The 2020-2021 school year began three weeks ago for Michael. Daniel starts next Wednesday and Tera the following Monday.
Tera will have four classes--all online this semester--Pre-Cal, Anatomy and Physiology, Early World Civ. and British Lit--Victorian and such. She is really excited about her professors and classes this semester. Tera has been working in essence three jobs this summer--lifeguard, swim instructor and new student orientation leader for her college. She's had a very busy summer working and is looking forward to starting school!
Daniel has 8 different classes (that's what happens when you are a music major) with only three being on-campus at this point. Even his keyboard fundamentals class is via Zoom. Glad we have a piano at home! He is taking French (unless he tests out during the placement test on Monday), keyboard, private flute lesson, chamber ensemble, some history topics class, ear training, music theory and first year seminar. He has spent the last week doing student orientation--over 25 different sessions--in person, Zoom trainings, video/quiz, etc. Student orientation has been intense. He was most thrilled about the mountain challenge--kayaking, hiking and climbing the alpine tower located on his college campus. He has his ID, his books and his commuter locker all set up. New information is being received via email on quite a regular basis. It can be overwhelming, but it's all a part of getting ready to start school. After working really hard at Sonic for the majority of his summer, I think he's ready for school, too!
I couldn't be prouder of my TWO college students. It's such a relief to know that as a teacher I have prepared them well academically and as a parent, I've given them the tools to be awesome adults! Are they perfect? Nope...none of us are. Do they have lots to learn still? Yep...all of us do. But I just couldn't be prouder!
Okay...now about Michael's 2020-2021 School Curriculum:
This year is all about being a little more free and easy to adjust to homeschooling one student. We are doing a three week/unit week system.
For three weeks:
Spelling--Spelling Power
Handwriting--A Reason for Handwriting--Cursive
Grammar--Easy Grammar 5/6
Reading--free choice
Read Alouds--daily--we alternate--sometimes I pick/sometimes he picks
Writing prompts--daily from Jump In! by Sharon Watson. Each day, Michael writes for 10 minutes on a specific writing prompt. He picks one of the four on Friday to polish, revise and re-write neatly.
Math--Saxon 7/6 one lesson daily
Bible--one chapter a day
Art--whatever he wants to draw or work on
Guitar/Singing--15 mins. a day
Clover Bowl/Wildlife Judging--30 mins. study a day alternating between the two
For unit week:
After three weeks of the basics--reading/writing/arithmetic, we are taking a week to focus on history and science.
History--Middle Ages unit study from A Field of Daisies with extra projects thrown in.
Science--A World of Animals with Michael's choice of extension projects and experiments. Reading the lessons daily, projects and then he picks from the books I provide extra experiments and projects.
Fun Fridays will meet every two weeks this year, as well. I'm leading our 4-H group this year--even though we aren't sure how that's going to look yet. Michael is still doing social distancing karate classes.
The pandemic situation really accentuated the need for us to be outdoors more. I really want to incorporate more nature and down time into our schedule. 1000 Hours Outside has really inspired me to work toward this goal with Michael---only when it starts to cool off a bit more!
So, that's our "plan" for this school year! I always realize that it's only a "plan" and to hold lightly to the reigns when things change. But I'm really looking forward to this school year and hopefully seeing my college students a bit more than I would have otherwise. Looking on the bright side!