NOT BACK TO SCHOOL
NOT BLOG HOP
I love to participate in the Not Back To School Blog Hops. August was just not having it though! So here is our "Not Back to School All in One" post.
Meet the students:
Our oldest student at home is Paul. He is 15. He LOVES volleyball!
If there is a kid around, he/she will usually find Paul. He is always willing to give a ride, read a book, or have a good wrestling match with the little ones in his life.
He loves to be doing- biking, boarding, snow boarding, long boarding... School, he does not love so much, butalways mostly keeps a great attitude.
If there is a kid around, he/she will usually find Paul. He is always willing to give a ride, read a book, or have a good wrestling match with the little ones in his life.
He loves to be doing- biking, boarding, snow boarding, long boarding... School, he does not love so much, but
Mark is "the middle child" in our homeschool. Mark loves football (playing flag and watching the Raiders), anything to do with the Civil War, dogs (that's his dog Fozzie up there), drawing, and generally being a goof ball.
If there is a fussy baby in the crowd, Mark is your man. He has patience galore with the little ones. As far as studies go, he is an interest led man- if he is interested, he will spend hours researching his subject.
James is ten years old. He loves soccer- a fairly new thing as his dad and I burned out on sports a while back, so he was not given the opportunity to play until last year.
He also loves playing with his friends, spending time with family, being an uncle (he frequently brags about his niece and nephews to anyone who will listen), drawing, super heroes, and dressing snazzy.
This is the most recent collage that I posted as we were winding down the school year (I believe).
I'm totally pulling up last year's pictures, but this it hasn't changed at all! :)
We have updates on the horizon though. We are hoping to knock out the center wall and expand a bit to make it a grand-baby playroom/school room.
This is our Barton reading center that I leave up all the time. When we have time, I don't want to be searching for materials.
If there is a fussy baby in the crowd, Mark is your man. He has patience galore with the little ones. As far as studies go, he is an interest led man- if he is interested, he will spend hours researching his subject.
James is ten years old. He loves soccer- a fairly new thing as his dad and I burned out on sports a while back, so he was not given the opportunity to play until last year.
He also loves playing with his friends, spending time with family, being an uncle (he frequently brags about his niece and nephews to anyone who will listen), drawing, super heroes, and dressing snazzy.
On to the school room.
I'm totally pulling up last year's pictures, but this it hasn't changed at all! :)
We have updates on the horizon though. We are hoping to knock out the center wall and expand a bit to make it a grand-baby playroom/school room.
I love our resource bins.
This is our Barton reading center that I leave up all the time. When we have time, I don't want to be searching for materials.
I love drawers and bins- keep me out of the dollar store!!
And the curriculum!
Mathematics:
Paul is joining with some other students for a once a week math class taught by his sister. They are using Glencoe Mathematics Algebra 1. I have to say that this book scares me. It could double as a weapon of mass destruction (it is enormous). I am sure with such a competent teacher at the helm, it will work. ;)
Mark and James will use Master Essential Math Skills::20 Minutes a Day to Success by Richard W. Fisher in combination with a this resource for creating a math journal.
About Math Essentials- it is rare, but it occasionly has wrong answers in the key. That is okay. When the answers don't match, the students and I work the problem. If our answers are the same, we call ours correct.
I ordered the DVD that has Mr. Fisher presenting the lessons on a digital board. Please don't be offended Mr. Fisher. My boys don't love you. They ask that I present the lesson. Mostly I do, but it is nice to have the DVD for days when time is limited. I have watched lessons by myself on occasion to see how they are presented- Mr. Fisher is the math expert after all. I appreciate his skill is presenting concepts in an understandable way.
As for the math journal. On my sister's recommendation (she always has good recommendations!), I ordered the Interactive Math Journal by Runde's Room on Teachers Pay Teachers. It is $14.99 and I think worth every penny. We have done just one page, but I like it.
Language Arts:
All three students are using the Barton Reading System. For many reasons, this is pretty much it. We have literature with our faith studies and our history studies, and the boys can use any writing assignments to work on sentence structure and composition.
Science:
Paul is taking a class at a local homeschool co op using Exploring Creation with Biology by Wile and Durnell. Paul's older sister took the same course with the same teacher and it was wonderful! I am looking forward to Paul getting this experience.
Mark is taking a "Hands-On Science" course at the same co op (his is every other week). I have a course description that James can follow along with from home. My plan is to use library books and you tube videos to match up the topics along with a few hands-on experiments of our own.
History:
We are going to follow along with the rest of "America: The Story of Us" DVD series to complete our American history studies.
We completed "Rebels", "Revolution", "Division", and "Civil War" as well as some of "Westward Expansion". Next, we are on to "Heartland".
You can see our first planning post for America The Story of Us here-
http://tribeof11.blogspot.com/2012/07/ready-set-plan.html
We completed "Rebels", "Revolution", "Division", and "Civil War" as well as some of "Westward Expansion". Next, we are on to "Heartland".
You can see our first planning post for America The Story of Us here-
http://tribeof11.blogspot.com/2012/07/ready-set-plan.html
The link that I previously provided to the episode guides was broken, but I did find a way to get them. By searching "American The Story of Us Episode ___" (fill in numbers 1-10 one at a time), you can find the guides!!
You can use the link below to get started and should be able to just change the episode number to get to the next pdf, but I was directed to "no page found" more than once. Just do a new search using the episode number you are on. If you want to use these guides, I suggest printing or saving them all now.
You can use the link below to get started and should be able to just change the episode number to get to the next pdf, but I was directed to "no page found" more than once. Just do a new search using the episode number you are on. If you want to use these guides, I suggest printing or saving them all now.
There are more resources here-
http://teaching.monster.com/training/articles/9840-america-the-story-of-us-lesson-plans-from-history-now-on-teaching
Faith:
We are working on Jeff Cavins bible study of the book of James. It is not the best fit for the younger two boys, but I'll work on it! Maybe this subject will get its own special post.
Other things:
I mentioned that Paul and Mark are taking science outside the home.
Paul is also taking a self-directed art class, playing volleyball, and assistant coaching his little brother's soccer.
James is joining a class called "Theater Fun" and will be in a production (very low key!) of Willy Wonka, and he is taking a volleyball class.
Paul and Mark will both play flag football while James can be found on the soccer field.
James and Mark have an art instructor come over every other week.
A Day in the Life:
Do I dare go here?
Right now a day in the life is about trying to figure out the new normal. We have my grandson coming over to play at our house a few days a week (hence this new addition to our school room).
My mode right now is "get up early and get as much I can get done before he comes!". That is partly because I am still figuring it out, and partly because I do want to be able to relax and enjoy some grandma time with him.
In the past, I have used reading to set the rhythm of our day. Faith books at breakfast, our Five and a Row book with lunch, a go along book (something to enhance our FIAR studies) while the youngest was napping or during quiet time when the youngest was old enough to be a part of things, and a chapter book to wind down the night (sometimes just for fun, sometimes to go with our studies).
Now that we are a house full of "big kid students" things look different. Our new routine (only the last two weeks) looks like this:
Mass, breakfast, chores, reading, math, baby arrives, everyone fights over baby (I love that), we settle in, lunch, a few more chores, history reading and other things that can be done together in a group, free time, baby goes home, cup of tea (for mom/grandma!) and get ready for the evening!!
Once activities start, some days will be a bit more complicated, but that is a stay at home day.
That's it!! Happy 2013-2014 school year to you and yours!! :)
Faith:
We are working on Jeff Cavins bible study of the book of James. It is not the best fit for the younger two boys, but I'll work on it! Maybe this subject will get its own special post.
Other things:
I mentioned that Paul and Mark are taking science outside the home.
Paul is also taking a self-directed art class, playing volleyball, and assistant coaching his little brother's soccer.
James is joining a class called "Theater Fun" and will be in a production (very low key!) of Willy Wonka, and he is taking a volleyball class.
Paul and Mark will both play flag football while James can be found on the soccer field.
James and Mark have an art instructor come over every other week.
A Day in the Life:
Do I dare go here?
Right now a day in the life is about trying to figure out the new normal. We have my grandson coming over to play at our house a few days a week (hence this new addition to our school room).
In the past, I have used reading to set the rhythm of our day. Faith books at breakfast, our Five and a Row book with lunch, a go along book (something to enhance our FIAR studies) while the youngest was napping or during quiet time when the youngest was old enough to be a part of things, and a chapter book to wind down the night (sometimes just for fun, sometimes to go with our studies).
Now that we are a house full of "big kid students" things look different. Our new routine (only the last two weeks) looks like this:
Mass, breakfast, chores, reading, math, baby arrives, everyone fights over baby (I love that), we settle in, lunch, a few more chores, history reading and other things that can be done together in a group, free time, baby goes home, cup of tea (for mom/grandma!) and get ready for the evening!!
Once activities start, some days will be a bit more complicated, but that is a stay at home day.
That's it!! Happy 2013-2014 school year to you and yours!! :)
Laurie, you have an amazing school room. Its a wealth of resources, let alone knowledge. And you have a busy schedule, too. My goodness. I pray that you all have a blessed and fruitful school year!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed seeing your school. I like the collages for each student. Great idea (which I might steal.) :)
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie! Thanks for popping in and commenting on my blog! I'm around, but haven't blogged much in July and August. Too much summer to be had! LOL School started this week though so I plan a wrap-up tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteAw! Love it :-) have you done more with the math journal?
ReplyDelete