What We Studied
We’ve actually had our first Flex Week and a regular week these two past weeks. Our Flex Weeks are unplanned curriculum weeks that we can use to catch up with anything we got behind in and/or give us a break. We also had two weeks of activities and errands.
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 started our next read aloud, getting close to the end, but not quite finishing it. This is actually our co-op book club selection for September.
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 Story Collector by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
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 one of my favorite books getting about halfway through the book in these weeks. We should be able to finish next week without a big problem.
Poetry: National Geography Book of Nature Poetry
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton
Math
Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 2. Effectively this is Singapore’s 7th grade math text. We continued Chapter 2 focusing on integers. I think this book will force us to slow down a bit and take more time for mastery. 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 started our next chapter about money.
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 two sections: one on Latin America and one on the failure of Reconstruction and end of slavery.
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
Quentin is using Build Your Library Level 5 to begin our two year exploration of American History. We finished our study of indigenous cultures in North America. We also finished watching Native America S2. I really enjoyed the documentaries in the series.
History Quest United States History
DK When on Earth?
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
A Kid's Guide to Native American History by Yvonne Wakim Dennis and Arlene Hirschfelder
The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet: Native American Poems of the Land by Joseph Bruchac and Thomas Locker
Turtle Island: The Story of North America’s First People by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger
What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger
Native American Stories for Kids: 12 Traditional Stories from Indigenous Tribes Across North America by Tom Pecore Weso
The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folktales by James and Joseph Bruchac
Native Americans: A Visual Exploration SN Paleja
Science
Arthur is using RSO Earth and Environment 2 and later RSO Astronomy 2 for science. Arthur covered the chapter about absolute dating in geology. He also completed his first science test.
RSO Earth and Environment 2 (August-November; March-May)
RSO Astronomy 2 (November-March)
DK Eyewitness Energy
Quentin is using RSO Physics 1. We covered the chapter about friction exploring some topics and terminology.
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
Why Do Moving Objects Slow Down? A Look at Friction by Jennifer Boothroyd
Energy by Andi Diehn
Give It a Push! Give It a Pull! A Look at Forces by Jennifer Boothroyd
All About Forces by Angela Royston
Enrichment STEAM Co-op
We’re so close to finishing Enrichment for the year. The boys had fun exploring geometry and art in these weeks. Only one more to go before we are done!
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 short lesson about stick figures and realistic figures in 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
Field Trip/Activities
We visited Vala’s multiple times these past weeks. .
High
Um… Vala’s I guess. I do love going there in the fall.
Low
Changes in Nick’s work schedule caused changes in my activity schedule interrupting our plans. Oh well. Sometimes things do not go as planned.
Next Week
Finishing our read aloud and possibly starting new ones
Moving forward with our math chapters
Learning about the European invasion of North America (Q) and the Reservation System (A) for history
Covering erosion and weather (A) and motion (Q) for science
Prepping for Physics with Academic Co-op (A)
Listening to Mozart
Visiting Vala’s and the Zoo
Getting school pictures taken for the year!
Attending the last week of Enrichment Co-op for 2025!
Next up on the TBR pile:
