Now that we have 33 days left of our school year (not a little cheering going on here!), I thought I would make note of what we have been using this year and how we have liked it, so, here goes:
Language Arts:
Spelling/Phonics: All About Spelling
We switched to this program this year from Spell to Write and Read (which I plan on using again when we finish up this program). My 3rd grader has gone through levels 1-4,and my 2nd grader levels 1-3. Both are doing well with this program. I especially like the systematic approach to spelling rules and the built-in review system. I have noticed both of them pausing when writing to think through the correct spelling of a word, which is not something I really noticed them doing before.
On Thursdays we have our homeschool co-op, so we have "light" school at home. We have a spelling bee every week, where I call out the words and they have to spell them correctly. The motivator is the skittle or chocolate chip that I toss at them each time they get a word correct. (I totally borrowed this idea from Pioneer Woman!). My 4 year old has learned all of his letters and phonogram sounds this way, too!
At the beginning of each month, I give the kids a diagnostic spelling test from my Spell to Write and Read book just to gauge their progress.
Grammar: First Language Lessons
I am not always greatly consistent with this one, but I like the oral nature of the program, and, with the spoken repetition, the kids have learned a lot of grammar. I think we'll continue with it next year.
Writing: Steps to Writing Success, level 2
This program was recommended to me by a 2nd/3rd grade teacher friend who uses this with her class. It has been very helpful to me in teaching me how to model the writing process for my kids. I would say that writing is our weakest area, not because my kids aren't creative in composing stories, but because it is like pulling teeth to get the to take the time to write them out and finish them. This is going to be my big push next year!
Math:
We are using Singapore Math again this year. We won't really be finished with math in 33 days, however. I think we'll probably continue all summer, which won't actually be all that bad, since it'll keep everything fresh in their minds. The 2nd grade book is the longest we have had yet, and my 2nd grader is still in the first book! We only do this math 4 days a week, though, since we take off on co-op days, so that is a big factor in how long it is taking us to complete it.
This year, we added Singapore's Extra Practice and Challenging Word Problems books for some additional practice. I assign 1-2 pages in each per day for the kids to work on independently, and then we go over and correct it together.
On Thursdays, the kids use Singapore's Math Sprints books to "race" against themselves in timed quizzes. They actually look forward to Thursdays and beg to do Sprints on other days, so I think this one was a winner!
History:
We are finishing up book 2 of The Story of the World and still enjoying it. We read a section or two each day and use the discussion questions in the Activity Guide. I usually have the kids narrate back to me what we read, and lately I have been writing it down for them so they can include more details (now we just need to work on summarizing instead!). At the end of each chapter, we do map work together from the Activity Guide (I really like this feature!), and sometimes we also read additional books or do additional activities related to the material.
On Thursdays, in stead of reading, we put everything we have read about in the past week into our Books of Time, which are basically timeline books. I try to include anything we have read about, whether in history or science, art or music, Bible or biography, so our books are filling up in places. It has been extremely helpful for me to visualize how different events interacted in history, and it has been neat to see the kids get excited when we go to put something in and they see that something else happened around the same time.
Science:
We finished up Apologia's Botany course at Christmas and began their Zoology I in February. We also began Noeo's Chemistry I at the same time. I try to alternate between the two, and the kids seem to be enjoying both. Both use lots of narration, in addition to hands-on activities and experiments.
We also do lots of nature walks, especially in the spring, when we have a "tree walk" of several trees in the neighborhood that we follow each spring from bud to blossom.
Reading:
The kids are both pretty good independent readers now, but I am trying to be better about having them read aloud so I can gauge their progress. We have done a lot of reading from the Christian Liberty Nature Readers. I like them because they use an easy almost conversational tone and have a glossary in the back where the kids can learn to look up terms. The kids enjoy learning about insects and spiders and other creatures while they read to me.
We have also been reading through Proverbs together, with each of us taking a verse until we finish a chapter. I'm thinking of moving on to some "sword drills" now to get them more familiar with their Bibles.
To facilitate with memorization, we have been reading and then memorizing several Psalms in the past two months. We have worked on Psalm 100 and 23 and are now beginning Psalm 139. My 4-year-old likes to come in for these, too.
