Podcasts I've Been Listening To This Week

Podcasts

 I've been enjoying some homeschool podcasts these last couple of weeks.  I don't usually listen to podcasts, but these have been interesting and inspiring.  

One podcast has been A Delectable Education.  Here are the episodes by topic: https://www.adelectableeducation.com/episodes/  The podcasts center on using the Charlotte Mason method in your homeschool.

The second podcast I listened to is from Simply Charlotte Mason. https://simplycharlottemason.com/audio-video-podcast/  I didn't really learn anything listening to this podcast, but it would be a good homeschool beginner podcast.  The speaker also keeps some of the podcasts very short, so it's easy to listen to in the car while you're waiting to pick up your kid from sports, etc.  (Well, that's when I was listening to it.)

Blogs

Since I'm on a roll listening to podcasts, I've been following rabbit trails on several blogs lately, too.  This one has a ton of Charlotte Mason information and even I (after homeschooling for 15 years) was learning things from it: https://sabbathmoodhomeschool.com/

I like this blog, also. http://joyouslessons.blogspot.com/

And, one last blog. https://lettersfromnebby.wordpress.com/  The very first post on this blog was a response to Susan Wise Bauer's podcast that I was listening to last week.

Homeschool Day 10/31

 3rd Grader

Math

• Wild Math 3
• Addition with the math dice

Sonlight Reading 2/Language Arts

• Explode the Code
• We finished Frog and Toad Together
• Handwriting

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• We started Sir Lancelot the Great and he really likes this book!
• Bible reading
• A Child's History of the World

Extras

• Piano practice
• Karate class

11th Grader

Bible

• Romans

Algebra 2

• Quadratic equations/formula

Extras

• We enrolled in Texas Parent-Taught Driver's Ed program (www.aceable.com)
• Gymnastics classes

Homeschool Day 10/30

 3rd Grader

Math

• Wild Math 3 - we started today - he finished his Singapore math level.  I asked him what he wanted to do next and he said he wanted to go back to Wild Math
• Addition flashcards - he knew all of them
• Schoolhouse Rock - 2s

Sonlight Reading 2/Language Arts

• Explode the Code
• Copywork
• Frog and Toad Together

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• We finished The Minstrel in the Tower - he really liked this book!
• Bible reading
• Usborne World History
• Poetry book

Science

• Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth Day
• Dinosaurs - he is loving this chapter

Art/Music

• Piano practice

11th Grader

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

Mathusee Algebra 2

• Quadratic Equations

Biology

• Smithsonian's Zoology
• Notetaking in her Funschooling Journal
• I showed her how to take Cornell Notes

Civil War Unit Study

• Crash Course US History - Battles of the Civil War
• Trail Guide to US Geography
• Alabama

Art/Music

• Practicing classical guitar
• Ballet class

Homeschool Day 10/26

 3rd Grader

Math

• We finished our Singapore Math workbook, so we are going to spend the rest of November/December playing math games and memorizing math facts
• He happily danced his workbook to the recycle bin

Sonlight Reading 2/Language Arts

• Frog and Toad All Year (reader)
• Explode the Code
• Handwriting practice - we did the Lazy 8 video on YouTube

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• Usborne World History
• The Minstrel in the Tower (read-aloud) - he begged me to read a second chapter, so I think he really likes this book
• Bible reading

11th Grader

Algebra 2

• Honors Page - permutations

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

Biology

• Smithsonian's Zoology

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• FINISHED!!  She really learned so much doing this.  She keeps telling me things she read about Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, John Brown, and the Underground Railroad.  This unit study must've made an impression
• The Life of Frederick Douglass - she finished this
• Song Study
• We listened to the African American spiritual "Wade in the Water" and discussed how it was used during the Underground Railroad
• Trail Guide to US Geography
• Georgia
• We read about Hernando de Soto and looked at a map of his expedition

Homeschool Day 10/25

 3rd Grader

Sonlight Readers 2/Language Arts

• Frog and Toad All Year (reader)
• Explode the Code

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• The Minstrel in the Tower (read-aloud)
• Usborne World History
• Poetry book
• Bible reading
• Hands-on History Box
• We made the Medieval Signet Ring - project from clay

Extras

• He has three hours of ballet tonight.  :(

11th Grader

Mathusee Algebra 2

• Completing the Square

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

Biology

• Smithsonian's Zoology
• Notetaking with her Funschooling Biology Journal

Grammar/Writing

• Khan Academy SAT English Prep Course

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass
• Crash Course US History
• "The Election of 1860 and the Road to Disunion"

