Friday, August 8, 2008

First Day of School

I know, it seems awfully early to be back to school already. The public schools here in the south start super early compared to the northeast. Growing up in NY, we didn't start school until after Labor Day. Here, they started on Tuesday. We had our first day on Monday. We had one horrid day this week...yesterday. The rest went surprisingly well! Here is my pre-schooler:
She is so excited to have school books this year! She's currently learning to write her name, although she's not too thrilled with that. It's easier to just have an older sibling write it for her. :p Her stack of books include:
Get Ready For the Code
Get Set For School (Handwriting Without Tears)
Kumon workbooks (currently mazes...she rocks at mazes)
Various other worksheets that I find

Here is my 1st grader:
He was very excited to be starting first grade this year. Until he actually started it. Then he decided it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. He had to stand in the corner on the first day of school. I was amazed at how little he forgot over the summer. We did virtually no work this summer, so I had figured they would forget everything. He totally surprised me! His stack of books for this year include:
BJU Math 1 (I bought the Review books this year for extra reinforcement)
Explode the Code 2 (I have 2.5 and 3 ready for when he finished 2)
My Printing Book (Handwriting Without Tears)
BJU Phonics and English 1
Various things like Sight Word cards, etc.
First Language Lessons (we haven't started this yet. I'm waiting until he can write a bit better)
Apologia Zoology 1 (we didn't finish this last year, so we're still working on it)

Here is the 4th grader:
I can't believe she's a 4th grader. She gets to change Sunday School classes this year, she is very excited about that. Currently in her pile of books:
Explode the Code (she needed reinforcement, so we're reviewing)
FLL 2 (finishing from last year)
BJU Heritage Studies
Apologia Zoology 1
BJU Math 4
HWT Cursive
Sequential Spelling
Various Readers from the Sonlight catalog
Studying God's Word A
The Complete Book of Animals (workbook from Sam's Club - great for reading comprehension)

Here's the 7th grader:

We didn't realize she is considered a junior high student until Tuesday. She asked us what kinds of privileges junior high students get. As if. :p I can't believe she's a 7th grader now. She gets to join the youth group at church, which excites her very much. . Not so much her older brother, 'cause now he'll have someone to tattle on him when he acts obnoxiously. HA! Currently in her stack of books:
Alpha Omega History
AO SOS Story of the Constitution
Mind Benders
Saxon 7/6 Math (She'll start Pre-Algebra in January or so. Maybe Teaching Textbooks?)
BJU English 7
Apologia General Science
Abeka Of People (Literature)
BJU Bible Truths B
Maps and Geography (workbook from Sam's Club)
Various Readers from the Sonlight reading list
Getting Started with Latin
Last but not least, the Highschooler:
Ninth grader made Devin super nervous. We've been talking to him all summer about how he was going to really have to buckle down once he was in high school. He even told all of his friends that he wasn't going to have time to go outside and play once school started. He had one day this week where he did school until 4:00, but the other days were great. He finished by 11:30 one day, which was a miracle. ;-) Four more years with this boy, then he's off to college. First off, I'm wondering how on earth I could be old enough to have a ninth grader? Secondly, holy cow...4 more years and he'll move out...there is still so much we want to do with him, yet it is overwhelming to think about how little time we have left. Here's his stack of books:
BJU Literature 9
Algebra 1 (Math Relief...with the exception of yesterday, he loves it. :p)
Apologia Biology
Mind Benders
AO SOS Story of the Constitution
Streams of Civilization 2
BJU Grammar/Writing (I might switch his writing to WriteShop)
Rosetta Stone Arabic
Various Readers from the Sonlight reading list
Wordly Wise
BJU Bible Truths B
I'm hoping we have a great year this year. Our goals? Writing ON the lines, doing our best work the first time and time management. They might be lofty goals, but I'm hoping we can accomplish them. It's going to be a good year.








2 comments:

Sherilyn said...

Starting last year, Texas has a law where schools cannot start before the last Thursday in August or something like that. I think it is great, but I know many school districts were not pleased. I don't know why they want to pay for the air conditioning in August, though.

Apparently they did this because they said state tourism revenue was falling because if the early start days some districts had. I don't totally understand all that, but I do think it is nice to start school later down here.

Holly S. said...

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