December 16, 2014

Can we quit now?

Can't. hold. on. much. longer! (The Adventures of Cliff Hangar from Between the Lions)

Daily math and English lessons are all I can muster.

November 21, 2014

An afternoon appointment here, an afternoon appointment there and suddenly you realize your weekly plan has been sabotaged.  I have accepted that we lose a couple of hours prepping for and driving to swimming lessons each week , but I made the mistake of scheduling short appointments during school hours this week.  In trying to accommodate others, I robbed 12yo of education/learning hours.

And then there is the stomach bug which is creeping up on us.  So far only two of us have experienced mild symptoms (queasiness), but it did make a difference in time on task.

Math
69 - Reading Problems: Estimating in Everyday Life
72 - Intro. to Decimals
73 - Changing Fractions to Decimals
74 - Changing Decimals to Fractions
75 - Comparing Decimals
Skipped adding and subtracting decimals since it is so similar to +/- money.
78 - Multiplying Decimals by 10, by 100, and by 1,000

Lesson learned - she needs a little more practice than I planned.

Latin
Lessons 22 - more practice with conjugating the imperfect tense.

English Grammar
44 - Linking Verbs or Action Verbs
Skipped lesson on giving oral book reports.
46 - Chapter review (direct and indirect objects, predicate nouns and adjectives)
47 - Using Lay & Lie
48 - Using Raise & Rise

Literature - The Hobbit
Studied the dwarves song, listened to chapters two and three on CD, and finished a good portion of the workbook for chapter two.
Lesson learned - 12yo was unable to define quite a few of the vocabulary words even in context, so studying the vocabulary words really is important.

Geography
Sudan and South Sudan

World History
Story of the World CD - listened to Ch. 5 - Sargon and Ch. 7 - Hammurabi
Usborne Encyclopedia of the Ancient World - pp 24-27 "The First Empires" and "The Rise of Babylon"
Gilgamesh the Hero retold by Geraldine McCaughrean - visited the cedar forest and slew Huwawa, Ishtar wants to marry Gilgamesh, the Bull of Heaven, Gilgamesh mourns Enkidu.

Christian Studies II
11 Saul and the Spirit of Samuel; David the King

November 14, 2014

Probably THE most helpful change this week - we got up earlier!

I decided to use a plain daily planner this week and I think it helped us get more accomplished.  We'll see how it lasts.  It seems I need to shake things up occasionally (every two weeks ; ).

Current Events
We spend a lot of time covering current events and I've had to pace myself a bit - two Newsademic articles per day.

Math
I realized that we were still slogging through math when I think 12yo is capable of so much more.  I sat down with the math book and seriously thought about which lessons we might be able to skip and which ones could easily be combined.  Plus, we are going to try doing math on Saturdays again.

Lessons 62-68.  Focus - multiplying and dividing fractions.

Latin
Review IV
Lesson 21 - Imperfect Tense
Nearing the end of the book and she is saturated with vocabulary.  I've decided to relax a little, since we will surely review these words again.

Classical Studies
I decided to make this day five of Latin studies so it won't be shoved to the back burner each week.
Famous Men of Rome - Camillus

English Grammar
A normal week - four lessons.  This week we did an extra lesson because of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
Lessons 39-43  Action verbs (transitive), indirect objects, outline from a composition, linking verbs and predicate nominatives, linking verbs and predicate adjectives.

Spelling
I still haven't come up with a plan to fill the spelling void.

Literature
We finally started the Memoria Press study guide for The Hobbit!  We listened to the first chapter of the audiobook (narrated by Rob Inglis) on Monday and worked in the student book the remainder of the week.  In addition to vocabulary, comprehension questions, and discussion questions, we also took detailed notes about the individual dwarves and dwarves and hobbits in general.

Geography
Introduction to North Africa
Egypt

World History
Usborne's Encyclopedia of the Ancient World - repeat pp. 16-23  Mesopotamia, The Birth of Writing, The First City-States, The Royal Tombs of Ur.
K-12's The Human Odyssey - "Passing It On:  The Written Word in Ancient Sumer"
Started Gilgamesh the Hero

Christian Studies
Review Lesson (6-10)

Science
Slight disappointment that we weren't able to do either of the activities that we tried this week.  We weren't able to create enough static electricity (we have major humidity where we live) and we couldn't find a flashlight in the house that used only two batteries.  Almost all our flashlights use sets of three batteries.  But, we read the lessons anyway.
6 Energy Conversion
7 More on the Law of Conservation

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

November 3, 2014

October.  What can I say?  It's darker every day and the temps outside are creeping downward.  With the arrival of fall my body has slowed down and getting anything accomplished has become harder and harder.

I haven't given up!  We will keep learning.

A couple of things have been good for 12yo the past few months.

