2012-2013 Education Plan COMPLETED!!!

We are on our summer/fall book break and I have taken some time to get things reorganized before starting our fall session. I think that I have arrived at the point where we have made the final decisions for the majority of KM's lessons for the next three sessions. AS ALWAYS nothing is set in stone, but each year I feel more comfortable and end up changing less things throughout. I take a lot of time researching and organizing in the beginning to help us feel comfortable and to allow our year to flow.

I will also continue to update the Home Education Through High School Resources page so be sure to check it out!!!

KM's Education Outline

Summer '12 – Spring '13 Sessions 

ELA - Literature & Writing

Classic Fiction including - Little Women, Frankenstein, Yearling, Ethan Frome, Wrinkle in Time, Animal Farm, & Adventures of Huck Finn ~ additionally we will be watching various cinematic versions of each of these when applicable. 
Glencoe Literature Guides

Steck-Vaughn G: Language Arts, Writing
Reading Section from - Steck-Vaughn Complete GED Preparation 

Math

^{Hands on Banking For Teens - Summer Only 
Applying Algebra - Fall - Spring}

Science

Chem Prep Unit 1 of GPB Chemistry Video Resources - Summer Only

Chemistry (Science) 

Various Chemistry related videos which will be listed - HERE 

Social Sciences – U.S. History, Current Events & Geography

A History of US Books 5-9

Story of the US DVD

U.S. History – Basic Not Boring

CNN Student News

Election Study - iCivics Resources

Will of the people - Virtual Field Trip

Health & P.E.

What Do You Stand For? For Teens: A Guide to Building Character 
Bowling
Tennis
Ice Skating

ExerBeat

Electives

Milady's Standard Cosmetology with Theory Workbook & Practical    Workbook

Youth Group

Volunteer Work

Chess Club 
Teen Advisory Group 
Shakespeare Theatre Group

Japanese from Zero!
Japanese 1 - GPB Resources 

Essentially this would be KM's 10th grade year if she were in traditional school.  KM's lighter Summer Schedule - 

and her Fall - Spring Schedule

Summer Session - Another example of why we do lessons year round!

Monday was the perfect example of why we do lessons year round. KM's alarm went off at 9 and she came bouncing out of her room and was dancing through the kitchen. When I asked why she was so happy she said "I get to start my cosmetology book today!" Now we have had this book for months and she could have begun it at anytime, but today is the first day of our summer session which is when she decided to have the cosmetology added on to her schedule. She is really driven by her schedule, it keeps her motivated and focused. Without it she tends to just motor along with no real direction and SHE notices that she doesn't seem to be herself.

She had a little over 4 weeks off from book work, but by the beginning of the third week she was really getting bored, losing focus and started asking about doing different sports - volleyball at the high school, taking gymnastics, maybe trying a dance class, but when I said most of those things start in the fall she said well I won't have TIME for that then! Each and every time we take a break longer than a week or two she gets like this EVEN when we have things planned most days. I see a very REAL difference in her personality, demeanor, and attitude. Don't get me wrong she has days where she enjoys doing nothing - like when we spent Sunday watching almost the entire first season of Gossip Girl on Netflix -, but if it goes on for more than a day or two she is just off.

Today was a great start she went and completed her volunteer hours in the morning, we had lunch after I picked her up and she was off and running with the Hands-On Banking for Teens, her cosmetology program and she began her history assignment for the week. Summer lessons are much more laid back, but she knows that it allows us to have greater flexibility in our schedule throughout the rest of the year. I am think of switching it up a bit more and cutting back the two lengthier breaks - Sept and June - and adding those extra weeks throughout the year so that we don't get this funk again. 

2012-2013 Ed Outline

KM has been quite under the weather over the last few weeks and feeling like she didn't want to go anywhere, which gave me a TON of time to get next year's education outline completed for both kids - YIPPEE!!! AS I ALWAYS SAY - I don't have this carved in stone, but I feel SOOOOO much more confident when I have it all planned out. DN will be 11th grade next year and KM will be 10th grade, however since KM is a bit ahead and DN has some remedial work to catch up on, there a few areas where they are working on the same things and a number of areas where KM is actually doing higher level work than DN. DN will also be working this summer and therefore will have a more intense schedule over the fall, winter and spring sessions.

Education Outline

Summer 12 – Spring 13 Sessions

Subject	Summer '12	Fall '12	Winter '13	Spring '13
ELA - Literature & Writing	Historical Fiction - K Steck-Vaughn GED: Language Arts, Writing  - K	Movies as Literature - Both Steck-Vaughn G: Language Arts, Writing  - K Glencoe Literature - D	Movies as Literature -    Both Steck-Vaughn G: Language Arts, Writing  - K Glencoe Literature - D	Movies as Literature -    Both Steck-Vaughn G: Language Arts, Writing  - K  Glencoe Literature - D
Math	Hands on Banking for Teens - K	Applying Algebra (Applied Math Series)  - K SF Algebra Book 1 - D	Applying Algebra (Applied Math Series)  - K SF Algebra Book 1 - D SF Algebra Book 2 - D	Applying Algebra (Applied Math Series)     - K SF Algebra Book 2 - D
Science		Chemistry (Science) -    Both Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work - Both	Chemistry (Science) - Both Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work - Both	Chemistry (Science) - Both Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work - Both
Health & P.E.	Bowling - K ExerBeat - K	Bowling – K ExerBeat - K	Bowling - K ExerBeat - K	Bowling - K ExerBeat - K
Social Sciences – Current Events, U.S. History & Geography	A History of US Books 5-9 - K Story of the US DVD - K U.S. History – Basic Not Boring - K	A History of US Books 5-9 - K Story of the US DVD - Both U.S. History – Basic Not Boring - K Hip Hop History - U.S. - D Living Books & Historical Fiction - D People and Events: 1865-Present - Both CNN Student News - Both Election Study	A History of US Books 5-9 - K Story of the US DVD - Both U.S. History – Basic Not Boring - K Hip Hop History - U.S. - D Living Books & Historical Fiction - D People and Events: 1865-Present - Both CNN Student News - Both	A History of US Books 5-9 - K Story of the US DVD - Both U.S. History – Basic Not Boring - K Hip Hop History - U.S. - D Living Books & Historical Fiction - D People and Events: 1865-Present - Both CNN Student News - Both
Elective	Milady's Standard Cosmetology - K  Theory Workbook-- K Practical Workbook - K Japanese from Zero!  -    K	Cosmetology - K  Meet the Great Composers  - Both Stossel in the Classroom - Civics - D	Cosmetology - K  Meet the Great Composers  - Both Stossel in the Classroom - Civics - D	Cosmetology - K  Meet the Great Composers  - Both Stossel in the Classroom - Civics - D

Here is what the planned schedules will look like -

KM - Summer Schedule ~~~

KM - Fall Schedule ~~~~~~~~

DN - Fall Schedule ~~~~~~~

Weekly Update - AAAAAHHHHHHHHH Balance

This week was so balanced and relaxing which is just what was needed around here!

DN was here while CJ was home and things went okay. He and KM worked on the earthworm experiments in Janice VanCleave's Bio Labs. We all learned a lot and had a good time with them. CJ and DN spent some time together and CJ got some things done around the house while I took KM to a teen hangout event Saturday night.

Once the boys were off on their adventures, KM and I had two days of relaxing, getting things done and just lounging around the house and two days running all around town. Monday KM got a lot of her lessons done, while I cleaned out closets and reorganized things. Tuesday we ran errands, went to see The Secret World of Arietty, - which was FABULOUS!!! - ran a few more errands and then found the perfect shoes to go with her dress for the semi-formal. Speaking of the shoes not only were they perfect but they were $59 marked down to $11.99 and we had a $10 off coupon so we got them for $1.99 which means we saved 96.7%!!!!! Wednesday we finally had a wintry day at home! It snowed, I built a fire and we spent the day in the living room - KM working on lessons while I finished up the spring lesson plans and then we caught up on the 3 episodes of Smash we had missed. Then Thursday we went  ice skating, to the grocery store and swung by the library to pick up some thingss we had on hold. We were hoping to make it to the BSU observatory for their special events for the opposition of Mars, but the sky was just not cooperating, maybe we will make it there this weekend. All and all it was a pretty good week and we hope that this balance will continue! 

Some extra pics of the critters around here this week -

Spring Session Plans ALL SET!

Got every little piece tidied up this afternoon and it is like a weight has lifted from my shoulders. As I have said a bazillion times before, although I am willing to switch things up it is SOOOOO nice to just have things set and ready to go.

After some discussion DN has decided to stay on an every other week schedule, which means he will be here for only two or three days every two weeks and will complete the majority of his work at home. I had to switch things up a bit so that this could work, but I think that it will go well as long as he stays on top of things. KM's schedule will basically remain the same as it has, but we are tweaking a few things here and there to hers as well.

Literature -
City of Embers - DN

Animal Farm - DN

Math - 

Manga Joku - Both

Science - 

Biology Coloring Workbook - KM

Janice VanCleave's Bio Labs - Both
Usborne Science Encyclopedia - DN

Health & Phys. Ed. - 
Bowling - KM

Tennis - Both

Ice Skating- KM
Basketball - DN

Heads Up: Real News About Drugs and Your Body - Both
Mind Over Matter - Both


Social Sciences – U.S. History & Geography - 
A History of US Books 1-2 - K

Liberty Kids - K

Story of the US DVD -  - K

U.S. History – Basic Not Boring - K

Hip Hop History - U.S. - D

Westward, Ha-Ha!, 1800-1850 (America's Funny But True History) - D

The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds: The Donner Party Expedition (My Name is America) - D

The Revolution - D
Journey North - Both
25 Map Crosswords - Both

Elective - Financial Literacy -
Building Your Future - Financial Literacy Curriculum - Both


Foreign Languages - 
Japanese from Zero!  - K

Spanish Grammar Study Cards- D

Spanish Conversation Demystified - D
Spanish (The 100+ Series) - D

Current Events - 
CNN Student News - Both