Friday, November 13, 2009

It's Reportin' Time

Let's see, we've been so busy around here with life and such but school always gets done in one way or another. I just haven't taken the time to sit down and put fingers to keys to get it documented.

Today I'm going to do just that . . . so here's what Baby Boy has been up to:

  • Composition - We're still moving steadily along with SWI-C. We just completed lesson 7 of 15, so I guess that means we're officially not quite but just about halfway through. We just covered note taking and study skills, which are essential for any young person who intends to make his move into college courses in a few weeks. I'm wanting to finish up this entire program by Christmas break, so we really need to pick up the pace. A lot of the lessons don't really take the entire week, but I guess I've been kind of lazy implementing them. Sometimes it has gotten pushed to the back burner, and although I love my son, I'll admit that initiative in schoolwork isn't one of his glowing attributes.
  • Vocabulary - Still loving it. We finished up section 6. I've been making up the quizzes using this website instead of using the reviews from the book. I find them to be more challenging and also more in line with how the SAT presents questions. It takes a little time to get them together, but time is all we homeschooling Moms have. Right? ;-)
  • Literature - We FINALLY finished War of the Worlds! For a short book, it sure was a long read. I'm not sure who it was that said the movie is better than the book, but it certainly is the truth. That book was so dry and boring that Baby Boy and I have just barely been limping through a chapter here and there. I thought we'd never get finished. Seriously, H.G. Wells spent about one hundred pages describing the narrator's walk from here to there. He got there, OK! Let it go. Next week we are going to listen to the Orson Welles radio broadcast that scared everyone silly in 1938 and probably watch both the 1953 and 2005 movie versions of the book. Of course, writing assignments will be involved. It can't be all fun and games. ;-)
  • Shakespeare - Baby Boy's group has decided to re-vamp and re-perform The Comedy of Errors. Baby Boy will be doing some behind the scenes assistance as well as playing the part of Duke Solinus. For those of you who've been reading for a while, they performed this play about a year and a half ago, but the director is feeling a little overwhelmed with other projects, so she wants to revisit it instead of starting a new play from scratch. There are several new students and most of the former students have chosen different parts than they originally played, so I think it will have a new flavor and energy from the last time. I guess only time will tell.
  • Pre-Caluculus - We just wrapped up chapter 3 on rational functions. Baby Boy has gotten very good at using the graphing calculator. I sit and nod and smile during all the lessons and thank goodness for the detailed video explanations. My specialty is checkbook math. Once they passed over that, well . . . I became quite useless in the whole mathematics equations, LOL. Next chapter up is Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Anyone wanna trade lives with me for a few weeks?
  • Chemistry - Well Baby Boy came home from class extra excited because they melted magnesium this week. I'm not sure what magnesium is or why he had so much fun melting it, but I do know I had to send additional funds for a different high powered butane burner because the alcohol burner that was provided at the beginning of the year didn't get hot enough for all the stuff they plan to burn, liquefy and evaporate for the rest of the year. They just finished up a chapter on "The Mole" and I think I understand what a mole is now after listening to the Teaching Company DVD explaining it to me. Thank goodness for Mr. Cardulla or I'd be in the dark about everything going on in chemistry class. I'm also pleased to announce that Baby Boy made a 95.5% (isn't that a 96%) on his first 6 weeks review. I definitely think I made the right decision to outsource this class. I'm sure that would have never happened with me in charge!
  • Extra-Curricular - Baby Boy invited his friend-that's-a-girl-but-isn't-his-girlfriend to our bowling group this month. I got to meet her Mom and the two younger siblings. They all seem very nice. I don't have any photos, because I couldn't seem to get them very discreetly. Next time I'm just going to pop out from behind the ball return and scream "SAY CHEESE" when everyone least expects it. Baby Boy is also plugging along in tae kwon do . . . still going strong with the brown belt. I wonder how long it takes before he gets to test for his black belt. He's supposed to be finding out for me, but so far he hasn't, so I guess we may never know. Also, the boys were having so much fun with Ultimate Frisbee that we are meeting twice a month instead of once a month. We had to move it to an earlier time slot because, since the time change, it gets dark so early. Baby Boy has a light-up Ultimate Disc, so sometimes they play in the dark, but I don't like sitting out there being mosquito bait, so I like when they finish before dark.

I think that's it. Well, actually that's only about the half of it, but this is a super-long post already, so let's just say that's it for now, LOL.


I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. We have beautiful weather here so I'm going to try to get outside and enjoy it a bit.


Until next time . . .


12 comments:

Katy said...

Wow, you guys are busy! It's so funny because War of the Worlds is one of the things very FAVORITE books in the universe. I'm pretty sure thing 2 has most of it memorized. There's a great audio rendition of it (with cool music and everything) called Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds that you might be able to find at the library.

I wanna play ultimate frisbee, it sounds like so much fun!

Anonymous said...

So now, I'm torn. Read War of the Worlds or not? The complex decisions I must make.

James has a glow in the dark frisbee. Not ultimate or anything. Just regular.

I probably shouldn't comment without coffee.

Teacher Tom said...

Holy cow! Homeschooling is a lot of work.

I read War of the Worlds so long ago I can hardly remember it. I think its importance is more as an early science fiction work than as a great piece of literature, but I'm sure people will want to flame me for saying that! =)

It's an important cultural touchstone in any event. Some day you'll be glad you read it.

Anonymous said...

I'm in awe of you, dear. AND Baby Boy, of course. But you make me tired. So now I will simply go watch a movie and hope that my boys have done SOMETHING educational today. Especially with all that time on my hands you reminded me about. Yippee!!

Christiane said...

I'm so glad I found your blog. As I sit hear stumbling through Algebra with my own daughter (and realizing that what passed for Algebra I 30-some years ago is entirely different than what constitutes Algebra I today, ahem) it's good to know we can continue to homeschool into high school and find a way to work it out through outsourcing, bartering, etc. Looks like you and Baby Boy have a great well-rounded curriculum happening!

SabrinaT said...

You have to be the most organized mom on the planet!!!

Baby Boy has my head spinning with all that work!!!

Jennifer in Vancouver said...

Wow - you are a busy family! Everything is covered: the academics, the arts, physical activity, and of course plain old fun! But I do feel somewhat relieved to hear that Baby Boy does not always show initiative with his school work (because mine certainly don't!).

I will be looking forward to hearing about the transition to college. So cool!

Working Through said...

"I sit and nod and smile during all the lessons and thank goodness for the detailed video explanations."

I am so with you on the smiling and nodding LOL My older children all went to the community college for higher math. I just don't get it... Maybe this time around, I can find a curriculum that speaks to me.

Jason, as himself said...

As usual, my mind is boggled.

Wait a second. You don't make this stuff up, right? Is this blog a work of fiction? Cuz all this time I thought it was real.

momofboys said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
momofboys said...

can't wait to hear the other half..waiting with ears perked!

Michelle said...

WOW - I am sooooo not ready to teach those upper level classes! I'd better go back to school myself!

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