September Review

My September goal was to write little notes in my boys lunch pails.  I started off strong.  I kept a little basket on my kitchen island with important school papers, a joke book, and things like that.  But then I was cleaning up one afternoon and put everything away so I forgot about the little notes.  I am going to put the basket back on the island right now!  Besides, it matches perfectly!!  Thanks for the reminder Sarah Mae!

September has been great!  I had to modify some of our workload for Sissy.  For instance I had 2 spelling programs, okay make that 3...what was I thinking?

We have just completed our devotional In the Flower of Youth and were challenged by some of the applications suggested; like kindness to your siblings, would you feel comfortable letting your parents read your diary, and writing a poem to God.

She is working her way through Total Language Plus for Anne of Green Gables.  The program is a little slow moving so she reads for about 30 minutes and then works on that days lesson.  I decided to let her read the series because she reads faster than the programs allotment.  She is giggling her way through the 2nd book in the series; Anne of Avonlea.

We finally got Spanish somewhat settled.  I choose the Bob Jones program- which is not very teacher friendly.  I bought the CD's (cha-ching) and we are making muddling our way through this high school level coarse.

Science is botany.  I had to search high and low for an advanced program for an 8th grader.  I am pleased with our books; Botany Adventure and I also purchased The Botany Coloring Book-which is a very advanced learning tool.  It is really cool.  We borrowed a microscope and are onto sprouting seeds and classifying, and learning new terminology.

I can't say enough about the Mystery of History!  Oh, if I had known about this curriculum years ago.  It is so comprehensive and functional for various learning styles and it has oodles of variety of research and digging deeper.  Love, love, love it!

The other book I am taken with is Themes in Literature from A Beka.  It has richly varied excerpts of good literature, short stories, poems, essays and plays from some of the finest writers of the world.  Selections reflect Christian principles with an emphasis on character-building and life-enriching themes.  I read this aloud and then we discuss the lesson and then she will have some kind of responsive writing.

We are enjoying each other's company and I am thrilled to have this one-on-one time with her.

The boys are genuinely excited about school (pheww).  My little guy comes home with a smile and my eldest loaded down with homework but challenged in a good way.   I am enticed to see what October will bring!

Blessings,
E.W.