It's a Long Trek with These Troops (a 'day' in the life)

I recently posted their 8th first day of homeschooling. Their first day ever (back in 2007) wasn't such a big deal except that I didn't know so much. I was trained in secondary (junior and senior high) teaching methods. I didn't know what CIRCLE TIME was as used with elementary aged students.

So recently, I read Kendra Fletcher's directions and guides of how to do it.  She tells how to begin each day of "school" in a group with prayer, pledge and each day a separate academic lesson.  She uses read alouds during the children's history coloring book page exercise.  She helps each one around the circle understand handwriting exercises.  She also takes narration from a little who isn't able to write their version of the story on their own.  I used to pray for a quite minute to do read alouds with everyone listening to me, but my voice would give out and I'd rely on Librivox.org to read a story for me (or in the case of history lessons, Mr. Weiss would read).

In these days of hormones and sleep deprived, hungry teen/tween-agers, I do "circle time" during my car schooling sessions. That is, if we are to drive somewhere, we then bring up the chapter needed for one subject that each student shares on the kindle, then listen over the mini-van speakers to the material read by the computer text to speech voice.  We continue to use our time more efficiently, cooperating in our education as we study thus we talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deut 11:19).

And the days continue along this way doing the best with what we have where we are.  Asking of each student what is left in a student planner to do each day or how better to use each hour to do each task.  I'm sure I'll be doing this for a long time yet to come whether in a circle or not.  Marching toward the goal...

Rally the Troops (2014-15 Week One)

Most of our friends are still sleeping in until almost noon because their classrooms aren't ready for them yet. However, we've begun our 2014-2015 school year.  Yes, it was very light work trying to ignite independence in learning.  There was breakfast, listening to The Story, (Lucado's rearranging of the Bible that we're familiar with from previous readings), math and flags.  Math is the most dusty for our Algebra 1 fellow, but he'll remember soon.  There was home economics and physical education accomplished.  Then there was the introduction of keeping a student planner (I made my own for them, but will use Dr. Bell's next year once these 3 catch on to their usefulness).

The plan for Monday morning is set.  We've chosen our history literature piece to read next; we set the flag countries to discuss; the math expectations are set; the logic text/chapter to address; and we each have a copy of The Story to continue listening too on our kindles.  

So next week we begin the Logic Stage study of Modern History in Story of the World 4.  We'll do a review of our chemistry study from last year and dive into foreign language study for the new year.  

Curriculum for 2013-14

LESSON PLANS AND MATERIALS FOR

OUR SEVENTH YEAR HERE AT

THE PAISLEY CLASSICAL ACADEMY

Pursuing Wisdom where we are lead by an all-powerful God & Creator

 

 

Rising 7^th Grader
Breakfast and Bible (CBS Job, Hebrews and Philippians) and Dangerous Journey video guide
Math               Saxon 8/7 then sections of Algebra ½
Grammar:       Finish Rod and Staff 6, Review and complete Latina Christiana I,
                                   Review and Complete First StartFrench I
Writing:          IEW SWI-B using SOTW3 readings
History:           SOTW3 TOC, Synge’s SOTW continued and Guerber US History
                        Renaissance/ Early Modern Heritage History sources
                        State history (website & textbook- yep, they'll have to get used to textbks someday)
Science:           Chemistry (various CM sources, HOACMetals
                         and continued notebooking through ES res)
Flags:               Continued through cycle and added cycle with Operation World resources
Habitats:          Finish Grasslands Habitat studies,
                         Combine all habitat studies in 3"-3ring binder for references

Art:                Artistic Pursuits: TheElements of Art and Composition (US History focus)

Music:             Band
Physical Ed      Run, bike, swim, bowl, soccer, dance, mow, clean, Wii

Rising 6^th Graders

Breakfast and Bible
Math:              Complete Saxon 6/5 and then sections of Saxon 8/7
Grammar:       Complete RodandStaff6
Spelling:          Spelling Workout H
History:           SOTW3 TOC, Synge’s SOTW continued and Guerber US History
                        Renaissance/ Early Modern Heritage History sources
                        State History, Capitol city field trip
Science:           Chemistry (various CM sources, HOAC Metals
                        and continued notebooking through ES res)
Flags:               Continued through cycle and added cycle with Operation World resources
Habitats:          Finish Grasslands Habitat studies,
                        Combine all habitat studies in 3"-3ring binder for references
Art:                  Artistic Pursuits: TheElements of Art and Composition (US History focus)
Music:             Band
Physical Ed      Run, bike, swim, bowl, soccer, dance, mow, clean, Wii


Follow the links where available or google search the curriculum item. I haven't strayed too very far from the Well Trained Mind method here, so you'd find most of these in the tome authored by Dr Susan Wise Bauer and her Mom, Jessie Wise. 

