What TS 1 Has Been Up To

As you may have read, I'm sharing about what each of our test subjects have been up to so far this year.  You can read all about TS 2's year so far here and TS 3's here.  This week is is TS 1's turn in the spotlight.  TS 1 is in sixth grade, and we are using the following curricula as part of our Classical Christian/Charlotte Mason style homeschool.

Humanities Core:

Includes History, Geography, Church History, Music and Art Appreciation

Tapestry of Grace, Year 2, Units 3 & 4

Language Arts

Growing with Grammar Level 6 (Grammar)

Following Narnia: Writing Lessons in Structure and Style (Composition)A Reason for Handwriting, Letter F  (Cursive Practice)

Math:

Complete Math-U-See Epsilon Level and Begin Zeta Level

Science:

Apologia: Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology

Bible:

Apologia: Who is God?

Foreign Language:

Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America)- Homeschool Edition

Keyboarding:

Typing Instructor for Kids

Art/Music/PE/Sci, SS or Lit Enrichment:

Activities within Tapestry of Grace
Weekly Piano Lessons

Weekly Homeschool Co-op (PE, Art and U.S. Government and Elections Class)

Community Sports (Baseball and Basketball)

This year, I decided to try TS 1 in the Dialectic level of TOG.  He is a sixth grader this year, which is the first year that TOG recommends trying the Dialectic Level of the curriculum.  Since TS 1 enjoys history and is a fairly quick reader, I thought he might be able to handle this level.  The difference between the Dialectic level and the level he was on last year (Upper Grammar) is that in addition to learning important facts about people and events, the student is also challenged to make and articulate connections across events, people and countries.  Moving up to the Dialectic level has turned out to be the right decision for TS 1.  He is enjoying history more than ever before!  The amount of reading has not been overwhelming and he is so curious and interested in the content.  We are having a discussion of the content and the connections across the different readings and events at the end of each week plan.  We both really enjoy these discussions, but we have had to spread them out over two days because they are quite lengthy.  I can't really express in words just how delighted I am to see TS 1 enjoying history, to see it coming alive for him.  This was one of the subjects that had been so dry and lifeless for him in school, so to see this change makes my homeschooling mama heart happy :)

(What?  Doesn't everybody do their math hanging off the couch???)

TS 1  finished his MUS Epsilon book a few weeks ago- hurray!!!  He started right away on the Zeta level, and is moving quickly through the introductory lessons.  I seriously considered switching to a new math program for TS 1, as I am not sure MUS is the right fit for him.  However, since I had purchased the next level already, and he was not opposed to moving forward with it, we decided to bite the bullet.  Before we came to this conclusion, I researched Teaching Texbooks (looks great!) and even had him take a couple of the assessments to determine the level he would enter if we switched.  I also looked into Life with Fred (so fun!), but decided I would need to do too much supplementing with it to feel he had covered all he needed to for a full year's study.  In the end, I decided that it didn't make sense to switch now, when he is only one level away from Pre-Algebra.  If we still feel a change is in order, I think it makes more sense to do it at the end of this level than now.  Since he had already changed from a spiral math program at school to MUS, I was worried than another change now plus the change to Pre-Algebra next year just left too much opportunity for gaps in his learning.  I'm still not sure if we made the right decision, but a decision had to be made nonetheless!

Spelling Power has turned out to be a truly painless way to work on spelling a little every day.  Growing with Grammar works the same for us for grammar.  This year I added a handwriting component for TS 2 because his handwriting is quite poor.  He learned beautiful d'nealian print and manuscript in school, but he usually rushes when writing and produces sloppy work.  He is capable of much more in this area, so we are working on that this year.  He works on handwriting three times a week, and keyboarding once a week. 

(What?  Doesn't everybody do writing on their knees leaning on the chair???)

For composition, TS 1 has been working through IEW's Following Narnia curriculum.  The program is a combination of review of what he learned last year and assignments that build upon and expand the skills he already learned.  He is doing well with the curriculum and works independently on it for the most part.  If he had not completed the Student Writing Intensive last year, Following Narnia would have been much more challenging for him and labor intensive for me.  I would not recommend that one start with this curriculum if you are new to IEW unless the teacher had time to prepare for and directly teach each lesson. 

TS 2 continues to work through the first book in Apologia's worldview series, Who is God?  I am pleased with how the curriculum teaches biblical concepts plainly and clearly and then links them to real-life situations through stories and probing questions.  We use the accompanying notebook, although it is not a necessary component of the program.  It simply enhances it and makes it easier for me to be sure he is understanding and applying what he has read. 

Tom is doing science with the test subjects again this year, and they seem to be enjoying the Human Anatomy study.  They recently completed the lesson on muscles and are on to the Digestive system this week.  I have been finding you tube videos to reinforce what they are learning this year, as the content is much more detailed than last year's Astronomy study. 

TS 2 is continuing through the first level of Rosetta Stone's Latin American Spanish course.  I believe he is almost through with Level 1.  To be honest, since this is not a required elective and won't be for some years now in our state, my goals for Spanish right now are just to provide exposure to the langauge.  As a result, I haven't been as diligent as I would like in keeping tabs on his progress up to this point.  I'm working on that :)

As for all the extras, co-op  is in full swing and TS 1 is really enjoying his classes.  He is taking U.S. Government and Elections, Physical Education and Art.  Piano lessons are also going well and he performed Bizet's Habanera from Carmen a few weeks ago at co-op assembly.  He was also invited to play on the sixth grade basketball team at the school he attended through fourth grade.  Practices have already started and games begin sometime around Thanksgiving.  He is enjoying it so far!  TS 1 also participates in a weekly baseball clinic, and has learned a lot of new skills so far.

What TS 2 Has Been Up To

I thought I'd mix it up a bit this week and write about how TS 2 is doing so far this year.  (I'll write separate posts about what TS 1 and TS 3 are up to in the coming weeks.)  TS 2 is in third grade, and we are using the following curricula as part of our Classical Christian/Charlotte Mason style homeschool.

Humanities Core:

Includes History, Geography, Church History, Music and Art Appreciation

TS 2- Tapestry of Grace, Year 2, Units 3 & 4

Language Arts

TS2- Christian Light Publishing Reading, Grade 3 (Reading Comprehension)

TS2- A Reason for Handwriting, Book T (Cursive Handwriting)

TS2- Institute for Excellence in Writing: Student Writing Intensive , Level A (Composition)

TS2- First Language Lessons, Level 3 (Grammar)
TS 2- Spelling Power

Math

TS2- Math-U-See Gamma Level; Math Made Easy 3

Science:

TS 2- Apologia: Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology

Bible:

TS2- Explorer's Bible Study, Beginnings II, Jesus, My Shepherd

Foreign Language:

TS 2- Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America)- Homeschool Edition

Art/Music/PE/Sci, SS or Lit Enrichment:

Weekly Piano Lessons

Weekly Homeschool Co-op (PE, U.S. Government and Elections and Art)

Community Sports

In an earlier post, I wrote about how I decided to try TS 2 in the Upper Grammar level of TOG this year.  As it turns out, we have moved back down to the Lower Grammar level for now.   The history readings were too detailed and he was feeling lost and confused.  He seemed to be holding his own with the literature readings, but was a bit overwhelmed with the jump in the amount of reading each week.  It was not an easy decision for me, even though he is on the young side for Upper Grammar level.   In the end, I realized that my goal for history at the grammar level is to expose the kids to the big picture of the people and events of a given time period in an engaging and interesting way.  The best way to provide that experience for TS 2 right now is to stay in the Lower Grammar level.

TS 2 is flying through his MUS Gamma book.  At this point, he has learned his 0, 1, 2 and 10 times tables.  He seems to be understanding the concept of multiplication as well and is applying it successfully to simple word problems.

Spelling Power has turned out to be a truly painless way to work on spelling a little every day.

He is doing well with IEW as well.  I did not realize that the Student Writing Intensive was actually geared to 4-6 grade when I decided on it for TS 2's third grade year.  We are taking it slow and he is doing very well so far.  

We still love First Language Lessons and he has memorized Robert Louis Stevenson's poem, The Land of Nod, already.  Christian Light's Grade 3 Reader and workbook are providing a good foundation for our reading comprehension work this year.  While we read a lot in our homeschool, I still felt TS 2 needed a reading comprehension program that covered all the bases.  Using it, I feel more confident that he is working on these skills more explicitly, more completely and more often than if we just discussed his history readings each week.

TS 2 just finished his Studying God's Word book from last year for Bible.  It was a study of the doctrines of the Christian faith.  Part of his work in this book was to learn the answers to a series of 60 questions about the faith.  I am so proud of all he learned!  I'm working on a video to share.  He just started the Bible study listed above for his daily bible time, and it seems to be just right for him.

Tom is doing science with the test subjects again this year, although we have gotten off to a slow start so far.  They seem to be enjoying the Human Anatomy study and wrapped up lesson by making and eating an edible cell.  Throughout the first lesson, they loved these two videos about cells, and the information they learned in the reading was reinforced through them.  TS 2 especially seems to learn quickly when information is put to music or rhythm.

As for all the extras, co-op started a few weeks ago and TS 2 is really enjoying his classes.  Piano lessons are also going well and he will be performing a piece at co-op assembly in a few weeks.  He was invited to play on the third grade team at the school he attended for pre-k, kindergarten and first grade.  Practices start next week and games start around Thanksgiving.  He is very excited about it!

TOG for Dummies, I Mean Minimalists

Tapestry of Grace, affectionately known by its initials- TOG- here at the lab, is more than just a history program for our family.  In fact, in my 2012-2013 Curricula post, I refer to TOG as our "humanities core" since that more aptly describes how we use the curriculum.  Using TOG, we cover history, geography, fine arts, literature and church history at three learning levels- lower grammar, upper grammar and dialectic (beginning this coming school year.)  If you have ever used or even simply perused TOG, you are well aware that the curriculum can be a bit intimidating- what with all its pages per week of learning threads, reading plans, writing plans, teacher notes, etc.  It does not have to be, though.  Really, I promise! 

In this post, I want to describe how we are using TOG in our homeschool in the hopes of encouraging you who might be doubting whether you can manage this program in your homeschool.  Of course, our way is not the only way to use TOG.  It's certainly not the best way to do it either.  A friend jokingly calls me the "minimalist homeschooler" because I don't spend a great deal of time planning our lessons week to week.  Call me crazy, but I'd rather use my time and energy executing those plans!  And you know something?  By the end of the school year, we had actually completed all the lessons I had planned for, the test subjects (and I) had learned a great deal in each of the above subjects in the time period covering the Fall of Rome to the Reformation, and we all enjoyed both the content and the process. That's got to count for something, right? 


So, for what it's worth, here is how we use TOG in our homeschool: 


1.  Using the reading assignments grid from the TOG week plan, I determine the read aloud we will use and which books the test subjects will be reading in each category for the week on Sunday evenings.  Since we are only completing two of the four Year 2 units, we usually have the time to complete both the history core and in depth assignments each week as well as the literature and church history selections. (In the 2013-2014 school year, we will switch to a regular pace of one TOG year per school year, and may have to drop some of the history in depth selections at that time depending on the amount of reading assigned each week.)  Since I am a newbie to homeschooling, I simply used whatever reading resource TOG suggested for each subject area, but you can certainly make changes to book selections as you see fit.  My humble suggestion, however, would be to use the curriculum as much as possible!  Unless a book is objectionable in some way, or you know off hand of a better selection, trust the resources laid out in the week plan.  I literally spend about 15 minutes choosing and typing the assignments into my planner for the week.  Remember, save your time and energy to execute the plan not to plan the plan :)

2. We work on TOG every day of our four day week.   Even if for only 20 minutes of a read aloud and map work, or 15 minutes reading a lower grammar book, or 30 minutes reading an upper grammar core history selection.  Working through a portion of the TOG week plan each day is key to our success in navigating the curriculum without feeling overwhelmed.  On Fridays last year, we attended a co-op art class based on the art from the historical time period we were studying in TOG. 


