Patton's With Passion: August 2008

THIS is why I've lacked the time to post! We began our first week of cyber school.

So far, I can see there is a learning curve/adjustment period, but we are happy with it so far. Rylan is enrolled in K4 (preschool) and Brayden is Kindergarten. They currently work past these levels, but we can move Brayden ahead to 1st grade after he completes his Kindergarten assignments and submits his tests. We just completed lesson 40, which is usually finished at the end of October. I expect to have him in a first grade curriculum this winter. We may need to work on more phonics for that to happen though.

Here is their curriculum's provided by Pa Cyber. Also included is a router, 2 printers, software (including photoshop!), full internet reimbursement, and partial reimbursement for sports fees!

This is all of Brayden's Pa Cyber curriculum:
Bray's new HP laptop

This is Brayden's interactive mouse pad/drawing pad. Its really neat, and Rylan has his own, too!

Craft suppiles

Beginner reading books

Reading, math

Science, computer skills and music

All of it together

This is Rylan's. Honestly, its a bit disappointing- its just about ALL nursery rhymes, crafts and music. I have Rylan doing the Kindergarten worksheets Brayden skips over.

This is our bookshelf, in the dining room. I need to make ANOTHER Goodwill pile. Everything on the bottom row is educational material, as well as most of the shelf above it.

In addition, I also purchased this shelf to try to further organize. Staples has these on sale tomorrow for $12, I think I need another one to put beside it!

The bottom shelf has Language Arts, including Kumon handwriting, Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code, and others.
Next is Science, including some text books, Living Learning Science Curriculum, Seasonal Science and more.
Then Social Studies, including history: Story Of The World (and its activity book), and atlas'.

Math includes a few math workbooks picked up here and there, and Family Math For Young Children. Rulers.
The Art drawer contains their good paper, and a Kumon cutting book.
Scrap paper they use often, and supplies houses our pencils, tape, scissors, glue sticks, stickers, stamps, paper clips, markers, crayons, clay, etc.

This dry erase box sits on the table as we "do school" this way, if I am helping one of them with something, the other has something to keep busy and HOPEFULLY keep quiet and entertained. It includes Kumon upper and lowercase letters, numbers and another writing tablet.

I attached this magnetic dry-erase chart to our drawers. We use this a TON, the kids really enjoy the "action" of doing these. I make up a ton of "games" to play on this.

I keep a vocabulary log in a small file envelope. Its divided into the subjects of: Language, Science, Math, History and Social Studies.
During August, we learned about the Olympics, so I made vocabulary words from those lessons.

I use a filing system for Unit Studies. This is where we branch of regular lessons and study more in depth the things that interest them. This month, we studied farm animals since we knew we'd encounter them at the fair (last blog post) and the Olympics.

This is where I file our supplemental home school worksheets. These subjects include:
Language, Math, Science, Geography, History, Nature, Health , Life Skills, Ethics, Local, Holiday.
Most of these sheets are printed form www.enchantedlearning.com

These are the Word Wheels we often use for reading/word recognition

This is MY organization.
A circa notebook from Levenger.

To do lists :) Each subject

Each subject has its own papers for library lists, goals, to-do, book log, and notes.

Wow. I'm tired just reading this. Things have been a bit more hectic this past week since starting cyber school, since more time is required for school. I hope things settle into place quickly, because starting in September, I add 2 additional days to my work schedule, plus swimming, gymnastics and ice hockey begin. Wish us luck!