November 5, 2014

Lessons went so smoothly today.  Days like this are rare but they are the ones that sustain me and keep me going down the homeschool path.

This is a summary for the month of October.

Current Events
Still loving CNN Student News and Newsademic!

Math
I've made the decision to stop using the Key to .... workbooks.  R&S does a great job and I felt like we were falling behind trying to shore up skills which didn't need extra support.

We've studied:
Units of time
Time zones
Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing compound measures
Prime and composite numbers
Greatest common factors
Lowest common multiples
Comparing fractions
Adding and subtracting proper fractions
Adding and subtracting mixed numbers
Finding fractional parts of whole numbers

We've also read about finding the GCF and the LCM in Math Doesn't Suck.

Latin
Trying to have 12yo do more of the translation exercises with less help from me.
2nd conjugation
Future tense with 1st and 2nd conjugation verbs

Classical Studies
Cincinnatus

English Grammar
Paragraphs - examples & illustrations, comparison or contrast
Outlining - in addition to R&S we used a workbook from Remedia Publications
Verbs - principal parts (forms), simple tenses, perfect tenses

Spelling
Logic of English 26

This has become a sore spot for me.  12yo is what I consider a natural speller.  As much as I like LOE, I think we are spending too much time learning phonograms and spelling rules.  She doesn't find spelling a struggle therefore the rules don't really mean anything to her.  I enjoy the grammar section, but we don't need it since we cover grammar thoroughly in Rod & Staff.  We are spending too much time analyzing words and  doubling up on grammar when we could be using that time for other subjects.

I think we are going to drop LOE and move to a more traditional spelling list type approach.

Geography
Afghanistan
Seterra Online Middle East map

World History
K-12's The Human Odyssey:
How Civilized!  From Hunter-Gatherers to City-Builders
Unearthing Sumer
Working, Trading, and Building in Sumer
Honoring the Gods: Religion in Ancient Sumer

World History Detective
#5 The Fertile Crescent and the Sumerians

Christian Studies II
9 Saul's Jealousy; David and Jonathan
10 Saul's Wrath; David and Abigail