Not Back-to-School Hop 2010: Curriculum Week

August 3, 2010 in Curriculum, Homeschooling, Lesson Plans, School News, Workboxes by admin | 1 comment

We have actually taken a summer break this year.  It just sorta happened.  I had every intention of doing lessons all summer with just a couple small breaks.  Then we took a week vacation to visit family the July 4th holiday, and we have been on break ever since.  I have been doing a lot of organizing around the house and working on my school planning for the year.  We will start back up soon.  I have some science, and review I want to cover the last few weeks of summer.  We will start our 2010-2011 year officially the first week of September. Indie is age 7, will be starting 2nd-ish grade.  Beluga is age 6, and starting 1st-ish grade.

Check out everyone’s entries over at Not Back-to-School Blog Hop at Heart of the Matter


This year we are still using Sue Patrick’s Workbox System. I plan to use workboxes with our curriculum,  but this year I have decided to try it a different way, a way that doesn’t take up so much of our precious shelf space.  We have a lot of book shelves but it always seems like we need more!  It seems I’m forever organizing and reorganizing the STUFF in the schoolroom.  I’ll post on our new system soon.

Grammar - First Language Lessons 1st and 2nd grade We have been enjoying working though the poetry, and memorization especially. We do everything FLL suggest. We will be starting the 2nd half of the book this year.
History - Story of the World Volume 2 – Middle Ages
Geography - Trail Guide to U.S. Geography, last year we did Galloping the Globe and covered a lot of the world.  We also continue to cover many countries using Story of the World.  I think we might rotate every other year between world and U.S. geography.
Science - I’m using a few sources.  We are using R.E.A.L. Science, mixed with Considering God’s Creation and we use Enchanted Learning as a resource as well and the Giant Science Resource Book
Art – Artistic Pursuits Book 1, I’m also looking into piano lessons for them
Home EC - We are going to be doing a lot of cooking and baking this year. We have started a food notebook that I’ve complied from many sources, one of which is this cooking lapbook from Homeschool Share.  It’s pretty neat!  Bible – We will be using Bible Study Guide

INDIE DS –  2nd-ish Grade – age 7.5
Math – Math-U-See, Gamma (book 4)
Phonics – Explode the Code 4 - last year he completed books 3 and 3-1/2
Reading – different books based on interest, science and history books from library, etc. He read an entire book 37 plus book series this past year in just a few weeks.  We also listen to a lot of audio books in the van.  Currently we are on book 6 in the Chronicles of Narnia series. I highly suggest it!
Spelling – Spelling Workout B, and Sequential Spelling 1
 P.E. – we mix it out throughout the year…. Golf, and possible gymnastics, probably soccer at the Y

BELUGA DD – 1st-ish grade – age 6 (end of Aug.)
Math – Math-U-See Primer (we went ever so slow with her last year)
Phonics – Explode the Code 2
Spelling – Spelling Workout Book A
 Reading lots of books together (we all hit the library 1-2x per week)
Bob Books (library)
P.E. – Beluga also tries different stuff through the year.  Gymnastics, soccer at the Y

Vacation with the iPhone4

July 10, 2010 in Day in the life by admin | No comments

We love the iPhone4.  We just got back from a 10 day vacation in Michigan and it would not have been the same without them!  My Canon Powershot SD800 died about 4 weeks ago after taking 10,000 photos, and my husband left his Powershot next to the charger as we left for the airport at 5:30 am.  I had my Nikon D-80 and lenses but it just not as easy to carry around as our trusty Powershots! We resorted to our iPhone for cameras for photos and videos most of the time and were quiet pleased. The video is great as well! Here are some photos from the trip.

Happy 4th of July

July 4, 2010 in Day in the life by admin | No comments

We were in Michigan for the 4th this year.  We loved the cooler weather, I think 82 was as hottest it reached and many mornings were in the 60s.  It was prefect! Much better than the mid, to high 90s with 60% plus humidity.  My Aunt and Uncles house is right on the lake so fun was happening all the time in the water.  We didn’t go out much all week.  As much time as possible was spend in the back yard, and in the lake.  It truly was a relaxing week for all!

Talking to cousins with Skype

June 21, 2010 in Around the House, Family by admin | No comments

We recently spent a couple of weeks in Virginia visiting family.  This was the first time the kids have cried because they were really sad to leave their cousins.  My SIL thought of the idea to use Skype to keep in touch. We’ve used it a few times and the kids love it. They get so excited when we are getting connected.  When talking to their cousins, they usually show each other their stuffed animals, and talk about what they have been up to that day. We even took our cousins on a trip though the house using my laptop cam. It has been fun!

