The Past 70 Days....

We have completed 70 days of our current school year. I am at a evaluation point in our year where I want to get rid of somethings that aren't working and add or keep other things that are going well. Since we are heading into the holiday season we have a shorter stretches between our breaks....3 weeks on, 1 week off from now until after Christmas before we go back to 4 on, 1 off for the rest of the year.

Language arts:

• The Explode the Code books are not working. Neither boys are really into them, and neither am I.
• The Little Critter based, Spectrum Phonics work book seems to be working for Cale for intermittent use
• Cale is beginning to work through the phonograms; and so far our system of one per day, using our magnetic letters to form numerous words and then read through that particular section in our Words! Lapbook for review seems to be working great.
• I plan on using the remaining Words are Categorical books as we work through the parts of speech and creative writing
• Rylan needs practice in reading aloud. And I am still in search of a chapter books he will be more willing to read on his own. He's probaby right at about a 3 RL but needs to improve on his decoding and speed (and attitude!)

Math:

• While I like the mathematics program we have been using for Rylan, I think I am going to stop the workbooks for the next few weeks. He would be starting the multiplication book, but I think we will work through the initial facts using the smaller sheets and beads and other manipulatives for a few weeks, while also reviewing some of the stuff he's learned in the past.
• Same as above for Cale. We will work through his basic addition without a workbook and then I will reevaluate and see if I want to purchase a math curriculum for him then.
• I want to spend more time on money and time for both boys. Cale for adding coins, Rylan for making change.
• I also want to add more living math. I have come across a lot of neat ideas in the past few weeks but haven't had the extra time read through or try them out.

Science/SS:

• MORE!! We have been seriously lacking in these subjects lately and I am really missing our projects and unit studies. And if I could get myself focused I would really like to pull a huge unit together....we all really enjoyed our study on the human body last year and I would like to do something like that again. I am thinking airplanes/air ships- based on the books they have been choosing at the library: Airplane Alphabet Book, The Glorious Flight, and The Hindenburg

Art:

• I would like to do another artist study. My plan was to do one a month but that hasn't happened. I have had the pictures ready to do one on Matisse for a month or more but haven't gotten to putting the rest together.

Now I just have to get all that out of my head and into action....