Winter Quarter Update 2009

We are a few weeks late completing the Winter Quarter since we were sidetracked with illness.
Sam


Reading- We are making excellent progress with reading! I suspect it has more to do with his age ( 6 1/2 ) then any adjustments that I have made with our approach. We are working through 100 EZ lessons at a pace of 2 lessons per week. I have been writing out the stories and a separate piece of paper and he reads them throughout the day. This has helped his speed and accuracy. He has started enjoying reading! Cheers!


Spelling- AAS is back! He loves using this resource. It isn't a big surprised since he has always liked using letter tiles and manipulating words in such a manner. I have been enjoying using this resource as well. It is well laid out and the pieces are conveniently keep in place with magnets. We just completed Step 10.


Language Arts- We have completed FLL lesson 58 and WWE week 14. He has memorized 2 more poems. FLL introduced pronouns prior to verbs which I found odd. The concept of pronouns has proven elusive to Sam. I think that my ambilivance to teaching grammar to a 6 yo is clouding my judgement with this resource because I grow weary of using it. We will keep plugging ahead with this resource for the next quarter.


Math- currently starting lesson 25 of MUS Alpha.


History- SOTW 1 is going well. We have just finished Chapter 13 and are working through a chapter per week.


Geography- We are almost compete with Paddle to the Sea. We will miss him! This next quarter we will spend some time with Geography A-Z before moving on to a new Holling C. Holling title.


Natural History/Science- Going well. We are almost done with CLNR book 1. Sam loves his science experiments! We do one weekly using our science kit. Our homeschool group might be starting a weekly nature study that we will definitely try out. I want to start blogging about our nature study again.


Poetry- We completed A Child's Garden of Verses but did not start Now we are Six by A.A. Milne. Instead we are reading The Random House Book of Poetry for Children which should keep us busy for years.


Literature/American History- We have read through Just so Stories, Lang's Blue Fairy book, Among the Meadow People, and Aesop. We are currently using our Literature reading time to read through our American History selections. D-Aulaire's Leif the Lucky didn't make my list for this year but that is the book that we are currently reading. Our other American History selections will be added to next years booklist.


Art- We started attending a Art Class with our local homeschool group and it has been a big hit!

Extras- Sam earned his Tiger! He is playing T-ball in a homeschool baseball league which he thinks is AWESOME! Charlotte

She is still enjoying the AO year 0 selections but is starting to insist on doing her "schoolwork." I have been able to keep her satisfied with Mighty Minds, Wedgits, Pattern Blocks and painting but I need to have something tangible ready for her by her 4th birthday.

Plans for the Spring Quarter-

--Get consistent with Nature Study. I think blogging about it really helps me to stay focused on this. I don't even know where my Handbook of Nature Study is at the moment!

-- Get a plan for Charlotte. I prefer to not start any type of "formal" schoolwork until age 5 but she is not going to tolerate much more of this informal learning.