Another year is here.

August 24, 2009 in Uncategorized by Mom2One | 1 comment

Well its that time of year again, starting school back up. Although this is our 3rd week thus far. Started out slowly since we were going from mostly *textbooks* to Ambleside Online. My son really isn’t sure what to think, I get the comments of "How many books do we need?" I’m like whatever it takes………lol.

This is hopefully going to strengthen his reading and comprehension along with language arts. At least I hope.

So this year our list is as follows.

 

World History ~ Our Island Story

 

World History ~ Children’s HIstory of the World

 

American History ~ This Country of Ours

 

Church History ~ Trial and Triumph

 

History ~ The Little Duke, Joan of Arc

 

Geography ~ Tree in the Trail, Seabird, Paddle to the Sea along with map work

 

Nature Study with Handbook of Nature Study book

 

Natural History ~ The Burgess Animal Book, Pagoo

 

Literature ~ Tales from Shakespeare, Pilgrims Progress, Understood Betsy, Wind in the Willows, Robin Hood, Parables from Nature

 

Poetry ~ Walter de la Mare, Eugine Field, James Whitcombe, Christina Rossetti

 

Artist study ~ Raphael Sanzio, John Singer Sargent & Claude Monet

 

Composer study ~ Ralph Vaughan Williams, Edward Elgar, Evard Grieg, Jean Sibelius, Maurice Ravel

 

Some other stuff along the way is a unit study with Leah’s Pony, which is about The Great Depression and Dust bowl or "The Dirty Thirties" as it was called. So there’s grasshoppers to discuss along with the economy issues, stock market crash etc.

 

Five Little Peppers and Hoe They Grew is also on the list to just free read.

 

Math ~ Saxon 5/4

 

Copywork goes with the Poetry/memory work and dictation.

 

Drawing Basics with Thomas Kinkade

 

Typing with Mavis Beacon(he’s also trying his spelling words daily, takes his spelling test on the computer and typing up a page or 2 in random books as we read.

 

That looks like one heck of a list……..lol. Shew. But everything is not done daily we are working out the schedule.

 

Normally he would take an art class with the homeschooling group but at this time its not going to happen. That could change in the next month or 2.

 

 

 

Winding down

May 7, 2009 in In The School Room by Mom2One | 4 comments

This is generally the time of year most people are winding their school years down. And normally we would be too. But this year we will be doing stuff through the summer since we are making a switch to AO.

 

This last Monday we had our last Co-op class so things might go somehwat smoother without rushing around.

 

Course I’m going fairly slow in the AO stuff as I need some other books so we are just using library books, reading some then I have him draw a photo or 2 about what we read then write a few sentences about the photo. Its not a lot but its better then nothing, and going slower instead of jumping in will be better since this is different for CJ

Starting with Notebooking

April 28, 2009 in In The School Room by Mom2One | Permalink

Well here it is a lovely Tuesday. I just introduced CJ to notebooking. We’ll see how it goes. He likes drawing so that’s a plus and I just hope it helps him remember things.

I started simple with a library book on weather stuff. So he’s starting with clouds and atmosphere.

I have two or three books from the library on weather related stuff. Since I’m waiting to have extra funds to order my other 4 books I need to dive into AO I’m just starting out slow with CJ to make sure this will all work out.

I’m still learning about notebooking so for now its just plain and simple. We are just drawing a picture with notes around the photo to help him remember. At least for the first one we are. Might not be the way everyone does it but for now it will work….LOL

From Sunny Days to Cold and Windy

April 24, 2009 in General by Mom2One | 1 comment

Well as usual living in Minnesota can give you a lovely change in weather quickly. Yesterday we had 70-80 degree weather and today its maybe 50 degrees, cloudy with a nasty COLD wind. Thankfully I got all the bedding washed and dried yesterday.

 

Today I’m just going to veg as I have the next 2 days to clean house while the boys will be at work. I need to sit down and read through some Ambleside stuff I printed off and my Charlotte Mason companion book I got. TO get figured out where to start with some stuff.

 

So I guess I’ll just catch up on some DVR’d stuff to get them off the machine, we’ve got stuff piling up. Just been too busy to catch up. So I’m taking advantage of today’s weather to just relax.

Sunny Days and Line Dried Linens

April 23, 2009 in General by Mom2One | Permalink

Today is such a beautiful day here in north central Minnesota. Its got some wind but not the kind that would make it cold. Its around 70 degrees and overall *hot* outside for us. I know many would say that 70 degrees isn’t *hot* LOL. But remember this is minnesota we are in.

 

Since its such a nice day out I choose today to wash our bedding, this way I get to hang it on the line and it dries quicker then an average day without the breeze. So my house smells like the lovely Gain laundry soap and fabric softner. Not saying they will smell exactly like that when they are brought back in but they will be a nice fresh line dried smell at least. I don’t always buy Gain, in the past I’ve went with cheap stuff or made my own. But I just wanted to splurge this time and smell Gain once again!

 

This is my first line hanging of the year, I’m sure they could have been hung out sooner just seemed liek they would have taken forever at that time. So here I sit waiting on the next comforter to get finished with all the windows open along with a t-shirt and shorts on! Got to love that. CJ even had to put shorts and a t-shirt on, after he said he was warm!

 

I also have to sweep and mop the floors along with getting the dishes finished up for the day. And figure out what to make for supper. I had initally wanted chili, but in this kind of weather that doesn’t really fit. Maybe we’ll just have grilled cheese and fries for supper, its quick and easy besides the fact that it doesn’t heat up the house much.

 

Hoping to get in a walk with hubby later today, unless he’s too busy, maybe this evening. We’ve wanted to start walking each evening when he gets home from work, but all this week he’s had stuff going on along with Monday was an icky day weather wise, and he had been to a funeral for our neighbors 16 yr old grandson. ANd I had to have a meeting with the family I took graduation photos for, to get the photo invitations rounded out, which I will work on this weekend when its just me at home, then I can get them ordered and have a small amount of spending money. Which will probably just go towards some other books I need to order for our Ambleside Online. Even though I’d love to order more RAM for my computer so it might be somewhat faster.

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