I am panicking a bit, not nearly as prepared as I would like to be but school is starting next week and I know that Olena will be thrilled. I had full intentions of schooling through the summer but with work and my cousins son staying with us a few days a week, it just never worked out. She loves doing school work and I know she has been a bit bummed we haven't done much lately. Today she raided the school closet and pulled out all of the workbooks and sat in her room working on them. Hopefully she maintains that enthusiasm throughout her life!!
I figured I would share what we will be working on this year.
1st grade!
Science:
Exploring Creation with Zoology.
She is absolutely obsessed with animals so I figured this was hands down the number 1 choice.
Math:
Math U See
Olena is a kinesthetic learner. This means she learns better by using her hands and manipulative's. This program does exactly that, by incorporating math blocks into the lesson.
Handwriting:
Draw Write Now
So far it is not a success. We tried it at the end of last year and she hated it. You would think that a kinesthetic learner would love to write and draw but not her. She does not like color either, at least not nicely. She scribbles frantically on each page and says that's how she likes to do it. (it drives her coloring perfectionist daddy crazy) :)
Reading:
We will use various things such as Starfall and some computer CDs I have. We will read about a particular subject every 2 weeks or so and I want to start reading chapter book aloud to her. We tried this a while ago but I think I approached it wrong. This time I will let her either sit with me or at my feet while working with something like a puzzle or coloring. I think the hands on activity will help her focus and comprehend what I am reading. Before she would almost get bored...fidget and not retain any of what I read. When we tried to discuss it the next day she wouldn't remember anything.
Bible Study:
Who is God and How Can I get to Know Him by Apologia. This is for the both of us :)
Along with all of this we are enrolled in a new Parent Partnership Program with the local school district. I will be teaching and she will be attending an Art Class (Discoverying the Great Artists) We will meet once a week for an hour and a half. Discuss an artist, his biography, and look at some of his works of Art. We will then do an art interpetation project.
There is field trip class - we will attend 1 field trip a week with other homeschoolers.
Then lastly she will work on Rosetta Stone - Russian. I think it is important for her to try and retain her native language in addition to the fact that I think it will be great for all us especially if persuing the adoption of an older child from Ukraine.
That just about covers it. I am really looking forward to this year. I plan to try and blog more about our daily school life. This way she has something to look back on and remember all of the fun she had and also to help support the homeschool community. If it wasn't for the fabulous HS families I followed via blogging world, who knows if I would have ever considered it?
Just maybe we will help another family too!
I figured I would share what we will be working on this year.
1st grade!
Science:
Exploring Creation with Zoology.
She is absolutely obsessed with animals so I figured this was hands down the number 1 choice.
Math:
Math U See
Olena is a kinesthetic learner. This means she learns better by using her hands and manipulative's. This program does exactly that, by incorporating math blocks into the lesson.
Handwriting:
Draw Write Now
So far it is not a success. We tried it at the end of last year and she hated it. You would think that a kinesthetic learner would love to write and draw but not her. She does not like color either, at least not nicely. She scribbles frantically on each page and says that's how she likes to do it. (it drives her coloring perfectionist daddy crazy) :)
Reading:
We will use various things such as Starfall and some computer CDs I have. We will read about a particular subject every 2 weeks or so and I want to start reading chapter book aloud to her. We tried this a while ago but I think I approached it wrong. This time I will let her either sit with me or at my feet while working with something like a puzzle or coloring. I think the hands on activity will help her focus and comprehend what I am reading. Before she would almost get bored...fidget and not retain any of what I read. When we tried to discuss it the next day she wouldn't remember anything.
Bible Study:
Who is God and How Can I get to Know Him by Apologia. This is for the both of us :)
Along with all of this we are enrolled in a new Parent Partnership Program with the local school district. I will be teaching and she will be attending an Art Class (Discoverying the Great Artists) We will meet once a week for an hour and a half. Discuss an artist, his biography, and look at some of his works of Art. We will then do an art interpetation project.
There is field trip class - we will attend 1 field trip a week with other homeschoolers.
Then lastly she will work on Rosetta Stone - Russian. I think it is important for her to try and retain her native language in addition to the fact that I think it will be great for all us especially if persuing the adoption of an older child from Ukraine.
That just about covers it. I am really looking forward to this year. I plan to try and blog more about our daily school life. This way she has something to look back on and remember all of the fun she had and also to help support the homeschool community. If it wasn't for the fabulous HS families I followed via blogging world, who knows if I would have ever considered it?
Just maybe we will help another family too!
Comments
Also, Lyra didn't love Draw, Write,Now at first either. I started helping her with the first big shape or two (like the oval for the pig) and then letting her add the rest of the picture. She found that much less frustrating because her finished product looked neater. And then I helped her fill in the back ground. We both drew on that. I found that doing it together worked better. And then she did all the handwriting by herself. She likes it when we both look through her finished work and pick the word or letter we think looks most perfect. She picks one and I pick one. If she's motivated like that, you could even let J in on it. He could pick his favorite too:).
Enjoy your year!