We decided that our 1st grader was not quite ready yet, and our 2nd grader is ready, but we really want to find a teacher instead of teaching her ourselves. In the meantime, she is having a few lessons and is doing well.
- For general music appreciation and history, every other month or so we take a composer and listen to lots of his or her music and read books about him or her. We have greatly enjoyed the Classical Kids series on several well-known composers. Music has fallen by the wayside a bit, though they have enjoyed the Classical Kids CDs and other units we have done as asides to our other studies.
- We will use a similar approach to art by taking an artist and looking at his or her artwork and reading books about him or her and even trying to imitate some of his or her work. The girls have been excited to be able to identify pieces of artwork when we are out and about sometimes! Art, too, seems to get the short end of the stick, time-wise, in our school. The girls are constantly drawing and coloring, but we have not done much formally this year. My plan is to do a more concentrated time this summer when we are not doing other subjects.
- Besides just playing outside, riding bikes and scooters, the girls will be taking dance this year. They will also begin soccer this fall and hope to play basketball again this winter. We have tried to do lots of outdoor time and have been more successful at times than at others. They are loving dance, though I am not sure about continuing it for next year. They did play basketball ,though we waited on soccer so we would not overcommit ourselves. I think we will do soccer this fall and definitely basketball again. We will also be going back to our local co-op,so they will have gym on a weekly basis.
- One of our favorite school times is reading a Magic Treehouse book each week and learning more about whatever subject the book focuses on that week. We have learned about dinosaurs, pirates and ships, rain forests, medieval castles and knights, dolphins,... Several of the books even have accompanying research guides that the girls and I have enjoyed.
This list seems long and a bit intimidating, but somehow it seems to work together for us. My main goal is that the girls cultivate a love of learning in general and a greater appreciation for the Lord and His wonders. Sometimes I have to stop myself and ask whether I am just trying to check things off of a list as we accomplish them or whether my real focus is on the bigger picture. May the Lord bless our efforts, though, and may they grow most in love for Him as they learn more about His world!
