MFW CTG: Preparations

Okay, so trying to be a good homeschool mom and get ready for the upcoming year. This week I've read the introduction in English from the Roots Up, and the introduction and chapter on the Sabbath in Celebrating the Biblical Feasts. I also remembered I hadn't cleaned out their notebooks from last year. It was a good thing I did, as both boys need new three-ring binders for this next year. I didn't realize the binders were in such bad shape. So, yet another run to a big-box store somewhere.

I have saved all our vocabulary cards from the first time we did Creation to the Greeks (CTG), so that part will be easy. I had to read the TM and the English from the Roots Up book to remind myself how to implement that. I have my notebooking pages from last time, so we will probably go with that. I may need to get another dictionary, as Rabbit seems to have absconded with our regular one. I will probably end up scribing for Pooh. His handwriting and spelling are still really bad, and he can't type fast enough to make it worth our while. 

I also saw an idea on the Facebook page where a teacher posted a tree with the root word at the bottom, and then derivative words on the branches. I found a tree with no leaves to use, and then I may post them on the wall. I haven't decided for sure on that, since we school in our living room, which is the first thing you see when you walk into our house.

Reading through Celebrating the Biblical Feasts reminded me that we needed a challah covering. So, I went to a craft store and bought a blank handkerchief and some fabric paints. I'm going to let the boys design one. I still have our Altoids tin from last time, too, so I'll probably use it and let them paint it or glue stuff to it or something. I'm really working on thinking about how to let them do it and not trying to be in control of everything.

We're going to do The Easy Spanish this year. Pooh has really had trouble with Rosetta Stone, so I am hoping it will help him more. I read through the first lesson and printed out the worksheets we will need.

We've continued Singapore Math (we are already about halfway through 4A), All About Spelling, and Handwriting without Tears through the summer. So, there is no prep work to do there.

I did get our walls cleaned up for CTG. I took down our USA map, took down some posters and art work, and put up a strip of blue Mavalus tape for our timeline.

My plan is to essentially treat the boys as one small class. I will work with them together on everything except reading (they will each read aloud to me for 10 minutes), spelling, typing, math drill, and AWANA. They will do typing while the other one is reading to me, and they will do math drill and study their AWANA verses while I'm working with each one (including Rabbit) on spelling.

Oh my goodness, at 4:00 in the morning the other day, I realized I hadn't sent in our Notice of Intent to homeschool! Whew! Maybe that is why I couldn't get back to sleep!