7 days and counting!

School time is right around the corner!

I spent the day printing out worksheets and lesson plans. I have almost everything I need for the next 3 weeks and a few things done all the way through 5 weeks.

I'm really debating whether I should order the timeline kit I found online, or just try to tough it out and print the stuff I need myself. It's going to be really time consuming tracking down all those items, plus the paper and the ink. And I don't have color ink, so that'll cost some money. In the end, it's cheaper to just order the kit!

I also have all the books I need for school sitting here in the RV, stacked in piles everywhere. I'm going to need to dig out the grade 6 math books soon. The kids are excited about that.

So now I just need to put my thoughts in order and figure out the best way to get us through the school day without getting frustrated with each other. I want to change up the way we do some things and I'm hoping it works out.

We'll just have to wait and see.

Getting organized, printer is humming!

I got myself a little better organized today.

I put together a filing system so I could keep track of my worksheets and lessons and such. I don't have quite enough file folders, but I know I can dig some up from some where.

I managed to print out most of the first day's work.

I'm still trying to decide on the schedule and how I want the day to flow. And I'm trying to figure out how much time we really need to schedule for each subject. I'm thinking we'll just wing it the first week or two to see where we need to be and which direction we need to go.

But I'm glad I got started on all the printing. It's going to be a long process. I want to be a month ahead! We'll see what happens.

The Overworked Mind

My brain is feeling a bit frazzled now.

I've been working on getting lessons in order, putting them on the calendar, trying to make everything fit and mesh well with everything else we'll be working on this year.

I still feel like I have a lot to do, even though I really don't have much to do. I'm still trying to figure out how to mesh the Bible and History lessons. I really need to get those books from Amazon, but I'm having to wait. I'm hoping I can get them through inter-library loan.

And then I just need to start printing lessons, pulling reading books, sorting art supplies, and just basically getting ready to go.

I'm exited and anxious to get going. There's so much I want to share with the kids! So many books to read! My lists just keep getting longer and longer...

But. I'm determined to enjoy these last couple weeks of August break. I'm going to relax, work on some crafts, sewing projects, maybe some photography, and some reading.

The Well Trained Mind

I just got this book yesterday. I've already read a third of it. I couldn't put it down.

I really, really wish someone had given me this book when my children were still babies. I would have done things differently.

The idea of a classical education appeals to me greatly. And I'm glad I got this book now instead of three weeks from now! I have time to play with my scheduling and selections for the next school year! I plan to make a few changes for sure, hopefully adding a few new ideas to the mix every few months or so.

I want the kids to really fall in love with learning. And I'm hoping this book will help me.

I want them to enjoy seeking knowledge. I want them to enjoy learning. I want it to be a lifelong lesson.

I'm going to have to purchase this book. I'll be adding it to my Amazon list, and putting it on my Christmas list!

I've gone link crazy!

I spent 2 hrs this morning posting all the links I'll be using this coming school year. And I only posted the major ones, not all the little ones for individual lessons! Or any of my "links" links! I hope someone gets some use out of it.

I woke up early this morning. It felt nice to be awake as the sun was coming up. It's been awhile.

So today I'll finish up the reading lists. I need to start putting them in the order I want to read them, and start locating them.

And until my AOP lifepacs come in, I'm pretty much done. I'm sure I'll keep going over stuff, reading books and lessons. I do need to start refining the outline for the first couple months. Actually put the lessons together, resources, field trips, experiments, etc. That should take up about a week. And then I plan to use those weeks off ever 8-9 weeks to get working on the next set of lessons. I hope I can stay on top of this and not get lazy!

I'm thinking, if I can get the kids "caught up" to grade level, I might purchase more curriculum for 2008-09, instead of trying to do it all myself. Especially as K will be entering "middle school" and some of those subjects are going to get tough. A premade curriculum might be a good idea. I'd really like to get them the online type of curriculum. That'd be awesome. Way less paper around here!

That's my goal for today. Better get going.

Just - about - DONE!!!

I'm almost finished with all the outlines for the coming school year. I'm so excited to be finished!

I worked on the reading lists again today. Went through every book. I still need to check some of the multicultural books and the bilingual books, and I put together some lists of poetry books. The poetry is going to be fun.

I'm still waiting for the AOP books to get here so I can finish Bible/History/Art.
I think I'm also going to study music in the same chronological order.

And then I just need to finalize some science lessons.

Once that is all done, I can start locating the books I'll need and make copies of the worksheets I need and printouts for the first 3 months. Cake walk from there!

Step into Reading...

So many books. So little time!

Today I worked on the reading lists (among other things) and found a wealth of information. There are so many reading lists out there. I finally decided on 3 regular lists, 1 for classics, 1 for Charlotte Mason books, 1 for Multi-cultural books, and 2 for summer reading books.

I printed them all out by grade level, sorted them, 3-hole punched them, put them in my binder and used my nifty file tab punch to make some tabs so I know what's where.

I also printed out 3 or 4 different journal prompt lists and spelling lists for grades 3-5. That's a lot of paper!

And they are all in my binder and ready to go. I'm so proud of what I've accomplished today. And that's not all!

I also started going through the reading lists and looking the books up on Amazon to see what they were about. Only one of the lists actually gave me a summary of the book. Another list gave me the genre. I made it through 3rd and 4th grade books and am working on the 5th grade books. I also printed the 6th grade list, and I went ahead and printed all the Charlotte Mason selections through grade 12.

I'm going to have a hard time selecting books! There are so many I'd like to read myself!

I think I'm going to select certain books to read aloud with the lessons for that particular subject. I found some books about the Revolutionary War, some about inventors, things like that. So when we study those, I'll have some books we can read that fit in.

And then I'll have a list of books the kids can read during their 20-min a day. Plus they'll get extra credit if they do a book report. (Once I teach them how to do those!) I'm hoping these books will stir up some interest in them, and they'll want to read more on their own. That's the ultimate goal!

For the most part, the plan is to find as many of these as possible at the library. But I know I won't be able to find them all, so I'm keeping an eye out on Amazon to see what they run. A lot of these books, I noticed, I can get for less than a buck plus $3.99 shipping! That's not bad. But I think I'm also going to shop some of the used book stores around here and see what I can dig up. Some of the more costly books will go on the Christmas list.

I'd like to join the Paperback Swap website, but I don't have any books I can list to swap with anybody! All my books are back in MI sitting in storage. The only books I have with me here are the ones we need for school and my costuming books. And a couple Jane Austen books. Nothing that can go.

Oh well.