| The Magic School House |
Week 23Oldest is coming home tomorrow - yeah! Tuesday he has class at the CC and a Dr. appointment to go over the results of his CAT scan on his collar bone. For the rest of the week, he will work on his pre-calc and SAT prep math, read a book, do some logic, and do some SAT prep vocab and watch a movie with me (Guns, Germs, and Steel). We'll pick back up with the heavy work next week. Kinder is sick to day, so we will be skipping gymnastics and school until she is better. We will probably read lots. I bought some used books that should be coming in this week. She'll be excited to have new stories. Hopefully she will be well enough to go to co-op on Tuesady, it is one of the highlights of her week. Littlest is trying to learn to stand on her head. That should make for and interesting week. 10:36 PM - Sunday, April 1 - comments {0} - post commentFirst Grade (tenative)This is based on what worked last year with a bit more structure for this year. We only school four days a week. Don't know how long our day will be. We are doing 20 minutes not counting family reads, so I would think maybe 45 minutes plus reading and play. Language Arts Grammar FLL Phonics Phonics Pathways if not finished, then none Spelling None till later Reading Daily, probably Sonlight Grade 3 readers Literature Dad reads to her for about an hour each night and she listens to audio stories while she goes to sleep
Math Operations RS C or D Problem solving Singapore Challenging Word problems Living books History Main Story of the World 2 with Activity guide Other Reading from books suggested in the Activity Guide when we have time
Science Earth Science (half year) REAL science from Pandia Press Astronomy (half year) Something based on WTM suggestions Nature Study Reading CLP Nature Reader 2 as part of her daily reading assignment Nature Study “Go Outside and Play”
“PE” Often Gymnastics weekly Swimming weekly when we can “Go Outside and Play”
Latin Twice a week Latin for Children or Minimus or Prima Latina
9:48 PM - Saturday, March 31 - comments {0} - post commentKindergarten CurriculumKindergarten Curriculum We have been through a few different things this year, but this is what we are currently doing. We only school four days a week. We spend no more than about 20 minutes a day in formal studies the rest is through play and cuddly reads. Language Arts Handwriting None, she draws a lot Phonics Once a week Phonics Pathways Spelling None Reading daily Literature daily Dad reads to her for about an hour each night and she listens to audio stories while she goes to sleep Math Up to Three times a week MUS Alpha completed, started MUS Beta and Singapore 2A Living books Working through Penrose the Mathematical Cat History Up to Three times a week Story of the World 1 with Activity guide Reading from books suggested in the Activity Guide when we have time
Science Up toTwice a week Co-op class that I teach weekly about animal classification Weekly zoo trips when the weather is nice Reading CLP Nature Reader 1 as part of her daily reading assignment Nature Study “Go Outside and Play” “PE” Often Gymnastics weekly Swimming weekly when we can “Go Outside and Play”
9:45 PM - Saturday, March 31 - comments {0} - post commentPreschoolHere is what I do for preschool.
Play Play Outside Listen to stories Play some more. Play with art. Help mom in the kitchen and around the house. And Play some more. They are only little once.
When littlest wants to “Do Math” like her sister, I wait until after middle’s math lesson and then sit with her with the blocks. Right now we are doing quantity. It is enough for her. I am trying to use the RS principles of not teaching her to rely on counting and letting her just play with numbers and quantities.
When she wants to have a reading lesson like her sister, I sit down with the Phonics Pathways book. We are working on recognizing the vowels and their sounds. 9:21 PM - Saturday, March 31 - comments {0} - post commentA warship from the 1600'sThis warship sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. She was excavated whole in 1956. Her name is the Vasa. She now has her own museum in Stockholm.   The detail is amazing. I didn't realize that warships had this much detailed woodwork.  8:01 PM - Saturday, March 31 - comments {0} - post commentDo you have a master plan for what to study?I have seen lots of posts by people on forums trying to sort out their master plan keeping all of the kids coordinated. I have never had one. So here is my attempt.Handsome - he'll get his own plan since he is graduating next year. Home Literary Lessons with Lord of the Rings Hewitt World Lit. I Chalkdusk SAT prep local CC Physics Chemistry Japanese II and III maybe another language too - he likes them Girls. currently Beautiful is 6 and SweetPea is 2. 1 / 3 yo Finish SOTW 1 and move into SOTW 2 / earth science 2 / 4 yo SOTW 2 and 3 / chemisty 3 / 5 yo SOTW 3 and 4 / physics 4 / K Sonlight core 3 with books and activites to fold littlest in /animals and plants ( teaching to Beautiful and SweetPea joining) 5 / 1 Sonlight Core 4 with books and activites to fold littlest in / earth science 6 / 2 Sonlight Core 5 and SOTW 1 with AG / chemistry 7 / 3 Sonlight Core 6 (world history part 1) / SOTW 2 / physics 8 / 4 Sonlight Core 7 (world history part 2) / SOTW 3 with readers and resources saved from Sonlight core 3 / biology 9 / 5 American History of some sort and SOTW 4 with readers and resources saved from Sonlight core 4 / earth science 10 / 6 Maybe a World Cultures and Geography and Core 5 / chemistry 11 / 7 CC classes for Beautiful and Sonlight Core 6 (world history part 1) / physics 12 / 8 CC classes and Sonlight Core 7 (world history part 2) / maybe marine biology / 9 now SweetPea is the only at home and we'll do high school Am history / earth science This master plan is pretty scary. So when I am 54, my kids will have all left me. I think in 2022 when SweetPea graduates, I am going to sell the house, buy a boat and sail away with hubby. Alright, now I know why I have never thought this far ahead. YIKES! I do like the 4 year cycle for history and science. It gives structure and each time we can add more depth or focus. However, I want them to have a 2 year American history course, and I have always liked Core 5 so I will have to cut one of the history cycles short to be able to do this. I didn't plan to rely so much on Sonlight. I also know I won't stick to it as written. So do you have a master plan? What other subjects do you plan out? Alternate History Path since I have been looking at the Winterpromise catalog 1 / 3 yo Finish SOTW 1 and move into SOTW 2 2 / 4 yo SOTW 2 and 3 3 / 5 yo SOTW 3 and Winterpromise American Story 1 4 / K SOTW 4 and Winterpromise American Story 2 5 / 1 Sonlight Core 5 and maybe parts of Winterpromise Children Around the World 6 / 2 WP Quest for the Ancient World and SOTW 1 7 / 3 WP Quest for the Middle Ages and SOTW 2 8 / 4 WP Quest for Royals and Revolution and SOTW 3 9 / 5 American History and Civics of some sort and SOTW 4 10 / 6 Maybe a World Cultures and Geography class and Core 5 11 / 7 Ancient world History and Lit and QAW 12 / 8 LL from LOTR and QMA / 9 QRR / 10 Modern World History / 11 American History and Civics / 12 Ancient World History 6:24 PM - Saturday, March 31 - comments {0} - post commentMath Woes - againSo let me write this again. What is it about math that causes us so much trouble? My middle DD is 6. She is apparently good at math. I just sold our MUS Alpha. It was great. I enjoyed sitting down and playing the dvd then working the problems with her. I felt confident teaching it to her. She picked up the concepts quickly. And now we are done. I skipped a few lessons at the beginning and a few in the middle. We only did math one day last week. We sat down at the table and worked 2 digit addition and subtaction then we worked on carrying and borrowing. Now we are done with Alpha. Oh and I can't forget that last week she also sat down with some blocks and worked out some simple multiplication and division - 2 x 3 is 6, 4 x 6 is 24, 24 / 2 is 12. I ordered Singapore 2A with the challenging word problems. I want her to spend some time working at this level as she slowly discovers the next level herself. She has decided that Math is boring. Where do they get that from? I think she just needs to find some math that challenges her. 6:09 PM - Saturday, March 31 - comments {1} - post commentWhat word would you use to describe your time with your kids?Delightful comes to my mind. On most days, I smile at my children. I feel a full heart of love for them. I feel that they are delightful. I love being with them. I love trying to see the world through their eyes. I delight in my children. I have my moments of tiredness and frustration, but overall our life is delightful. 5:53 PM - Saturday, March 31 - comments {0} - post commentIdentify and Classify Sea Shells aka MollusksHere are the main resources I am using for my sea shell classification class this week.This site has some great pictures and a "lesson plan". http://manandmollusc.net/lesson_plan_files/lesson_one_cover.html This site is wonderful for identifying sea shells. http://www.seashells.org/seashells/sanibelseashellident.htm What I basically plan to do, is take my collection of sea shells and a basket of shells from the craft store into class. The kids in my class are 5-7 and really respond to discovery learning. I am going to give them each a set of shells to enjoy then ask them questions about the differences they notice in them. Next, I'll have each child group thier shells and explain why they chose those groups. I'll then discuss with them the way that scientists classify them (Gastropods, Bivalve, and other). The kids can then regroup thier shells into the scientific categories. We'll then discuss things that aren't mollusk that get grouped in with sea shells like sanddollars, starfish, sea urchins, crabs, corals, and sponges. Finally we'll try to use some shell guides to identify the shells we have. If there is time or if the kids don't respond to the classifying, I also have an activity for estimating which shells have more volume. The kids will get measuring spoons and cups with water. They will predict which shells can hold more volume, then measure the amount of water it actually holds and compare thier results with their estimates. I have snails in the fish tank that will be taking a trip to class. I am also considering steaming some clams to bring into to class for the kids to be able to examine the creature that is inside. Here is a link to a clam information and dissection guide. 11:39 PM - Sunday, March 25 - comments {0} - post commentSchedule for A Spring Break?Hmm. I was going to write out the plan for Week 23, but then I decided that since I was only incrementing weeks for the benefit of Oldest, that this week just wouldn't count.Here is what we are doing. Oldest is in FL on spring break. Apparently the bugs are bad on the beach right now. For the girls, we have the usual gymnastics on MOnday, Co-op on Tuesday, Swimming at the YMCA together on Wednesday, Thursday I have an eye appointment, and Friday its back to work. For school work,
11:18 PM - Sunday, March 25 - comments {0} - post comment
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Description A homeschool and life blog about the adventures of one mom and three kids (my ds Handsome who is 17, my dd Beautiful who is 6, and my dd SweetPea who is 2) and a wonderful husband (known here as hubby). I work full-time three days a week. Hubby works 5 days a week. I am a relaxed classical homeschooler that is making it all up as I go along. Home User Profile Archives
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