What We Studied
After the whirlwind that was August, September, and October, we hit November and everything slowed down. So so helpful for us. We grabbed a few minutes to breath before diving back into curriculum. (The fact that the election was this week really solidified the need to slow down and take a breath.) As such, I didn’t take many photos this week. We focused on our pace and tried to incorporate our usual activities.
Literature and Poetry
Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G5 for his language arts this year. We started our new read aloud that is an intriguing fantasy. I cannot wait to see where this story goes. We also covered more grammar and extra language arts assignments.
Poetry for Young People: Carl Sandburg
The Goblin’s Puzzle by Andrew Chilton
Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G1 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 2 and random books that we have around the house. Monday we wrapped up our spooky season reading with a collection of books about an imaginary monster. On Tuesday, we moved onto a classic read.
Poetry: The Alligator's Smile and Other Poems by Jane Yolen
How I Met My Monster by Amanda Noll
Hey, That's My Monster by Amanda Noll
I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Write Shop B
Math
Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 1. Effectively this is Singapore’s 6th grade math text. Arthur finished a chapter on rates, ready to move onto percents. We also finished the Financial Literacy G5 boo.
Math in Focus Course 1 Book A
EM Financial Literacy G5
Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 2B and 3A. He started with the lessons in 2B. I imagine that we will be slowing working through that this semester. Q started the last chapter in 2B, a chapter on geometry. We’re slowing working through it and will finish next week.
Primarily Logic
Singapore Primary Common Core 2B
EM Financial Literacy G2
Social Studies
Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 this year. We covered the section on Natives and Colonists in North America. Most of this chapter was a review for Arthur, but it was good to review and learn about it from a different perspective.
Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird: Tales of the People by Joseph Medicine Crow
The People Shall Continue by Simon J Ortiz
Spanish Missions (A True Book) by John Perritano
Samuel de Champlain by Liz Sonneborn
Explore with Samuel de Champlain by Cynthia O'Brien
Quentin is using History Quest Middle Times with Build Your Library Level 2 supporting. We moved onto a chapter covering the ancient Khmer Empire.
History Quest Middle Times
DK When on Earth?
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
Kingfisher Atlas of the Medieval World
DK Explorers
Science
Arthur is using RSO Biology 1 this year has the main science text. Our academic coop will also be using RSO Biology 1 as a basis for the fall semester course, so we will be just supplementing at home. We will also be doing some of Blossom & Root’s Book Seeds and various other small units in between. Arthur covered the nervous system during co-op. We supplemented with some extra materials at home. Specifically we covered Blossom and Root’s Bookseed about Gregor Mendel. We finished watching the documentary series One Strange Rock. We all really enjoyed this series.
RSO Biology 1
The Smallest Spot of a Dot: The Little Ways We're Different, The Big Ways We're the Same by Lindsey Davis and Michael Tyler
Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas by Cheryl Bardoe
Remembering Rosalind Franklin by Tanya Lee Stone
The Code of Life: All About Genes, DNA, Genetic Engineering, and Why You are the Way You Are by Carla Hafner
Story of Science Vol. 3 by Joy Hakim
Quentin is using RSO Earth & Environment and RSO Astronomy 1 as a base. Of course, we have a ton of extra science resources laying around the house. And I will be hosting some one-off science exploration days that align with the units. Q covered earthquakes and volcanoes. We are ready to switch gears slightly to tackle Blossom and Root’s Prehistory Unit.
RSO Earth and Environment
DK First Earth Encyclopedia
Earth by Quinn M. Arnold
From a Super Continent to Seven: The Pangaea and the Continental Drift
First Earth Encyclopedia 18-19
Plate Tectonics Lab 3: Forces that Shape Earth - Earthquakes
Fault Lines and Tectonic Plates by Kathleen M. Reilly
Geo Detectives: Volcanoes and Earthquakes by Anita Ganeri
Danger! Earthquakes by Seymour Simon
The Magic School Bus Presents Volcanoes and Earthquakes
Zhang Heng and the Incredible Earthquake Detector by Randel McGee
Nat Geo Kids Volcanoes
Volcanoes by Gail Gibbons
The Magic School Bus Blows Its Top by Joanna Cole
Danger! Volcanoes by Seymour Simon
Muse Magazine: Eruption
When Plant Earth was New by James Gladstone
Academic Co-op
For math, Arthur covered equivalent fractions. They even got to make trail mix for a practical application. In biology, they covered the nervous system. In civics, we covered the election results and the electoral college. And the kids continued their election project.
Art and Music
Art will be very sporadic this year, but we do have some fun excursions planned. And I will incorporate art projects into a lot of other subjects and unit studies. We covered a Harbor + Sprout module about Art in Nature.
For music, we are using Music Lab: We Rock! as our spine. Each week we will be learning about a different rock musician and focus on a particular song. I have also created Spotify playlists so we can listen on the go. We got back to music covering Jimi Hendrix. He wasn’t their favorite, but it was an interesting exploration.
Music Lab: We Rock!
DK Music and How it Works
DK The Arts
Field Trip/Activities
On Friday, we traveled to Lincoln to visit Morrill Hall for exploration and a presentation. Q’s group (the younger kids) saw a show about the Sun, Earth, and Moon system. Arthur’s group saw a show about how light enters our eyes. So an astronomy focus and a biology focus for the day. In between and opposite of the showings, we explored the museum. It was a very cold and rainy day, but perfect one to be inside a museum.
High
Wednesday was such a tough day in our house. I did force us to get outside and enjoy the sunshine just a bit. And we met up with some friends at the park, so extra perk.
Low
The election results really really brought us down.
Next Week
Continuing our read alouds
Finishing our next math chapters, Q finishing 2B
Potentially Q starting an online language arts supplement
Completing our homework (A) from co-op
Learning about Britain and Ireland (A) and prehistory (Q) for history
Listening to Pink Floyd and more for music
Visiting Joslyn for some art time
Next up on the TBR pile:
