Reading Plans & Summer Break

DD has several books we keep running at all times. I'm using the Sonlight program (we're doing Core 100 right now for 7th grade) its mostly all reading. Okay, it could probably be so much more but we only seem to find time for reading the books and I do make a point to ask her what she learned in the book. After a roll of her eyes and my thoughts of 'maybe a book report would be better' I ask her what she thought was interesting in the book that I should know, since I haven't read it yet. I tell her not to tell me anything boring! lol When asked in this fashion I hear all sorts of great things I would have never heard about had we stuck with a boring written report. In this way we are actually doing narration in the Charlotte Mason method and hey, I thought I had let that fall by the wayside! Yay me!

In letting DD plan her own schooling and what she covers each day of the week based on what I assigned for the week, she has been splitting her reading books up like this:

Understood Betsy Bk (11 chapters), read M-S, 2+ chapters a day

Red Badge of Courage Bk (24 chapters), read M-S, 4 chapters a day

I think this is a great way to chart and make sure you get the reading done as well as making it seem not so overwhelming. Now if one book gets particularly interesting she continues on in that book and does less of the other for that day. Just as long as she's reading 6+ chapters a day.

I had an epiphany the other day. I keep getting lots of books from the library but somehow never 'have' or make the time to read them. So I sat Monday and made a list of the books I want to read, split them up by chapters (and lengths of books since I try to read a certain amount of pages a week and didn't want to put 3 800 pages books in one week), charted how many chapters to read a day, and voila'! A workable plan! I'm very excited. I'm actually making time!

I've already been working on our reading list for next year's history program, Sonlight Core W (One Year World History). I added several to the the regular list and am having her read 2 books a week during the summer. Do you have your kids read in the summer or am I the only child torturer?

I was reading an article about how public schools send home summer reading lists and expect them to be completed when kids return, some even have tests about the books when the kids return. I think that's outrageous! Yes, I require my child to read during the summer but if we get busy or off on some adventure, I don't sweat it. I just put that practice into play to cut down on the TV time she thinks she might be having all summer...

Do you think kids should mandatorily read over summer break?

Summer Wouldn't Be Complete...

Without a little entrepreneurship.

The little one has her cousin over today and we've been all over. But one stop they insisted on was a trip to the store for lemonade stand supplies. Dollar store here we come!  $4 later and we have cups and lemonade. Perfect activity for a little homeschool summer math brush up: Making change.

The little one has been working on an idea for a club for a couple days now. Ever since I printed out a coloring sheet for her by MadeByJoel, she has been planning.

Posters colored, sign up sheets written. She wants to print shirts but I'm not sure copyright laws would be on her side! lol

I glanced at them before coming in and they're so adorable looking back and forth up the street for customers! Cross your fingers for good sales!

** This post is linked to this week's Hip Homeschool Hop. **

June 17 - Homeschool Mother's Journal

 (This is linked to the Homeschool Mother's Journal.)

In our homeschool this week…

Although our official all day schooling is over for the summer, we do a fair bit of learning still. Things we've learned, studied or talked about this week:

Egypt (little one is reading the Kane Chronicles series, Book 2)

Bugs (see garden post)

Tornadoes (we picked up Sim City 3000 at the thrift store and tornadoes can destroy your city!) plus our church is going down to Joplin, MO next week to help with the devastation there from tornadoes, so we've been discussing all of that

How to blanch greens (see garden post)
history of Winston Churchill (we're still discussing him, and need to order books, but the discussion started because I named my dog Winston Churchill because our first dog's name is Clementine. Winston's wife's name was Clementine, it seemed fitting. Also, he came up in some book the little one is reading as well.)

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

All we've been doing the past couple weeks is go to the pool, go bowling (free games through Kids Bowl Free!), go to church, walk the dogs, paint, draw and read. What a life. What a lovely lovely blessed life!

Questions/thoughts I have…

I'm curious what others use for 7th grade anything? I really have no plans yet except we'll keep our Latin for Children going and I plan to study American history, as well as the World's history during the time America was settled, up until now. Other than that, I'm open to suggestions. Could use a good foreign language program. We might study Spanish or mandarin Chinese? Who knows. :)

Things I’m working on…

Spring cleaning. Doesn't everyone use a bit of their summer to catch up on the things that get sloughed off during the school year? I've cleaned out my bedroom of all piles, clothes that don't fit or have stains, piles of books, papers, mail mail mail. It's so nice to have my room back! On my to-do list: Help the little one pare down her toys and clothes, clean closets, clean basement, hang curtains and new shades.

