Saturday, July 15, 2017

Zoe's 3rd Grade Required Reading List


Zoe's Required Reading List for 3rd Grade



1. The Trumpet of the Swan* E. B. White

2. Island of the Blue Dolphin* Scott O' Dell

3. Mr. Popper's Penguins Richard & Florence Atwater

4. Bud, Not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis

5. The Indian in the Cupboard Lynne Reid

6. Charlotte's Web E. B. White

7. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe C. S. Lewis

8. Pippi Longstocking Astrid Lindgren

9.  Anne of Green Gables L. M. Montgomery

10. The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett

11. Julie of the Wolves Jean Craighead George

12.Bridge to Terabithia  Katherine Paterson

13.  Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L'Engle

14. Harriet the Spy Louise Fitzhugh

15. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH* Robert C. O'Brien

16. The Egypt Game Zilpha Keatley Snyder

17. Mary Poppins P. L. Travers

18. The Witch of Blackbird Pond* Elizabeth George Speare

*These books with the star were on Grace or Cian's 4th or 5th grade list and will need to be replaced when she gets to those grades. 
Update:The ones crossed out she didn't get read and will be moved to her 4th or 5th grade list.

Plus, a weekly book for our last 6 girls of the American Girl studies adds 36 more required books.

Monday, July 10, 2017

A Look at our 3 year-old Preshool Curriculum Choices

Fionn's: We use confessionofahomeschooler's LOTW- that is what is in the totes. I also have a mathematical reasoning, pre-K logic, and a Kumon Let's Cut Paper! that are not pictured I'm going to try and include this year also.

A Look at our 1st Grade Curriculum Choices

(Ellie's)

A Look at our 3rd Grade Curriculum Choices

(Zoe is also going to do year 2 of our American Girl studies this year too and I forgot to photo it.)

A Look at our 6th Grade Curriculum Choices

(Half of Cian's lit books are not pictured)

A Look at our 8th Grade Curriculum Choices

(Most of her books for Lit are not pictured)

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Cian's 6th Grade Required Reading List

I took Grace's 6th Grade Reading List (click here), and adapted it for Cian. We dropped one book and he wanted to not do the Drawn Into the Heart of Reading genres this year, so I added more books. He also has 3 classics that are part of his Language Arts (MCT) program and those 3 are in here too.


Cian's Required Reading List for 6th Grade


1. Amos Fortune, Free Man Elizabeth Yates

2. Across Five Aprils  Irene Hunt

3. The Red Badge of Courage Stephen Crane

4. Wonderful Wizard of Oz Baum 

5. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Taylor 

6. Crispin: The Cross of Lead Avi

7. The One and Only Ivan Katherine Applegate

8. Number the Stars Lois Lowry

9. Hatchet Gary Paulsen

10. Whipping Boy Sid Fleischman

11. The Westing Game Ellen Raskin

12. The Phantom Tollbooth Norton Juster

13. Holes Louis Sachar

14. The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien

15. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain

16. The Adventures of Robin Hood Roger Lancelyn Green

17. White Fang Jack London


MCTLA Required Reading:

18. The Time Machine H.G. Wells

 19. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Mark Twain

 20. A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens

Monday, June 5, 2017

Summer Goals 2017

IMPORTANT UPDATE- Brian and I went to lunch today as our 15 year anniversary was yesterday. It reminded me that last summer, we made goals to do couple things last summer on our summer goals and they didn't happen! This summer, I'm determined to try again! Here are two simple goals that I hope we can do:
1. Go out to dinner just the two of us
2. Go to a movie


Each summer Brian and I do a one-on-one thing with each child. Ever since Cian was born back in 2009, we've made one-on-one times a priority. As we grew to a family of 5 kids, arguably, it's even more important. We decided about 5 years ago when Ellie was a baby to make it a point to EACH do something special with EACH kiddo. Every summer, I post that list on my blog and enjoy marking when we've done them. (I like lists, what can I say, lol!) We also have them do one that is free and one that is paid too on their one-on-one goals.

