After last year's strengths-based approach, John is ready to take on a few more challenges, especially in terms of reading, spelling, and language mechanics. We've been easing into our new schedule and so far so good.
Here is what I've planned for John this year.
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Language Arts
John is a very slow reader with a large vocabulary and great reading comprehension. This year, I'm assigning him to read his history and science readings. I finally think he is up to the challenge of reading the materials that are at his comprehension level, but it will be a significant change for him.
On the two days a week when he has a lot of subject matter readings, he will listen to an audiobook chosen from a long list of nonfiction and fiction books that will supplement our science or history studies. On the other days, he will read easier books of his choosing.
He will work through Sentence Diagramming: Beginning [already owned and used by his brother purchased for $10.40 with Amazon promo credit], but at least in the beginning, I will be his scribe for this subject.
He will complete his review of phonograms with Explode the Code Online [$34.98] which he started this summer and then we will work through all of All About Spelling level 2. Spelling is really his Achilles' heel and I'm hoping that the rules make more sense to him this year.
He will work on writing longer narrations this year, but still only try to do one per week. He can orally narrate beautifully and will continue to narrate his lessons to me as he grows in his mechanical ability to spell and write his narrations.
History
John will read and narrate from the following books and documentaries this year:
- The Story of Harriet Tubman by Kate McMullan [$1 book sale find]
- Abraham Lincoln: Friend of the People by Clara Ingram Judson [$4.22 from Thriftbooks]
- Dark Sky Rising: Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates Jr. [Free ebook borrow from Hoopla or Libby]
- A Young People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn, chap 7-12 [$10.59 used from Amazon and purchased with a gift card] - This one will be an audiobook purchased with a free trial of audible.
- The Story of George Washington Carver by Eva Moore [$1 book sale find]
Although it isn't assigned to him, he will likely also watch the movies and documentaries assigned to his brother:
Science
John will use these materials to study physics in terms 1-2:
- Secrets of the Universe Set by Paul Fleisher [already owned - a gift from grandparent]
- The Planets by Dava Sobel (audiobook) [$7.04 from audible]
- The First Three Minutes by Steven Weinberg (audiobook) [Libby borrow]
He will also complete a self-paced robotics course with his older brother using:
- Intro to Robotic Engineering [$29 using basic teachers course]
- Makeblock mBot Robot Kit [$63.59 on Prime Day - still has a good coupon now]
And participate in a once-a-month robotics competition club at a local children's museum.
In term 3, he will use this book to learn more about biology:
- Men, Microscopes, and Living Things by Katherine B. Shippen [already owned - $11.99 on Amazon, but bought with discount and gift card]
Math
John is working on the "7th-grade" course (formerly prealgebra) of CTC Math [$148.50 for a year of family access]. CTC Math is new for us this year and he started using it part-time in the summer. My thoughts so far are that it is straightforward and more user-friendly than using Khan Academy.
Other
I am using these free materials to teach this course to middle and high school students in our local homeschool support group. We will meet for 2 hours twice a month and learn about budgets, bank accounts, taxes, investing, and more.
Wild + Free [$50/year]
Our year-round outdoor nature group is continuing into its 6th year. We will meet for 4-5 hours every Friday at a rural camp location for learning and enjoying the outdoors together.
Family Subjects
We will read poetry, study 6 works by three different fine artists and learn about three composers over the course of the year. We will also listen to fiction and nonfiction audiobooks in the car and read aloud at lunch. Some of these selections are already planned and others will just happen along the way.
Congratulations to your John for being ready to do some of his own content reading! It's always exciting when kids reach new milestones! :) Every year, your science choices always sound so interesting to me. I know better than to simply copy you because I know my family, and you know yours, but I have to admit to really wanting to copy you!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I think we are spoiled for choice now with so many good options. It is definitely interesting as the kids get older and can dive deep into their passions and complete online courses without so much oversight or work prepping as I did in the early years. I enjoy seeing that in your children as they get more independent too.
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