Daily Schedule for October

Daily work:

Morning Chores
Bible study
Khan Academy---2 to 3 topics daily
Visual Latin---one section daily
Exploring Creation with Physical Science and Labs---according to assignment sheet I gave you
Writing for 20 minutes daily---NaNoWriMo
Do your history assignment (usually reading a book)
Alice 2.2 assignments as listed (one a day)
Evening Chores

Once a week (at least):
Art (Meeting the Masters or Mark Kistler)
Music (classical listening, keyboard)
Nature Study (one entry per week done with kids)
Chess Club (Tuesday)
Ride Lily

It's That Time of Year Again... NaNoWriMo!!

Download the Middle School Writer's Workbook to your desktop.

You can LOG IN to your NaNoWriMo account HERE.

You have your usual log in name, original password.

Print and add the useful pages to your notebook. 

Make enough for each of your characters. 

Keep all of your brainstorming supplies in your 

notebook within easy reach. 

Use the rest of October to set up your story, 

so that when November comes you can write, write, write. 

Yay! NaNoWriMo, way to go!!

I like your story idea. It is going to be great. 

I can't wait to read it.

Mom

Latin Resources

Here is the content of the first ten lessons, which we are reviewing.

1.     Being Verbs Basics | To Be and Not to Be
2.     Being Verbs Basics | Predicate Nominatives and Adjectives
3.     Gender | Boy Words and Girl Words
4.     Singular and Plural | E Pluribus Unum
5.     Declensions | Meet the Cases
6.     Adjectives Learn to Agree with Nouns
7.     The Case Files | Nominative and Genitive
8.     Counting to 10 in Latin
9.     Active Verb Basics | Indicative Mood
10.   The Case Files | Accusative

Try this Quizlet resource for testing your vocabulary skills for the Visual Latin program.

Here are some more resources, like a translator and etymology finder.

The Latin One Scope and Sequence is here.

More info about the program, in case you are interested.

You must be finished with at least six lessons by your birthday to do what it is you have planned. Have you written a schedule yet? Please come up with one, accounting for what you have already done, and let me know. I'd like to see it. I can help you type it up and print it for your notebook.

Physical Science Resources

Here is the schedule for Physical Science. It is your responsibility to stick to it. Consider this week to be week three. You can print new copies of the bookmarks here, if you need to reprint one.

This should help you with your first experiment. Make sure you write it up yourself in your own composition/lab notebook. Here's a sample generic lab report and explanations of the parts of a lab report.

Lab Sheets for different experiments. You may copy these and tape them into your lab notebook (folded). More lab sheets available for each module.

ApplieJuice has write ups of many of the physical science experiments. They may help if you hit a snag.

SAHM I AM also has a ton of useful information, Quizlet links for each module, and links to useful videos. It is a cornucopia of great information. Give it a try!!

Study Egypt

During our study of Egypt, I will add links here for you to explore.

For fun, here's your first one. Give Senet, an Egyptian game, a try.

Play Senet (from the British Museum site)

Computer Science 101

Learn more about computers this semester using some of the links to free courses on the Internet. Choose one class (I'd start fairly basic, even if you already know some of the information...you want to make sure you truly understand it all) and then make a schedule to complete the course and track your progress. I can't wait to hear what you decide to do!

Learn more about computers at LearnFree.org...from basic computer skills to Microsoft Office and more.

Learn about C#, Word, Powerpoint, Java, and more from Home & Learn. Be aware that some words are spelled differently due to it being a UK site...they aren't typos!

Computer Science 1A from Berkeley. Videos.

MIT Open Courseware for Computer Science.

Java Tutorials from Oracle.

C++ Tutorials 

Compiled list of many available free tutorials online by Jefferson High School.

Alice Institute's basic downloadable introduction to programming.

FreeEd collection of classes and online texts for various Computer Science courses.

Extensive list of free HP courses, from using MS Office, to marketing, to digital photography.

Summer Vacation...Sort of.

We are "officially" on summer break, at least for a while. We will be busy and hopefully having some fun doing things like going to the beach, picking strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries, making jam, applesauce, and pear butter again, working on putting up fences, bowling, riding the horses, going on bike rides, visiting family and friends, etc.

However, I would like you to do a few things each day, even while on break. Not much, just enough to keep the "fires burning."