• She has a great group of friends!
• Swimming lessons.  Exercise, new people, and a skill that will help her stay safe.  It's been a very good experience.  She is starting her second session.

October 3, 2014

Highlight of the week - 12yo started swimming lessons.

Current Events
CNN Student News
Newademics

Math
Math Reflex
I just couldn't do it - "Key to ...."  We went back to Rod & Staff.
Weight, capacity, and mental calculations of measurement.

Latin
Latina Christiana I - Lesson 15 - Possum

Classical Studies
Famous Men of Rome - Coriolanus, Fabii

English Grammar
Nouns, proper nouns, plural nouns, developing paragraphs with details

Spelling
Lesson 19 - "ph", adding the suffix "able"

Literature
finished Tales From the Odyssey, Part 1
started Tales From the Odyssey, Part 2 - Telemachus helped by Mentor, visits Nestor

Geography
Pakistan - Memoria Press
Exploring Countries: Pakistan

The Kurds of Asia (series - First Peoples)

World History
Building Skills by Exploring Maps: Ancient Civilizations

Core Knowledge
Finally finished the story section of What Your First Grader Needs to Know and have moved into world history (prehistory, ancient Egypt).

September 27, 2014

Monday my 19 year old daughter had her four wisdom teeth extracted.  She didn't require much care, but 12yo and I still didn't get much school done.

Sometimes I wonder about my sanity.  I've been frustrated over our inability to get to all subjects, so what did I do?  I added another study - The Hobbit.  The third and final movie will hit theaters December 17, and I have decided we should try and read it before then.  I have no idea how we'll find time for it.

Math

Key to Measurement booklet #2 - linear measurements.

Latin

Latin adjectives - singular and plural

Grammar

Word order in sentences.

Unity and coherence in a paragraph.

Chapter review

Spelling

WOR and WR

Silent final "e" rules (English words do not end in U or V.  Soft "c" and "g.")

Adding sufffixes

Indirect objects

Literature

cont'd Tales From the Odyssey

Geography

Saudi Arabia (MP)

Exploring Countries: Saudi Arabia

Holy Places: Mecca (Mandy Ross)

World History

29-30 History of the World (farming, first cities)

World History Detective - Mesolithic and Neolithic Stone Age

Christian Studies

8 David and Goliath

Core Knowledge

cont'd reading stories in the literature section 

September 19, 2014

There is a trend.  We skipped a day ... again.  This is not "end of the world" terrible but it could turn into a nasty habit.

Math
Weak.  We finished the first Key to Measurement booklet and did one lesson in Rod & Staff.

Latin
The new vocabulary was piling up, so we only did two lessons this week (11 & 12) which both covered 2nd declension neuter (um, i).   12yo spent most of the week reviewing vocabulary flash cards and memorizing the table blessing.  Today I had her remove the vocabulary words she knows well.

Grammar
11 Compound Subjects and Predicates
12 Simple and Compound Sentences
13 The Structure of a Paragraph
14 Avoiding Run-on Errors

Spelling
We finished lesson 17!  Spreading the lesson over two weeks works much better than trying to cover it in one week.  We pulled the single letter phonogram cards to cut down on the size of the stack.  I want to her spend more time on the tougher ones (ex: ough has six sounds).

Composition
12yo wrote a thank you note to the director for the summer youth program in our small community.

Literature
She started reading this to me:

And I restarted reading this to her:

Geography

Turkey.  We did the Memoria Press workbook.  While she labeled her map I read Turkey (Blastoff! Readers: Exploring Countries) to her. 

World History

DK's History of the World encyclopedia - reading through Chapter 2 "Early People" (40,000 - 5,000 BC)

American History

MIA

Classical Studies

6 Horatius and Mucius the Left-Handed

We started the Memoria Press guide for "Horatius at the Bridge."

Art

Still waiting for the shipment.

Music

MIA

Christian Studies

7 Jonathan Breaks the Oath; David

Saul is no longer supported by God as King.  The prophet Samuel is sent to Jesse of Bethlehem to find a new king (David).

Science

We did four lessons/activities last week, but we didn't finish the notebook assignment for the last two.  We only got around to doing one this week.  Why do I drag my feet on this stuff?  I'm a better "let's read the book" than a hands-on teacher.

Homemaking

Again, lacking in the "follow through" department.

Core Knowledge

Reading stories: It Could Always Be Worse, Jack and the Beanstalk, Medio Pollito, The Knee-High Man, The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Also reading sayings from What Your Fifth Grader Needs to Know.

14 September 2014

We survived the first full week.

Monday through Wednesday we worked hard.  And then, I started to feel burn out.  Thursday I crashed ... sort of.  We had a couple of phone calls and I gave up and took 12yo shopping for fall/winter clothes.  Friday I got stuck on trying to find something that was missing and wasted a good hour.  Plus, I was trying to wash her new clothes before she left on a trip.  It wasn't as productive as I had hoped but we still had a fairly good day.

Saturday and Sunday 12yo attended a Maker Faire with her dad.

One thing driving our choices this year - Last Kid Homeschooling.  It is my last opportunity to use some of the curriculum on our shelves.

Math
Math fact fluency - continuing with Math Reflex.  We have switched from addition/subtraction facts to working with multiplication/division facts.

Normally we only use Rod & Staff Math.  This year we are combining R&S Math 6, Key to Measurement, and the Great Courses lectures "Mastering the Fundamentals of Mathematics."  We started out working with Key to Measurement.  Honestly, I'm nervous because we are moving through the first booklet so slowly.  The upside is the math has been more hands-on than in the past.

Latin
Latina Christiana I - we've moved quickly through the first 10 lessons since they should have been review.  We tried the DVD's for the first few lessons and they took too long.  We're focusing on learning the new vocabulary and doing the written work in the student book.   Looking forward to Lively Latin Big Book I as soon as possible.

Grammar
Rod & Staff English 6.  Doing both the exercises and the worksheets.  Reading through the writing lessons but using IEW for composition.  Four lessons per week.

Spelling
Picking up where we left off in Logic of English Foundations.  Slowly working through lesson 17 and reviewing the phonograms after a few months off.

Composition
Continuing with Student Writing Intensive A (SWI A).  Really not sure where to go with writing since she is older and increasingly creative.  I really like IEW but I wonder if I should have her in SWI B instead.

Literature
No concrete plan.

Geography
We've been re-reading Geography I (Memoria Press) before we watch CNN Student News.  We are in the Middle East and ready to cover countries we haven't read about before.  Turkey here we come!

World History
I am super pleased that 12yo finally seems ready for K12's The Human Odyssey: Prehistory Through the Middle Ages.  Yes, we are still stuck in ancients.  We are combining HO with World History Detective and DK's History of the World encyclopedia.  Working nicely although WHD is a bit challenging at this point.

American History
I'm looking for a good way to review what we've already covered before we continue in A History of US.  A timeline?

Classical Studies
We've been re-reading stories from Famous Men of Rome when we do Latin. After this week we should be able to return to a once-a-week schedule.  I'm hoping to also start using the Memoria Press study guide for the poem "Horatius at the Bridge."

Art
Home Arts Studio is the plan for the year.  Still waiting for the art supplies to come in.  One item is back ordered.   Until then, we are reading through the art sections in the Core Knowledge series.

Music
Not there yet.

Christian Studies
Another subject that we didn't squeeze in this week.  12yo gets enough religious instruction at church, so this is purely cultural literacy.

Science
Finally working through lessons in Science in the Beginning!  Awesome book.  I'm so pleased with it.  We are doing all three levels of activities since dd is older.  We are currently working on the first day of creation - light.

Homemaking
Home Economics for Homeschoolers - another set of wonderful books that sat on my shelves gathering dust.

Core Knowledge
Reading through What Your First Grader Needs to Know.  Just filling some gaps.

September 5, 2014

Monday and Tuesday 12yo dd had a sleepover at her oldest sister's house.

Wednesday through Friday our schedule was 9am - 3pm.  People, I am whipped by 3pm.

Wednesday was tough.  12yo had a hard time staying awake.  We have always had school on my bed.  I decided it was time to get off the comfy bed.  The past two days we have spent our time going back and forth between the dining room table and the couch.

I made one more change to help her stay awake.  After a subject or two, I sent her on an errand or to do a chore (ex: unload the dishwasher, take the compost outside, water the plants, scoop the poop in the chicken coop, check the mail, etc.).  She has been more alert and easier to get along with during school.

Current Events - CNN Student News
Math - Math Reflex, Key to Measurement book 1
Latin - LCI Review 1, lessons 6 & 7 (first declension, agreement of subject and verb)
Grammar - Rod & Staff English 6 lessons 5-7 (subjects and predicates, sentences and clauses, four types of sentences)
Spelling - seeing what she knows from a "frequently used words" list
Geography - review.  Reread a section on the Middle East.  Put together a puzzle of Africa and the Middle East.
World History - World History Detective #1, K12's The Human Odyssey "Introduction" - telling time.
Classical Studies - Famous Men of Rome - reread "Romulus"  (she is sick of hearing that story.  Lol!)
Christian Studies II - Lesson 6 "Samuel and Saul"
Home Economics for Home Schoolers Level One - Lesson 1 "Nutrition"
Core Knowledge - reading through What Your First Grader Needs to Know.  We've read the fables and are currently reading through the stories.