Homeschooling Faith

Homeschooling is going fairly well so far. We've definitely had a few moments where sending her to a school, any school, sounds quite lovely. Or possibly selling her to the next band of travelling gypsies that knocks on my door looking for small children.

However, overall, it is pretty good. Even with taking our Texas roadtrip, we've made it through the first 15 lessons in math (including 2 tests and numerous facts quizzes), the first 5 chapters in grammar and 4 tests there, the first 4 chapters in our novel unit study, 3 chapters in history, and the first 3 sections in science.

We've also just about finished our Texas notebook (this was her trip assignment) and trying to plan out her next project, which will probably involve persuasive writing. Since project #2 was her idea, I'd like to go with it, even if she needs my help.

Our current schedule is working as follows, as I try to find the perfect routine:
Daily Language Arts - Spectrum Reading/Language Arts/Phonics (on Sandra's recommendation) and Explode the Code
Grammar - Shurley 2, two lessons per day
Math - Saxon 3, 1-2 lessons per day, depending on content
History - Story of the World (1/2 chapter and coordinating activities), every other day
Science - Apologia Astronomy (as laid out in the notebooking guide), opposite days of history
Literature - Before Five in a Row, currently reading Boxcar Children, 1-2 chapters weekly plus coordinating activities

We're also adding some more to her reading, mostly for pleasure. She & Shaun are reading the Disney Fairies "A Masterpiece for Bess" and she & I are reading "Junie B. Jones: Dumb Bunny". Her current choice for solo reading is "Nate the Great & the Lost List" and in the car, we are listening to the Magic Treehouse "Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve", having just finished MTH "Christmas in Camelot" and "The Boxcar Children Mysteries: The Mystery of the Mummy's Curse". It's amazing how much more time we have for fun reading when we can finish schoolwork in under 3 hours.

She & I took the time to go to the library while Ben was in preschool. We got a bunch of work done and checked out several of the TX Bluebonnet Award books to read. I think we might work through that list too, just for fun reading, not school projects.

So far, we have:
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach - Carmen Agra Deedy
Nic Bishop Frogs - Nic Bishop
Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of NYC - Janet Schulman
What to Do About Alice - Barbara Kerley
Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! - Pat Mora

We're going to work through those 5 this week (they are more picture books than chapter books) then try a few more. It makes for a good project, without adding to her workload.

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