1. Please read your "Reading Through the Bible in a Year" daily.
2. Watch ONE sermon a week (must be over a half-hour long).
3. Work on your Reading Challenge daily.
4. Work on your Audio Challenge daily (you may download a book to the "school" MP3 player and listen to it while you do your outdoor chores.)
5. Play Mathletics for fifteen minutes a day.
6. Brainpop Video of the Day as often as you think of it.
7. Nature Study with the kids once a week.

That's it. Not much. It should take an hour or less on days when you do not need to listen to the sermon. Of course, reading books for the Reading Challenge does NOT count as hard work. It's fun. If you help me put up my hammock, you can lie in it first and read a book...

Love you,

Mom

Warm Days are Coming Again...

Here you are, when we had a warm day and couldn't resist spending hours outside. Just a reminder that the more you get done now, while it is still chilly, the sooner (and more easily) we can quit for the "summer."

Something to think about...

Love you.

Mom

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I love you.

You are an awesome son.

I am so blessed to have you.

Love,

Mom

February

Happy February! Wow, time sure flies. I can't believe we are already into the second month of the new year. Before we know it, it will be May and time to finish up school for the year. There is a lot to do in the next three months to wrap things up.


Please do things in the order listed here each day. In order for things to go most smoothly, you need to make sure you are dressed, have fed the animals, and eaten your own breakfast by nine a.m. each day. Please work on getting up quickly, cheerfully, and promptly getting ready a habit over the next month. It might be a bit of a challenge at first as we were pretty lax with waking up times in the months of December and January, but the time has come to make our morning routine a priority.

After waking, dressing, making your bed, feeding the animals, and eating your breakfast, here is what you are expected to do for school...

Each day you are expected to do:

1. Bible lesson...you may watch Andy Stanley or Charles Stanley up to three days a week. The other two days I want you to finish the book study, so we can sign you up for the Worldview Online study in March.
2. Math using ALEKS and Ten Marks. Finishing ALEKS is the priority since it will expire at the end of this month (you might want to check the exact date) and I'd love for you to have completed the entire 7th grade program by then. You can use Ten Marks once ALEKS is done, but if you want to complete a few worksheets a week for Ten Marks as well, that would be great. You are a mth whiz, so I know that won't be difficult for you!
3. History using Time4Learning. I'd like you to complete the US History, and maybe get started on the World History lessons. Talk to me and your dad about what you are learning.
4. Grammar using Time4Learning. I'd really like you to finish getting a solid review of grammar and mechanics while we have access to this program. Then we will move back to writing for the last few months of the year.
5. Art using Time4Learning at least two days a week. I want you to finish the entire lesson sequence before our subscription is up, so stay on this. Come upstairs when I am working and I will do it with you...I thought it was fun.
6. Play Seterra at least twice a week for a minimum of twenty minutes (or three activities each time). You will see a new button on the left sidebar which contains a link to where you can download the freeware to your computer.
7. Practice typing using the Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor at least twice a week for a minimum of tweny minutes each time. You will see a new button on the left sidebar which contains a link to where you can download the freeware to your computer.
8. Art using Mini-Marshmallow Lessons once per week. It would be nice if you did this with the kids. Also, please look up the new Sketch Tuesday assignment asap and start on it so you are done before the weekend. Lastly, begin working on your bookmark for the library contest. The topic is "Your Story Begins @ the Library."
9. Science: watch two Ken Ham videos with me and the kids this week. Bring the old tv/vcr combo upstairs and we can do that together up here.
10. Reading: I am glad you finished the dragon books. Now I can write my review. Please see me to give me your impressions early this week. Pick one autobiography from the shelf to read this week. Start the next series of dragon books for fun.

That's about it. It sounds like a lot, but it works out to not so much over the course of a week. See me if you need any help. Your dad will be here in the mornings so you can talk to him about your history work then.

Love you.

Mom

January: Week Five

HomeScholar,

I am adding a new button to your sidebar. It is for a program called Mathletics. This is not a review item, but we do have a year's subscription (it was a VERY good deal). Please fit this in once a day, probably before you do ALEKS. I know that is a lot of math each day, but it is good that you will be so well grounded in your algebra by the end of this year. That will help you significantly in the years to come.

