I am beginning this new journey in order to evaluate my homeschooling and my life. I feel that reflection will continue to help me put things in perspective and how lucky we are as a family. I am anxiously awaiting help designing my web page by Darcy, a fellow homeschool mom. But in light of needing to begin, I will blog on my not so lovely site for now.

Denali has begun her week with her usual pattern as I planned last week for the upcoming month. We are taking one week off this month for spring break although by off, I mean no checking off boxes just natural learning and reading. Bryn is beginning her week as usual, trying to avoid school by "helping me with the baby." Keelin is busy practicing her handwriting which needs a lot of help. Keaton has his mind set on walking us all to death and only in the direction he chooses. He likes to hold both fingers and drag us all around, digging his feet in when you don't go his way. I am sure what I needed most in my life is another strong willed child. Must be that I have not learned how to let them be their own people and honor their needs yet, since I keep getting the same lesson over and over again to learn.

Math: Denali is on book 4A of Singapore and she is multiplying fractions and dividing them. She seems to like it. We need to match it up with Right Start but have not for a while now.She has improved her knowledge of the times tables which has now made her life easier. Bryn is great at math and seems to love it. She is also in Singapore 1B and we should be in 2A soon as she is bored but I am trying to figure out how to keep her encouraged and not bored, a fine line for this particular child. Keelin just likes to recite facts about math.

Language-

Denali- working on personal pronouns including predicate nominative, subject nominative, objective pronouns. Handwriting is Getty Dubay and we are still working on combining cursive and print to be legible. Her reading list will be posted in another area of the blog to keep track because it is long and furious. She is combing Spelling Workout E with a website called www.kidsspell.com . I am going to encourage her to have a spot on my blog where she can "journal " hoping to provide inspiration.
Bryn- explode the code reviewing vowels and the sounds they make. Her reading is improving and she is going to choose a book she must read to me. She is working on Spelling Workout B



Science:
Denali is beginning Cyber Ed this week. It is an online program for Earth and Space. It may be a little difficult for her some times but exposure and challenge are important to me and it is hard to do that without over exposure emotionally in Literature and so...

Bryn is beginning Singapore Science because it was given to us. She may end up watching Cyber Ed. We have tried REAL science and while I love it, it requires two hands to set up and participate and this is not part of my everyday option with a one year old.

Keelin is also using Singapore Year One Science.

Social Studies:
We break this down into History and Geography.
History: We are almost done with Book One of the Joy Hakim series American History -the story of US. I love that it is easy to read. I need to create some way to evaluate what the kids are taking in from the reading. Our favorite thing we have done recently is watch a DVD by BJU about the Constitution. It had several lessons and it was really engaging.
Geography: We are beginning Mapping the World by Heart this week. I am so excited because it can be done at a variety of levels. We will begin with blank paper and draw the world and use it to compare at the end . We will also try to draw on a grapefruit and then peel it and lay it flat and see how hard it is to make a map with few distortions.

Electives:
Memory work: We are working on Level One of poetry memorization and everyone enjoys reciting their poems. Denali is also finishing the list of Presidents. They have all memorized the Preamble to the Constitution and the Pledge of Allegiance. Denali is supposed to have memorized her states and capitals. I am looking for a program that will test this on the computer for free.
Critical Thinking: They all do Sudoku, Perplexors, and then each of them have individual books that they use to make a five day week schedule of critical thinking.
Latin: Denali takes Latin class with the best teacher and so I can check this off my list yet I have no idea what they are doing. I do know Bryn will begin next year and that Denali is taking the NLE in two weeks at the intro level. Not bad for a 9 yrs old since her mother couldn't read a drop and was raised Catholic. :)
Piano: All the girls have piano lessons. When my blog is properly set up, I will include which songs they are working on.
PE: Well it is soccer season; need I say more!! We can check this off with ease.
Sewing/ Crafts: D and B are taking a needleworks class with our homeschool group. This week's craft is a stained glass egg. Just using glue and chalk, we are more crafty than arty around here.