From the High School Lesson Book - First Quarter Review

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Seems like we just got started with the school year such a short time ago, and here it is the end of the first quarter already. And today is yearbook picture day too! The time goes quickly! Since there's no report card to do, the end of the quarter is simply our opportunity to see how well we're doing with staying on pace. I knew my original goals were pretty optimistic as far as how much schoolwork I expected would get done each week, so I know we'll be behind that schedule. But not behind at all, when we look at what we've covered and how much time is left. Doesn't mean we can dawdle now though!

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The classes Kennady is doing at the co-op are the ones that she's right on target. Just makes sense - the schedule is set and everyone is the class has to stick to it or get left behind. We don't have the option of adjusting those due dates and deadlines.

Grammar and Composition

The co-op writing class is following The Power in Your Hands from Writing with Sharon Watson and I think it's going very well. It's been an interesting experience for me, as the instructor for the class, but the text makes it pretty easy on me. Kennady is doing very well with it, although writing non-fiction isn't her favorite thing. Obviously, it's something she needs to be prepared to do for college though.

(By the way, we originally reviewed this curriculum last year. Read our review here: The Power in Your Hands (A Schoolhouse Crew Review))

French I

Kennady is doing great in this co-op class, and since I'm sitting in on it, I feel like I'm learning a little bit too. The textbook is French I for Christian Schools from BJU Press, with some additional material added in.

Speech and Presentation

This half-credit class at co-op is Kennady's favorite. TED Talks is the main resource they are using, but as you might expect, most of the class time is spent practicing their speaking skills with both improv and prepared speeches. They have a lot of fun, and it sounds like most of their speeches tend to be humorous.



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And now for the courses she's working on at home. These are the ones that are most likely to suffer when our routines are interrupted or we're short on time. I'm getting the impression that many homeschoolers struggle with this - sticking to deadlines and staying on schedule.

Math

After we reviewed No-Nonsense Algebra from Math Essentials, we decided it was a good fit for Kennady, and decided to stick with it. Overall, it's been working out very well, but it's clearly better when she actually works on it regularly. If she skips a few days, then it's a bit of a challenge to remember what she learned last and get back in the groove. I'd like her to be moving through this faster than she has been, so stepping up the pace will be a goal for the second quarter.

(Read our review here: No-Nonsense Algebra from Math Essentials (A Homeschool Coffee Break Review))

History, Bible, and Literature

This year Kennady is doing the second half of Exploring World History from Notgrass with the addition of a few things along the way so it will still be a full credit in History. The Bible portion of this course will still be a full credit as well. I'm planning for the Literature portion to be a half credit. So far it's worked out that she's just had the essays and poetry to read for Lit, and the full-length novels will mostly be in second semester when she will have a bit more time.




Electives

Children's Chorus - Kennady sings in the upper level chorus and this excellent program provides a full Fine Arts credit with its outstanding music education in choral singing. She's also an intern with the Chorus this year, assisting the Director of the upper elementary age chorus, and also earns credit for that. The upper level chorus is one of the featured choirs at a Reformation celebration concert this coming weekend.

Guitar Lessons - Kennady also earns a full music credit with guitar lessons again this year, and she plays and sings on worship teams at church.

Architecture and Drafting - we recently reviewed an online course called Thinking Like an Architect, which would provide a quarter credit for high school. She's done some of the coursework leading up to the review, but I've allowed her to set it aside until after the holidays. We're considering adding some technical drawing and drafting, and maybe some of the Introduction to Architecture course at SchoolhouseTeachers.com in the second semester for a Tech credit. That's still to be decided exactly how we'll work that out.

(Read our review here: Thinking Like an Architect from Innovators Tribe (A Homeschool Coffee Break Review))





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Where are you in your school year? Are you on track? Leave a comment and let me know!

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