Extras

• Ballet
• Wednesday night church activities

Homeschool Day 10/24

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math - more division.  We used the Mathusee blocks

Sonlight Reading 2/Language Arts

• Explode the Code
• Frog and Toad All Year
• Copywork

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• Time Traveler
• The Minstrel in the Tower (read-aloud)
• Bible reading
• Aesop's Fables

Science

• Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth Day

Extras

• Karate class
• Boy Scouts

11th Grader

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

Algebra 2

• Completing the Square

Frederick Douglass unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass

Extras

• Teaching gymnastics class

Homeschool Day 10/23

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math
• Multiplication and division as reciprocal operations

Sonlight Reading/Language Arts 2

• Explode the Code
• Copywork
• Frog and Toad All Year

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• The Minstrel in the Tower
• Time Traveler
• Bible reading

Extras

• Archery Practice - we went to an archery range and they spent a couple of hours shooting their bows and arrows

11th Grader

Math

• Mathusee Algebra 2

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

Biology

• Smithsonian's Zoology + note taking in her Funschooling Biology Journal

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass

Extras

• Archery Practice - we went to an archery range and they spent a couple of hours shooting their bows and arrows

Well-Trained Mind Podcasts

https://welltrainedmind.com/the-well-trained-mind-podcast/

I don't identify as a classical homeschooler, but I periodically enjoy reading about classical education.  I stumbled upon this podcast and have been enjoying the episodes.

So far, I've only listened to "What is Classical Education" and "What Isn't Classical Education".  I know there are some harsh reviews of these episodes, but I actually enjoyed listening to them.

I will probably listen to "Where did Classical Education Come From" next, because that episode looks interesting.  

I need something to listen to while I clean the garage!

Adding some things I thought were interesting from the episodes I listened to:

• Susan Wise Bauer sounds much more flexible about homeschooling in person than the tone of the book The Well-Trained Mind
• She suggested that you could cover the history cycle in six years instead of four
• I like how she said she's had to relearn how to knit four or five times
• I thought it was interesting that she said classical education is language based, but it doesn't have to always be print-based.  It can involve listening to language, instead of just reading.
• I agreed when she said high schoolers should be doing so much more than reading and then filling out fill-in-the-blank or multiple choice answers

Homeschool Day 10/19

 3rd Grader

Math

• We did addition and multiplication with lawn dice
• We played dominoes

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• Aesop's Fables
• Time Traveler
• The Minstrel in the Tower (read-aloud)
• Poetry book

Art

• Draw Write Now

Extras

• Piano practice
• Homeschool Skating Day

11th Grader

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

Grammar/Writing

• Khan Academy SAT English Prep Course

Biology

• Smithsonian's Zoology

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass

Extras

• Homeschool Skating Day
• Ballet class

Homeschool Day 10/18

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math - Division

Sonlight Reading/Language Arts 2

• Frog and Toad All Year
• Explode the Code
• Handwriting without Tears

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• Bible reading
• Time Traveler
• The Minstrel in the Tower (read-aloud)
• Poetry book

Science

• Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth Day
• Crocodiles

Extras

• Ballet class
• Wednesday night church activities

11th Grader

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

Grammar/Writing

• Khan Academy SAT English Prep Course

Biology

• Smithsonian's Zoology
• Notetaking

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass

Extras

• Ballet class
• Wednesday night church activities

Homeschool Day 10/17

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math

Sonlight Reading/Language Arts 2

• Explode the Code
• Copy-work
• Frog and Toad All Year (reader)

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• Geography songs
• Robin Hood
• Poetry book
• Aesop's Fables

Extras

• Karate Class
• We did the Fishing elective for Cub Scouts
• Piano practice

11th Grader

Math

• Mathusee Algebra 2 Honors Page

Bible

• Epistle to the Romans

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass

Extras

• Gymnastics Class

Homeschool Day 10/16

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math
• We had to review skip-counting

Sonlight Reading/Language Arts 2

• Explode the Code
• Handwriting practice
• Frog and Toad All Year (reader)

Sonlight C World History 2 (history, Bible and literature)

• Aesop's Fables
• Robin Hood
• Time Traveler
• Castles, knights
• Bible reading

Extras

• He practiced piano
• Cub Scouts

11th Grader

Math

• Mathusee Algebra 2

Bible

• Reading through Epistle to the Romans

Grammar/Writing

• Khan Academy SAT English

Biology

• Smithsonian's Zoology
• She took notes on the book in her Funschooling Biology book

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass
• Artist Study: Edmonia Lewis
• We read a brief biography
• We looked at her marble sculptures
• Song Study: "Go Down Moses"
• Listened to the Louis Armstrong version and read the lyrics
• Trail Guide to US Geography
• Mapwork of South Carolina
• Read about the history of the Old Slave Mart in Charleston, South Carolina
• Researched Francis Marion

Extras

• Ballet class

American Civil War Unit Study (history, literature, art and music)

We are doing mini unit/topical studies throughout US history this year and we are almost finished with our African American History/Frederick Douglass unit study.  Our next study will be on the American Civil War.  This will be our last history unit study until January.

Here is what I planned:

Literature

• Company Aytch: A Classic Memoir of the Civil War

History/Geography

• Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War
• Trail Guide to US Geography (continued all year)
• Crash Course US History (continued all year)

Art

• Movie: Gone with the Wind (not looking for a historically accurate movie, but I think this movie is important culturally - she's never seen a movie this old before and I think there is a lot of discussion that could go with it
• Video: "Amazing Photographs of Civil War Battlefields"
• Lens of War: Exploring Iconic Photographs of the Civil War

Music

• Video: "Music During the Civil War (Smithsonian)"
• https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/music/music-of-the-civil-war/

Two additional things we've already done this year that I am counting towards this study:

• We watched the movie Glory 
• We visited the Texas Civil War Museum in Fort Worth, TX

Break from School 10/9-10/13

 We took off from school this week, so we could declutter and clean our house.  The temperatures finally dropped here, so we have spent a lot of time playing baseball outside and riding bikes.  

I also went to another city's library and got a library card there.  It was $25 for a non-resident library card, but you can use it at their library and six other city libraries.  This library seemed to have a much bigger children's section and a ton of audiobooks (which come in handy with dyslexia).  Now I have two huge library systems that I can use for our homeschool.

Homeschool Day 10/4

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math

Sonlight Reading/Language Arts 2

• Frog and Toad All Year (reader)
• Explode the Code
• Handwriting practice

Sonlight C World History 2 (history, Bible and literature)

• Bible reading
• Robin Hood
• Time Traveler
• Knights and Castles

Science

• Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth Day
• Lizards, monitors

Extras

• Ballet class
• Wednesday night church activities

11th Grader

Bible

• She finished reading through Acts of the Apostles.  Next is Romans.

Math

• Mathusee Algebra 2
• She needed help with one problem, which I also got wrong - go figure...

Grammar/Writing

• Khan Academy SAT English Prep Course

Anatomy & Physiology

• She finished reading Tiner's The History of Medicine - yay!!!

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass

Extras

• Ballet Class
• Wednesday night church activities

Homeschool Day 10/3

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math

Sonlight Reading/Language Arts 2

• Explode the Code
• Handwriting without Tears

Sonlight C (history, Bible and literature)

• We did all of our usual Sonlight readings

Science

• Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth Day

11th Grader

Bible

• Acts of the Apostles
• I bought her the CS Lewis Study Bible and she bought some Bible highlighters to go along with it.  It is an excellent Bible.  There are excerpts from CS Lewis' books throughout the Bible that reflect on the Scriptural passages on that particular page.
• https://www.cslewis.com/the-c-s-lewis-bible/

Math

• Mathusee Algebra 2

Grammar/Writing

• Khan Academy SAT English Prep Course

Anatomy & Physiology

• The History of Medicine
• Penicillin

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• The Life of Frederick Douglass
• Crash Course US History
• "War and Expansion"
• Trail Guide to US Geography
• Tennessee

Homeschool Day 10/2

 3rd Grader

Math

• Singapore Math
• Schoolhouse Rock math videos

Sonlight Reading/Language Arts 2

• He finished reading Frog and Toad All Year
• Explode the Code

Sonlight C World History 2 (Bible, history and literature)

• Bible reading
• Robin Hood
• Poetry book
• Time Traveler
• Window on the World
• Greece
• Geography Songs
• Southern Europe

Science

• Apologia's Land Animals of the Sixth Day
• Lizards

Extras

• Piano practice
• Ballet

11th Grader

Bible

• Acts of the Apostles

Math

• Mathusee Algebra 2 (I unfortunately had to teach this lesson from the textbook, because our TV broke over the weekend and we can't watch the video)

Grammar/Writing

• She finished writing her poetry to go along with the book To Be A Slave.  We printed it out and put it in her high school binder.  It was very good writing!
• Khan Academy SAT English Prep Course

Anatomy & Physiology 

• The History of Medicine
• Sulfa drugs

African American History/Frederick Douglass Unit Study

• She finished the book To Be a Slave by Julius Lester.  This was an EXCELLENT book.  

Extras

• Ballet class