So we are actually finished with two weeks of school but I didn't get a chance to write it up until now.
We began our first day with logic. I call it warming up the brain. Both Grinmaster and Allboy are working on classifying objects, except Grinmaster's are a little more difficult. Other worksheets we used were Reading Detectives. I like these because instead of just reading and answering questions, the reader must infer certain ideas from what they read. Hopefully it will help with both of their critical thinking skills. This is one of the big areas that I think traditional schooling skips over in favor of multiple choice answers. The ability to think and reason. How refreshing.
Next was Phonics. At least for Alboy. We began with Explode the Code worksheets with review of short vowel sounds, and cvcv words. He hated every second of it. I think in part because it is too easy and too repetitive. I threw away a couple of the sheets once I knew that he understood the phonics rules. I have now decided to drop Explode the Code since we are using Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading. I actually bought the book to use with Grandbaby Supreme, but once I looked at it I realized that if we skipped the first half we were right where Allboy is in reading ability. He likes it and I think it is helping a lot more than ETC. He also gets plenty of phonics instruction with our Spelling choice, All About Spelling. This is a multisensory spelling program that uses the phonics rules to teach spelling. We use magnetic tiles, a white board, and letter and word cards to learn spelling. I tried Spelling Workout last year, and bought Sequential Spelling this year thinking that I would use it, but I didn't like either and I feel like I hit the jackpot with AAS. We are still in review lessons so I can't say that any majot lightbulb moments have occurred but I think this is going to work with the way Allboy learns.
Next we moved on to Math. We are using Math-U-See Beta. It comes with a DVD showing the instructor explaining the lesson. I thought it would be a dry lecture, but he moves quick and has a sense of humor that the kids enjoy. It uses base 10 blocks for manipulatives, and the first lesson was on place value. We even built "decimal" street using a units house, a 10 Apartment, and a hundreds castle. Alboy totally clicked with the program. But I can tell that the constant use of the blocks are going to get old. Once he gets it, he doesn't want to use the blocks anymore. That it okay by me. We are also going to use Miquon to supplement MUS. I like the different way that Miquon thinks about math and want Alboy to have another way to do computations. They call it the Asian way of doing math, and since Asia is kicking our butts in math scores, there might be something to it.
Our favorite subjects are History and Science. We began our History on Monday and we are studying US history in depth. We began with the humans that crossed the Berring bridge 40k years ago and settled throughout North America. Then we began our first Native American Geographical area.....SouthEastern USA. We read Nightbird, and learned about the Seminoles. We made history pockets and learned about their type of shelter...Chickees, and food sources, alligator and corn, and clothing, light cottons or not much at all. The big idea that I wanted them to understand is that all Native American's were different and that where they lived determined what they ate, where they lived, and what they wore. I remember thinking as a child that all Indians were the same, and lived in Teepees, and dressed in buckskins. I also want them to explore their spirituality; mainly how important nature was and is to their beliefs. Science began on Tuesday. We are using R.E.A.L. Science Oddessy; Earth, Rock and Space. We read Crash Rumble and Roll and then for their lab all 3 boys got familiar with a weather themometer. They took readings in the sun, in the shade, from a bowl of room temperature water, and from a bowl of ice water. On Thursday they created Rain, using condensation, and I knew they got it when we went to get in the car early Monday morning and Grandbaby Supreme told me he was dancing in a cloud (fog), Allboy said they were water molecules, and Grinamaster told me that the warm air pressure forced the cloud to the ground. I love homeschooling. Next week they make rain guages and measure rainfall, and wind direction. We will read Magic School Bus, Inside a Hurricane. Hopefully we won't get any up close and personal experience with hurricanes this season.
As for Grandbaby Supreme he is working on Get Ready for the Code and learned all about the letter F. We are also using Starfall to reinforce his letter of the week. He hangs out with us for Science and History and also is doing some Kumon math and numbers. We are also using Leapfrog Letter Factory and lots of natural math with him.
Grinmaster is concentrating on reading and comprehension and is reading Life of a Dog right now. He is also using Creative writing and reviewing how to write powerful paragraphs and papers. He enjoys History and Science with us and I think he is worried that he will miss out on some fun when he goes to school. i am going to keep reading our History literature at night so that he can enjoy the stories.
We haven't really done anything concrete for Art or Music yet. I am waiting for us to get a good grasp on the subjects we are doing so far. We do a lot of crafts for History and I want to start Art Sketch Tuedays soon. I am not sure we are going to do anything with music, other than Kareoke and listening to music. I think I will wait until next year to decide about Piano lessons. As for PE....that is hilarious if you know our boys. They all swim like fish, each of them has ridden a bike since they were 3, and spend lots of time outdoors. Grinmaster is on a bowling league, Allboy has football, and G-Baby Supreme is keeping up with the other two. They are all active and can do more pushups, pullups, and situps than other boys their age. I am quick to have them outside and active instead of playing video games so I believe that we are fine there.
Now the biggie.....at least in most people's minds. Socialization. Oh how are these kids going to be norrmal if they are schooled at home? I think most people who ask that question must think we live in caves. We are active in the community. The kids play sports, they have tons of pals they play with in the neighborhood and we attend Vacation Bible School, camps for sports or Art, and of course Scouts. If anything I need them less socialized. At least that way every kid in the neighborhood wouldn't always be over here most of the time. (smile). I am also going to make sure that we stay active in Homeschool activities during the school year. There are field trips, co-ops and get togethers with other families that also homeshoold during the day, and they will still be active in sports and scouts in the evenings. I also question people who think that they are missing out by not being in school. Have they been to school lately? With budget cuts, teacher turnover, less and less arts, and little playtime I don't feel they are missing much. Also if I remember correctly I spent most of my school life being told not to socialize.
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