School 2014/2015

This year I will have 4 children to teach:

Kate - 4th grade
Claire- 3rd grade
Henry - 1st grade
Jack - K4

I will also have:

Sims-3
Miles-18 months (right now)
Baby 7-due in October

I do a little for K4 only because I think it's good practice for both of us. I don't think K4 needs to be taught. However, most children, especially those with older brothers/sisters, are itching to start "school" like everyone else. It's good practice for me to slowly get used to teaching another child. I can see what it will look like and how it will effect our schedule. We do handwriting, phonics, and basic, fun math. I do also include them in our Science reading but do not require them to do anything and most of the time do not require them to sit and listen the entire time.

With that being said, here is what we'll be using this year:

Jack- K4

Math-Singapore Essentials
Handwriting - ABeka
Phonics/Reading - Reading Made Easy (I really love this book but obviously I did not pay $1000 for it at amazon-more like $5)

Henry-1st grade

Math-Horizons 1
Grammar-First Language Lesson
Writing-Writing with Ease
Handwriting-ABeka
Phonics-Explode the Code
Reading-Heart of Dakota Emerging Readers set and selections from Veritas Press
Science-Apologia with Claire
History-History for Little Pilgrims - we will just read through this together

I don't really start official spelling until 2nd grade

Claire-3rd grade

Math-Horizons 3
Grammar/Writing-Rod and Staff
Handwriting-Classically Cursive - Veritas Press
Spelling-Rod and Staff
Reading-Selections from Veritas Press Literature and History
Science-Apologia with Henry
History-Veritas Press self-paced online course-Explorers to 1815

Kate-4th grade

Math-Saxon 6/5
Grammar/Writing-Rod and Staff
Handwriting-Classically Cursive-Veritas Press
Spelling-Rod and Staff
Reading-Selections from Veritas Press Literature and History
Science-Apologia Anatomy
History-Veritas Press self-paced online course-Middle Ages, Reformation, and Renaissance

Together-

Bible-Veritas Press
Greek-Song School Greek, and other products from Classic Academic Press


We've made a few changes but kept our favorites too. We LOVE Veritas Bible and the reading lists. We also love the history but this year the girls are doing their own separate courses online. So far, they have been very interested in them and I don't have to do anything which makes me excited. They include map work, quizzes, tests, and outside reading.

Kate is becoming more independent which is why she is doing her own science this year. I let her pick it out and she picked Anatomy. I do love Apologia but was having a hard time combining children so I think this will work out well. She has finished up her first section and loves it so far. She reads by herself and then comes to me to narrate. After that, she works in her notebook to record what she has learned and does the experiments. I have had to help her very little.

I switched math for everyone this year and I think it will be a good switch. I haven't found a math I love yet but I really like the look of Horizons for K-3 so I think this may be the keeper. I then plan to switch the kids to Saxon at whatever level they place into. Kate placed into 6/5 this year. I almost pulled her back to 5/4 but I just decided to let her do 6/5 and slow it down if needed. It lends itself to independent learning as well so I think she will thrive on it. Rick and I both love math and so we're not afraid to "teach" it though.  And yes, I have looked at Teaching Textbooks but so far I am not interested in it. I might change my tune at some point.

I think that's about it! I'll post about our schedule/routine on another post.

Where have we been?

Let's see, in the past 3 months, we:

1. Finished soccer season
2. Had 3 ballet recitals
3. Took the kids on a SURPRISE trip in Disney World
4. moved to a new city 50 miles away (4 days after we returned home from Disney)
5. unpacked our new home
6. drove back and forth between new and old home to get old home ready to rent out.
7. paid $$$$$$$$$$$$$ for a new A/C unit at our old home
8. started some of our schoolwork

So, we've been just a little busy. We have now finished our work on the old house so we're hoping things will start to calm down just a bit.

I'm currently 26 weeks and feeling good. I am starting to get heartburn at night occasionally, but it's not that bad yet. I cannot believe it's almost the 3rd trimester-this pregnancy has completely flown by. Hutch 7.0 still is nameless but hopefully not for long. I go back to the doctor the first week of August and then it's every 2 weeks until 35 weeks where I'll go weekly. Time tends to speed up at this point until about 36 weeks when it slows WAY down. I'll be interested to see how these last months go this time.

My next post (hopefully tomorrow) is going to be our new school curriculum/year.

On one of our many trips to Home Depot/Lowes :) Good thing we have a lot of helpers.