(Calligraphy project from the Ancient China Treasure Chest. Note the totally random objects strewn about the table. This is typical throughout our house;))
In the past month of our homeschool experiment, we found our stride again. Does math still rear its evil head? Sure. But a more full-time focus on education, has re-established a routine that works for us. The warm weather has made possible afternoons of biking and picnics, or reading books aloud on the dock. And prioritizing field trips has allowed time for museums, gardening, and a much-anticipated trip to Chicago next week.
Spring has also sprouted excellent friendships, both with seasonal neighbors, and close-by homeschool students. Regular playdates have reminded us how much we missed this ongoing interaction over the winter months. It seems we all hibernate, but we also come to life in the spring, just as the plants and animals do.
I have some personal recommendations.
Sonlight – we used Core 1 World History, as well as Core 3 American History – is a fantastic resource for history, as well as historical and other literature. I loved the history guides, and the reader guides, because it helped me to not have to read everything D was reading, in order to know what the book was about. We also used the Language Arts lessons some, but didn’t like them as well. I appreciated the integration of the language lesson with the history or reading lesson, but we felt the grammar lessons were too hard, and the dialogue was too easy for D. C rebelled against anything written, and this was too dry for him as well.
Usborne — Sonlight uses many Usborne materials and I can see why. They’re fun to read, and are formatted somewhat like a comic book. I could always count on D to read these books to C, which freed me to prepare for the next lesson. We especially liked Time Traveler and the Usborne Book of World History.
Treasure Chests – Greece, Roman, Egypt, Viking, China. We loved them all. They were the highlight of the curriculum. I would strongly encourage anyone to find these treasure chests if you study ancient history. They’re fun, they’re hands-on, they’re games. Excellent. I’m selling ours, although the kids would rather keep them. I just think someone else could really benefit from them like we have. And all those small pieces will eventually get lost around here;)
History Pockets – I also added several lessons from the History Pockets series by Evan Moor. Great, reproducible, hands-on lessons that fit right into our Sonlight curriculum. We also used other Evan-Moor products and found them to be excellent add-on practice for curriculum. There’s a whole series of books that covers everything from report writing to grammar and punctuation, but my favorite is Ten Minute Activities 4-6. It is 190 quick and easy activities for all different subjects. It has been a great resource.
Science – I used California Science textbook from Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, but I think that was a mistake. Without a teacher’s manual, I didn’t know what I was doing half the time in experiments. Homeschool teachers really need to have a curriculum specific to homeschool, or a teacher’s manual for a traditional text.
Math – We tried several traditional texts, but switched to a Trailblazers curriculum part-way through the year. I thought it was better — less drill, and more thinking. Also, the drawings in the book were more engaging. I also tried Horizons Math with C, but thought it was not very easy to use, and a lot of drill, although it had a colorful write-in workbook, which was very helpful.
Just one more month of relaxed homeschooling before we’ll take a break for the summer. I know most students are finishing now, but we kept a very relaxed pace throughout the book-writing months, so we’ll have to extend our schoolyear a little. We’ve nearly completed history and science, so I anticipate mostly math, reading and writing for short periods each morning, with many field trips, and lots of time for dock-jumping in the afternoons.
HOMESCHOOL EXPERIMENT RESULTS SERIES:
WHY WE STARTED
the JOYS
the STRUGGLES
the FUTURE for us
UPDATE after we Quit Homeschooling
Family out of Sync
Other Homeschooling Experiment milestones:
The Beginning
Week One – Starting with a Frazzle
Five Steps to Drive Yourself off a Cliff
Week Two – Just when I thought I knew what I was doing
Week Three — Let there be CRAFTS!
One-month Review
D’s Review at One Month
Week Five – Stress and frustration
Week Seven – Flip-flopping curriculum
Note to self – Consider having low expectations some weeks
Two-Month Review — Some aha moments
Three-Month Review — Not all peaches and cream
Four-Month Review — Loving ancient history
Five-Month Review — What I underestimated
Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month
Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review
D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series
Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig
All posts about the experiment — including WAY-COOL FIELD TRIPS!
Tags: ancient china, curriculum, home school, homeschool, homeschool experiment, homeschooling, review, treasure chest
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9:34 am
It sounds like you’re getting this homeschooling stuff figured out.
Next year should be easier now that you’ve got a year under your belt. Now off to check your ebay…
1:22 pm
Thanks, Summer!
8:50 pm
Many bloggers, including WW participants, will be flying Peace Globes in the blogosphere on Wednesday, June 6, 2007. It is BlogBlast for Peace day – the second annual event. Please consider using your Wordless Wednesday platforms on this day to participate. You can find more information about the movement at Mimi Writes or BlogBlast for Peace
http://mimiwrites.blogspot.com or http://mimilenox.blogspot.com
Thanks and peace!
Mimi
10:43 pm
your two will be bored, and so far ahead of the other kids when/if they return to regular school
9:02 am
Great photo. Glad you got your groove back, Kelly. I was worried about you.
The field trips and fun outside sounds great. Friends are the highlight of homeschooling. Here’s hoping that tomorrow my husband will pass his test so we can go home and homeschool in Texas where most of our family and friends are! Please pray for him to do well and get the job if you can fit it in between picnics, gardening, and reading on the dock.
