What We Studied

The weather was terrible, which meant that we spent most of the week at home. Plus we had a broken washer that I had to stay and wait on the repair man. This all translated to a lot of curriculum over the course of the week.

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 spent the week covering one Shakespeare’s plays, As You Like It. I didn’t want to bore Arthur, but we did cover the story, read some of the original text, and watched som performance bits. I even found a great video where the actors discuss how they want to play a scene and then try a few variations.

Poetry: Hearth & Story G6
Poetry: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll
The Vocabulary Workbook for 6th Grade by Kelly Anne McLellan
As You Like It by William Shakespeare

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 dove into one of my favorite elementary school reads. I’m not sure that Quentin is really loving it, but I am definitely enjoying reading it again.

Poetry: My America
One World, Many Religions by Mary Pope Osborne
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

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. We moved onto geometric shapes. This chapter is a lot of review but good review. 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 continued through the bulk of World War I and even took a side step to discuss the Russian Revolution. We should finish World War I next week.

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
Where Poppies Grow
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
The Harlem Hellfighters by Walter Dean Myers
The Harlem Hellfighters, by Max Brooks
Knit Your Bit: A World War I Story by Deborah Hopkinson

Quentin is using Build Your Library Level 5 to begin our two year exploration of American History. Quentin covered John Adams and Thomas Jefferson along with the Corps of Discovery. He even watched a great documentary from National Geographic about the expedition.

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
Which Way to the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin
Lewis and Clark: A Prairie Dog for the President by Shirley Raye Redmond
The Journey of York: The Unsung Hero of the Lewis and Clark Expedition by Hasan Davis
Sacagawea by Christine Platt

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. This week we covered the Stars and related bodies. 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)
Astrophysics for Young People by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
DK Timelines of Nature
DK Space
Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars are Made Of by Kirsten W. Larson

Quentin is using RSO Physics 1. We finished the Story of Science Vol. 1 this week. Next week we will be doing some review and packets before jumping back into Physics.

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

After cancelling last week due to sickness, we finally got back into it this week. Unfortunately the college made a mistake and we had to switch rooms. Thankfully they had rooms. And these rooms are actually bigger and brighter! Once everyone got there, co-op went well!

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 didn’t have any music or art this week.