5 Ordinary Homeschool Days - Thursday

Got your coffee? I've got mine and now I'd like to share some of what makes up ordinary school days for Landon, who is in Grade 9.

I explained yesterday that Landon and Kennady are doing basically the same course for Social Studies, and that on most mornings, that is the subject we start with. We are studying the geography, cultures, and history of the Americas this year. Our main resource is the study guide Around the World in 180 Days. Obviously we're not going all around the world in this school year! We've stretched out this resource to provide us with a spine for studying Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia in previous years. Last year we studied the United States (with America the Beautiful from Notgrass), so even though I planned for us to cover the continents of North and South America this school year, it was with the intention of keeping the focus on all of the other countries of the Americas! So far we've covered all of South and Central America, and we are wrapping up the Caribbean islands right now. We will end the year by studying Canada, and only briefly review the USA.

Together we study maps, read about the different countries and cultures, do research on history and ancient civilizations (the Inca, Aztec, and Maya people), and sometimes add art projects or something similar. We've tried to sample foods representative of the different countries too. 

I have assigned extra research or reading to Landon, including these biographies of explorers and missionaries from YWAM Publishing.

After Social Studies, Landon likes to get his Math lesson done. He is using VideoText Interactive (see our Schoolhouse Crew Review of VideoText Interactive), and it is a great fit for him - and for me! Unless he has a quiz or text, he needs to watch the video lesson online, so he logs in and lets the video load up while he does something else for a few minutes. Then he takes over my (messy!!) computer desk for anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes to watch the video lesson and print out his daily lesson and worksheet. He takes the worksheet to his room to complete.

He might spend an hour or more on math, so often he just gets those two subjects done before lunch break.

After lunch, he usually works on some kind of writing assignment - he and Kennady are both doing the Student Writing Intensive from Institute for Excellence in Writing (see our Schoolhouse Crew Review of IEW). They enjoy watching the video lessons together and then can work on their own writing assignments. I wish Landon would work on Science four days a week, but that doesn't usually happen. We've admittedly had a rough time with Biology this year (what IS it with my kids and biology? None of them particularly like it, and the publisher really doesn't matter much. It's just not a favorite subject, and I guess that's okay.) but he will get it done. It might be the bare minimum for the required credit, but he'll do it. He has been using mostly Supercharged Science (I posted our second Schoolhouse Crew Review of Supercharged Science just yesterday!) but we've added a few other things as well. With the completion of the Biology credit, he will have met the requirements for science credits, because he did Classical Astronomy for high school credit last year.

He has one academic elective this year - Economics. He is using Simply Put: A Study in Economics, and it will be a half-credit course. We just received Micro Business for Teens to review, but I haven't had a chance to figure out exactly where it will fit into his course load. He does want to own his own trash removal business one day, so this should be a valuable resource! I'm excited for him to get started. (He doesn't know we have the course yet!)

Landon will also earn a half credit for Phys.Ed., since he is completing two semesters of our co-op gym class, and participates in other sports activities.

Finally, his involvement in Civil Air Patrol will be worth a full credit as well. Another homeschool mom with older students had written a course description and given it the title Aerospace Education and Leadership. Civil Air Patrol does encourage all kinds of learning. Cadets learn about the history of the Air Force, and about aerospace technology and rocketry. They participate in a physical training regimen. They are trained to play support roles in military exercises as well as in search and rescue operations. They are able to take leadership roles and learn respect and self-discipline. Oh yeah, and they start learning to fly planes.

First glider flight

The most challenging credit for him to earn may well be the required credit in Fine Arts. He might do the ARTistic Pursuits course in sculpture that we are currently reviewing.

What are some of the coolest elective credits for high school? Leave a comment and let me know! For tomorrow's coffee break in the 5 Ordinary Homeschool Days series, I will be sharing the courses Kennady is working on this year for seventh grade.

Visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog to see all the Crew bloggers participating in this "5 Days of... Blog Hop". There are more than 60 bloggers sharing on a variety of subjects. You might want to start by visiting the following featured blogs:
Dawn at Double O Farms - Helping Your Struggling Learner
Gena at I Choose Joy! - Homeschooling Middle School
Monique at Living Life and Learning - Homeschooling with Lapbooks
AnneMarie at Future.Flying.Saucers - Christian Worldview 101
DaLynn at For the Display of His Splendor - Diagramming the Proverbs
Marya at Suncoast Mama - Homeschooling Special Needs
Lisa at Farm Fresh Adventures - Our Favorite Family Recipes
Christine at Our Homeschool Reviews - Free and Frugal Homeschooling (with daily giveaways to enter!)

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