Summer Session

Our summer session of school has started.

I am really emphasizing reading with Angel this year. It is not that she is a poor reader. She is a reluctant reader.


She has reading to do during her character studies. We are finishing our Book of Virtues lap/notebooks. We are using the Book of Virtue by William J. Bennett Study by Shiver Academy.  For 10 days, we study a particular virtue. By the time she has completed a virtue, she has read 10 stories/poems and answered comprehension questions, completed 10 copywork pages and completed 10 lapbook elements.

For reading and comprehension, she is also doing the Abeka reading books grades 3/4 (I got them free--YEAH!).  I have started a grade lower just to help her get used to all the reading. She also hates writing, so I am sneaking in writing for her in various subjects.

I am also going to slowly introduce Total Language Plus: The Courage of Sarah Noble and The Whipping Boy. I am going to wait until we have completed the Book of Virtue Study. 

Curly is continuing with various Total Language Plus. We are going to study The Hobbit and The Twenty-One Balloons. I bought these last year. I think I was a little overambitious and thought we would complete many more of these that we did.

I am starting Excellence in Writing this year for both girls. I am a little nervous but I have a friend who has been doing it and says it is wonderful. I also went to their workshop during our convention to understand the reasoning behind their curriculum and it really made sense.


We are starting new math books: Angel is very excited to be starting the Life of Fred: Elementary Series. I know there will be a lot of review in the beginning but it is going to be worth it to make sure she has her basics. It is in a story format so this is another subject that will have reading comprehesion in it. Curly has started Life of Fred: Beginning Algebra. This is a sample of the book.

For Bible, we have been learning A Catechism for Boys and Girls. We are making a lapbook along with our study. For each doctrinal belief, or group of related beliefs, a mini book is completed.

I have been searching for a doctrinally sound Bible curriculum that is not just regurgitating facts but actually making them think on the Scriptures. I did not think I would find it, until I saw the creator of this series at our state home school convention. Everything she said made me want to jump up and run to her booth and buy the curriculum. I did have the common decency to wait until the workshop was over. :-)

Curly's Bible Curriculum

Angel's Bible Curriculum

Curly has been doing History Revealed for history. She finished Ancient Civilizations and the Bible. We are taking a break and working on American History. We are using America the Beautiful. It was great because I either had or bought at Chamblin's Bookmine all the literature books except one.

Science is not my strong point, so I am trying an online science class. This class is a 12 weeks Creation Apologetics course taught by Catie Frates.  

Catie Frates is a nationally recognized speaker on Biblical Scientific Creationism. In an entertaining fashion, she enthusiastically shares the scientific evidence that supports the Biblical Scientific Creation Model of Origins which empowers her audience with the information they need to interpret history and science into a thoroughly Biblical worldview.

I am really looking forward to this class. I am going to wait until Curly gets back from summer camp before we start this course.