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Time for Science

June 16, 2010 in Curriculum, science by admin | No comments

We have been doing science on and off all year but we have not gotten into a groove, so to say.  Animal classification is one thing I have been looking forward too all year but, never got around to planning it all out.  We are finally doing it this summer and so far, we are having fun with it.  We are using a mix of R.E.A.L. Science – Life, and Exploring God’s Creation.  Taking what we need from each.  We should have a nice animal notebook filled with fun stuff when we are done with this 15 week unit.  I’m hoping to do it in more like 7-8 weeks.

One of the first lessons is learning how to classify animals.  Here they are taking animals that look quite different and put them into pairs.  Sometimes the males and females of the same species look completely different.  The kids had to look at their feet, tales, eyes, spots, etc. to see similarities and pair them up.  We discovered this in real life while visiting grandparents a couple weeks ago.  While eating our meals on their back porch, we noticed a bird nest. Before we knew it, the baby birds hatched and mama birds was coming back and forth feeding her babies.  Then we noticed another bird type of bird caring for the babies (or so we thought).  After a long while, and after looking in birding books we discovered that we were watching Orchard Orioles. During breeding time, the male Orchard Oriole turns a deep rust color while the female reminds a bright yellow. THE BIRD PHOTO CREDIT: http://birdsbybaranoff.com/

Male Orchard Oriole while breeding

Female Orchard Oriole

You learn something new every day!  Or, you should!  ;-)

Indie finished Math-U-See Beta!!!

June 16, 2010 in Around the House, Curriculum, Lesson Plans by admin | No comments

Indie is so excited to complete his math for the year. He has not been loving math. I think he is a little bored with all the subtraction lately. Next year he goes straight to multiplication. We are taking a break from MUS but this summer we will be doing math games and some review of what we have done over the past year.

Underwater Photos

June 11, 2010 in Family, Fun by admin | No comments

We are loving our underwater housing for our camera. Both my husband and I have the Canon Powershot SD800 SI.  We both got them when they first came out.  We thought while we both have the same camera, and while they are new, we should get the housing. I personally go though cameras about every 3 years.  The last Canon Powershot 450, I believe. It took 10, 000 photos before the flash stopped firing.  The camera before that, also a Canon Powershot, (see the pattern?) was thrown into our pool by our then, 18 month old son.  :)  It too had taken about 10, 000 photos. Anyway,  this underwater housing has treated us well.  It’s mostly my husband that thinks to reach for the housing and I think it’s great.  He take awesome photos.  Here are a few from today’s swim session before dinner.

Mother’s Day Camping

May 11, 2010 in Day in the life by admin | No comments

For Mother’s Day, it was actually suppose to be for my birthday at the end of March but, this was the first opening there was. Anyway, we went camping in Long Key State Park. Long Key is in the Middle Keys, about 1/2 way between the top and Key West. What a great time we had. Now that I think about it, I’d better get to booking our trip for next year!

The view from this little restaurant called Lazy Days

Just a few feet off shore from our camp site... low tide

Time to eat after snorkeling, everyone is hungry and ready for some dinner.

The next morning Indie was the last one up. Believe me, the tent was not as comfortable as it looks. Next time we have to bring our air mattresses.

This was on the way home... now you see her....

Now you don't. :)

Very cool to be snorkeling with the the kids.

Florida Spiny Lobster

Me. This was actually my first time snorkeling. I might have done it briefly as a kid in a pool someplace but, that doesn't count.

Time for S'mores

Furthest point south in the Continental U.S. - Key West, FL.

Sunrise

We Are Swimming

April 9, 2010 in Fun by admin | No comments

When I say we, I mean, them. This is the 3rd afternoon this week the kids have taking a swim here in S. Florida. They still get very cold but apparently it’s worth it. Me, I’ll wait until the end of June, thank you! That’s when the water is like a bathtub… much more my style. I really, really don’t like cold water! It’s not fun, it’s not relaxing.

Summer is coming! Yes, these are forced smiles. I hate it when the flash doesn't fire right away and you have to say, "hold on, hold on! Keep that smile!"

Wii Super Mario Bros.

April 6, 2010 in Day in the life by admin | No comments

Just a nice, relaxing game of Wii Super Mario Bros.!!! Ha! Who says kids don’t get exercise when playing video games! :)

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