Here's what you will be doing all week:

1. Listen to a Bible sermon online on two to three days (this week I'd like one of the sermons to be The Man I Want to Be by Andy Stanley). Do your Christian Manhood study the others.
2. Mathletics, ALEKS, and the Ten Marks worksheets.
3. Time4Learning for grammar and history.
4. AiG book for science (3 Xs a week)
5. Roman Town a minimum of two times this week (you need to finish all levels by February 1st)
6. Read God's World News and Acts and Facts this week during meals
7. ABSOLUTELY finish the review book by Friday
8. Chores (please be extra-diligent with the animal waters) and keep your room picked up

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary review is due Wednesday and the Ten Marks review is due Friday. Please make sure you help me take photos and that I get your impressions and comments before then. I have appointments Wednesday and Friday, so I will need your help with babysitting those days. You may want to do more the other days so you do not fall behind. Thank you.
Love you,

Mom

January: Week Four

Wow. Time is flying. February will be here before we know it. Reviews are approaching quickly. Please be diligent in using the review items as they are intended to be used. It is part of our "job" to give them a fair trial.

Everything is essentially the same. By the end of this week, both dragon books should be read so you can give me your opinion on them for my review. I like incorporating your thought into the reviews, and I think other folks like that as well. Thanks for being my "guest poster" for Sermon Sunday. You  really gave those sermons some thought.

Here's what you will be doing all week:

1. Bible sermon online
2. ALEKS and Ten Marks (I think you can also still access Virtual Nerd, if that helps)
3. Time4Learning for Grammar and History (I did renew for two months)
4. AiG book for science (3 Xs a week)
5. Roman Town minimum two times this week
6. Read God's World News this week during meals
7. Finish review book
8. Chores (please clean the bunny cage before Friday, and refresh all animal waters, too)

PLEASE keep your room clean and have a productive week so you can quit early on Friday to go to Deeper. I think you will really enjoy it. I am so glad you and your dad are going together. We will miss you.

Love,

Mom

January: Week Three

Virtual Nerd and Math Facts Now are done. Time4Learning is over at the end of this week. If you are interested, I will renew it for a month or two so you can finish the history and art. Let me know.

Everything else is basically the same, except I'd like you to start doing a minimum of three lessons in your AiG science book each week. I don't think the T4L science is adequate. Do as much of the T4L art as you can. I think it is a neat program.

To recap what is expected each day:

1. Bible sermon online
2. Ten Marks & ALEKS
3. Time4Learning for History and Grammar
4. Created by Design book from AiG (3 X week) for science
5. Roman Town minimum of two times a week
6. Read the second novel of the dragon series. My review is due in about two weeks.
7. Chores

Reminder: The Bookmobile (and the Wards) comes on Wednesday, the12th. Please have your room picked up and all of the books collected BEFORE you go to bed on Tuesday. Thanks.

Love you,

Mom

January: Week Two

Refer to last week's schedule. Everything is the same, except we have added Dig It! Games' Roman Town and VocabAhead dvd to our line up. I will probably fit the dvd in late in the month, but you need to start playing Roman Town asap. If you have not finished Book One of the dragon books, then please get it (and the CS Lewis book) read by the end of this week. Choose a new sermon series to start watching. Stick to it and you will go far!!!

I have been enjoying hearing about what you are learning in history. Keep up the good work.

Blessings,

Mom

January: Week One

Back in the saddle again. I hope you enjoyed your semi-stay-cation.

We have the following reviews due in January:

• Math Facts Now (5th)
• Virtual Nerd (12th)
• Time4Learning (17th)
• Blogging for Books...2nd Dragon novel (around the 24th)
• Illustrated Bible Dictionary (26th)
• Ten Marks (28th)

As requested, we are moving you to an almost completely on-line system of schoolwork. We will see how it goes.

Each day you are responsible for the following things:

1. Bible FIRST (watch an online sermon by Andy Stanley)
2. Math (10 Marks first, then ALEKS)
3. Time4Learning for history, science, grammar
4. Please use Virtual Nerd to supplement math and/or science at least three times. If you cannot find a topic that suits your studies, choose a random one in the physics or geometry areas. Try looking up vectors (lol).
5. Read the CS Lewis book AND The Vanishing Sculptor this week, so you can read the second book next week.

You will need to continue with your chores as usual and helping around the house. I thank you for all of your help and your good behavior over the holidays. Happy New Year!!

Mom