Just About 3/4 Done With Our School Year!

I love this time of year, we start to finish up some classes, and get more free time for fun stuff.  Plus, it is warm outside, gardening, pool, hiking and springs are on our mind, not textbooks, lol.  Caitlin has finished up her Spanish, for this year.  She is 90% finished reading her History book, then we get to start some of the fun activities, which I will be sure to share for all of you.  DJ finished up Driver Ed, and Digital Design, some time ago.  He has writers block about half way through his second book, yes I said his second book.  So, I think I will be supplementing that time with Biology labs, plus he is reading the first Percy Jackson book to his sister.  A couple weeks ago, Caitlin and I finished reading, The Yearling.  Now, I will not say it was the most exciting book, it was not, and it took us a while to read, mostly because of the slang language.  I really wanted to sound like they would have, lol.  However, it was an amazing coming to age book, and though I had predicted pretty early on the ending, I still was shocked, and horrified.  You will just have to read it to see what I mean.  Classical literature is very often not that exciting, I find, but the lessons taught are really amazing.  DJ, and I read,  To Kill A Mockingbird, last year, not his favorite by far.  But, I loved it, a little slow, but so worth the read.  Now, I am reading the sequel which moves quite a bit faster.  Don't expect me to have it done anytime soon, I am notorious for reading three to four books at any one time.  I know, crazy, done it my whole life though.  I think I will have DJ read it for next year.  Speaking of next year, it is time to start thinking about it.  For DJ, I think the only two things we have completely agreed on is Saxon Geometry, and the next class in the Digital Design certificate classes, on FLVS.  Most likely he will also do World History, on FLVS, as well.  That saves me both money and time.  For Caitlin, I think I will also stick with Saxon Math, and she will use 7/6.  I am going to skip 6/5 and move right to 7/6.  She has improved greatly, and she will be in 7th grade, so she will be at grade level.  I used Saxon Math, when I was in school, so I am very comfortable with the layout and lessons.  That is what we have been up to, Monday we are going on a family field trip, should be fun!

We Survived the First Week but More Hands On Means Less Time for Other Stuff

We made it through the first week, and it went really well.  DJ has taken to his two FLVS classes, without difficulty.  Though he did say the Digital Design is kind of hard.  I reminded him that, that subject is all new to him and can not expect to learn it over night.  Caitlin has settled in more for her second week, not so much drama.  Her, and I, are doing a lot of hands on together work, this year.  I feel like she kind of got neglected last year, and am giving her extra teacher attention this year.  We are currently reading, The Yearling, together.  Some homeschoolers love this book, others hate it.  We are on chapter 4, and I love it.  At first she said it was boring, but now she is getting into it.  Because, the book takes place in rural Florida, we get a kick out of some of the language, and descriptions of where they live.  We discuss vocabulary words, and what is happening as we go along.  I think this will really benefit her, and me a lot.  Plus, sometime this year we can visit the Marjorie Keenan Rollins museum, which will be fun.  I don't know if I spelled her name right, too tired to look it up.

I will be doing a post later this week, that will be all supplemental work for a 3rd grader.  A friend of mine asked me to help her find some resources, so I thought I would share it here for all my readers too.  There is tons of info on this blog, but if you don't have to search for it, that is nice too. 

We did get to walk today, using our Charity Miles, apps, so that was nice.  It rained all last week, but one day.