Summer Plans?

[LibrarianMom]

I noticed on the K-8 board an interesting thread about schooling during the summer. I was curious what plans the afterschoolers have for summer. As afterschoolers, are you planning on doing more during the summer because there is no school/homework to contend with or do light school? I'm particularly interested in what your plans are if, like me, you work outside of the home and your children are occupied somewhere else during the day.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I will be working about 10-12 hours a week outside the home, so that leaves me lots of time to "summer school". We have listened to SOTW 1 this year in the car, so this summer we are going to listen to it again and do the associated pages in the activity book (or some of them). We have been working on simple geography, and we'll continue that. We will continue with Math U See and FLL, and each kid is picking an animal to study in depth. We will research each animal in books, online, and if possible, go to see that animal somewhere. I figure at most, we will do school for 2 hours, 3 days a week.

[ktmo]

We will probably continue what we are doing. Not stopping or really changing anything. I don't work during the summers, so we'll be doing lots of field trips. We have a year pass to the Science museum, and we'll probably hit a few others on a regular basis.

[PenKase]

I will not be working outside the home but I'll tell you what my summer plans are anyway. I take full advantage of summers to homeschool. We're usually done before lunch so I don't feel a way about having to crack the whip in order to keep skills sharp during the break and even get them ahead for the next school year. Dd6 may very likely be homeschooled in the fall so this will be good practice all around.

 

dd10 (currently in 4th grade):

 

 

• MCT w/Megawords
  
• Life of Fred/Math Mammoth
  
• History
  
• Reading (tons of it)
  
• Typing
  
• piano/swimming/field trips
  

 

 

dd6 (currently in first grade):

 

 

• Reading (lots of it like big sis)
  
• LA ala ETC/AAS/Grammar-Land
  
• Math Mammoth/MEP or Activities for AL Abacus/SM CWP
  
• History
  
• Begin cursive practice (her idea)
  
• piano/swimming/field trips
  

 

[burleygirl]

I work 40+ hours a week. We mostly school on the weekends. She will attend summer day camp at a Classical Christian school where she will have time to do her reading and math. I look at her year end assessments and use that information for some of her summer work. Since she is dyslexic we tend to school/review all year round so she doesn't forget what she's learned.

Math - CLE, Math Mammoth, Key to Decimal & Percents

Grammar - CLE LA, we used Rod & Staff but she likes workbooks and it takes too long for her to rewrite plus she needs the reveiw

Logic - Mindbenders, Logic Links & Noodlers

Vocabulary - Word Roots

Spelling - Sesquential Spelling - We were using Spelling Power. Giving SS a try although her spelling is not that bad but we need to do something over the summer for review.

Handwriting/writing - Abeka Penmanship II & Creative Writing 6

Reading - silent & oral - summer reading club

We will do most of the work in the morning. I go in later to work in the summer. I know it seems like a lot but we don't do every subject every day. Also, we do some work in the car on the way to camp and after I pick her up since it's a 25 - 30 minute drive.

[mich311e]

My son is in kindergarten and they got a lot accomplished at school this year! I don't have to worry about catching up to get ready for first grade but I do want to cover some first grade material anyway and keep up his skills so there is no summer slump.

 

I work full time but my husband and I modify our schedules a bit in the summer. My son will attend a Montessori summer school program. He went last year and he loved it! It's not a full educational program but they studied animal environments and countries last year. When they'd study a country they would learn about the people and climate, they would even make a food item from that country. He listened to classical music and watched Muzzy and Little Pim dvd's while at summer school. It's a really casual environment for the summer - it's the best thing we could find for him. Plus, many of my son's friends (my friends kids) go there so it's a fun time.

 

We currently do phonics (Phonics Pathways and Hooked on Phonics) in the evenings. I'd like to finish Phonics Pathways before 1st grade starts. Phonics work is just built into our evening routine.

 

Over the summer I plan on spending more time on Singapore Math in the mornings before I drop him off at summer school. We also have Hooked on Spelling and First Language Lessons, so we may work on those a few times a week in the evenings. I also want to work on handwriting since my son really wants to learn cursive.

 

Then there's lots of reading, swim lessons, piano lessons, visits to museums, watching educational DVD's, swimming, playing with friends, etc. Summer is a blast! (besides the extreme AZ heat!)

[LibrarianMom]

I am truly envious of burleyGgrl and Mich311e. You both sound like you have great summer arrangements while you are at work. I'm still trying to solidify our during the day plans as our options are Y day camp or a babysitter. We tried the Y one summer and don't want to go back. There are some other camps and activities occasionally but they require my husband or I taking time off to transport the kids which kind of defeats the purpose of participating.

 

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I hope to accomplish with the kids over the summer. I had big plans for the school year that didn't materialize so I'm hoping to step things up over the summer and have that carry on into the coming school year.

 

Reading: Both kids will participate in the summer reading program and we'll continue to do read-alouds together. I'm hoping to do light phonics with DS who is entering K.

Handwriting: DD has learned cursive so we'll try to work on that and doing HWT with DS.

Writing/Grammar: DD and I have been working slowly through FLL, and I'd like to finish that up. I'm hoping to do a weekly writing topic as well.

Math: I'm hoping to do lots of math games and fun activities. I'm hoping to make more progress with DD in Singapore math and start DS in the Early Bird books.

Logic: I have MindBenders and Critical Thinking books for both kids that we'll hopefully make progress in.

History: We had started using SOTW 1 this year but didn't get very far. I'm hoping to start back at the beginning and include DS as well.

Science: We have God's Design for Science but again haven't gotten very far. I think we're going to work on the plants book and use our garden as the lab.

 

I'm hoping that we can do a bit of something each day and have it be fun rather than onerous. I'm also hopeful I can send some things to the sitters for them to work on as well. We'll see how it goes as my plans always seem much bigger than the time allowed.

[ack25]

I was just thinking about this summer.

 

My husband works a gazillion hours all year round. I will be working my usual part time hours where I am gone all day but home by 3pm, so the kids are in day camp all summer.

 

Our rough plans (my kids are DD10yo - entering 6th grade and DS8yo - entering 3rd grade)

 

Reading: We'll continue our nightly 30min or so of reading on our own for fun and continue/restart a nightly read-aloud session.

Handwriting/Writing DS's writing is a mess. I plan to work on this through copywork and dictation using WWE 2nd year program. DD writes for fun and also chose "Young Authors" and "Camp Newsletter" units at her camp.

Writing/Grammar: DS will be using WWE. I may start Growing With Grammar...we'll see. DD likes a lot of the Bravewriter activities to do in her free time.

Math: Both kids will continue in Kumon. DD needs to review a lot in math as this is where she struggles. We may even work through a NJASK workbook as topic review. DS does math for fun! He is working through Life of Fred for fun and requests RS from time to time. Maybe we will finally finish level D!

Thinking/Logic Both kids do a few pages from Building Thinking Skills each week.

History: Nada

Science: Nothing formal. Both kids will be in a one week nature camp run by the Audobon Society. DS chooses a lot of naturalist type of activities at his day camp. DD will be at a girlscout camp learning all about horses for a week.

Other Both kids will have lots of outdoor time and will improve on their swimming. DD will continue practicing flute.

 

 

It sounds like a lot for the summer, but it really isn't. The only steady items are:

Kumon (10-15min/day)

Building Thinking Skills (10-15min/week)

WWE (ds only - 15 min/3-4 times per week)

Flute (practice 10min/day + maybe 4 lessons over the summer)

Reading which we all do as a leisure activity anyway.

[LimitBreak]

Our summer schedule will remain the same as our Fall schedule although I will try to tweak it a little. We are afterschooling English, Math and Music.

 

English: FLL 1, SWO B, McGuffey Reader

Math: SM (text, IP, CWP)

Music: Faber, Burnham, Noona

 

Tweaking Math: I'm going to reevaluate SM because ds complains about it. He wants to go back to the Math Skills workbooks. IMO, he loved Math Skills because it was too easy. He liked the idea of moving through the exercises effortlessly and he seemed to only like doing it to "go up" the levels. He was about to start Grade 3 before K started & that's when I decided to look for a more challenging curriculum. I think I'm going to buy the 3rd Math Skills workbook just so that he can have "fun" with Math and at the same time challenge him with SM.

 

Tweaking English: Ds loves SWO, doesn't mind McGuffey and isn't excited about FLL. This summer I will decide whether to drop FLL or not.

 

Activities: He will also be enrolled in the Park District throughout the summer, which is what we did throughout the spring, fall and winter. In June & July he will be enrolled in Tennis & in August he will be in Flag Football.

[MBM]

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I hope to accomplish with the kids over the summer. I had big plans for the school year that didn't materialize so I'm hoping to step things up over the summer and have that carry on into the coming school year.

 

Your schedule looks good. Years ago, I read only key events in SOTW along with picture books. My son, who will be in eighth grade next year, still remembers much of what we read.

 

I'm hoping that we can do a bit of something each day and have it be fun rather than onerous.

 

We try to get the hairy subjects done first thing in the morning. This summer that will be Latin! Last summer we did about two hours every evening, and it was trying. My husband likes to read Latin before bedtime, but this doesn't work so well with the little guy.

 

I'm also hopeful I can send some things to the sitters for them to work on as well.

 

Do you know of any teachers who might be looking to babysit and willing to teach your children part time as well?

 

We'll see how it goes as my plans always seem much bigger than the time allowed.

Same here, but you'll likely get something worthwhile done.

 

Our tentative plans for this summer:

 

Math: AoPS. Realistically, this will take up to three hours per day including the time my husband will spend going over problems. Thankfully, ds enjoys math, and I don't have to ask him to work on it!

Latin: Wheelock's. 45" per day.

Grammar: Rod and Staff, Level 8. 15 to 20" per day, all oral lessons.

Vocabulary: Word Smart 1. 5 to 15" per day.

Writing: a combination of CW and possibly Writing Is Dialogue by Jeff House if my book should ever arrive! I have no idea how much time to allot. Unfortunately, this is the subject that tends to take a back seat in our household.

Literature: Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, and MacBeth all of which we plan to see at Chicago Shakespeare Theater next season. Plus, a few other undecided selections. Night time reading -- at least 30".

 

For fun: a daily jazz improv class, beginning voice lessons once a week, fencing, tennis, swimming, video games, watching TV, bumming around Chicago, and a two-week family trip in August.

 

Summer are busy for us, but we all like what we do. :)

 

Edited April 26, 2010 by MBM
spelling error; not enough coffee

[Shay]

Wow ~compared to you guys I have minimal plans. But, I am getting excited about doing Beautiful Feet's Geography through Literature study using the Holling C Hollling books. I plan to start this in May and cover one of the mini-units/books per month, taking lots of bunny trails along the way.

[cougarmom4]

We definitely do more schooling in the summer than during the year. It's kind of my chance to have them all to myself...and I'm a homeschooler-at-heart...so I love to use this time to focus on things at home. (I'm not working, but thought I'd share my plans anyway!)

 

Typically, my kids do 1 hour of schoolwork, 1 hour of chores, and 1/2 hour of music practice at least four days a week in the summer. That still leaves plenty of time for fun & free time. We will be doing a scripture reading in the morning, read aloud at lunch time, outings (Monday is water-play day at home, Tuesday is library day, Wednesday is park day, Thursday is swimming day, Friday is field trip day), and then I plan little activities that I consider educational throughout the day (cooking, science experiments, art projects, etc). I also assign a few different books to each child to read during the summer-they are all big readers, but I do want to make sure they read a few from my 'required' list mixed with their free-choice books.