PE:
The kids played soccer in the fall and have just began again for spring. We took a break in the winter, but they are requesting basketball next year. I have also begun them on the Couch to 5K running program to get them running more and to possibly prep them for a race in the summer or fall. We run while I push my 2-year-old in the stroller and my 4-year-old rides his bike.
Music:
The kids began piano lessons last summer and are enjoying them. We also enjoy listening to the Classical Kids CDs to learn some biographical information for different composers.
Art:
We do art here and there, though summers have turned out to be the best time for us to do it more consistently.
We have enjoyed lots of various other things as they arise, like field trips, kids' interests, missionary biographies, etc...so I am sure I am leaving a lot out. :)
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Leap Day 2012
Alrighty, so here's what actually went down yesterday:
We made a time capsule "video" made up of shorter videos of the kids singing, playing piano, being interviewed, etc...and added in pictures of them in different situations (with their favorite toys, standing by the growth chart, in their rooms,....). The kids also wrote letters to themselves in 4 years and filled out a short questionnaire (how tall are you, what is your favorite color and food,...). We're going to put this into a special envelope and (hopefully remember to) open it on Feb. 29, 2016 (I even added it to my google calendar to remind me!).
We watched videos of jumping and leaping animals.
We read about leap years. Did you know that on years divisible by 100, you only add that extra day if the year is also divisible by 400?
We jumped and hopped, lots - long jumps, high jumps, silly jumps, hopping in place, hopping around, ....
We went to piano lessons (same thing we do every week, but it provided a reason to get out of the house for a few hours).
And today we finished it off with alliterative sentences to go with "jump" and "leap." (And, oh the giggles coming from the dining room table as they composed and shared their sentences!)
So, happy Leap Day! We'll see what we come up with in four years (and I really hope we remember to watch the video and can even find it!).
We made a time capsule "video" made up of shorter videos of the kids singing, playing piano, being interviewed, etc...and added in pictures of them in different situations (with their favorite toys, standing by the growth chart, in their rooms,....). The kids also wrote letters to themselves in 4 years and filled out a short questionnaire (how tall are you, what is your favorite color and food,...). We're going to put this into a special envelope and (hopefully remember to) open it on Feb. 29, 2016 (I even added it to my google calendar to remind me!).
We watched videos of jumping and leaping animals.
We read about leap years. Did you know that on years divisible by 100, you only add that extra day if the year is also divisible by 400?
We jumped and hopped, lots - long jumps, high jumps, silly jumps, hopping in place, hopping around, ....
We went to piano lessons (same thing we do every week, but it provided a reason to get out of the house for a few hours).
And today we finished it off with alliterative sentences to go with "jump" and "leap." (And, oh the giggles coming from the dining room table as they composed and shared their sentences!)
So, happy Leap Day! We'll see what we come up with in four years (and I really hope we remember to watch the video and can even find it!).
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Leap Day Ideas!
Here it is February 28th, so of course, excellent planner that I am, I am finally thinking about doing something different for tomorrow, since Leap Day comes only once every 4 years.
So, here is my list of ideas so far (the evening is still early):
So, what are your Leap Day ideas?
So, here is my list of ideas so far (the evening is still early):
- Game Day: Get out all of our board games and go to town!
- Field trip: I’m thinking Passport to History or Longwood Gardens!
- Jumping and Hopping Contests: Awards for craziest, farthest jump, loudest, silliest,...; modified long jump activity
- Discover why we have leap years
- Leap Year Time Capsule: Leap year time capsule and letter to themselves to be opened on next Leap Day.
- Study Animals that Leap
- Bake cupcakes or something we don't normally have.
- We have piano lessons tomorrow and then eat lunch at work with Daddy, so maybe we'll have a special lunch, too.
So, what are your Leap Day ideas?
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Stone Castles
We have been in the middle ages for history this year, and we are currently learning about the rise of stone castle building and knights and chivalry and feudalism and all. So, what to do but build a castle, right?!
Notice the outer and inner walls, outer shorter for archers to be able to shoot over it, inner taller for defense.
Notice the crenels and merlons and drawbridges (and the extra-wide windows because narrow slits were too difficult...)
And the rounded corners that are less easily destroyed than straight corners....
