Gee-up Year 3!

So it's official - my princess is in AO3! Yep, today we dive head first into a new year of homeschool. Somehow I feel somewhat unprepared - excited but disorganised. Totally un-me, that, but everything will fit into its place I'm sure of that.

In Victoria she is in Grade 2. She is AO3 and is doing MEP 3b maths. It is a delightful year. There are wonderful literature choices including Alice in Wonderland; Swallows and Amazons; A Little Princess; Kinsley's Heroes and At the Back of the North Wind. Our Aussie selection includes A Little Bush Maid, The Flyaway Highway, and Seven Little Australians. Hurray!

We will begin running writing by learning the letter joins. Jemimah is thrilled. Apparently it is worth starting school again for this alone.

We jump into General Science. We meet Marco Polo and join him on his travels, mapping his adventures as we go. Aussie animals get a gurnsey, as do World History and an overview of the History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. We will begin Christiana's Story, after finishing Pilgrim's Progress last year, and continue with our scroll. I wish I could show you this masterpiece. It is now several metres long, and includes a drawing of each encounter met by Christian on his journey to the Celestial City. This year we will add the new challenges that Christian's wife and children face as they make their way to the heavenly city in his footsteps.

We have a new nature notebook, and new watercolour paints for dry brush painting. We also begin sewing (if mum can manage it!! Keeping a step ahead of the student is always a huge challenge for this craft-challenged teacher!)

We continue reading through the Old Testament, starting with Balaam, and will study Paul's letter to the Romans in some depth. We will learn more memory passages, more Psalms, more folk songs, focusing on those of Mediaeval England to tie in with our focus on Medieval music. We study the art of Emily Kngwarreye, Michelangelo and Albrecht Durer.

We continue with French, reading lots of stories as well as learning French folksongs, Psalms and memory verses. We begin some written work as well.

Finally this year we will have quality time together as a family. We will do 'tea', read poems, go on rambles through the countryside and work on our relationships with each other and with our Creator. Hopefully we will kindle in Jemimah a lifetime love of learning and of fine literature. We'll cook together, eat tgether and laugh together.

Ah yes, it's going to be a wonderful year. Thank you to all of you for being there with us as we continue our journey.

Gee-up horsey!!