 

This year we are doing:

DS12--Grammar (using vintage texts from google that I can print out), Vocabulary (using a workbook I bought at the thrift store, but is SAT prep type of words), Writing (haven't finalized this yet), cello

DD10--Math (Life of Fred Algebra), Writing (haven't finalized this yet), Grammar (Grammarland), violin

DS7--Math facts (fun games, drill, etc), Writing (Narration), Grammar (Grammarland), violin

 

In the past, I've taken a different 'theme' a week--to coordinate our read-aloud, art projects, fun activities...kind of a unit study. (Oceans, Egypt, Fairy Tales, etc)

[Guest random_outlaw]

I will probably just keep doing what we are doing now. It takes about 1-1.5 hours a day which is a LOT but he needs the practice/help with reading and writing. My DS is 7 and will be in 2nd grade in the fall.

 

We are doing:

Headsprout, he's currently on lesson 30 so this won't last for the whole summer

ABeCeDarian, currently in level B1 but should finish B2 by the end of summer

AAS, currently in level 1 but should be in level 2 by the end of summer

HWT, may start cursive over the summer

RS level C, we are slowly working through this book, and probably will be about halfway through at the end of summer

Daily reading, I'd like to increase to 30-40 minutes per day for DS and 30 minutes for me to read to him.

 

Additional "for fun" stuff we will probably add in: Geography with the Smart Globe he's getting for his birthday, and science experiments (his passion!).

 

I am really hoping we won't have to do so much next school year. We've been doing the current schedule for about 1.5 months now and it is so time consuming, BUT we are seeing huge, huge improvements with his reading and writing, and I don't feel that we can stop until he is reading at grade level. He may be mildly dyslexic so the extra practice is necessary.

[BabyBre]

Because we have very little free time during the school year, we'll spend our time camping, taking field trips, maybe some camps, playing games, and snuggling. Our summers have become SO precious to us, that I just can't keep a homeschool regiment in place. This summer, however, I will try to spend just a couple hours a week especially with ds7 working on his verbal skills. Our district does gifted testing in 2nd grade and he didn't make the cut for the gifted program next year due to his low score on the verbal portion of the test. The principal of the gifted program gave me some ideas (many of them we already use via FLL and WWE - I just need to put a greater focus on them) and some word puzzle suggestions (like Quizzles or Mindbenders, which we also already use) to help him improve in the ways necessary for the program. So we'll be focusing on those activities this summer.

[cjbeach]

WE have a couple of things dragging out (history and WWE) but have finished everything else. I was going to just start all over again but we need something fun. Mama needs a break.

 

*I* really want to do the Famous Men series. Am I warped that I think that looks like fun? :001_huh:

So... I'm going to start with D'Aulaire's Greek Myths and study guides because the whole house is "all about" Greek Mythology these days (thank you Percy). (I actually think I have a whole love affair with the MP Classics. I really wish they would publish their whole K-12 "history" schedule.)

I'm purchasing a few things to have fun with during the summer though:

1. Life Skills for Kids by Fields **we NEED this**

2. Lyrical Life Science CD human anatomy

3. If the Wolf were an Octopus K-2 and books

4. The Story Book of Science by Fabre.

5. We're thinking over CC so i'm going to purchase the CD for the cycle our future group will be using ....

 

Lots of beach, pool, field trips, and reading. Cotemplating Mad Science Camp for a week and Community School Camp for a week for dd :)

[Guest sapphiremum]

We tend to do more in summer than at other times of the year, because I find my son is more receptive to learning when he doesn't have school, and my daughter, who is preschooled at home, is used to us 'playing' school anyway.

 

Reading remains the cornerstone of what we do, but we do more of it, both read alouds and read alone. I create my own summer reading club for the children.

 

History is also high on the agenda: I tell or read them stories from Story of the World, Baldwin, Gombrich etc, and, as we have more time on our hands, we explore the periods we are reading about through hands on activities (making clay models, for example, or cooking food in the style of the period we are studying).

 

The third 'leg' of my summer program is to introduce reading and learning that is linked to whatever we are doing that summer—for example, last year we travelled to Paris, so we did plenty of France, Leonardo and the Mona Lisa (which we went to see) etc.

 

Other than that, I keep up with math in the same way I do in winter (mostly by playing games and doing a bit of Singapore, which my son thinks is a game anyway). I do ease off on handwriting though because that's what my son really dislikes.

 

My advantage is that I work from home and can be flexible with my time. If I didn't though, I'd probably enroll them on sport classes or sport day camps during my work time (that's the one area where I really feel I can't afterschool) and do learning the rest of the time.

 

Hope this makes sense

Sapphiremum

[Guest Joneswilliamsc]

The thread who has created its really very nice. So that we came to know each and every ones ideas about summer. Well I am student so my plan for this summer is to go out for enjoying the whole summer out of state. Very far from the house for two months.

Edited May 18, 2010 by Joneswilliamsc

[Purpledaizy]

We are new to home education, so this is our first summer. Here is what I'm planning, but its up for major revision if it becomes necessary.

 

History: SOTW 1 together with lots of dioramas and lapbooks

Literature: FIAR 1

Science: ds is very curious about the body and how it works so we'll be studying anatomy and the major processes

Prima Latina: I'm especially excited about this curriculum.

Geography: I recently ordered a large laminated map for ds room. I'm not sure how I'm going to approach this subject yet, but its in the works.

 

Ds is also going to this camp and is very excited about it.

[cdgni]

My response won't help, but I'll tell you anyhow how we spend every summer. Daughter gets on a plane and flies several thousand miles away with her grandparents. In terms of academics, they will take her to two science camps..all together 3 weeks of science. In addition, they will take her to the library time and time again.

 

I will join her in late July for my vacation and we will fly back together for the school year. My daughter loves summers with her grandparents. If we didn't do this, she wouldn't ever know them aside from a week or two every year.

[Debbie in London]

I don't work outside the home but thought I would post anyway. :)

DS13: IEW & Foerster Algebra

DS9: IEW, Math Mammoth, LoF and the summer packet from PS

 

Both boys will be reading, doing swim lessons and lots of golf (lessons, leagues & tournaments).

 

Debbie

[Daydream333]

I have summers off so we work hard! No rest for the weary I guess... :lol:

My dc will stay busy with a couple sessions of swim lessons, along with some field trips when the weather decides to cooperate.

As for schooling, this is what we have started:

 

Math Spectrum Grade 3 (supplement)

Multiplication/Division drills

Fraction Circles (supplement)

Awaiting the arrival of Singapore 2B/3A (not completely sure if this will be a repeat of what she has already learned, but we will see!)

Prima Latina

Daily Warm Up/Reading Comp 4th grade

Usborne Art Treasury projects

Summer reading log along with book reports and quiz for most books http://www.bookadventure.com/

Edited to include Writing. (How did I forget that you ask? Oh yeah, my least favorite subject!) Dc is journaling and writing with the prompts from Weekly Headlines Write Abouts Gr. 4-8

Edited June 23, 2010 by Daydream333

[Guest aloysiuscarl]

Any opinion that you monks may bring me about change my vacation plans or help me to made a desicion between Beach or Rain Forest. I would love to go in a road trip with her, but it's impossible due to several factors. The main one is that none of us has driving license yet. The other big problem is that the chance of our parents letting us go is near..

[burckeri]

I make good use of all school vacations, especially the summer. My son just finished junior kindergarten at a French-language school (we live in Ontario, Canada). After a full day of school in his second language, he was so tired that I didn't think it was fair to ask him to do more. We did all of our afterschooling on the weekends except for about 10 minutes of reading practice one day mid-week. Basically, any day he doesn't have school and we're home (not visiting relatives or on vacation somewhere), we do "lessons".

 

Actually, I guess I should qualify that because my husband and I read aloud to our son every evening, and most of the books come from the Sonlight core book lists. But those aren't "lessons"--for him, they're just fun.

 

Over the summer, my standard formula is to alternate between reading lessons one day and math lessons the next. I'm also fitting in science and a generic kindergarten-level workbook in French. Read-alouds and history/geography are done almost every day, as they are year-round.

 

Erin

mom to 5-year-old son

using Sonlight Core+Science K, Little Stories for Little Folks, and RightStart Math B

[Beth in SW WA]

Ds 15 is doing Alg 1 review, Spanish & reading 'Great Expectations' this summer. The other 3 kids are in summer homeschool session, which includes lots of math and reading. :001_smile:

[Carmen_and_Company]

DD enters 9th grade in the fall & she wants to be prepared for her Great Books driven course work.

 

We're currently working through Windows to the World after watching Teaching the Classics over three weeks.

 

Here's what we're currently doing for now:

 

WTTW lesson with review of related material from TTC DVDs.

1 timed SAT/ACT essay prompt per week or 1 literary analysis paper on a fairy tale or short story per week

Summer reading of the Iliad and required assignments for school, then the Odyssey for pleasure

Work through Foerster's until school begins so material is review next fall--using Math without Borders CDs

Ovid via Latin for change from Oxford II/III

Wednesday Jane Austen day to read & watch favorite books/movies with tea & homemade scones

I read a-load 1 chapter per day from HOAW & Storm takes notes

Biology coloring book along w/DVDs and Holt Biology text--just reading & taking notes/outlining

 

Other stuff:

Demo'ing bathroom, sheet-rocking, tiling, and installing plumbing until we're done with the main floor bathroom--what were we thinking

Organic vegetable garden

Vocabulary program at leisure--Storm likes vocabulary & does it at dance between classes or waiting for me to pick her up or just because

Once per week speed reading class @ STU on Sundays beginning next week

Lots of historical DVDs pertaining to the ancients as we prepare for 9th grade this fall at a WTM inspired school.

Plays, Broadway shows, dance productions, movies in the park, art festivals museums, and book club

 

Whew, I know it seems like a lot, but we still have tons of free-time to ourselves since we don't go to bed until 11 p.m. or midnight.

[laughing lioness]

Ds 15 is still finishing latin with CLAA, LoF Algebra and lot of reading (incl. Illiad, but also lots of other stuff like Animal Farm, Hunger Games, etc, etc.) after our crazy fall/winter.

Ds 10 and Dd 7= math drills and reading, slowly working on WWE 2.

Lots of pool time.

 

We are working very hard on getting our house in good enough shape to move back into by the end of July. 3 days a week or more we are out at our property for very long days dry walling, mudding, taping, painting, yard work, staining wood trim, mowing, trying to re-claim the yard from fire truck and digging a new drain field damage, etc. etc. etc.

The kids have all learned lots of new life skills this year!

True Confessions- just for fun ds 15 and I are watching StarGate Atlantis and the notsolittles are enraptured with Season 8 of the Cosby show.

[laughing lioness]

Wow ~compared to you guys I have minimal plans. But, I am getting excited about doing Beautiful Feet's Geography through Literature study using the Holling C Hollling books. I plan to start this in May and cover one of the mini-units/books per month, taking lots of bunny trails along the way.

 

We loved this study!! I did it with my older girls probably 13 years ago. I kept the maps we made until the fire this Oct. Hope it's as fun for you as it was for us!!:001_smile:

[ack25]

A few weeks into summer, here is the update:

 

Reading: 30+ min/day for fun. We haven't started a read aloud yet.

Handwriting/Writing: both kids are writing for fun. I haven't started WWE2 with ds yet, but I plan to start this week or next.

Writing/Grammar: DS will be using WWE (plan to start this week or next) After much thought, I decided that we will not be adding in grammar this summer due to time constraints.

Math: Kumon is going well. We have not touched the NJASK workbook. DS picks up Life of Fred when he feels like it. He also seems to be memorizing G is for Googel.

Thinking/Logic Both kids do a few pages from Building Thinking Skills each week.

History: Nada

Science: Nothing formal. DS has taken rocketry and Mad Science as "electives" in camp.Other Both kids will have lots of outdoor time and will improve on their swimming. DD will continue practicing flute.