Morning Meeting Picture

I just posted our first picture of our schoolroom.  This is for Calendar Time for Thumper!  More pictures to come when I'm done planning and the room's clean!
http://murrayshire.blogspot.com/p/our-schoolroom.html

Gas Pump Project

Thumper and Dad have been working for the past few months on cleaning up this old 70's gas pump.  Thumper is a car lover and wanted Dad to make this pump into a shelving unit to display his model cars.  Dad took all the stinky gas smell out, sanded rough spots, cleaned it, added a base so it wouldn't tip, and added lights inside with a switch to turn on & off!  So cool!  Thumper was adamant about putting it in his room!  Here it is with all its Glory!

Thumper's 1st Grade Curriculum

Saxon Math (finishing up 1) then RightStart Games, Math Mammoth, then Saxon 2
First Language Lessons 1
Writing With Ease 1
HWOT Printing 1 (Done) now copywork
All About Spelling 1-2 w/Spelling City
Explode the Code Bks. 3-4
OPGTR
Literature: Using a mix of VP, Sonlight 1 Readers, Reading a-z, and LOTS of library books
Reading Journal
Science Studies Weekly
CLE Nature Reader 1
Science Notebooking Pages
Discovery Education Streaming & Happy Scientist
VP's Legends & Leagues Geography
Harcourt Social StudiesWorkbook: Communities Around Our World (FREE)
Explore & Learn (vol.6) Atlas of the World
Abeka, My America and My World: History/Geo. Reader (FREE) abd Lots of History books

Salsa Spanish w/Printouts
Lollipop Logic
Guitar
Soccer (fall)
PE w/Homeschool Group
Classics for Kids
Tea & Poetry
Handicrafts with Dad & hand sewing with Mom

Flower's 7th Grade Curriculum

Flower's 7th Grade Curriculum:

Saxon Math 8/7 with Art Reed DVD
Analytical Grammar (Season 1 & 2 with DVD)
Essentials in Writing 7
Weekly Dictation
Megawords 1-2
Lightning Literature 7 & Sonlight Literature
Sonlight World History Part 1 Core G(With SOTW books/audio)
SOTW Video Links
Current Events 1x Week
Studies Weekly
Maps, Globes, & Graphs G
Elemental Science: Earth & Astronomy Logic

Logic Liftoff & Orbiting with Logic
Rosetta Stone Spanish
Typing Instructor
Health Studies Weekly
Piano & Guitar
Classical Music
Tea & Poetry
Art in the Basement with Dad
PE Homeschool Class
Soccer (fall)
Knitting & Crosstitch
Sewing

Bambi's 4th Grade Curriculum

Saxon 5/4 Math with Saxon Teacher w/ XtraMath
Growing with Grammar 4
Essentials in Writing 4
Writing With Ease 3
EM Daily Paragraph Editing
HWOT Cursive 4
All About Spelling Level 3 then Rodd & Staff 4
Spelling City
Spectrum Vocabulary 4
Sonlight Lit Core D w/ a few lit guides & Reading Journal
American History (Complete Book of US, DK Encyclopedia of AH, History Pockets, Liberty's Kids
Notebooking Pages for History & Science
State Study Notebook & Studies Weekly
Map, Globes, Graphs Book D
McGraw Hill Science (as a guide) w/living books
Lab/Experiement Notebook
Discovery Education Streaming

Rosetta Stone Spanish w/Salsa videos
Logic Countdown
Typing Instructor
Computer Games
Art in the Basement w/Dad
PE at home....Soccer (2 seasons)
Health Studies Weekly
Tea & Poetry
Piano & Violin
Classics for Kids
Knitting & Crosstitch
Sewing

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

My kids are loving the Liberty's Kids series and learning a ton about American History!
http://libertyskids.com/

Still Under Construction

I've started planning our 2012-2013 school year so the blog is and has been put on the back burner for now!  Keep checking back for added reviews, suggestions, or just to see what's going on at the Murrayshire!

Some Summer Learning!

Since June the kids have been finishing up their subjects from our 2011-2012 school year.  The girls are both finishing up Winning With Writing so we can jump into Essentials in Writing for the 2012-2013 school year.  We are anxious to start that program!  I will start a review on EIW when we start it, hopefully by the end of August.  The girls are also keeping up with math facts.  Bambi is working really hard on her facts using Time Tales, Xtra Math, Saxon flash cards, and Sum Dog  .  I want her to be ready for Saxon 5/4 Math which she will do independently with Saxon Teacher.
I haven't stopped lessons with Thumper.  At the beginning of Grade K, he was doing Saxon K Math....then by mid year he was in Saxon 1 and we are over halfway through it now.  So, I continue to keep on truckin' with that until we are ready to move to Saxon 2.  My kids have done really well using Saxon and my two girls rocked their state test for math.  Scores were incredible!  I am still using OPGTR with Thumper along with alot of readers from the library and his bookshelf.  We are on lesson 102!  I have noticed major changes with his attitude in reading.  He is now reading some Seuss books!

This summer we are working our way through the USA States!  It has been a success so far.  We are compiling our notebook pages along the way and when we are through I will use my proclick binder to make each of them a USA State Book!  I got a really great deal on my proclick binder at my local Office Depot.  It was only around $50!

Here are some materials we are using for our studies:

This is something we do in the evenings together and my kids don't want to miss a day of it!  They are absolutely loving it!  We add some History channel clips and documentaries to our studies as well!  It helps before learning a new state to go over the states and capitals that we have already learned.  This keeps the knowledge intact!  We do listen to the songs in the car and while playing with legos. I can't forget to mention about the American Grub book.  We do try to incorporate this for most of the states!  YUM!