2014

Happy New Year!!!

We started school again yesterday after a nice looooong winter break and a 9-day trek to California.  Surprisingly, we dove back in with minimal drama. :)

After spending some time pondering our progress thus far and how I want to proceed, I decided on something a little different for 2014.  We are going to do 6-week sessions with 1-week breaks in between.  We will do this up until Thanksgiving (with the last two sessions being 5 weeks instead), and then take a break until January.

I also feel like we have gotten over the initial homeschooling humps of finding the right curriculum, figuring out what daily rhythm works best, and settling into our routine.  So now I want to get down to one of the main reasons I wanted to homeschool my kids --- exploring the world.  I want them to see everything as a learning opportunity, and to be excited by finding new things.  Lulu is almost 4 now and on board with both of those ideas.  Our trip to CA over break was a great starting point for 2014 and this endeavor.  We talked about all we had learned while studying California, and got to see some of the landmarks too.  Both girls had a blast :)

Here is what we are doing for Session 1:

Language Arts - finishing up All About Spelling Level 1 and starting Level 2; continuing with the Houghton Mifflin books (poetry and nature walk themes this session); and finishing up Growing With Grammar Level 1

Math - continuing with Horizons 2nd Grade book

Social Studies - Midwest states

Science - Rocks & Minerals around the USA / Plants

Extras - daily piano practice (Bug started lessons over the holidays), Van Gogh, and Handel -- and continuing with the weekly PE classes and monthly Science Club --- I also got a typing program and we received a harmonica lesson book, so those things may enter the rotation as well.

Lulu will be continuing with her Letter of the Week program for the first two sessions, and then will start a K4 curriculum in April.

That's it here! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season :)