September 25, 2010

What a change!!

We started on the Lifepac, convinced we were going the semi-traditional route..it got boring!!  Monotonous.  Since my work schedule had changed, we added/dropped some ideas.  We still use the Lifepacs for math, but had some other ideas that I think work better for us.

The stories are short-but challenging!!  I also have Gracie on Grade 1 (I would say these books are at least a year or two ahead of our school system now)

I also have them using McGuffey's Spelling Book from grade 2.  This book starts out very easy, but by the end of the book, I would say, they are learning words that our grade 5+ are learning!  So I started my 9yo at this as well.

What I do is plug these words in spelling city

www.spelling city.com

You can create your own spelling list, and the words are plugged into games/fill in the blank pages.  I have them work on them everyday.  At the end of the week, they take their test (online).  The words they missed are then put onto their next weeks lesson!

 I get the words from their reading and their spelling.

Rachel had words like-

perseverance...objection...entangled

Gracie's words are quite easy now,

list...test...ask...  

but they move forward fast!

So this will be a challenge, and they will be having fun.  They enjoy unscrambling/hang man the best for games to do with their spelling words.  I also have them do fill in the blanks now and then, too, to get the meanings taught.

Happy Homeschooling!

September 17, 2010

Okay, I think it's fairly clear...traditional just isn't us!;)

But we're keeping part of it..

The kids found a 4-H group the other day that we love!!  The leader is excellent, and anyone that lives in our area, let us know if you're interested, and I'll send you her number.  There are fundraisers for all, no one has to pay a dime. (And we all know the price to get into those fairs!)

The first day, she had them.  That is rare for my kids that take a while to warm up to kids/adults.  I knew we found our club!  She also got them interested in an exhibit. Gracie, my 7yo, can not enter yet but can enter under her sister name, so we may have them work together on some projects.  We're already entered for the horticulture exhibit.

I'm not sure if you can see them or not, but the kids are excited as their teacher said it could take 2 weeks, and they grew faster.  

Happy Homeschooling!!



September 14, 2009

Rachel pretty much taught herself division today!!  She wanted to play a game, and so I gave her an idea of how division works (basic division) and she did it all on her own.    Here is the site she was on.  They like the penguin game where they help build the icecream scoops-
http://www.fun4thebrain.com/addition.html

Gracie likes this for the addition. 

Happy Homeschooling!

September 13, 2010

What a year!!

I would say it's doing great, and really, it is.  The kids are enjoying their lifepacs, Rachel is almost done with hers for the month and has already finished one. Life is good:)

At first I started with a mandated amount of work each day.  After all, I didn't want them to fall behind.  It didn't work out all that well, though.  I got the cranky, 'I don't want to.' 'This is too much, I can't!' arguements...so I gave up.  The new rule goes this way- there are 10 lifepacs.  One for each month.  Do what you think you need to do to keep up.  Fall behind?  Looks like you're going to do summer school!  Very simple.  Rachel (9yo) has figured this out and is keeping up.  Gracie (7yo) is the one that only likes to do a few rows of math at a time...she may be falling behind.  But we'll see.  I know unschooling works best, and really do wish I had the funds/car to do it correctly.  I taught them how to keep up, they'll just have to deal with this till then.

Happy Homeschooling!