SIxth Week Review and Reflect

Six weeks have gone by already in our Fall school semester! For the most part everything has been going according to plan. The way I have scheduled things we are never behind, it happens this way when you follow the child right?  Keeping faith is often hard task to do and I have to keep telling myself that indeed " the children will reveal themselves" just like Dr. Montessori observed.

Michelle has become fond of home schooling as the weeks have progressed. I thought I would be doing more deschooling things with her. One of the things that I was doing was involving her in our group lessons that are mainly designed around some upper elementary Montessori work. Mainly work that was not introduced to her before during her time attending public school. Like the Time Line of Life work and lots of the culture work. Yea! for the Montessori Method understanding that the young mind is so absorbent and capable of  grasping higher levels of thinking. Well, Michelle has come to me to see if she can learn more about history during Modern times on her own. It just so happens that I have been looking at a few things over at Pandia Press. They sell the History Odyssey and the R.E.A.L Science Curriculum.
                       
Looks like Michelle will be learning the Modern Ages(1850-present)

 We will be doing the readings together but all of the other work she can complete independently.

 I really like the teacher guide and how with all of the recommendations Michelle can earn half of credits for high school in literature, history and geography. The course is designed to be completed in 36 weeks, that isn't too bad since we school year round.                                                

While I was over there I found a real gem of a chemistry program.

 Ken and DJ are going to love this. They get to mix things up, have their own science binder, and definitely learn the documentation that science offers. Another thing that I love about this is there is plenty of room to add some Montessori inspired work in. We will be just doing two lessons a week. We are ditching zoology and botany lessons as a group, but of course DJ will still be doing zoology:)  If this unit works out for us we will be doing R.E.A. L. Science Biology when we complete chemistry.

The best thing about adding in these materials is that at Pandia Press you can try it for free before you buy it. That was a relief ! After sharing this with the kids I am excited to see how this all works out this week.    

*** When I originally posted this I failed to mention that Michelle will also be adding in Biology as soon as the materials arrive.

Another thing that Michelle has been glowing about is our Art lessons. Can you believe that she went the last two years in school without an Art class?  I am so glad that Meet the Masters has been working out for her. Our next artist is Piet Mondrian.

  This is a great program and if I would just follow the directions it would be even better:)      

Write Shop has really improved Ken and DJ's writing and their stories are developing everyday. Using Freedom Writers hasn't worked for Michelle maybe it would if it was a book club that we hoped to have, but we don't so Latin has been more of her focus for now. Speaking of Latin it has been very demanded lately, especially on the weekends, it might be the catchy tunes. Also with History Odyssey Michelle will get into writing a year long research paper.

Maths have been great!  Grammar has been fun and I'll be able to report how All About Spelling how worked out once we get further into it.                                                                                                                            
                
The next few weeks we will probably move on to the next Great Lesson "The Coming of Man". From there they will explore the fundamental needs of man, the Native American culture and then to the Ancient civilizations. The Story of Writing and Numbers will go perfect with the History of Odyssey Ancient curriculum.

Our Project Time has been going well too, in fact we have to move the projects to the dining room. I am still preparing the area, but as soon as it is done or almost done I will share.

                                        Happy Schooling!!