By the word of their testimony

I thought that I was done with figuring out what is going to happen to my future 9th grader.  I am back to square one.

This week was a busy week. 

Writing:

My older son is on lesson 8 in Elegant Essay.  He is learning how to use an organizer like a ven diagram.

My younger son is in section 2.1 of KISS Grammar.

Arithmetic:

My older son is reviewing fraction power in Lif of Fred Beginning Algebra. I say “review” because he completed Saxon Algebra 1 this year.

My younger son is doing the volume section of Primary Mathematics’  Challenging Word Problems.  It was hard.  I knew the challenging  word problems would be hard, but AAA!  I realized that one of the problems that we were struggling with was a problem my older son did two years ago.  He remembered it and helped us solve the problem.

Reading:

My younger son completed the chapter on terrorism in Story of the World Volume 4.  It was a little too graphic for me.  I hated the fact that they shared what the different terrorist groups do.

My older son finished Exploring Creation through Physical Science by Dr. Jay Wile.  He got an 88% on his final exam.  I was very pleased.  He completed Module 16.  He is done with this curriculum.  He will read CPO Physical Science for the rest of the school year.

We had an insane extra curricular activities this week.  It goes as follows:

Wednesday:

We had our 8th grade graduation trip to Funplex.  It is an indoor amusement park.  They allowed siblings.  So we had the place to ourselves.  We went on Go-Kart rides and bumper cars and laser tag.  It was a blast! 

That night my younger son graduated from AWANA.  He got the Timothy Award!!!

Thursday:

Our local support group had its music concert.  My sons played in the different level groups.

Friday:

The ENOCH homeschool convention is today.  I have to purchase my books.

On Mother’s Day, my younger son’s soccer team lost again.  They have been on a loosing streak since we had this new coach.

Blessing to all who read!

If you are new to my blog, my older son named the weekly report, WAR.  It stands for Writing, Arithmetic, and Reading.  That is why we call it: WAR.  I will combine both boys.

WRITING

My 8th grader did lesson 7 in Elegant Essay.  He went over how write a conclusion and introduction with thesis, but the body was supplied for him.  I will work on him more on writing an essay.  He still has a long way to go, but at least he has the tools to work with in order to accomplish that goal.

My 6th grader does some copywork and identifying words in KISS grammar.  We will have to work on the functions of a noun and verb over the summer.

ARITHMETIC

My 8th grader has completed lesson 77 in Life of Fred Beginning Algebra.  He is learning about pure quadatrics and square roots.   A lot of what he is doing in Life of Fred is pure review from what he did in Saxon Algebra 1.  Life of Fred is much more fun!

My 6th grader  is still working in Challenging Word Problems level 4.  We got stuck on a problem in the challenging word this week.  We actually solved it with some thought and we discovered that there was a problem similar just this one was harder.  If you would like me to post the problem, I will.

READING:

My 8th grader started Module 16 in Apologia Exploring Creation through Physical Science. My older son is learning about Astrophysics.  I have my opion on this curriculum.  I found it interesting that he focused more on the earth and weather than actual physics.  So, I like that my son learned a science, but I would say this was a more earth science book with some physics attached.

My 6th grader read about the Vietnam War and the Middle East issues.  He learned about the rationing of gases and POWs in the same chapter of Story of the World Volume 4.  He continues to read about Lycurgus in Our Young Folks’ Plutarch.  He is scary.  The man believed that there should be no rich.  Everyone have the same house, land, and property.  People could not eat in their home only at public tables.  The children belong to the state as soon as they were born.  Children that had deformities were thrown in a chasm and killed. 

Extra-Curricular Activities:

My younger son’s travel soccer team is just going down hill in a hurry.  The sad thing is the coach does not see it.  He has a horrible coach now.  He yells and screams at the boys.  He is disrespectful towards them.  During the game, he distracts them by yelling at the children.  He just has no ability to properly direct the children.  He is a nightmare!

My children continue in the homeschool music program. The children are preparing for the concert next week.  My younger son is still in the same book he used last year for piano. It is a little discouraging because my younger son did not progress in piano.

My 6th grader plays the drum, piano, and soccer.  My 6th grade continues in AWANA.

My 8th grader plays the violin.  He is in two violin groups in the music program.  He plays the piano. 

They play frisbee.

