New School Year -- Launched and Rolling

 

We officially started our new school year on Monday!

 

Adam - First Day of First Grade - 8/27/12

 

Ray - First Day of Second Grade - 8/27/12

Our Classroom
We got new desks and rolling chairs from *IKEA*

Our new prayer corner and morning work center

We start our school day before Daddy leaves for work.
We pray together and say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Then we do some recitation work -- Poetry and Spanish.
After that, the boys complete their morning workbooks.

 

The morning workbooks include calendar and weather work,
number of the day, liturgical seasons and feast days
(and/or holidays, birthdays, etc), and also some journal space.

This year our coursework is a bit more intense, especially for Ray.
Much more seatwork.
And school will last later in the day.
We're still getting used to the new schedule.

My planning binder

This is what keeps us on track.

Each two-page spread has one week on it.

I add lesson plans, dinner menus, appts, etc.

It contains daily checklists as well as monthly goals

and yearly objectives.

 

This year we're practicing reading and language arts skills by using a different storybook each week. The first two weeks we're doing Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel. The boys made these cute stick puppets and they'll be putting on Frog and Toad puppet shows next week.

My mom called on the first day of school to tell us she was bringing lunch over. (So sweet!) When she called we had just finished reading the Frog and Toad story, "The Lost Button." I asked mom to bring over some buttons and we helped the boys practice sewing them onto some fabric. (When I went down to my scrap fabric bin, I just happened to have some frog fabric!) This was such a fun impromptu lesson extension! These kinds of things are one of the greatest gifts and benefits of homeschooling.

 Another new addition for this school year ---- a really cool keyboard. It's on loan to us from Pappy and Mary. The boys are loving it. Our music time is definitely more lively now!

 

In case you're wondering, we are continuing to use the Core Knowledge Curriculum. We follow the grade two objectives for both boys for Science, History, Music, Art, and Health. Each of the boys follows his own grade level objectives for Language Arts, Reading, Handwriting, Phonics, and Math. I use resources from several different companies for their textbooks. Many of their texts come from Catholic Heritage Curriculum. We supplement with  A LOT of library books and resources found online. We are enrolled in the homeschool branch of our parish religious education program and we're eager to begin preparations for Ray's First Holy Communion.

 

We have submitted our academic plan to our school district and it has been approved by the superintendent. At the end of the school year the boys will take the CAT (California Achievement Test) and they will meet with a certified teacher for assessment and portfolio review. We will submit test results and teacher assessment verification to the school district next summer.

 

It is such a blessing for me to be able to teach my boys. I am very thankful for this opportunity. We all work hard and learn a lot from each other every day.

 

Finally, the view from our school room window.....

 

We've got a new window sticker depicting the Holy Spirit. Along with our friends from our homeschool group, we're praying the Prayer of the Holy Spirit this year. We ask Him for His Grace and Strength each day as we learn and grow together.

Come Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.