Next Fall's Agenda

This coming week I meet with our academic advisor for the final time this year. We will be handing in our last work samples of the year and choosing curriculum for next year. For first grade we are looking at:

1. Reading: We will continue with our phonics-based reading program (we will probably finish this by Christmas break), The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading

2. Spelling: Spelling Workout

3. Penmanship: Handwriting Without Tears (we will probably finish the second grade book by Christmas break)

4. Vocabulary: Wordly Wise (second grade book)

5. Grammar: First Language Lessons (We currently use this book and are about half way through "first grade". It has 100 second grade lessons as well. If we keep at our current pace we might be able to finish this book by the end of the school year.)

6. Math: We will use both ShillerMath and the boring-ish (but much easier to get her to do it) Houghton-Mifflin

7. History: We will continue with The Story of the World: Ancient Times. We are about half way through this book and when we finish in the middle of the year we will pick up the next level: Medival Times

8. Science: We are going to try a new program called Read, Explore, Absorb, and Learn Science (REAL Science). We will do the Life Science level. It will repeat some of what we have done this year with the addition of plants and human body, but it is a hands-on observation, experimental approach (and one that I don't have to create on my own!)

9. Art: We may try Artisitic Pursuits again. I also think Julia will take drawing class again next year.

10. Music: Julia definitely wants to take her Music Appreciation class again next year, and she will continue to take piano lessons.

11. Spanish? She may take this again at school.

12. PE: I think she will continue with gymnastics and group fitness classes at the gym when it fits into her schedule.

13. First Grade Writing Class. I believe she will want to take this class at school too.


I'm also starting to think about preparing Karley for Kindergarten. She and I will start working on her penmanship skills and her pre-reading skills too. We may also do some fun crafty, seasonal things with other younger siblings at school when the older siblings are busy in their classes. I sure hope this is a restful and rejuvenating summer!

An unexpected gift.....

Perhaps she is growing up??????

Our First Piano Recital!

Last Saturday Julia and I performed in our very first piano recital. Julia was much more relaxed than I was. She played a short tune called On the Swing. I played the Sleeping Beauty Waltz. We had fun, we learned a lot, and I think we will be even more prepared for the next recital in the fall.

Homeschool Highlights of the Day....

1. Julia finished the final pages of her dreaded phonics workbook and we were told yesterday that she does not need to complete any more of these workbooks. She took a reading test yesterday and tested between the 2nd and 3rd grade level (she tested at the 1st grade level last November). As long as we continue with her structured reading lessons she does not need an additional phonics program and we are both delighted since it has been one source of major conflict between us.

2. Julia took the Chapter 1 Test this morning in the new math book (1st grade) we have been working in the past few weeks. This is not the fun math that we had been doing, but the boring workbooky math that is published by the same company that produces the California state exam (she won't take this until 2nd grade). The great things about this is: SHE DID IT WITHOUT COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, SHE DID IT WITHOUT ASKING FOR HELP (beforehand
I told her I could not help her on a test), SHE DID BOTH PAGES WITHOUT ERASING ONE TIME!, SHE DID IT WITHOUT A SINGLE MISTAKE!!!!!

3. AND..........drumroll.........

We saw a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis right before our very eyes!

That's right. Our tiny caterpillars got big and fat, formed cocoons (don't know if chrysalises is a word), and today they are beginning to emerge into beautiful Painted Lady butterflies (two made it so far, three left to go!)

And considering that this is Friday and that summer vacation is on the near horizon, I would say that today has been a great day!

Aquarium of the Bay

Both girls really wanted to touch the rays and sharks. Karley INSISTED on touching the sharks, even though they settled in the middle of the pool and I had to lift her OVER the water so she could reach down and touch a shark, getting her sleeve dripping wet in the process.

Field Trip!

This seems like old news now, but two or three weeks ago we went on a field trip with school to Pier 39. We drove to Vallejo, boarded the ferry, and spent the day at Pier 39 with our friends. We took a tour of the Aquarium of the Bay, ate lunch on Pier 39 and then walked to Ghiradelli Square. It was a fantastic day!