Day 48 or, the rest of winter term

I'll repost our plans for this term that I made back in January, adding notes (in red) as to what we're doing for the rest of term.

The Boy (grade 5) and Baby (grade 3):

math workbooks and drills 4x a week

living math books, hands-on math work, and explorations on Fridays

penmanship daily

phonics daily (The Boy)

reading practice daily

All of the above will continue, a little each day (little drops of water, little grains of sand...)

mainlessons:

Canadian geography~ reading S is for Spirit Bear(British Columbia) and sometimes adding additional reading depending on the topics each day

This has been the kids' favourite subject this year- I think it's the variety of topics we're covering that makes it so interesting. We'll continue, hoping to complete the BC book by the end of term so that we can move on to Alberta. If we keep up this pace, we can cover three provinces/ territories a year, four if we keep up during the summer.

Canadian studies~ reading about the native people of the Northwest coast, as well as some of their legends and tales

We've finished with this topic for the term, and will pick it up when we move on to a new province.

literature~ a fun morning read-aloud, a classic read-aloud for the afternoons, and learning about poetry parts and forms using R is for Rhyme (as well as reading selected poetry by all of the poets mentioned in the book)

Continuing.

natural history~ beginning a 'native moon' project (January is the Wolf Moon, so we'll study wolves, February is the Snow Moon), reading The Tough Winter, starting a nature calendar, and (of course) as many walks as we can manage. January we'll be taking an observation walk, looking for Squirrel activity (and nests), exploring in the woods, and cracking open some goldenrod galls (bugsicles, anyone?)

We'll be continuing our 'native moon' project (March is the Sap Moon), we're finished The Tough Winter and are now reading Bambi, we've ditched the nature calendar (we'll use it as out nature focus next year), and will be getting out for walks as often as possible.

science~ continuing our astronomy study (finishing up learning about the universe and our galaxy, then focusing on our own solar system)

This has been another favourite subject! We're still working on the universe, but we've decided to follow a different trail- our main text leaves off at the beginnings of the Earth, and leads into the next book in the series, so we'll follow along ;-)

religion~ reading Bible stories a few times a week, celebrating feast days (and reading about them, of course)

Continuing.

Gracie (grade 8):

math and drill daily, living math reading in free time

spelling twice a week

Greek and Latin roots twice a week

copywork twice a week

written narrations daily

Continuing the above, adding in grammar twice a week.

literature~ Oliver Twist, Hans Brinker, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, shares poetry with the littles

She has finished Oliver Twist and has moved on the The Prince and the Pauper.

ancient history~ Augustus Caesar's World, The Story of Rome

Continuing.

Canadian studies~ Canada in North America to 1800, Native Tribes of Canada

Continuing.

science~ continuing with astronomy using Astronomy for Beginners, biographies of some of the scientists mentioned in the book

Continuing.

afternoon fun for everyone:

~nature walks and studies when the weather allows

~art on Mondays, leaving the supplies out for the rest of the week for free-time fun

~handwork projects to work on during read-alouds and while listening to audio books

~Lego lessons

~typing (starting with drilling the alphabet)

~home ec. (baking, learning new homemaking skills, prepping supper...)

~a movie and a giant bowl of popcorn on Fridays

Continuing all of the above and adding in a few things- board games, planning our spring garden, hot-chocolate-and-read time now that all of the kids can read on their own (more about this amazing breakthrough later!!).