school begins!

This year is our (gasp!) 7th year of homeschooling. Sam is in 6th grade and Caleb is in 4th grade. Josiah is in 8th grade, but wants to be in 9th, because-as he keeps pointing out-most 14 year olds are. I have explained to him a million times why. That he has an August birthday, that he started kindergarten at age 6, that grade is just a number, and more. Doesn't matter-he's a young man, in a hurry to be grown. And one of the benefits of homeschooling is not having to wait for 28 other students. You can clip along as quickly as your brains and ambition allow! Josiah's eyes lit up when I reminded him of this. He is already ahead in most areas, so if he chooses he can do the work and be promoted. So, this year he is tackling an ambitious course and hoping to start next fall, skipping his freshman year entirely and starting off as a sophomore in high school. We'll see!


This is what the living room (aka schoolroom) looked like yesterday. I bought our new curriculum early this year, in order to study it, make copies, and be prepared. Did this happen? No. I still spent Day 1 scrambling but over all, it went well. We don't usually take such a long Summer break, so we are easing ourselves into cold academic waters grad-u-ally. This week we'll reacquaint ourselves with History, Science, Bible and Handwriting. Next week we'll add English, Art, Music and Math. Soon we'll be splashing around in the pool and having the time of our life!

Caleb was so inspired by our History discussion this morning that he had to run to his room and create a Roman warrior in his chariot out of Legos.
What we are using:
Institute for Excellence in Writing (English)
My Father's World:Rome to Reformation-History
http://www.mfwbooks.com/rr.htm for more information-it's a great program!
Science-Exploring Creation with Astronomy and a unit on the Human Body
Josiah will be adding a Exploring Creation with General Science by Jay Wile
Math-Teaching Textbooks for Sam and Caleb
Saxon Algebra with the D.I.V.E. tutor CD-Josiah
Bible-"John" with Bible Study Fellowship and memorization/church history through MFW
Music-we'll be studying Hadyn, Mozart and Beethoven this year
Art-God and the History of Art by Barry Stebbing

We are hoping to add Rosetta Stone Spanish in the winter quarter, as finances allow.