Perspective

So important to understand from what point you are seeing things. Webster's defines perspective as "to look through, see clearly, aid vision."  Reading glasses help me see clearly while the Bible aids my vision and how I see things through my reading glasses.

What are you reading that helps you see "things" more clearly?  Will it help you reach the answers to your questions?  Is it a window that is treated with color or pattern?

We are beginning the Logic Stage Medieval / Earth Science-Astronomy year of the classical education pattern.  After reading some stories about Beowulf, do you understand better why people do things the way they do? Fear. Honor. Pride. Necessity. Classics are good for bringing these perspectives to light.  So glad my kids are reading and talking about what they read.  Simply filling in blanks of a worksheet just won't do the learning job now.

The University of Nottingham Science Videos

I'm beginning to see that odd science professionals are able to put a bit of fun into our day with videos. For chemistry study last year we watched many videos from the University of Nottingham Chemistry Department. So, when I found that were were videos from that university's physics department, I was thrilled. I can't wait to see what my kids think of those. We started school this week with a restricted schedule.  We will enjoy the homeschool expo on Friday and Satruday.  It will be the first time I've heard Susan Wise Baurer in person. She wrote many of our materials for classical education.  Next week we begin Elemental Science's Physics for the Grammar Stage and I'm thrilled to include the physics videos from the other side of the pond.  Try the video about a vuvuzela and see what I mean.

First week of 2009-10 complete!

Well, most of it. I need to finish the painting activity with the kids from Artistic Pursuits about Cimabue and Gothic art craftsman's guilds, but we can do that on the floor with water colors in the morning while Dad makes donuts. We actually got to art which is more than last year. I didn't get to include Chemistry study this past week though. I'm bummed about that. I loved high school Chemistry probably because of my teacher. My husband loved high school chemistry too. We'll get to it next week. And desert habitat and more information on Disneyland for G#1.

The kids did their Bible study on their own and prayed through the entire thing individually both Thursday and Friday. They are doing more tasks on their checklists on their own. I was able to have the web pages ready for them to use in finding the African country of the day and the information about Ontario this week. But with 3 computers, and each one ready with one page that is used on some task, each child is able to accomplish what they are "willing" from their checklist. My goal is to have independent learners by the time they are in 4th and 5th grades. While they worked independently, I made wheat bread with freshly ground rosemary. Everyone appreciated it :-)

Almost without seams...

A few snags, but nobody got hurt (squirted with a water bottle though). We didn't sit at desks at all, but the kitchen table and library room floor. It was a reduced workload and we finished before lunch after doing Bible journey journal, prayer/pledge/ weather observations (stormy Mondays seem to be my first day of school destiny), described familiar curriculum materials and durations. We read a portion and narrated a fiction story that describes the Olympics to kids. We listened to a few stories of the world pertaining to ancient China and then finally accomplished a devotion draw/write from "Right Choices." We will be sitting in the green reading chairs soon. It was way too overwhelming to begin the first day of school without help from the Daddy (who flew for work to SFO) in the storm waking everyone for a super early breakfix. I didn't loose any of the materials I needed. We will watch an old version of Tom Sawyer before box pizza for dinner, but right now the students are building an imaginary legoland.
PRAISE GOD!

North Pole: discovered by Pooh. Pooh found it.

This is the day that the Lord is made and we will rejoice somehow and be glad in it. Please pray that these brilliant young scholars will be enticed by all that lays ahead of them today.

Kindergarten, first day

Dropped 1st grader, returned to pray and pledge in the garage (that's where the flag is hanging over the freezer), organized our desks and set to reading Genesis 1:1. The twins already had a clue what sounds the a, c, d, f made, so phonics was easier than it could've been. Except those silly d and b appearances. The literature exercise found us reading "If you give a mouse a cookie" and retelling the story to me with help from an drawing from the website. Math found them writing their numbers on special lined paper & my introducing the idea that the top line was the top of a tree house, middle line was the area where the leaves stopped, the bottom line was the grass and the letters that hook under the ground find roots in the dirt. It was time to check the meteorological conditions and record those on our calendars - clear and windy. They had to check all the way around the house several times because conditions changed rapidly on the first day. Stickers for everyone (on their right writing hands)! I read a story about how the hymn "Amazing Grace" was written and a story about George Washington. They colored in a picture of George while Amazing Grace played on the speakers. They practiced a little handwriting exercise that meant drawing a circle from a point at 2 o'clock counterclockwise and that's when the boy threw the pencil and was sent to his room without a reward. Girl finished that and then closed out our time with a child's journal day from "40 Days of Purpose" to receive a reward (temp tatoo on her left hand). Boy came down later and finished the child's journal page too, but no tatoo for him.