New School Schedule

This year we decided to make it easy:

9:00-9:45 Language Arts
(15 minute play outside time)
10:00-10:45 Language Arts II
(15 minute play outside time)
11:00-11:45 Unit Study
(Lunch Break and Free Time)
1:00-1:45 Math
???

After Math, we either do more unit study, read aloud, silent reading or computer time. Basically it's free choice as long as it's "educational".

Language Arts I means: Screenwriting Handbook reading and exercises for child A, and LLATL for child B.
Language Arts II means: Continue what you were working on earlier if you're on a roll, or choose something else. Child A might choose to work on the screenplay (not the exercises from the resource book) or maybe handwriting/calligraphy. Child B chooses from "Just Write book 1", Dr. Seuss's My Book About Me, or My New Baby and Me. Some day she may choose to write a story or I'll pull out the writing center materials, but these are enough options for now.

Unit Study rotates: Tuesday Oregon Trail, Thursday Story of the World, Friday Beautiful Feet History of Science. We feel free to mix that up if we still feel like doing Oregon Trail stuff, etc. Last week we got excited about italic handwriting and illuminated manuscripts when reviewing Story of the World. So after working on our timeline, we had a Monk's Supper and wrote with quill pens, and used colored pencils and gold metallic paint marker for the illuminated manuscripts. (I just found a really cool kit for illuminated lettering at Hearthsong.com so I hope we'll still be interested in it after I can order it.) We didn't do anything for Oregon Trail this week, but I'm not worried. It's not set in stone anywhere- we make the rules in this school!

Math I've found Singapore Math to be a good match for my visual learner. Last year's Making Math Meaningful was good for both kids and I've since learned that it's great for kinesthetic learners, which explains why it appealled to the older one. But it was a little labor intensive on the parents part so this year with the baby I thought Singapore Math would be easier for us to manage. It's working out splendidly. Very self-directed, interesting, and she's learning a lot. She can read the textbook, talk to me about it, and easily complete the work while I'm feeding the baby or changing a diaper, etc. When we need to I can pull out the manipulatives we made last year and explain things more concretely. So- highly recommend it.

The Christian school is using Saxon math. Please don't get me started on Saxon math. We hate it so much. At least we know why it's so ill-regarded in this household though. It's not appealing visually and I disagree with someone else's opinion about it being good for kinesthetic learners. The investigations are good but the rest is so boring. However, using the computer is fun and this student is enjoying being able to use the computer for her homework and not lug a book home every day. Other than that, the whole thing about Algebra 1/2 vs. Math Course 2 bugs me, too. (Homeschoolers have the Algebra 1/2 as an option for prealgebra, schools get to use Math Course 2. Why the double tier system? Some big conspiracy or just a way to get rid of their old product line they're not so fond of???)

I think that's all I have to say about that today. I like our schedule. We're going to throw in some fun afternoons for Scrapbooking For Homeschoolers scrapclub and 4-H meetings. That plus sports and church activities will keep us plenty busy (and the kids very well socialized I do believe!)