12:22 am
I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on your blog for forever! I’ve been homeschooling and blogging (forever as well), and see that we have quite a bit in common, (ie, amount of kids, love of photography, obsession with finding fascinating curriculum, etc…)
Enjoyed reading your posts and I’ll stop by again soon. Since I am a Chicagoan, I’m happy to hear you’ll be in town. What are you looking forward to visiting?
3:16 pm
So does that mean homeschooling is a “go” for next year? I planned to only do one year too, but it’s so wonderfully addictive, isn’t it?
3:27 pm
Hey dear, don’t know if I’ve told you before or not, but I truly appreciate your sharing your experiences with this. Especially the details like this! We’re just now moving into the summer “tutoring” and review stuff to keep things moving. Where does the time go?
Hugs,
Holly
8:58 pm
Dont quite now, there’s so more much to learn! Every year brings its own challenges and blessings.
Sherry–homeschooling over 17 years
9:10 pm
[...] I’ve just discovered Pass the Torch and read all about their homeschooling experiment, currently in month seven of eight. It’s a great read. [...]
8:50 pm
That’s really wonderful how you have found other home schooled children in your area. You are so organized, you amaze me!
10:55 pm
Thank you all for your well-wishes!
Summer – thanks for checking out my listings!
Pamela – I definitely know I’VE learned a lot this year!!
Sprittibee — Good luck to your husband!!
Fatcat – I’m hoping to have an answer for you in my month-eight post;)
Kim – I just got back – it was fabulous! Nice to meet you!
Holly – I always feel appreciated by you. Thanks for another lovely comment. And yes, where does the time go?
Sherry – so nice to meet you! There is so much to learn, and I am really enjoying the learning. More next month.
Mary – you’re so sweet! But organized is definitely NOT the way I would describe myself these days. Treading water. That’s more accurate.
Or treading water while juggling with a watermelon balanced on my head.
Yeah, that’s it;)))
7:27 am
[...] Homeschooling Experiment milestones: The Beginning Week One – Starting with a Frazzle Five Steps to Drive Yourself off a Cliff Week Two – Just when I thought I knew what I was doing Week Three — Let there be CRAFTS! One-month Review D’s Review at One Month Week Five – Stress and frustration Week Seven – Flip-flopping curriculum Note to self – Consider having low expectations some weeks Two-Month Review — Some aha moments Three-Month Review — Not all peaches and cream Four-Month Review — Loving ancient history Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig All posts about the experiment — including WAY-COOL FIELD TRIPS! [...]
10:28 am
[...] Homeschooling Experiment milestones: The Beginning Week One – Starting with a Frazzle Five Steps to Drive Yourself off a Cliff Week Two – Just when I thought I knew what I was doing Week Three — Let there be CRAFTS! One-month Review D’s Review at One Month Week Five – Stress and frustration Week Seven – Flip-flopping curriculum Note to self – Consider having low expectations some weeks Two-Month Review — Some aha moments Three-Month Review — Not all peaches and cream Four-Month Review — Loving ancient history Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig All posts about the experiment — including WAY-COOL FIELD TRIPS! [...]
5:51 pm
[...] Homeschooling Experiment milestones: The Beginning Week One – Starting with a Frazzle Five Steps to Drive Yourself off a Cliff Week Two – Just when I thought I knew what I was doing Week Three — Let there be CRAFTS! One-month Review D’s Review at One Month Week Five – Stress and frustration Week Seven – Flip-flopping curriculum Note to self – Consider having low expectations some weeks Two-Month Review — Some aha moments Three-Month Review — Not all peaches and cream Four-Month Review — Loving ancient history Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig All posts about the experiment — including WAY-COOL FIELD TRIPS! [...]
10:28 pm
[...] Homeschooling Experiment milestones: The Beginning Week One – Starting with a Frazzle Five Steps to Drive Yourself off a Cliff Week Two – Just when I thought I knew what I was doing Week Three — Let there be CRAFTS! One-month Review D’s Review at One Month Week Five – Stress and frustration Week Seven – Flip-flopping curriculum Note to self – Consider having low expectations some weeks Two-Month Review — Some aha moments Three-Month Review — Not all peaches and cream Four-Month Review — Loving ancient history Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig All posts about the experiment — including WAY-COOL FIELD TRIPS! [...]
4:02 pm
[...] Other Homeschooling Experiment milestones: The Beginning Week One – Starting with a Frazzle Five Steps to Drive Yourself off a Cliff Week Two – Just when I thought I knew what I was doing Week Three — Let there be CRAFTS! One-month Review D’s Review at One Month Week Five – Stress and frustration Week Seven – Flip-flopping curriculum Note to self – Consider having low expectations some weeks Two-Month Review — Some aha moments Three-Month Review — Not all peaches and cream Four-Month Review — Loving ancient history Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig All posts about the experiment — including WAY-COOL FIELD TRIPS! [...]
7:55 am
[...] Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig [...]
7:58 am
[...] Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig [...]
8:01 am
[...] Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig [...]
9:50 am
[...] Five-Month Review — What I underestimated Six-Month Review – Let’s Just Skip this Month Seven-Month Review — Curriculum Review D’s research paper — Save the Earth Saturday series Tales of a Fourth-Grade Guinea Pig [...]
11:20 am
usborne activities…
Pass The Torch ” Homeschool Experiment – Seven Month Review is an excellent post about the usborne activities….