Family Fun Goals:

1. Go bowling as a family
2. Go see Despicable Me 3 as a family
3. Go see fireworks
4. Mom take the older kids to a summer $1 movie at the theater
5. Go play mini-golf & get Cherry Berry frozen yogurt 

Grace 

Grace & Mom-  Go see Kidnap movie

Grace & Dad- Go biking

Cian

Cian & Mom- go see Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul movie  ⇃  6/7/17


Cian & Dad- go see Cars 2 (free one!)  ⇃  6/25/17 See a blogger's post about it here: http://thekrazycouponlady.com/2017/05/17/free-movie-ticket-to-cars-3-nice-deal-on-coppertone-at-target

Brian doesn't have a smart phone, so it's kinda blurry ;)


Zoe

Zoe & Mom- see Emily in Mama Mia

Zoe & Dad- yearly tradition of getting shaved ice


Ellie

Ellie & Mom- go see Beauty & the Beast at the theatre ⇃ 6/10/17

Ellie & Dad- go to get shaved ice


Fionnuala 

Fionnuala and Mom- go eat Pizza Hut

Fionnuala and Dad- go to the playground

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Subjects 2017-2018

Here's a look at our subjects for 2017 - 2018.



A few changes I've made for this year:


  • Zoe & Ellie are going to wait one more year before starting La Clase Divertida 1. They have quite a few subjects each and there's no rush for it to be this year.
  • Cian is going to do a history separate from Grace. She's getting into their high school series and I prefer he wait to do them for 8th and high school also. He's going to do a new program I found that is like a Catholic version of Story of the World. I also love that it has a book, CDs of stories (I plan to have us listen to them on the way to tumbling class), and a DVD video review of each chapter. Zoe & Ellie will be doing it also, but not taking the middle school tests.
  • I'm going to drink the "Kool-Aid" and try IEW writing. I have friends that love it, but I run screaming from anything Classical style. I stumbled across a high school college prep literature series that come to find out, the IEW uses for their literature also. I guess it can't be that bad if a program I am so excited about uses it also. Cian hates writing. I was worried the repetitive nature of the IEW program would figuratively kill him, but I'm willing to try anything at this point. The child works multiple grade levels above on many subjects, but heaven forbid he has to write multiple paragraphs. One day the kids were given a skip subject pass of their choice, he did the history assignments, completed a multi-page study guide for science, and chose to skip writing a creative writing paragraph! I like that IEW can be taught to multiple ages at the same time, which I definitely have, and am going to bite the bullet and give it a sip...I mean try.
  • Grace will be in 8th grade, but starting many of her high school courses for credit.


2017-2018 Subjects


Grace – 8th Grade

Religion – Be My Disciples Jr. High: 1st semester: Liturgy, 2nd semester: Life in Christ 
Religion – The Story of the Bible – Volume 1
*Math-   Thinkwell Algebra 1
Math- Mathematical Reasoning
Grammar-  Easy Grammar Ultimate Series – Grade 8
Vocabulary- Wordly Wise 3000 Book 8
Vocabulary- Vocabulary from Classic Roots both A & B
Poetry- 
The Secret Code of Poetry
*English/Literature/Composition- Excellence in Literature – English 1
Writing- IEW – SWI - B
*Science- DIVE ICP with Physical Science – Concepts in Action with Earth & Space
History- Light to the Nations I
Geography- Map Skills G
*Spanish- Rosetta Stone Homeschool – HS Spanish I
Critical Thinking- Test Prep SAT Vocab
Critical Thinking- Fallacy Detective
Arts Instruction- Drama classes
PE- Tumbling & Dance classes
Music- Piano & Voice Lessons



*High School courses for high school credit



Cian – 6th Grade

Religion – Image of God 6
Religion – The Story of the Bible – Volume 1
Math-   Singapore Math 6A & 6B
Math- Mathematical Reasoning
Math- Math Detective A1 (2nd half)
Grammar- Michael Clay Thompson Grammar of Literature & 4Practice for Literature