And can I mention how wonderful glue guns are?!!! Why do I never remember to bring mine out for crafts like this??! We finished up quickly, and then they could actually play with them right away!
Next is the painting process, so stay tuned.....
Next is the painting process, so stay tuned.....
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Recommended Games
We have recently been enjoying these:
Just wanted to share what we have been enjoying. :)
Just wanted to share what we have been enjoying. :)
J-Term
January is such a hard month to come back to after the holidays. It is long and cold and often snowy, so it's hard to get out much. So, I planned a J-term as an experiment for this year. Instead of jumping right back into what we have already been doing, we are going to take a break from some things and do some more "fun" stuff. What will we be studying?
Math (continue with Singapore and the flash card system I made for review of math facts, as well as Sprints on Thursdays)
Spelling (continue with All About Spelling and spelling bees on Thursdays)
Grammar (continue with First Language Lessons)
Piano (continue)
And what are we adding/changing?
History - take a break from Story of the World (after we finish the castles we have been working on this week) and do a short unit study on Felicity and Kirsten (American Girl).
Science - we finished up our Botany course a week ago, so instead of jumping in with a new curriculum in January, we are going to review chunks of it at a time and then have a written test and "field" test each week. I am considering this chemistry course for Feb.
Writing: I purchased a new writing book that my friend, a 2nd grade teacher, uses in her class - Steps to Writing Success (level 2). We will be working through it beginning in January, and I am getting excited about how it is laid out!
Music History (time permitting) - Use the books, The Story of the Orchestra and The Story of Music
Sewing - so far we have sewn several pillowcases and bags for church/co-op; now we need to work on our book covers and laundry bags
So, we'll see how much we actually accomplish, but at least I have tentative plans. :)
Math (continue with Singapore and the flash card system I made for review of math facts, as well as Sprints on Thursdays)
Spelling (continue with All About Spelling and spelling bees on Thursdays)
Grammar (continue with First Language Lessons)
Piano (continue)
And what are we adding/changing?
History - take a break from Story of the World (after we finish the castles we have been working on this week) and do a short unit study on Felicity and Kirsten (American Girl).
Science - we finished up our Botany course a week ago, so instead of jumping in with a new curriculum in January, we are going to review chunks of it at a time and then have a written test and "field" test each week. I am considering this chemistry course for Feb.
Writing: I purchased a new writing book that my friend, a 2nd grade teacher, uses in her class - Steps to Writing Success (level 2). We will be working through it beginning in January, and I am getting excited about how it is laid out!
Music History (time permitting) - Use the books, The Story of the Orchestra and The Story of Music
Sewing - so far we have sewn several pillowcases and bags for church/co-op; now we need to work on our book covers and laundry bags
So, we'll see how much we actually accomplish, but at least I have tentative plans. :)
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Some Fun Accessories!
I thought I'd post some sites where I have found helpful activities for reinforcing things we are doing in school:
Lapbook for Story of the World - We are using this as a review at the end of each "term" of school. We school 6 weeks on and one week off, so every 6th week, we take a break from reading our history and instead review what we have already covered using the lapbook as a fun way to interact with the material in a different way. This lapbook is offered free by a mom who has worked hard to put it all together. She has years 1 & 2 done so far.
Lapbook for our Botany lessons - Similarly, we will be (just bought this) using this as a review of what we have covered in our science lessons. This lapbook does have to be purchased, but I think it is worth the price ($20) to not have to create something on my own.
Lapbooks for my preschooler - I could take the time to make my own, but here are some resources that I have found helpful in gathering things for him to do with me:
Lapbook for Story of the World - We are using this as a review at the end of each "term" of school. We school 6 weeks on and one week off, so every 6th week, we take a break from reading our history and instead review what we have already covered using the lapbook as a fun way to interact with the material in a different way. This lapbook is offered free by a mom who has worked hard to put it all together. She has years 1 & 2 done so far.
Lapbook for our Botany lessons - Similarly, we will be (just bought this) using this as a review of what we have covered in our science lessons. This lapbook does have to be purchased, but I think it is worth the price ($20) to not have to create something on my own.
Lapbooks for my preschooler - I could take the time to make my own, but here are some resources that I have found helpful in gathering things for him to do with me:
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