Homeschool Portfolios Part 3

I hope everyone had an awesome 4th of July! The 4th DJ turned 12, and on the 5th my husband turned 42. We had a small party, just a few friends, and my mom. I made the Xmen cake using cupcakes. If you ever need to make a cake, that you do not have a pan for, cupcakes are very easily made into any object imaginable. One of the ladies in our homeschool group made a pony, with all cupcakes for her daughter's birthday. Cool! I have been super busy this week, and next week too. Then maybe I can actually take the month of August off. LOL I don't think so! I have to get the curriculum scribbled on and fixed how I want it. I have it printed, but have not gone through them yet. I did just finish both kids portfolios for their evaluations next Thursday. So, this is part 3 choosing your work and putting it together. The other two parts are in the archives. You go through all their papers, and take small samples from throughout the year. Then you put them in some kind of notebook, or folder. Some people make fancy, fancy ones, I don't have the time or patience for any of that. This is Caitlin's in the love notebook. You can see some of the examples of samples. I try to pick real good ones, and then ones where she didn't do so good, but showed improvement over time. The same with DJ. My hole puncher died, and since I don't feel like buying another. I took the papers out of a flex folder and put all his in there. So, there are no images of his. Each child also takes a book, of their choice, to read part to the evaluator, and writing samples. Because DJ's is on his blog, I provide the address to Ms Sherri for her to review. That is it. How to make a homeschool portfolio in Florida, easy peasy.

Now, that those are done, we need to tackle the 4H scrapbook. All the pictures are in, and it needs to be put together. It is due July 2oth, so it needs to be done. DJ has a sleepover birthday party next Thursday. He has never slept over anywhere, except when his sister was born, at least not without me. I am a little nervous, but he is after all 12, and pretty mature for his age. I guess I will be OK. Monday is our first meeting for our Earth's Kids Club group. We have five families so far, and maybe six. If anyone in the Trenton area reads this, and wants to join an educational group, contact me and I will get you the info. We are going to have a blast! I am very excited about this.

Well that is it. I hope everyone has an awesome weekend, and the Xmen cupcake cake is the Food on Friday tip too. Bye!

4H Scrapbook, and End of School Year

Even with all the fun stuff we did this year, we are finishing nicely. Matter of fact both kids will have completed several books in the next few weeks. We don't officially go on Summer break until June 10th. Not all books will be completed. I carry them over to the next year for each child. But, they get other lessons besides just the textbooks. DJ will have Science and Math textbook not completed by June, but he will do a chapter of Math each day over the summer. His Science book will be carried over to next year. Since he did photography and Entomology, plus the National Zoo curric. these all count as Science for him. They have both worked very hard and have earned some much needed time off. Caitlin is reading independently now, and already knows her sight words for next year. She has to learn to spell them though, lol! Over the summer she will also focus on Math, mainly memorizing simple addition and subtraction facts, time and money. She currently uses a number line and fingers for adding and subtracting. I might even introduce a little multiplication, not sure. We have also decided to continue our weekly education co-op over the summer months. We will be done volunteering, until the Fall, and playdates will be limited also. I need a break. 4H will also be over, for meetings and such, have the annual dinner and our group dinner over the summer. Speaking of 4H DJ is the Historian, which means he is responsible to do the yearly Scrapbook. I do not intend to spend a fortune on this, so if anyone has some ideas I am open to them. I think I have come up with one, but my ears are open. We have never done a scrapbook before, and no it can't be digital, I already asked. I have to get all the pictures and print them off, first. Plus DJ and I have to go through all his pictures to get them set up in the lesson book, to be turned into 4H by June. Plus the bug book, and Caitlin's rabbit book. Oh man! I am checking into starting an Earthkids group for our area. This is still very new and needs some investigating.