I'm Praying for...
I've been praying for guidance this week. Some things have been changing at hubby's work that mean less money for us and some expenses have come up that we're trying to pay for. So I'm trying to decide if I need to find a job, or start selling on Ebay again, or what? Not sure how to balance homeschooling and having my child home with me all summer, with working. Plus we're down to one car so I'd probably have to work in the evenings which takes away all my time with hubby. Like I said, just praying for guidance...

What we're reading…

I was excited to find a few good books to read at the thrift store last night. The little one is anxious to see the Pirates of the Caribbean movies but as of yet we have not let her. I found several Pirates of the Caribbean chapter books, some a spinoff of when Jack Sparrow was younger. For now, that will appease her interest.  I found these for me: 

10 Stupid Things Couples Do To Mess up Their Relationships by Dr. Laura Schlessinger

The New Glucose Revolution (I've been reading extensively on eating to the low glycemic index so this was a great find for me!)

I also picked up Ida B for her to read in the fall.

I’m cooking…

We've had such an explosion of Kale in our garden this year. I've given tons away but still it grows. So yesterday we blanched at least 4 Walmart bags full, plus one bag of Turnip greens. we then vacuum sealed them and froze for future eating. It's so nice to stock up food I've grown for when we might need it in the fall, like when I run out of money before I run out of month! lol

What are you doing this fine day?!

Summer School

I'm trying to fill in our time sheets for the summer hours (I'm behind, yes I know.) We don't really do sitting-down-homeschool during that time but there are things that can count for hours all year and why not include them? They're learning from them and you can count 12 months out of the year. Well, that's my thinking anyway. I meet my required hours during the 9 month school year without the summer, but I always like to see what the kids have been up to. Anyway. We'll call it summer school.

What have your kids been learning all summer?

9 yr old:
1 - Reading Reading Reading. And listening. She's read probably 15 chapter books, listened to another 1o on tape. Several of them classics like Treasure Island, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Alice in Wonderland. I love to see her engrossed in a book, glasses perched on her nose, bag of carrots at her side. Brings back memories of my age 11 summer when I read through the library's whole set of Agatha Christies and ran out. Mom had to kick me out of the house to make me go play. I loved and still love reading.

2 - Science. I think so far we've had the bee catching, the squirrel catching invention, legos made into cars, planes, pyramids, Sphinx, intricate buildings. We also read books on guinea pigs, ants, bees and puppies.





3 - Art. We've made thank you cards, mini books, Artist Trading Cards and used the paper making kit she rec'd for her birthday. She's drawn detailed pictures of fairies and other Spiderwick characters, animals and Veggietales characters.



4 - PE. Swimming. She had many many hours of PE practicing her swimming while we were on vacation. I mean, if she wasn't eating/sleeping, she was swimming. I see a marked improvement in her techniques. She has also been practicing on her new roller blades rec'd for her birthday. Our home is now a residential skating rink!



5 - Character Training. I say this loosely. She's obeying more. Things like going to bed when told, brushing teeth (most of the time), feeding the dog or picking up toys. Especially this week. We started a new calendar of chores (yes mom & dad have chores too.) She's done hers faithfully without argument each day. She is so headstrong so its a constant battle for obedience. We're still working on it but I guess with age comes a bit of maturity. Praying it continues.



15 year old:
1 - Social Studies/Character Studies. Volunteering. She has been a volunteer camp worker for 7 weeks this summer. Working in the kitchen, cleaning dishes, working the snack shop, providing outdoor games, helping with activities, doing odd cleaning jobs. She's developed a better tolerance for younger children (maybe it will help her when it comes to her sister.) She's learned discipline, dependability, punctuality and grace. This was a big summer of growing up for her.

2 - Bible. This has been the summer that she has embraced reading a bible and keeping notes. She enjoys bible studies; we've 'caught' her on several occasions off on her own reading it. It's really a blessing. An answer to prayer. I need to follow her lead and read mine more regularly.

We start school on Monday. I'm hoping to keep a bit of the 'fun learning' like we had this summer, ingrained into our normal homeschooling plans. Wish us luck.