What We Studied
This is actually two regular weeks and a Flex week all in one. But as expected, the end of October was crazy busy and we had to adjust. Now that we’ve reached November, everything slows down and we can get more schoolwork in our regular weeks.
Literature and Poetry
Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G6 for his language arts this year. While I love H&S, there’s never enough literature in there. Thankfully we have a stack of books just waiting to be picked up and read. Beyond H&S, we are focusing on expanding vocabulary and reading comprehension this year. We finished our current book club selection which is perfect for fall spooky season. In between we read some classic Grimm’s fairy tales. And we started the next book club selection.
Poetry: Hearth & Story G6
Poetry: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll
The Vocabulary Workbook for 6th Grade by Kelly Anne McLellan
The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien
Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Granted by John David Anderson
Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G3 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 3 and random books that we have around the house. We are also starting the Reading Explorer series to focus on reading comprehension and word choice. We took a break from our read alouds to catch up on some other language arts work. But we are back to our read aloud with a great fantasy read that Arthur read for book club two years ago.
Poetry: National Geography Book of Nature Poetry
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Math
Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 2. Effectively this is Singapore’s 7th grade math text. We covered a chapter about algebraic expressions. And then we paused so Arthur could catch up on math work before we finish out our current textbook. We don’t have formal logic book this year, but are focusing on lots of critical thinking and math puzzles.
Math in Focus Course 2 Book A
Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 3B and 4A. We finished up our logic book before moving to more complicated puzzles. We worked through a chapter about fractions. We spent more time on this chapter than I had planned, but we do lean towards mastery over here, so it was a good use of our time.
Primarily Logic
Singapore Primary Common Core 3B
Social Studies
Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1. Unfortunately CC only has volume 1 published so far. This will take us to Christmas break. If they don’t release volume 2 by then, I’m going to have to do it myself. We covered multiple sections for history these few weeks. We’ve mostly caught up to where I wanted us to be. We learned about Colonization in Southeast Asia, Colonization in Africa, and Displacement and Migration.
Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
A Journey Through Art
Suez Canal by Valerie Bodden
Who Were Stanley and Livingstone? by Jim Gigliotti
Leopold II: Butcher of the Congo by Tod Olson
Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story by Lesléa Newman
I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough
At Ellis Island by Louise Peacock
Ellis Island and Immigration for Kids: A History with 21 Activities by Jean Daigneau
Ellis Island: An Interactive History Adventure by Michael Burgan
Ellis Island: Immigration and the American Dream by Felipe Galindo Feggo and Tait Howard (History Comics)
Quentin is using Build Your Library Level 5 to begin our two year exploration of American History. We covered the formation of the colonies.
History Quest United States History
DK When on Earth?
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
DK American History
We were There Too
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving
Words that Built a Nation
Science
Arthur is using RSO Earth and Environment 2 and later RSO Astronomy 2 for science. We managed to do all our prep for Academic Co-op’s Physics class. We focused on those videos and lessons and pushed our other science over for awhile.
RSO Earth and Environment 2 (August-November; March-May)
RSO Astronomy 2 (November-March)
DK Eyewitness Energy
Quentin is using RSO Physics 1. We worked through all the simple machines chapters. We’re ready to switch to Air Pressure next week. We also read multiple chapters from our Story of Science volume.
RSO Physics 1
The Story of Science Vol. 1 by Joy Hakim
Physics: Investigate the Mechanics of Nature by Jane Gardner
Physics for Curious Kids Introduction
The Way Things Work Now
Enrichment STEAM Co-op /Academic Co-op
We had our third, fourth, and fifth weeks of Academic Co-op. Week three was chaotic. I was not on board with the kids and their non-listening. Week four was better. Week five was quiet with multiple families out for sickness. On a bright spot, I got my regional history class caught up to where I want them. Quentin’s class has transitioned to learning about ocean biomes for November.
Art and Music
We are doing something a little different this year. Instead of trying to do music and art every week, we will be trading off. I realized last year these subjects were always the first to be cut when we had time constraints. We covered a few art sections about sculptures and early Christian art.
DK Music and How it Works
DK The Arts
Why is Art Full of Naked People? by Susie Hodge
The Story of the Incredible Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak
DK Art and How it Works
13 Art Techniques Children Should Know
The Story of Paintings
Field Trip/Activities
We visited the SAC Museum for a co-op field trip. The planetarium show about Exoplanets was fascinating. The “lesson” if you can even call that was a joke. No actual information. The kids make paper rockets and launched them. No discussion about aerodynamics or anything. I don’t know why I thought this year would be different. I’m always so disappointed by their field trip offerings.
We also had a park playdate randomly on a beautiful warm day and our monthly zoo day. The zoo day included a ton of friends and the kids had a great time exploring the buildings that we skip during the summer.
High
Beyond multiple Vala’s visits, we had the Co-op Halloween Party. This year, we did a Trunk or Treat style and it worked out perfectly. I decorated the van (and myself) all in spiders. The kids enjoyed their time.
Low
Vala’s is closed for the year. Until next fall...
Next Week
Continuing our read alouds
Moving forward with our math chapters - Close to finishing our current textbooks
Learning about the French and Indian War and Prelude to Revolution (Q) and Modernization (A) for history
Covering Earthquakes (A) and Air Pressure (Q) for science
Listening to Beethoven for music
Going to Academic Co-op for Week 6
Next up on the TBR pile:
