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February 3, 2009
So ... Whatcha Doin'?
Big things may be happening here, but you get to wait until I know if they're happening or not.
In the meantime, my science post struck a chord with many of you. The lack of decent science curricula is, I think, the single biggest curriculum problem homeschooling has. More specifically, it's the single biggest secular curriculum problem. So I will write more about it, soon.
In the meantime, here's our homeschooling update:
For science, we went to the National Zoo, and learned many things about pandas.
In history, we are doing Tapestry of Grace Year 3, Week 2: "Napoleon: The Man and His Career." Yes, yes, we are still enjoying Tapestry of Grace. Honest. But I'd like to make a note, here: TOG is meant to be an almost all-encompassing curriculum. And, frankly, using it like that gives you your best value for the money. Lately I've been encountering some virtual eye-rolling, and exhortations to not burn my kids out with overkill, by having them do TOG *and* LCC, etc.
Many new homeschoolers start off with an overabundance of zeal, trying to combine every program, every method, in an attempt to give their student that mythical education "without gaps." And then they burn out, because it can't be done. I can see why people who don't know me might look at the program I've worked out for my kids, and shake their heads.
However, every piece of curriculum is a tool, and your homeschooling lives will be much, much more relaxed and productive the faster you realize this. TOG is not all-encompassing for us. We use the parts I like, and we use it within my framework. And as such, it fits in very well with an LCC framework, because I make it do so.
Sometimes I wish we had some kind of universal internet signifier, so that people who do not know you would know to not respond to you as if you are a newbie.
(Selections marked with an asterisk are part our our Latin-Centered Curriculum (LCC) reading, or selections scheduled in Classical Writing.)
Connor's Reading (D):
- The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier
I had to buy this, as it was nowhere in our library system. It was well worth the purchase. It's always nice to find that your student can't put down the school assignment. - This week he finished Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (Hornblower Saga)
- Selections from The Struggle for Sea Power
- The Iliad*, using Drew Campbell's most excellent study guide
- Julius Caesar*
Aidan's Reading (UG):
- Diary of an Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805
This is a big hit, too! - Selections from Story of the World 3
- D'Aulaire's Greek Myths*
For the Lower Grammar kids TOG schedules a good selection of fairy tales, which fits in perfectly with their LCC literature. This week we did Rapunzel, as well as a book called I, Crocodile
We made salt dough maps of imaginary lands. I have not yet taken pictures of those, but will try to remember to do so later this week.
For our study of the presidents, we are using the ones found here. And really, every week I check Rivendell Press and plunder everything she's posted. I'm so glad that she's a few weeks ahead of me!
In other news, we had birthdays. Connor is now 13, and Aidan is 11. We also found a group of kids that meets once a week to play D&D, which is just the social outlet the older boys needed. It seems wrong to me, though, to gather on a weekday afternoon to play D&D. I think that once every couple of weeks all the boys ought to meet on a Friday night and sleep over, playing D&D late into the night. Isn't that how it's supposed to be done?
Posted by lynx at February 3, 2009 9:55 PM
Comments
We've got a little group of boys 11, 12, 13 and 14 that do have a nearly weekly D&D event too. I completely agree; it really IS what they need at this age. As for the overnight, I'd be happy to have them do that too...at someone else's house. :-)
Posted by: Obi-Mom Kenobi at February 4, 2009 9:25 PM
I'm happy to be in a place where we can *find* homeschoolers who play D&D. That's, um, tricky in some areas we've lived.
Posted by: Stephanie at February 5, 2009 8:26 AM
Well, aside from the big tease (!) -- and I hope they're GOOD big things! -- it sounds as if everything is going wonderfully well. I'll have to remember The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier for the boys when they get older; I'm sure they'd enjoy it too. Thanks for the recommendation.
Posted by: Becky at February 6, 2009 11:24 PM
Oh the suspense!!!
Posted by: Kristin at February 8, 2009 11:33 PM
We dream about writing the science track that goes with Tapestry of Grace... it's code-named "Natural History," and it makes science the adventure story that it really is by following the thread of human discovery.
I may finally get to start writing it... AFTER I finish all my existing commitments (the Pop Quiz, Government track, and Pageant of Philosophy in the TOG Redesign project).
Posted by: Scott W. Somerville at March 31, 2009 10:18 AM