WWAT Days # 74 & 75- Math and Science Woes

Will not forget, will not forget… I keep almost forgetting! I think I need to set an alarm for this or something.

Lee:
Bible: Reading (Deut 17; Acts 16); Verse (Colossians 3:1-8); MC; Mark Commentary
Math: Life of Fred Beginning Algebra (Lessons 88-89) {she’s such a smart girl! She asks for ‘help’ but I think I am just a sounding board to see if she is right lol}
History/Geography: A Man for All Seasons (finished today and gave a narration over the entire reading); Heritage History Classical Curriculum (narrated)
Language Arts: History of English Literature (chapter 44, narrated)
Foreign Language: Hey Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek (Level 4 to lesson 17); First Form Latin (Lesson 23 worksheet 3 & 4)
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: Utopia
Science: – {Still don’t have it all figured out- she has been reading the book World of Science quite often on her own but I have to get something figured out fairly quick}*
Composer Study/Hymn: He Hideth My Soul 

Fox:
Bible: Reading (Deuteronomy 6; Luke 14); Verse (Titus 3:4-7)
Math: ck-12 Grade 6 (lesson 10.1 & 10.2) {we are working on reviewing ‘pre-algebra’ for now and will move along to the grade 7 book from ck-12.org, I think we have been going to fast with him for math}*
History/Geography: Heritage History Classical Curriculum (narrated); Ohio Study
Language Arts: NaNoWriMo; Hobbit (chapter 16)
Foreign Language: First Form Latin (Lesson 23 worksheets 3 & 4) {gasp! only 13 more lessons!}
Gov’t/Economics/Civics/Logic: -
Science: The Sciences (Physics {lenses}; narrated); Murche’s (lesson 31; narrated)
Composer Study/Hymn: He Hideth My Soul

I feel like I’ve missed a day of recording somewhere (there is a chapter in Bible reading missing from my records…hmmm). But I don’t know.

*<<That little mark means I have something to say about what I put that mark by. For Lee’s science I am currently at a loss. She can continue with the Biology that we’ve been using but it is a lot of work that she really doesn’t need to do. Perhaps I am just being too lenient. I want to use nature study more in place of her science text book but I still cannot get it down. Not sure why- we go for walks and look at the nature around us but the journal part or taking it further than just the casual is difficult. I had found a blogger who is doing a more living books approach to science and it looks good but I can’t spend any more money on school for a few months. And I really don’t think I can in good conscience let science slide that long. Perhaps- maybe- I will just put Lee in with Fox for science. We could do read alouds and then have discussions/narrations. The book I mentioned earlier, World of Science, has over 60 experiments at the back so we could work on those. It is geared more for younger ages/grades than she is but she would like it.  Although Lee was/is studying biology, I see no real reason why she has to at this point. Who decides that anyway?? Argggg… Hm. I think that is what I will do. For now. Thanks for helping me through this

*Now for Fox’s math we have switched to going. backward. In order to move forward I think it is very necessary to fill in the holes that somehow were left from previous work. I will point out that although we have loved Life of Fred math books, there simply isn’t enough review for Fox. I’m not saying they are not good books because I still think they are. Lee is continuing on in Beginning Algebra with only minimal difficulty {who said math is always easy?!} and we will continue with LoF with both of them. Just as soon as we catch those missing bits for Fox. To do that we are looking elsewhere for the moment. I found a book at the library, Pre-Algebra DeMystified, that I’ve been looking through. Haven’t used it yet, though. What we have been using is ck-12.org. I can’t vouch for their credibility other than they are written by teachers and those ‘in the know’. The books are creative commons so they are free for all to use. They can be downloaded to the computer and printed out. So far Fox seems to be doing well. They have about 30 problems for each lesson {and the lessons aren’t too boring}. Right now he is working on area, surface area and volume. I **think** we will move onto the 7th grade book after finishing with the geometric problems in the 6th grade book. And depending on how he does with the second book will determine if I move him on to Beginning Algebra by Stanley Schmidt (LoF). By then Lee most likely will be on to Advanced Algebra. Fox had mentioned that he really would have liked to have a Home Companion for the Pre-Algebra books; it would have helped we think.

So those are my thoughts for those two subjects. Otherwise, I think things are going well. This is week 4 of this ‘rotation’; next week is a break week. We have been dragging since last week though. I am totally confused by this. We’ve been doing really really well with the 4 weeks on, 1 week off. It has kept the burnout at bay but this past week and the beginning of this week has been torturous for all of us. It is a struggle to get started; struggle to keep going; struggle to finish. Many days things are left unfinished. I am looking forward to the break next week. There are only 3 weeks of school after that before Winter break for us. Let’s see if we can keep it together those weeks!