You can see our detailed curriculum posts by clicking on the graphics below.
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My Students
A quick update for the 12th grader –
He is taking all of his classes at the community college for dual credit so you won’t be seeing much of him in my wrap-up posts! He’s a BIG kid now! Read more about his journey here in our 11th grade wrap-up post.
Recently he had the opportunity to shadow a friend of ours who is an air traffic controller and he loved it! Definitely a career he is looking into now! He is also enjoying his electrician course, currently learning how to program PLC boards. I barely know what that means. We are really excited for him and feel doors are opening and confirming his decision to not head off to a 4 year typical college experience. It feels strange if I am being honest, since he always thought he would do the typical college route, but we are feeling the Lord leading in this and have peace and joy! His main goal is not wanting to leave a 4 year college with debt if he isn’t certain his career path requires it.
5th and 8th Together Learning
This year I have combined my younger two kids for a few of subjects – History, Geography, Writing, and Grammar. We are also studying the Bible together in the morning during our breakfast time together. Below I will share a bit about each!
Geography
We are continuing our geography study with AFRICA Country by Country. We finished reading A Long Walk to Water, and began The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. I keep our map open during reading to consistently remind my children of certain locations. I want them to be fluent in world geography and this is a simple way to help with this.
They are completing one country per day on their own, totaling 4 per week. We have now gotten far enough along that we have begun playing Africa Jeopardy! I figured my kids would like this but had no idea how much! My competitive son especially!
We play for pennies and they have racked up a bit of pocket change!
History
In history we are working together daily, with a goal of 5 lessons per week. We continue to enjoy Notgrass.
The kids have convinced me that reading on the couch with the animals is way more fun {or distracting}. Imagine me in the middle of this!
Both kids have their own map book and I love this aspect of the curriculum! It gives us a chance to really see and recall where things were taking place!
Jeopardy has also begun for history!!! I typed up all of the questions they chose from the units we have done so far and organized them into categories. I also added a few of my own. I plan to add questions as the year moves along, such a fun way to retain facts!
Bible
We do Bible learning together during our morning routine! This is something I began last year and we have continued this year. Click here to see what we are doing in the mornings right now! Currently we are spending most of our time watching the videos from The Bible Project that go along with what we are learning in history.
Writing & Grammar
We picked up where we left off at the end of last year with both writing and grammar, see more about our mid-year switch here. We are finishing up SWI-B and are almost done!
Fix It Grammar continues to be a good fit. It’s a review for both, that they both need. They don’t love it, but they don’t hate it either!
5th Grade
How is my baby in 5th grade? This one is even harder for me to accept than the 12th grader! She is supposed to be in Kindergarten forever!
Science
We are using Evan-Moor Skill Sharpeners Science 5th Grade and we continue to enjoy it. We didn’t do as many experiments during September, but have many planned for October!
Math
I can’t say enough wonderful things about Teaching Textbooks Math. It continues to be a great fit, she is using level 6.
Enrichment
She continues to enjoy her weekly enrichment classes! This year she is taking Apologia Science – Swimming Creatures and Mind Benders. Mind Benders is by far her favorite!
Reading
See her 5th grade reading list here.
Here’s her completed list so far for 5th grade…
- Spark
- Star in the Forest
- Wonderland
- Sing Down the Moon
- A Long Walk to Water
Currently Reading: The Familiars {book 1}, Wings of Fire {book 13}, Race the Night, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind {read aloud}, Harry Potter {book 1, read aloud}
Extras…
We continue to use Reading Eggspress for our reading comprehension, vocabulary and spelling. She does the computer portion 2 days a week and the worksheets with me 2 days per week. It is a challenge for her, so not her favorite subject. I love how it gets her thinking!
8th Grade
K continues to train many hours a week with his gymnastics so many of his homeschool choices are based around this. He is competing level 9 this year, and has an Instagram account here if you’d like to follow his gymnastics adventures! You can also follow my posts about his gymnastics with the hashtag #krashthegymnast.
Math
Teaching Textbooks continues to be a great fit for him. It isn’t always easy but he is working so hard. I love that he can watch the solutions for problems he misses! He has become a great note-taker, copying down solutions to tricky problems!
Science
The science I chose continues to be a great fit for him. He has aced his first 2 tests and is growing so much in his science knowledge! I am very pleased with the curriculum choice!
Reading
See his 8th grade reading list here.
Here’s his completed list so far for 8th grade…
- Finding Gobi
- A Long Walk to Water
Currently Reading: Running for My Life {independent read}, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind {read aloud}
Reading outside with the dog is always a favorite…
You can also see much of our everyday homeschool life on Instagram!