Vocabulary- MCTLA Vocabulary of Literature
Vocabulary- Wordly Wise 3000 Book 6
Poetry- MCT LA: Poetry of Literature
Spelling – Building Spelling Skills 6
Literature -  6th Grade Book List & MCTLA Classics: Time Trilogy set
Reading Comprehension - Reading Detective A1 (all)
Writing- IEW – SWI - B
Writing-
MCTLA Writing for Literature (reading only due to using IEW also)
Typing- Typing CD-ROM
Science- Behold and See 6
History- The Story of Civilization I
Social Studies- Daily Skill Builders 5-6th grade
Social Studies- Core Skills Social Studies – Grade 6
Geography- Maps, Charts & Graphs F
Spanish- Rosetta Stone Homeschool version a couple times a week
Health- Choosing Good Health
Critical Thinking- Building Thinking Skills Level 2 (finish any lessons left)

Critical Thinking- Fallacy Detective
Music- World’s Greatest Composers
Music- Piano Lessons
Arts Instruction- Drama classes &  Homeschool Art class
PE- Tumbling & Dance classes



Zoe – 3rd Grade

Religion – Faith in Life 3 & Gospel Treckers books 
Religion – The Story of the Bible – Volume 1
Math-   Teaching Textbooks 4
Math- Mathematical Reasoning
Math- Kumon Word Problems 3
Grammar- Easy Grammar 3
Spelling– Building Spelling Skills 3
Reading- 3rd Grade Reading List with Book Reports
Reading- Portraits of American Girlhood Year 2
Reading Comprehension – Reading Detective ¾ (1/2 of it)
Reading Comprehension – Reading Comprehension for Young Catholics
Vocabulary- Wordly Wise 3000 Grade 3 
Writing- IEW – SWI – B (supplement with Level A worksheets per website as needed)
Handwriting – D’Nealian Handwriting Cursive ABC Book
Science- Behold & See 3
Science- Core Skills Science Grade 3
History- The Story of Civilization I
Social Studies- Daily Skill Builders 3-4th grade
Social Studies- Core Skills Social Studies – Grade 3
Geography- DK Geography 3 
Geography- MAPS, Charts & Graphs C
Health- Health, Safety, and Manners 3
Health- Health for Young Catholics
Critical Thinking- Building Thinking Skills CD Level 1
Music- World’s Greatest Composers

Music- Piano lessons
Arts Instruction- Drama classes & Homeschool Art class
PE- Tumbling & Dance classes



Ellie – 1st Grade

Religion- Be My Disciples 1
Religion – The Story of the Bible – Volume 1
Phonics- Pearson Phonics B?
Grammar- 180 days of Language 1st Grade
Reading Comprehension – Time Comprehension & Critical Thinking Grade 1
Spelling– Building Spelling Skills 1
Vocabulary- Wordly Wise A & Vocabulary Tales
Handwriting- D’Nealian Grade 1
Journaling- K-2 writing prompts
Science- Behold & See 1
Math- Horizons Math 1
Math- Mathematical Reasoning
History- The Story of Civilization I
Social Studies – Core Skills Grade 1
Geography- DK Geography 1
Geography- Maps, Charts & Graphs A
Health- Health, Safety, and Manners 1
Critical Thinking- Kumon Logic K & up
Critical Thinking- Mind Benders CD
Music- World’s Greatest Composers
Arts Instruction- Drama classes & Homeschool Art class 
PE- Tumbling & dance classes
Virtues books & random phonics workbooks

 Fionn – 3-year-old Preschool

Religion – Image of God – Preschool A
Religion – The Story of the Bible – Volume 1
Letter of the Week Preschool Curriculum
Reading – CVC word games and phonic readers
Handwriting- D’Nealian Handwriting for Preschoolers Book 1 & 2
Math- Mathematical Reasoning
Critical Thinking- Kumon Pre-K Logic
Kumon Let's Sticker and Paste
Kumon Let's Cut Paper
PE- Tumbling & Dance classes

Random Getting Ready for Kindergarten workbooks across this and K4 year