The First Day Of School!

First I just thought I'd share this fun picture of what you get when you sequester yourself in the school room to work on school plans and give your 11 year old son permission to watch a show about "robot warriors" on Discovery Channel. Our dachshund doesn't appreciate this particular type of radio-controlled technology! I heard a "ruckus" and this is what I found.

I counted it for science. So we're good. Ahead, even. ;)




It's back-to-school day! Here are their back-to-school treats. Last year I found these baskets at Dollar Tree. It worked out so perfect to do them in their colors. I wasn't sure what I'd find this year, but it worked out more perfect than I thought! We are going to paint flower pots Friday for art, to decorate our school room porch, and I found these at Walmart in their "colors!" I was so excited! They are ceramic, and I bought paint that will adhere to ceramic and is weather resistant. I wrote on these with a dry erase marker, which will come right off when it's time to paint Friday. Fun!

Inside I put some things I found at Walmart that are treats but also useful for school. A pencil box, some new glue and a scented eraser. (Hers is blueberry and his is green apple. Again with the colors!) I got them each some silly putty because they've always loved to play with clay or some other type of manipulative while I read. And read. And read. They love for me to read a lot, but they like to have something to do with their hands! I also found correction tape in dispensers with their colors, because I really want to work on neatness this year. I also threw in some fun candy "just because." Gum is allowed in our school!

We will have our back-to-school breakfast of muffins and sausage balls, have a time of Bible reading, then get into our assignments. My mom, who taught music in public and private schools for over 30 years is now retired. She is stopping by to begin music lessons with them each week (or biweekly) starting today. Having Gram drop by will be a treat!

Other than that, our fine arts and combined studies (art, music, Latin, missionary study, and Colonial Life unit) will be on Fridays. Their individual subjects will be Monday through Thursday for now. Each day they will have the following subjects: (Links to our specific curriculum are in the sidebar.)

8th grade
Omnibus
English/ Word Roots
Geography
History
Math
Science
Chinese

6th grade
Literature
Geography
Math
Science
Language
History
Spanish

I've opted not to schedule specific subjects by time-slot yet, since we have a school laptop and a desktop computer for them to each use, so we're not trying to stagger computer time as in years past. I do ask them to start with their least favorite subjects first, usually. This year, Kyle will be doing activities from the Enchanted Learning Monthly Activity Calendar as a warm-up most mornings, too. I will have blocks of time available for each of them and try to have the other one working on something that I know will be independent, so I can fully focus on the other one during that time. This week and next week we'll be "finding the junk drawer." I'll post more about what words and doesn't now that we're in full "school mode." I'm ready for routine!

I hope your school year is clicking along great! I can't wait to stop by your blogs and see what you're up to!