This is the first Home Instruction Quarterly Report that I filed with my school district in early October, 2009:
September 30, 2009
Name: Alex
Blog Website: http://alexhomegate.blogspot.com
Grade: 4th
Hours of instruction this quarter: 225
Arithmetic: Alex has achieved mastery of addition math facts (100 problems in 5 minutes,) and he is well on his way to achieving mastery of subtraction math facts. In Singapore Math 4A, he studied place values, approximation, factors, multiples, order of operations, and the addition and subtraction operations of whole numbers. Alex also completed a Math Literacy Lesson Plan on factorials related to Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar, and various brainteasers in Math for Smarty Pants. Alex is making excellent progress in Math.
Reading: Alex read several books this quarter, including: The Maybird Series, Horrible Histories: The Cut-throat Celts, and Horrible Histories: Boudica. We’ve also begun a poetry unit in the Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing. Alex is continuing to make good progress in this area of strength.
Writing: This month, Alex took a break from the daily journal writing and book reviews that he did all summer. Instead, he researched and wrote an expository essay on the Celts. He also began a longer research project for a Historical Fiction Class. Although extremely articulate and creative, Alex’s writing skills are not on the same level as his reading skills. Nevertheless, he is making good progress toward writing legibly.
Spelling: We started the year using the Spelling Workbook that we’d settled on last year. However, since I wasn’t seeing any progress in his ability to spell, I decided to look for a better resource. I’ve heard good things about Spelling Power. It’s comprehensive, and meant to cover spelling instruction through high school. So far, we’ve completed assessment and placement. We are about to commence daily testing and instruction starting on Level B.
English Language: Alex is making adequate progress in developing English Language skills.
- Handwriting: Harcourt Family Learning Cursive Writing – Alex completed practice sections A-H.
- Grammar: Harcourt Language – Alex completed chapters on sentences, and subjects/nouns.
- Word Usage: Ridgewood Analogies – Alex completed the sections on pre-analogies, and descriptive analogies.
- Vocabulary: English from the Roots Up – We’ve just introduced the program.
Foreign Language: Latin with Minimus: Starting Out In Latin – We introduced the material.
Social Studies: Alex read several chapters in The Story of the World, Volume 2: The Middle Ages., and completed the accompanying geography activities. He also researched and wrote an expository essay about the Celts. Additionally, he researched George W. Bush and the 2000 Election for his Historical Fiction Class.
Science: Alex reviewed science process skills, and completed an observation skills exercise. He also practiced reading nonfiction, and answering review questions, while completing a chapter in Discovery Works on The Shape of the Land. Additionally, he has been exploring nature in his Wilderness Class and at a homeschool program at the Albany Pine Bush, and he’s been researching transportation problems in Space for his Lego League Research Project.
Music: We haven’t done any formal music instruction so far, except to attend a show, Arm of the Sea, which used puppets and live music to tell the story of Henry Hudson.
The Arts: Art Projects: Celt inspired metal work; sketching trees inspired by Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art. We also attended a medieval fair where he observed jousts, falconry, and a variety of medieval arts craft booths including metal forging, pottery making, and painting frescos.
Health Education: Alex is working his way through a cookbook for kids, and he is developing teamwork skills in FIRST Lego League and Cub Scouts.
Physical Education: Alex is getting daily exercise through hiking, dog walks, and outdoor play. He is also making good progress in his weekly riding and fencing lessons.
Technology: Alex continued to develop keyboarding and Internet research skills. He also used his blog to post his writing, and to advocate.
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