Here is my WAR report:

Writing:

My 8th grader is on lesson 6 of Elegant Essay.  He is learning how to write a conclusion. 

He also writes a summarization of what he read for Exploring Creation through Physical Science.

My 6th grade is learning how to identify subjects, main verbs, and some complements in KISS grammar.  He had to write a few sentences this week.

He also did some copywork from Story of the World Volume 4.

Arithmetic:

My 8th grader did polynomials this week in Life of Fred Beginning Algebra.  My son feels challenged in these chapters.

My 6th grader is in Primary Mathematics’ Challenging Word Problems 4.  He completed in a few days angles, perpendicular, and parallelogram. He is currently in the area and perimeter section.  He has to realize that when they say “fencing” that means perimeter and when they say “carpeting” that means area.

Reading:

My 8th grader completed the test for Module 15 and started reading Module 16 in Exploring Creation through Physical Science.

He also started to read The Last of the Mohicans.

My 6th grader read about the killing of John F. Kennedy and the Civil Rights Movement in Story of the World Volume 4. You know there are Christians out there that consider this time in history as awful.  I also discovered that during this time in US history the only group that truly helped Blacks was the American Communist Party.  We found in our research that a case called the Scottsboro boys where these nine black boys were falsely accused of raping two white women. The case was originally heard before an all white jury.  That jury  sentenced the boy to death, which usually is the sentence for a black man in raping a white woman.  The American Communist Party in the North sent lawyers to help represent them in the South.  No Christian group had any mercy on these children.  It makes sense why so many Blacks of today support programs and initiatives that are socialist or communist in flavor.  White Christians would not help.  Black Christians did.  What a sad testimony!  I will get down from my soap box.

As I reported in my previous post, I spent my week out every day this week.  I went to tour another music program, meet with other moms about starting a new co-operartive program.  AAA!  We had our usual music program on Thursday and my younger son had AWANA on Wednesday.

Also, this week, we helped our church throw away and tear down the walls on the inside.  They plan to renovate the building.  A larger church took over our church.  We had to do this because our church was bankrupt.  It is a good thing that this larger church took over because our church would have folded.  I could have used this blog to share my ups and downs in the church, but I did not.  I chose to stick to homeschooling.

Blessings to all who read.

If anyone recalls my post where I said that I finally figured out what I am doing for high school, guess what?  I no longer have it figured out what I am doing for high school.

I just shared my first dilemma is that I have to decide on a music program.  My second dilemma is that I went to meet with some mothers yesterday in order to start a new co-op.  AAA!  It would be four families.  The purpose is to get our high schoolers ready to take a CLEP in order to earn college credits.  It sounds great, but I am not too crazy about CLEP.  I feel that an AP exam is better and more reputable type of exam.

I had a program all set.  I found Tapestry of Grace.  I was excited.  It was a nice challenging curriculum.  Now, I meet with some women that want to do CLEP classes for high school and regular classes for junior high.  If I go with these moms, I cannot do Tapestry of Grace.  I was really looking forward to following this program.  So, my new dilemma.

I wanted to do the Speech and Debate club with my boys next year. 

I wanted to put my older son in Toastmasters.

OK, I dropped the Lego Robotics club. 

My younger son is dropping soccer.

Would I have to drop music?

I am in such a dilemma!

OK, Everyone! This week has been a time to gather information in order to pray about next year.

Just to share, I had been having problems in the current music program.  So, I went to tour another music program for next year.  I notice that the classes are more group classes and no individual unless I want to pay more money.  The classes they offer is a lot more for a low price.  The reason they have group classes is to keep the prices down and it allows the children to take more classses.  For example, my son can play the violin, take art, and drama for one price.  Since my son is advanced, he would play in their orchestra.  So, music lessons and orchestra count as one class.  Technically, my son will get four classes instead of three, but pay as if he was getting three classes.

However, my son wants to audition for some local youth orchestras around the state.  If he had difficulty with a piece or a position, he would not receive the individualized attention that he would need in a group.  So, should I do the community orchestra for him?

The program is much bigger.  So, there are more children which could mean more problems.  I have no doubt that the teachers are excellent because I saw their resumes on the website.  I was impressed with the art teacher who also teaches at the local community college.  The major problem is distance.  The program is much, much further than the one I go to now.  I also struggle with the group class.  I need to pray about this because there are some pros and cons that I must weigh.  I need to hear from God, what does He want me to do?