Summer schedules.....

....are always a bit of a mess. Routines are chaotic at times....It is our indoor season due to heat and mosquitoes.

We stick indoors in the mornings unless we head to the pool. Our nature study is very, very lax due to Charlotte's lack of ability to tolerate the heat. The pool area that we visit does have wetlands visible and native plants so our nature study is done walking to each attraction. We are looking forward to cold-front day!

I have split our daily school schedule because it is easier to keep Sam engaged and participating with a short break. Charlotte is in the mix at all times so I had to get creative with keeping her engaged and happy while Sam works.

Our daily school schedule looks something like this...

Charlotte and I "work" for about 10-15 min. either coloring books, drawing, reading stories, etc. Each week I try to pick an area to focus on during this time such as colors, shapes, counting, etc.

While she continues, Sam joins us and we work through..

Math
Poetry
Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 1* with narration
Copybook
Speech work
Bible with narration

30 min break for Sam while I get Charlotte working on something that will keep her busy while Sam finishes up....watercolor painting has been a favorite. This is the time we listen to our composer for this quarter.

Spelling* (a new spelling program)
AO readings with narration
Handwriting without tears
Reading
Artistic Pursuits Book 1*/ A Reason for Science Level A*


* Nature Reader Book 1 was a book Sam added and it is a favorite and will stay.
*We are giving All About Spelling book 1 a trial and I think it might answer my quest for a individualised spelling program that is easy to implement and not overwhelming.

*Artistic Pursuits has been a big hit. Sam absolutely LOVES picture study but I've had a hard time implementing it due to my own laziness in acquiring prints. This is a keeper.

*A Reason for Science was on sale. I like it because it is organized, the supplies are all available and it fits nicely with our nature study. We'll see how this works out this year.

We have not started Spanish.... holding off until our next break in August. Memoria Press Copybook Book 1 does not have writing for everyday so we have been doing handwriting practice with HWT. We were alternating Aesop and Bible readings but Sam disliked Aesop and would request to continue the Bible stories because they were the "best". I couldn't argue with that reasoning so Aesop is currently dropped from our schedule.

I want a 2ftX3ft magnetic whiteboard! I'd like to have it so I can write our verse from Memoria Press and keep our letter tiles on it for spelling and reading practice. I'm just not sure where I would put it though. Ideally upstairs in the room that functioned as the older kids' schoolroom but it is currently the domain of the teens. The younger kids have been doing schoolwork in the dining room but I'm not sure I want it as a permanent feature in that room.I have seen smaller table top versions that I could use for our verse and just find another solution for the letter tiles.It's a dilemma.