Wow, November!

I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to blog since we started our school year.  I've even blogged in my mind some, just not IRL.  So, today November 14th is the day for an update!

Noah is moving right along in 5th grade.  We have made some changes in curriculum this year (yes, yes, I know what you're thinking).  These changes have been great for Noah.  We FINALLY came around to Singapore math.  Why didn't I listen sooner?  It is the perfect fit for us.  I have a teacher's manual that helps me teach and Noah has a variety of different exercises to learn the concepts.  Perfect fit.  Can I say it again, perfect fit.  I like the way it sounds.  I think I'll stick with this one!  For history and language arts we are using a Sonlight/My Father's World hybrid.  Noah is too advanced for the Adventures program that I selected, so I have managed to meld the program with Sonlight D+E for a challenging and full program.  We are pretty much following both programs, with the exception of other fun tidbits that the kids or I find interesting.  Right now we are doing an in-depth study of American Indians (or Native Americans).  It is going slowly, but it has been really fun.  I am basing our study off of the Evan Moor Native Americans History Pocket.  All the little crafty things are right up Caitlyn's alley, and they hit some essential fine motor skills that Noah really needs work on.  He has been reading about a novel a week, with some overflow.  The thing I love about Sonlight is that it really doesn't give a bunch of Mickey Mouse exercises to check comprehension.  I always hated those book report sheets that I had to fill out when I was in school.  I have done a variety of things with Noah to check his comprehension.  Sometimes I just quiz him with some of the questions.  Sometimes I pull out a quote and ask him to tell me what is happening in the scene.  I used to quiz my 9th graders with quotes when they would do outside reading.  I think the most effective exercise, though, has been my using The Arrow, by Bravewriter.  The Arrow is a language arts magazine that is put out monthly, I think.  I was able to buy "back issues" through Homeschool Buyers Co-op, so I just picked up a few that matched up with the Sonlight novels (geneous, I know).  I am alternating days of the Arrow passages with The Phonetic Zoo and Evan Moor's Daily Language Review.  I've found that alternating grammar and writing is the best for us.  For science, I will admit, I'm failing...I had every intention of creating this wonderfully rich science experience for Noah, but it just ain't happenin'.  So, we are doing weekly interest based research topics and he is working with Caitlyn in REAL Science Odyssey Life.  He is still learning, but just not at a rigorous pace that I had hoped.  I guess I am just trying to figure out how to really teach two different levels at once. 

Caitlyn is doing great with Adventures in My Father's World.  I have been watering it down some by just using picture books about the topic at hand.  We are still using Explode the Code for phonics as well as some scholastic ebooks that I ordered during their dollar sale.  I also am using some readers by Abeka.  I'm not totally happy with this combo, but it just came down to the fact that I didn't want to spend more money on curriculum.  She is also using Singapore for math, with a splash of Miquon.  I mostly use the cuisenaire rods to teach the concepts when the Singapore teacher manual calls for a manipulative.  Since we used Miquon last year, Caitlyn is very comfortable with the rods.  I still say that Miquon gave her a way to "see" math, in a way that I was never able to. 

Aiden is mainly playing with Little People and playing apps on the iPad.  I really am amazed at what the iPad technology can get the kids to do.  It really does just invite the kids to perform activities that my oldest would NEVER have done at 3.  Aiden can identify all of his letters and most of the letter sounds as well as write some of his letters.  I think the games on the ipad have helped him tremendously. 

Other than those things, we don't really have anything else to report.  We are trying to get connected in various things, some success, some fail.  We're just plugging along...