What We Studied
We managed to get two weeks of school in before taking a break to visit the Great Wolf Lodge with friends. I will admit that we were really dragging our feet at the beginning of this semester, but we’re getting back into it!
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. He started and finished our first read aloud of 2026. I enjoyed the fantastical take on Thailand and the story of resilience and understanding.
Poetry: Hearth & Story G6
Poetry: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll
The Vocabulary Workbook for 6th Grade by Kelly Anne McLellan
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
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 started and finished our first read aloud of 2026. I chose a historical fiction book to go along with our history study. .
Poetry: My America
One World, Many Religions by Mary Pope Osborne
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Math
Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 2. Effectively this is Singapore’s 7th grade math text. We dove into the second book for the year. The first chapter was all about angles. 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 B
Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 3B and 4A. We are taking a bit of a break from our regular math books to dive into some financial literacy before we circle back. .
Logic Countdown
Evan Moor Financial Literacy G3
Social Studies
Arthur was using Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1. Unfortunately the company has yet to release the next volume. Instead, I decided to use Build Your Library L4 and Story of the World Vol. 4 to get us through Modern History. We dove into World War I these past two weeks.
Story of the World Vol. 4
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
A Journey Through Art
DK When on Earth
World War I: Causes by Nathan Sacks
Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting, by Jim Murphy
Where Poppies Grow
Life on the Western Front by Nick Hunter
The Christmas Truce of 1914 by Tom Streissguth
Smithsonian World War I Timeline by Pamela A Dell
Living Through World War I by Nicola Barber
DK Eyewitness World War I
DK Find Out World War I
World War I by Steven Otfinoski
The War to End All Wars: World War I by Russell Freedman
Quentin is using Build Your Library Level 5 to begin our two year exploration of American History. We covered the Constitution and the Presidency of George Washington.
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
Words that Built a Nation
A More Perfect Union: The Story of the Constitution by Betsy Maestro and Guilio Maestro
The U.S. Constitution by Norman Pearl
If You Were a Kid at the Signing of the Constitution by Janel Rodriguez
Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz
The Constitution of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler
Our Country’s Presidents
Brick by Brick by Charles R. Smith Jr.
George Washington by Mike Venezia
George Washington: The First President by Sarah Albee
George Washington's Spectacular Spectacles: The Glasses that Saved America by Selene Castrovilla
Smart About the First Ladies by Jon Buller and Susan Schade - Martha Washington
Don't Know Much About the Presidents by Kenneth C. Davis - Washington
Science
Arthur is using RSO Earth and Environment 2 and later RSO Astronomy 2 for science. We are taking a break from Earth and Environment to start Astronomy 2. We also kept up with our physics prep for co-op.
RSO Earth and Environment 2 (August-December; March-May)
RSO Astronomy 2 (January-March)
A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars by Seth Fishman
Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos by Stephanie Roth Sisson
Astrophysics for Young People by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
DK Timelines of Nature
Red Rover: Curiosity on Mars by Richard Ho
Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover by Markus Motum
DK Space
Quentin is using RSO Physics 1. We are taking a short break from Physics to focus on finishing 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 started back to our Academic Co-op this past week. Getting the room situation straightened out was a mess, but we made it. The classes for Week 1 went really well. Arthur has Physics 2, Hand Crafts and Art, and Wonders of the World. I’m teaching Wonders. Quentin has Wonders of the World, Gameschooling, and Independent Hour.
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 our next composers with Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and George Gershwin.
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
George Gershwin by Mike Venezia
The Music in George's Head: George Gerswhin Creates Rhapsody in Blue by Suzanne Slade
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue by Anna Harwell Celenza
Field Trip/Activities
We had a lovely trip to the zoo with some friends. It’s always nice to go when it’s cold outside and less crowded.
We had another visit to the Joslyn Art Museum. While the boys were not that excited, I’m always excited to look at the art. It’s a lot of fun to be able to take the time and pick out a few pieces each visit to deep dive.
Quentin helped make dinner using his Christmas present
High
A few friends and us visited the Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City for a few days. We took advantage of some great winter deals. Monday was busy as it was a holiday, but Tuesday and Wednesday were absolutely dead. So nice to be there without any crowds.
Low
Unfortunately, half the people came home from the lodge sick… Arthur was feeling off, but after some good sleep, seems to be fine now.
Next Week
Starting new read alouds for everyone
Continuing with our math textbook (A) and financial literacy (Q)
Moving into the meat of World War I (A) and onto John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (Q) for history
Covering stars (A) and more history (Q) for science
Hopefully getting back into Academic Co-op!
Next up on the TBR pile:
