Excelsior Academy
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Spring is here
I've finally got my groove back and am excited about getting back to the books. I spent yesterday and most of this morning getting our schedule and booklist locked down. I'm pleased to say ~ its done. I'm looking forward to learning alongside the kiddos and to spend time reading/researching CM more since I've let it fall by the wayside. I've tried to be more diligent and now I've actually put it in my weekly schedule to make sure I do it. ;)
Here is our schedule ~ its simple yet very effective for us especially with me working full-time. I've also listed the daily plan below it and the booklist.
Sun – Bible Devotions
Mon – Home Eco, Health, Computer & English
Tue – History & Math
Wed – Arts: Art, Music, Poetry, Bible, Shakespeare & Plutarch
Thu – Science & Math
Fri – English & Math
Lessons and review in the mornings (7:30a-10:30a); Composition, free reading, drill, copywork and recitation in the afternoons (12:30p-2:30p).
Current Booklist
Math ~ MEP Yr 5 & 6
Grammar ~ Grammar Smart Junior & Grammar Smart Perfect
Literature ~ Ivanhoe, Scarlet Pimpernel, The Good Earth, The Great Divorce
History ~ Romans & Birth of Britain
Science ~ Earth Science
Poetry ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson & Keats
Bible ~ Strong's Concordance, Ephesians, Proverbs & Psalms
Art ~ Botticelli & Friedrich
Music ~ Liszt & Mahler
Shakespeare ~ Love's Labor Lost
Plutarch ~ Titus Flamininus
Computer ~ Mavis Beacon 9
Extras
Health ~ weight training, walking, skating
Life Skills ~ CPR, cooking, gardening
Hobbies ~ knitting, woodworking
Videos ~ Standard Deviants
Skill Bldg ~ Where in the World Carmen Sandiego, Crossword puzzles
'09 Schedule
Sun
8:30a ~ Devotions
~ write journal entry
Mon
7:30a ~ Bible Reading
8a ~ Home Eco
9:30a ~ Health - Computer
10a ~ Computer - Health
10:30a – 12:30p ~ free time/lunch/rest
12:30p ~ Recitation
1p ~ Copywork
1:15p ~ Literature
2p ~ Home Eco
Tue
7:30a ~ Bible Reading
8a ~ Bible Study
8:45a ~ break
9a ~ Bible Study cont'd
9:45a ~ break
10a ~ Shakespeare
10:30a – 12:30p ~ free time/lunch/rest
12:30p ~ Plutarch
1p ~ Art & Music
Wed
7:30a ~ Bible Reading
8a ~ Math – History
8:45a ~ break
9a ~ History – Math
9:45a ~ break
10a ~ Narrations
10:30a – 12:30p ~ free time/lunch/rest
12:30p ~ Recitation
1p ~ Math Assignment
1:45p ~ Reading/Narrations
Thu
7:30a ~ Bible Reading
8a ~ Math – Science
8:45a ~ break
9a ~ Science – Math
9:45a ~ break
10a ~ Narrations
10:30a – 12:30p ~ free time/lunch/rest
12:30p ~ Recitation
1p ~ Math Assignment
1:45p ~ Reading/Narrations
Fri
7:30a ~ Bible Reading
8a ~ Math - Grammar
8:45a ~ break
9a ~ Grammar - Math
9:45a ~ break
10a ~ Narrations
10:30a – 12:30p ~ free time/lunch/rest
12:30p ~ Recitation
1p ~ Math Assignment
1:45p ~ Reading/Narrations
Labels: books, life n times, plans, update
Sunday, July 6, 2008
~ Week 4: Summer School ~
its suppose to be Wk4 of summer school but I must confess ~ "we haven't started." The kiddos have been getting out more, I've been working more and its just not happened. I don't really have an explanation for it, its just not the right time for us I guess. I do plan to pick up soon though b/c I want the Da Boy to finish up his Pre-Yr 7 stuff and move on. Riley, along with some friends, has started a Jane Austen Book Club, and she's reading everyday now ~ so not too worried about her. Summer school was to focus on reading and math along with getting better at some of the basic methods of CM (narration, dictation, recitation) but I'm confident it will happen.
