Week 1A

I've learned over the last few years that the first week of school never goes like I want it too. Getting back into the swing of things always takes longer than I expect or want it to. So last year I decided to give myself two weeks to accomplish the things I think should take one. It worked last year and it took a lot of stress off of my, so we did it again this year.

Annika and Emma both started at a local elementary school on Monday. Annika went there last year and is now in third grade and Emma just started kindergarten. You read that right...my baby is in kindergarten. So far I'm doing well, but just thinking about that is strange. I remember days that I thought I'd never see the end of preschoolers, potty training, and that chaos. And here I am, at the end.

The girls were really happy to both start and be back at school. And because we were friends with the principal (who is now gone) from the school, they got good teachers and classes. While I would like to homeschool the girls, I'm happy with the teachers they have.

Now to the actual homeschoolers in the family. Harry is in 7th (!) grade and Sam in 5th. As much as I can't believe I have a kindergartener, I really can't believe I have a 7th grader.

This is kind of an important year for Harry. Next year he will go to 8th grade at the local middle school and then onto high school at the school down the way. He's looking forward to school and I'm looking forward to new things for him, but I'm not thrilled that he's going to school. But it is what it is.

My plan for the year is to firm up his writing, continue in math, and do more science and history. Harry enjoys history, so he's working his way through Human Odyssey. We won't be doing a lot of projects and fun work because I want to focus on other areas. Science has always been a hodgepodge because Harry reads so much, so I'm not real worried about that. But I have printed some New York Times science page articles and the lesson plans that go with them. I want him to read those and we'll work on some of the projects and questions. Harry is technically doing Algebra I this year. He's actually working through So You Really Want to Learn Maths and the Key to Algebra books. And for Language Arts...we have a variety of resources to use. Like I said, I want him to work on his writing--he writes well but hasn't done much in the way of papers. We have the 4th level of Michael Clay Thompson's language arts program which includes a book called Advanced Academic Writing. AAW's lessons are meant to be a little more long-term than just write a paragraph and move on. They are designed to give Harry the chance to research and then write a longer paper. I think it'll be perfect for preparing him for more writing. He'll also work on Writing With Skill level 2 when it comes out and the poetry, grammar, and vocabulary in the MCT level.

I've already taught one child 5th grade, but that child is nothing like my current 5th grader so I get to start over planning again. I keep saying that Sam is incredibly smart, he just needs a way to let people know that. I've worked for a few years to build up his confidence and help him learn to make decisions. This year I'm requiring him to use these skills. I'm not letting him get away with not answering or not doing something. Of course I'm not an ogre, so there are incentives and other ways I plan to get him to do what he needs to. Anyway. He's using Math Mammoth 5 for math with a supplement on geometry and measurements. Language Arts is MCT level 3 minus the writing. I did the writing book with Harry last year and wasn't impressed. Instead he'll use Writing with Skill level 1. Science will be So You Really Want to Learn Science and history is History Odyssey. Sam likes projects where Harry loathes them.

They will be taking classes at the charter school. Harry has a full day there and Sam will take some classes there but focus again on pottery. He really loves pottery.

And that's the overall plan for the year. On to Week 1B...