Sep. 25, 2008
My 2nd Grader
So I was planning on doing Sonlight Core 2 with my 7 year old this year. (I have an old version of Core 2 and it's Intro to the World complete in one year.) But, at the very last minute I decided to wait until next year to do Core 2 with her. The reason? Because I would really like to keep my 2 littles on the same Sonlight Core and this will give my 4 year old another year of maturity before we start Core 2. (Not that he will be 100% ready, but I think he'll be ready to listen to a lot of the read-a-louds.) So anyway, at the last minute I decided we are going to read through the entire American Girl series this year and do lapbooks on all the girls. This will take up from 1764 to 1974 in American History! So that pretty much covers her History! (Right now we are reading the Kaya series.)
For Math we are doing Math-U-See "Classic" Foundations of Mathematics. (We already had all the old videos and teachers manual since my oldest did Sonlight way back when. Thankfully they still sell the "classic" books for old timers like me! LOL)
So what else are we doing?
Handwriting - Getty Dubay Book C Basic and Cursive
Phonics - Explode the Code 2 1/2 (She will be ready for book 3 in a few weeks because she is a girl and flies through these workbooks! Quite the opposite of my 14 year old who labored through one page a day and would do one workbook a year if we were lucky! LOL)
Reading - Abeka Our America History/Geography Reader and lot's of Library books.
Bible - Awana & and daily read alouds from the NIrV Kids' Study Bible.
Science - Misc books and etc. We are starting with a book called Science Projects and Experiements that I picked up for a dollar at Target.
Language Arts - Lapbooks, lapbooks and more lapbooks! LOL
Spelling - Turbo Twist Spelling
Extra curricular activities:
- Awana - Sparks
- American Girl Club
- Chess/Board Game Club (This will be during her little brothers ABC Preschool Class which I will post about next week.)
- Park Days
In her spare time she likes to:
- Watch I Love Lucy (She is obsessed! LOL)
- play with her dog
- Play with her brothers
- Cook
- Draw, write and do crafts
- Webkinz
- Play with her dolls
So that is what we have planned for second grade. She is very excited about planning the whole year around the American Girl series. She told me the other day "It's like we are studying history, but it't not boring!" LOL I don't know where she got the idea that History is boring! That is certainly no ones opinion around here! And I know once we start Sonlight with her she will be as in love with History as the rest of us are. So we have that to look forward to for next year!
Happy Homeschooling,
Jamin
P.S. I have had several people ask how we do Sonlight and so many extra things too. The answer is...We spread a Core over 2 years. This allows us to lapbook and do other project to our hearts content, and still enjoy all the great Sonlight books!
Comments
Sep. 25, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Whew.. I feel so much better. My Anna is 7 and we just started Explode the Code 2. I was feeling really down because I assumed she was far behind. Rod and Staff just wasn't working for her. She started 1 1/2 over the summer and worked pretty quickly through it.
I just love reading about your adventures in schooling. We are currently using Math U See and the prairie primer. I love your ideas with the american girl and just may try that next year. I must say with all the primer stuff I think my journal has become mre interesting..lol. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
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Sep. 25, 2008 - My 2nd Grader
Posted by kkocher
Sometimes it is spooky how similar our lives are. I haven't written to you in a while, but I usually email you. I am trying to do the whole "blog" thing but it is going v e r y slowly!! I too have a 4, 7, and 13 year old. (I think yours turned 14 right?)
I too decided about a month ago to hold off on doing Intro to World History with my 2nd grader until his 4 year old brother has another year under his belt. I too have an older version as my oldest boy used it in the 2nd grade and he is now an 8th grader. We also use Math u See but I had to break down and get the newer DVD versions when our only VHS player died! LOL We also do ETC and are finishing book 3. This year we started doing FIAR and both my littles are LOVING IT! I imagine we will continue FIAR in the years to come - but I will never stop using Sonlight and their wonderful books! Stay tuned - because SOME day I will actually have REAL entries on my blog! ha ha
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Sep. 25, 2008 - You read my mind again!
Posted by Anonymous
Yep, again! I was just having a horrible time with our newly bought curriculum yesterday...ready to chuck it all b/c it is so boring and my 2nd grader was starting to hate school, esp. phonics and reading with our "drill and kill" curriculum! Eek! I was thinking that there had to be another way with this child...was thinking about a "Jamin consult" over second grade materials and ideas.. even wondered if it's possible to just do lapbooking for language arts...and then there it was on your blog! Why do I ever doubt that God knows and cares about e-v-e-r-y-thing?
j
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Sep. 27, 2008 - Not to discourage you but....
Posted by kaenhu
combining the kids with a SL Core turned out less than ideal for us. We will finish out Core 4, but I really wish I had just kept them on their own cores. Just something to consider, since Core 2 (even the old one) may be a bit advanced for your little man, even next year.
Edited by kaenhu on Sep. 27, 2008 at 9:54 AM
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Sep. 27, 2008 - thank you!
Posted by Blessings
Thank you so very much for sharing! So just that I am clear...(*blond streaks ;) ) With just Core 2 or with all your Core's {even your son?} have you taken two years to complete? If so how is that working out?
I am seriously thinking of doing that! The children repeat all the history in depth again later in high school...what year do you stop with the 2 year plan??....
I REALLY LOVE THAT IDEA!
BRAVO!!
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