August is looming around the corner which means we all will be getting back to work for the fair and that will put our school plans off too; one of the reasons I was doing a 6wk summer plan. I'm thinking God has a better plan and I will just enjoy the moment. I will implement a simple plan of reading with lots of narration and great discussions on the side.
Here is our pending booklist:
~ Group ~
Mere Christianity
Plutarch ~ AO 07-08 Term 3 selection
Poetry
Shakespeare ~ AO 07-08 Term 3 selection
~ Da Boy ~
Story of the Greeks
Story of the Romans *to be finished
It Couldn't Just Happen
Kon Tiki
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
The Bronze Bow
The Cricket on the Hearth
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
~ Riley ~
Story of the Greeks *to be finished
Never Give In
The Sea Around Us
The Cricket on the Hearth
Jack and Jill *to be finished
More than a Carpenter
Little Men
This should be doable over the next few weeks or so. I'll update as we finish them.
til next time ~ in the life & times of the Excelsior Warriors!!
August is looming around the corner which means we all will be getting back to work for the fair and that will put our school plans off too; one of the reasons I was doing a 6wk summer plan. I'm thinking God has a better plan and I will just enjoy the moment. I will implement a simple plan of reading with lots of narration and great discussions on the side.
Here is our pending booklist:
~ Group ~
Mere Christianity
Plutarch ~ AO 07-08 Term 3 selection
Poetry
Shakespeare ~ AO 07-08 Term 3 selection
~ Da Boy ~
Story of the Greeks
Story of the Romans *to be finished
It Couldn't Just Happen
Kon Tiki
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
The Bronze Bow
The Cricket on the Hearth
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
~ Riley ~
Story of the Greeks *to be finished
Never Give In
The Sea Around Us
The Cricket on the Hearth
Jack and Jill *to be finished
More than a Carpenter
Little Men
This should be doable over the next few weeks or so. I'll update as we finish them.
til next time ~ in the life & times of the Excelsior Warriors!!
Labels: books, life n times, plans
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Summer Term
Here is our planned school work for the next 12 wks:
Bible
~ Proverbs
~ Galatians & Ephesians
English
Group Reading
~ Penrod
~ Rob Roy
~ Selected Poetry from Yr 6 list
Individual Reading
~ Pre Yr 7 list (books not read)
Math
~ MEP Summer School
Art/Music
~ Richard Wagner & Jacques Offenbach (6 compositions each)
~ Titian (6 prints)
* AO selections for Term 3
Bible
~ Proverbs
~ Galatians & Ephesians
English
Group Reading
~ Penrod
~ Rob Roy
~ Selected Poetry from Yr 6 list
Individual Reading
~ Pre Yr 7 list (books not read)
Math
~ MEP Summer School
Art/Music
~ Richard Wagner & Jacques Offenbach (6 compositions each)
~ Titian (6 prints)
* AO selections for Term 3
Monday, February 5, 2007
TOS Valentine Sale ~ Hurry
The Old Schoolhouse is doing it again ~ a spectacular sale
on great books and resources.
If you missed the last one, go over now and stock up.
You won't be disappointed.
ends Feb. 6, 2007
Labels: books, homeschooling, tos
Monday, January 22, 2007
Progress Report
It's been quiet here. Not much happening thanks to the ice storm and cold temperatures. We were even expecting lots of snow but that didn't happen, just rain and sleet. Too bad ~ I wanted to stay home and snuggle, drink hot chocolate sitting by a fire. Maybe another day but I did resign from the library and look forward to spending much more time at home w/my family. I am also finished with working at BBW for the season though I will am on-call for them. I was thinking about applying for another pt job, about 10 hrs a week but decided that I am going to rest and let God do what He promised for our family and spend my time w/Him. Between teaching, volunteering, working w/my support groups, drawing, writing and subbing sometimes ~ I believe I have plenty to do w/o having to take on a new job. Besides, dh decided it was time to start selling books, so that will keep me busy too ~ a home business.
