Wednesday, September 10, 2008

How many books can YOU hold on your head?

It's time again to bore the heck out of anyone out there who isn't into homeschooling. Yes, that's right, the semi-annual curriculum talk. Sorry people, it simply must be done.

Ok, so this is what our school week looks like at this point.
Monday: Math, writing, reading, spelling, science, piano lesson, Lego Robotics class at the Y
Tuesday: math, writing, reading, spelling, science, geography, Yoga for the boys
Wednesday: math, writing, reading, spelling, history, Soccer practice
Thursday: math, writing, reading, spelling, history, latin, swimming at the Y
Friday: math, writing, reading, latin, bowling, evening at mom and dad's
Saturday: Soccer game
Sunday: church

Not bad, not bad. I don't think we're overwhelmingly busy yet. I'm working hard at trying to keep things fairly sane while also allowing the boys enough outside activities to keep things interesting for them.

Our curriculum choices so far (these may change as the year progresses):
Math- Horizons
Writing- The Paragraph Book
Reading- library books
Spelling- Sequential Spelling
Science- Real Science 4 Kids
Geography- state and world workbooks
Language- Sign language using Signing Time dvd's
Latin- Prima Latina and Latina Christiana
History- My Book of NY State History, Story of the World 1


The overall theme of this year is, now that we're beginning middle school, let's start all over again from scratch. They're re-learning the art of writing, re-learning the fundamentals of spelling, learning (for the first time since mom has been, um, a bit lax in this area) the basics of our world and state geography and going back to the beginning of time in history. Science is probably the most intense and stretching area, as we're delving very deeply into the three main sciences through this fantastic science curriculum, Real Science 4 Kids. It is the first science I've seen for kids this age that isn't dumbed down, overly general, or, on the flip side, way too dusty and dull. It's very exciting stuff. Other than that, though, the idea is less to build and more to blast out and re-pour a better foundation of education in all areas. Except, of course, for our math, which is always building, building, building on what has come before...

So far, so good, although we're only a few days in. I'll keep you updated. (Aren't you excited?)

Got me

"Julia! Julia, come here baby.
Julia?
Here you are. Honey, did you hear me calling you?"
"Yes."
"Ok, well, when you hear me calling you, you need to come to me. Okay?"
"Okay! Try again!"
"Try again?"
"I'll go on the porch and you call me again!"
"Oh, you want me to call you again so you can come?"
"Yep!"
"Alrighty. Go ahead."
pitter patter
"Ok Mommy!"
"Julia! Julia, come here!"
"In a minute!"
*sigh*