Homeschool - Spring 2013

There have been a few minor changes, but for the most part we've been plugging along, getting things done. 

Austin

• Math - Austin is no longer working with ALEKS math. He didn't like it and I think he was short-term learning and not retaining the information. He's still using the ALEKS QuickTables to help him memorize his math facts, but he is also using XtraMath and the Khan Academy outline at All-In-One Homeschool. Once he's finished with the Khan Academy list (some of which he's already done), he'll move on to the Middle School Math. Next year he wants to do Teaching Textbooks like Nyah. 
• Computer Literacy - My Tech High 
• Intro to Robotics - My Tech High - he only has about a week left in this class. 
• Medieval History - this is going well. He's working through the study guide, reading and doing projects, and enjoying what he's learning. 
• Language Lessons for the Elementary Student Vol. 1
• Knights of Freedom - this will finish up the beginning of May. He's really loved his group this year and is looking forward to doing the Shakespeare class with his buddies next year.
• Study Island - to get ready for his standardized testing (next week!) he's been working on this program through My Tech High. 
• Simply Music Piano Lessons - we started working with a Simply Music instructor a couple months ago. It's going really well for Austin. He has a great memory and is naturally talented at piano. 
• Happy Scientist
• BrainPop

Nyah

• Math - Teaching Textbooks - Nyah doesn't love math, but this has been a fabulous program for her. To have her actually talking about and using math outside of doing her assignments makes me want to do a happy dance. 
• Digital Media - My Tech High - she only has a couple photography projects left before she's done with this class. 
• Art class - she has really enjoyed taking art classes at the rec center. 
• History of the Horse
• Marine Biology - Nyah wants to be a marine biologist so we are going to be starting Exploring Creation with Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures. We're going to take it really slow and see how it goes. It may be too technical. We'll see. Happy Thoughts :)
• Language Lessons for the Elementary Student Vol. 1
• C8Kids - I cannot praise this program enough for the huge strides it has helped Nyah achieve this year. It's been a miracle to watch. 
• Young Stateswoman
• Study Island
• Simply Music Piano Lessons - Nyah is a great piano player, but she hates changes, she romanticizes her past teacher and traditional lessons, and pretty much thinks she's the worst piano player in the world so there are battles every.single.day about piano. To top it off, our new piano teacher had to rearrange some of her group lessons and we ended up with a group that is a couple songs ahead of us and she's trying to get Austin & Nyah caught up. This is stressing Nyah out BIG TIME. In fact, I just realized she went to a friend's house to play and didn't do her piano before she left. Ugh. 
• Happy Scientist
• BrainPop

Olivia & Jolie (& Sophie too)

• ABC's & Learning to Read - Getting Ready 1 at All-In-One Homeschool. We are doing this in conjunction with Language Lessons for Little Ones Vol. 1. 
• Math Lessons for a Living Education: Book 1 & other math games and activities 
• Speech - Olivia recently met all the goals we set for her last year (hurray!). So her therapist and I picked some new goals for her to start working on - /th/, speaking slowly and clearly, pacing so she's understandable. It's helpful to have Jolie (and often Nyah) playing games with us when we work on it. 
• Reading with Mom- fairy tales, mother goose, picture books, etc. We've been reading a chapter book in the evenings before bed and I'm loving it! Re-visiting some of my old favorites - Charlotte's Web, A Wind in the Willows, Peter Pan. Fun fun fun. And my older kids sneak out of their rooms to listen too. 
• Liberty Girls
• PE - making sure we go walking, hiking, biking, swimming, etc. at least 4 or 5 times a week to keep Olivia strong!
• Sophie sits on my lap, coloring and looking through books, while I work with Olivia & Jolie. She's going to be a smarty-pants.

We are trying something new - instead of taking one long summer break, we are trying 6 weeks on, 1 week off of school. We're going to see if a more consistent, predictable schedule works better for us. The classes and clubs they are taking will be over at the end of May, but they will keep doing language lessons, math, history, and science over the summer. At least that's the plan for now. 

We are also going to try a couple classes through CurrClick this summer - 

• MathArt - I've been wanting to add in more of a "living math" experience for my kids and this class looks like it will be lots of fun. 
• Marine Biology - for Nyah, but all of us will join in for the summer. If this works out I think she'll take the classes for next school year.