3.  Our weekly plan usually looks something like this:

• Day 1: Read Aloud and Map Work
• We used the Story of the World selections found under the alternate resources column within the TOG curriculum fairly consistently as our read aloud last year.  We also used the SOTW maps, as I found them more teacher friendly at the lower and upper grammar levels than the TOG maps.  Some weeks we also read the suggested TOG read aloud if we had the time and interest.
• Days 2-4: History Core and In Depth Reading
• Days 5-6: Literature Reading and corresponding Student Activity page for literature
• Days 7-8: Church History Reading, Lapbooks or Timeline, Dialectic Discussion

This plan varies with the amount of reading that is actually assigned per week.  Some weeks the history reading can all be completed in a day or two and other weeks, they will stretch out for four days or so.  However, the order of the assignments- reading first then the lapbooks, timeline and discussion- always  remain the same for us.  In this way, I am able to use the lapbooks, timeline and discussion as an evaluation tool at the end of each week plan.  Of course, if you are working on a full pace- one TOG week in 4-5 days of school, you would tweak the amount of reading assigned per day.  Your week might look something like this:

• Day 1:  Read Aloud, Map Work and History Core Reading
• Day 2: History and In-Depth Reading
• Day 3: Literature Reading and Student Activity Page
• Day 4: Church History Reading, Dialectic or Rhetoric Discussion
• Day 5: Lapbooks, Timeline, Evaluations

4.  We use field trips and other real life experiences to teach without the test subjects knowing they are learning :)  There is nothing like a fun experience or natural conversation to reinforce what has been learned "in the classroom."  Last year, we learned more about Medieval Art, Architecture and Daily Life through museum visits, a trip to a Medieval feast, a unit celebration and countless dinner table conversations about the things we were learning about in TOG.  For this coming school year, I am looking forward to field trips that will provide hands on experiences with life in colonial America and the events of the Revolutionary War.  

5.  We determine our goal for TOG and used the curriculum to achieve that goal.  Last year, with only a lower grammar and an upper grammar student, my goal for our TOG studies was simple- to give the test subjects an overview of world history from the Fall of Rome to the Reformation and to do so in a way that was engaging and fun.  I did not want history to be a dry presentation and recitation of dates and facts, but a living testimony to the people and events that shaped the world.  With this goal in mind, I could rest at ease a bit when we did not get to an assigned reading selection or we rushed through a lapbook or two.  Completing assignments was not the goal-understanding the general scope of the historical time period was!  Next year, with a young dialectic student, I will add the goal of beginning to see and understand connections between historical events and people.  Determine your goal for TOG and then use the curriculum to meet that goal.  

6.  Try not to get bogged down in checking everything off on the list.  Believe me, this is not easy for this Type-A mama to say, but say it I will, because letting go of that checklist mentality is what gave us the freedom to learn a great deal and enjoy the process to boot!  What didn't we do?  Arts and activities (some was covered in our co-op class or field trips), evaluations (we used the lapbooks and will add timeline and discussion for our dialectic student), vocabulary or people/event lists.  Now, you might do all those things we skipped and simply read less.  Prioritize your assignments with your goal in mind!  


7.  We will use the Pop Quiz CDs to catch me up on the week's learning this year.  There were times last year when I felt as if I had not gotten a clear picture of what the test subjects were studying over the course of a week plan.  When I mentioned this to a friend, she remarked that she uses Pop Quiz to get an overview of the week when she does not have time to read the Teacher Notes.  Since I hardly ever make time to read all the Teacher Notes each week, I purchased Pop Quiz and plan to listen to it each week to stay caught up with what the test subjects are learning week to week.