To recap, we have been just reading and resting. I am planning our course for the year. Taking my time to decide what would be best and to allow myself transition from work back to home. I am finding that my full attention is required to move us forward in our studies, therefore I am using these weeks to prepare for the move up in our course work. I am hoping to begin Year 7 in February but I want to be here to be apart of the lessons and studies. I have never read most of the books they will be working through and want to do so. I so look forward to working with them instead of trying to get them to work. Thats a hard job and hasn't been the easiest thing for me to accept.
Our book list is not complete. I'll try to get it posted before Feb but it may not happen before the 31st, which is my last day at the library. Riley and Da Boy are reading the last of the books they haven't read on the Pre-Year 7 list in preparation for Year 7. I'll update more later in the week. Have a great week!
til next time ~ in the life & times of the Excelsior Warriors!!
To recap, we have been just reading and resting. I am planning our course for the year. Taking my time to decide what would be best and to allow myself transition from work back to home. I am finding that my full attention is required to move us forward in our studies, therefore I am using these weeks to prepare for the move up in our course work. I am hoping to begin Year 7 in February but I want to be here to be apart of the lessons and studies. I have never read most of the books they will be working through and want to do so. I so look forward to working with them instead of trying to get them to work. Thats a hard job and hasn't been the easiest thing for me to accept.
Our book list is not complete. I'll try to get it posted before Feb but it may not happen before the 31st, which is my last day at the library. Riley and Da Boy are reading the last of the books they haven't read on the Pre-Year 7 list in preparation for Year 7. I'll update more later in the week. Have a great week!
til next time ~ in the life & times of the Excelsior Warriors!!
Labels: AO, books, homeschooling
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Planning Progress
I have spent my time wisely this weekend, shutup inside during the ice storm. I've managed to get the following done:
1. school calendar for 07
2. draft of our programme of study
3. drafts of lesson plans
4. organizing my lesson book
5. determine which books we still needed
6. create a to do list for etext printing and other docs
I've returned to my Jan - Dec school planning and I'm very pleased with that. I will be posting my programme of study this week, which includes our book list, but only for the 1st term. I'll post each term separately just in case there is a change in direction, I won't have to delete a bunch of entries.
I'll update later in the week, I'm not sure if I'll start blogging daily or just once a week as before. I will also be working on updating the sidebar and transferring my archives from HSB ~ very slow process. ;D
Have a great week.
til next time ~ in the life & times of the Excelsior Warriors!!
Labels: books, homeschooling, life n times, plans
Friday, January 12, 2007
Cold, cozy kind of weather
We are in the middle of an ice storm and the governor has declared a state of emergency preparation for us. I'm happy, its cold outside but very warm inside ~ hearts and lovely fire. We skipped school today and went grocery shopping. We won't be doing that again when there is a storm warning. I wasn't aware of the governor's declaration and found myself in lots of traffic. We managed to get all our necessities along w/some extras and are safely back at home where dh has started a fire. I am cooking dinner in the crockpot ~ creamy turkey with egg noodles, will make a very rich pound cake later and homemade hot chocolate. The kiddos are coloring and we will be listening to a book on cd soon. Not sure if we are listening to my book, Sense & Sensibility or the Tales of Two Cities. Either way it should be a lovely afternoon though dh had to return to work to complete payroll in case our weather does get bad thru the weekend.
I'll go now, must check in at some other sites quickly before logging off. Have an excellent week.
til next time ~ in the life & times of the Excelsior Warriors!
Labels: books, home, homeschooling, weather
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Books ~ free ones
As you know, I love books and especially the ones that are "free." Since joining a wonderful yahoo group ~ Best of All Books ~ I've found a new free online library for books. No bookcases needed, no stacks, no clutter ~ yippee! I wanted to pass this on to my hsg/blogging buddies so that you too, if you already hadn't, can take advantage of this wonderful resource. Its called "The Free Library" and you can access the site here.
Enjoy!