And that, dear readers, is how we use TOG here at the lab. I hope I offered you some tidbit of useful information :)

Are you a TOG family?  How do you use the curriculum?

10 Reasons for Our Classical Christian/Charlotte Mason Approach

I will start off by saying that I don't pretend to be anywhere near an expert on homeschooling styles.  After all, we only just completed our first year of homeschooling a mere three days ago!  We had a fairly clear mission for our homeschool from the start though for a variety of reasons.  That mission, coupled with wise counsel I received from seasoned homeschooling friends, helped form our homeschool approach.  I am certain our style will change a bit over time to fit our life circumstances, but for now we love how the mix of a Classical Christian/Charlotte Mason style is working for our family.  

Here are our Top 10 Reasons for using this approach in our homeschool:

1.  Learning Together

The Classical Model has allowed us to study the humanities, science and health together while continuing to challenge each of our test subjects at their own level in each of these subjects.  We study the same material, yet expect a different level of reading and/or writing from each test subject.  For example, using Tapestry of Grace this year, we studied many important figures in history together using read alouds and Story of the World.  In addition, TS 2, a lower grammar student, read picture books about each of these historical figures and completed a lap book about each on his own.  TS 1, an upper grammar student, read chapter books about these figures and completed a lap book with more detailed information about each historical figure.  Studying the same subject together minimizes prep work for mom and maximizes family bonding and shared interests.

2.  Living Books 

Using living books, a hallmark of the Charlotte Mason (CM) approach, has brought a love of learning back into the study of humanities and science for our boys.  I attribute the use of living books for history and science to be a major factor in the their enjoyment of these subjects this year.  

3.  Eliminating Busy Work

Through the use of Classical and CM materials, we have eliminated busy work in our home school.  Even in subjects like Math and Language Arts, we have been able to make each assignment count since it can be uniquely tailored to each test subjects' learning level.  Don't misunderstand me, the boys still complete worksheets and practice drills.  However, the amount of time spent on these activities can be minimized by the individual nature of homeschooling.

4.  The Gift of Time

CM believed that academic work was not the be all and end all of a solid education.  Instead she preferred that students focus on their fundamental skills in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for nature study and creative pursuits.  While we do work some in the afternoons to ensure that we meet our state's criteria for time spent in home school, the elimination of "homework" after school hours has given our boys the gift of time to explore their own interests and develop their gifts.

5.  Working with Their Natural Abilities

The Classical model purports that children in the grammar stage have a natural ability and affinity for memorization of facts.  While they are not yet ready for making connections between these facts on their own, we can begin to develop that process by discussing these connections with them.  We have tried to adhere to these ideas with our test subjects this year and working with their natural stages like this brought our their strengths and minimized their weaknesses.

Since TS 1 will be in the dialectic level next year, we brought up possible connections across facts and subjects more often with him than TS 2.  We saw that eventually he began to make some connections  on his own as well, signaling that he is ready to move out of the grammar stage into a more thoughtful stage.  

That being said, both boys memorized so much more information that I ever could have this year.  From poems, to history facts, to math facts, to science facts, I would love to have their ability to retain and recall information!

6.  Christ-Centered Education

We intentionally chose many Christian resources for our homeschool, such as Tapestry of Grace for history and Apologia for science, so that faith and learning are interwoven in a natural way.  These resources are in no way preachy, but instead assume that the user has accepted the Word of God as truth and they endeavor to build on that worldview.  We love that "religion" or "Bible" is not a separate subject to complete, but instead God is at the center of all aspects of our lives, including our academic pursuits.

7.  Room for Interest Led Learning

I love the term "interest led learning" that I first heard on Mary's blog.  As I think about what I have loved about our homeschool style this year, the room it has allowed for interest led learning definitely makes the top 10 list.  Many believe that a classical curriculum leaves no room for flexibility or delving deeper into the student's interests, but we have found the opposite to be true.  We have had the freedom, for example, to move more quickly through certain history or science units by reading and completing only the core assignments when the content is not riveting or enriching.  This gave us time to camp out on the units that fascinated us, devouring all the in depth resources and even finding more on our own.

8.  Tutorial Model

Both the Classical and CM models assume that children are able to work independently for some period of time each day. In fact, they should be working on their own, developing their own "relationships" as CM would call them to what they are learning without the influence of or interference from the teacher.  Using this tutorial model has helped me keep my sanity during this experiment of ours.  I can count on each test subject working independently for part of each day, which allows me time to work one on one with the other.

9.  Comfort and Stretching

Combining the Classical and CM approaches in our homeschool has provided opportunities for comfort and stretching for me as a teacher.  The Classical model is certainly more comfortable for me as I am generally a structured and organized person, which has made this first year of homeschooling doable.  The CM model has caused me to think more deeply about our educational goals and how to meet them while instilling a love of learning in the test subjects.  It has stretched me out of my comfort zone, pulled me away from the checklists and perfectly planned schedules to see educational opportunities outside of the homeschool classroom.

10.  Wise Counsel

I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating. We could not have had such a successful first year of homeschooling without the counsel and encouragement of seasoned homeschooling friends.  They spent lots of time with me, my friend Jen in particular, going over different curricula and how they might mesh with our homeschool mission.  Without this kind of guidance, I would imagine the vast number and variety of options out there could be overwhelming and disheartening.  

Next year, I hope to include even more of CM's wonderful ideas into our homeschool while maintaing all of the gifts we have received from our Classical Christian curricula.  

What is your homeschool style?  Leave a comment or link to your blog post.  I'd love to read about it!

Two weeks ago, I wrote the top 10 reasons we love homeschooling and many of those reasons could have fit here today as well.  Check out that post in you are interested learning more about how our homeschool works.

Top 10 Read Alouds on Our Summer Wish List

As I mentioned in my last Weekly Wrap Up post, I've been having a blast devouring A Charlotte Mason Companion and Honey for a Child's Heart these last few weeks.  As part of our summer plan (more to come soon, I promise!), I've compiled the following Top 10 Read Alouds on Our Summer Wish List:

1.  Charlotte's Web by E.B. White 

We are currently reading this wonderful classic together.  The boys had it read aloud to them at school in first grade, but neither remember the story line very much.  It's TS 3's first time entering the world on Zuckerman's farm.  We are truly enjoying this gem so far and each time I close the book until next time, it is usually met with pleas for just one more chapter.  I love it!

2.  Homer Price by Robert Mc Closkey

I chose this book based on the recommendation in Honey for a Child's Heart.  Sandwiched between two poignant books, I'm hoping Homer Price will bring some light-hearted comic relief!

3.  The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett

Oh, how I loved this book as a little girl!  Such a beautiful and captivating story.  I only hope the test subjects will love it like I did!

4.  Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

Can you believe we have never read this classic?  I hope the boys do not think it too babyish for them.  I just know TS 3 will adore Pooh and his adventures!

5.  Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia by C.S. Lewis

We listened to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe audiobook this spring and fell in love with the characters and magic of Narnia.  TS 1 and I enjoyed the Christian symbolism that is all at once obvious yet beautifully subtle in the tale.  We are tackling Prince Caspian next in the series, following the reading order recommended by many and found here.

6.  The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham

I chose this book simply because it was recommended so often and so enthusiastically in the pages of Honey for a Child's Heart.  I did not read this book as a child, so I am looking forward to experiencing it for the first time with my children.

7.  Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John

Another new book for us heartily endorsed in Honey for a Child's Heart.  

8.  The Light Princess by George Mac Donald

When I learned that the George Mac Donald profoundly influenced C.S. Lewis, I could not pass up this tale of a princess rescued by one who loved her enough to die for her.

9.  Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Another Honey for a Child's Heart recommendation for a fun and humorous read.

10.  Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

An adventure story set in pioneer Wisconsin in the 1860's filled with excitement, humor and fun?  Count us in!