3 Jan 2010

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!!

20 comments:

  1. sounds like a lovely year ahead. enjoy! let me know if you need help with the sewing bit ;)

    xo,
    Jeana

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  2. Jeana - is the Pope Catholic? Do the three bears live in the wood? Of course I need help!!!!

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  3. Ah, the precious blessings of the sisterhood. What a special arrangement. Let us see what you two and the girls come up with.
    On another note. Jeanne, I am exhausted and don't start back for another 3weeks. I would like to say your enthusiasm is invigorating but alas, it has tired me!!!!!
    No really, you have a great year planned. Hope all goes well. I did't read A Little Bush Maid until I was about 10 but was then hooked on the Billabong books for years. Happy childhood memories :-)

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  4. Sounds wonderful!! "Swallows and Amazons" was a wonderful find for me via AO. Have a great year!

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  5. I didn't get around to reading the Little Bush Maid until I was 30! :( Sad state of affairs, I know. How could I have lived so long without those delightful stories?

    Jeanne your new year of 'school' sounds lovely. Can't wait to read about it!

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  6. I've never heard of the little bush maid, obviously I have been deprived!!

    Your plans sound amazing, I wish I could've been home schooled by you as a child :-).

    I must say though that reading this post has made me even more convinced I am doing the right thing by sending Jaden back to school this year. My biggest achievements at the moment are getting the wahsing done, cooking dinner, vacuuming the floor and keeping a 10 month old baby out of everything (time to invest in safety gates, cupboard locks etc). I simply have no energy for anything else, epecially on days like today when little missy had a bad night and then decided that 5am is the appropriate wake up time, means I got heaps achieved bright and early but I'm ready for bed already now and it's only 9am :-(

    Can you bottle your enthusiasm and post it to me?????

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  7. Exciting stuff! You are so inspiring!

    Hey Jeanne, this is worth thinking about...check out the National Gallery website, and click on Masterpieces from Paris (Van Gogh, Gaugin, Cezanne & beyond), all the way from Musee D'Orsay. They have lovely audio tours on the website for children. Its in Canberra until 5th April, and is worth a look! Maybe we could meet up there with the children?! My brother, his wife and children visited this week, and claimed it was SPECTACULAR! You may have seen the pieces in Paris, yourself?

    http://nga.gov.au/Home/Default.cfm

    Cheers,
    Butter Fly

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  8. oh yay! Jemimah, AOy3 has some of my boys' favorites!! We loved Swallows and Amazons and ended up buying several more books in the series... but that's just ONE of the neet books you've got there! I'm looking forward to hearing about it as the year progresses.
    Jeanne, You are cordially invited, any one of these days to come and visit my new blog: http://apilgrimsproject.blogspot.com
    tomorrow and next day in particular :) I've been crafting my yearly goals.

    Amy in Peru

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  9. You had me at "new nature notebook and watercolours" - always my favourite part.

    AO3 - Wow! It's really something to see our children grow, huh - and all the growing we do along with them.

    Re-figuring the schedule here. Luca announced that he wants to read.

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  10. Now Caz, I refuse to be responsible for you sending Jayden back to school!!! Mind you, I know you're a great mum, and I am sure he'll get heaps of teaching by you as well as his teachers!!

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  11. Sounds awesome! We are starting a new term here and I am so looking forward to it. I get so excited about school! The watercolours and nature books are some of my favorite parts of school! I'm such a kid. lol.

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  12. Hi Jeanne,
    I'm glad that it's not only me that is craft challenged. :P

    I manage to get by with sewing, but I've never learned the finer aspects of sewing, such as cross-stitch, longstitch or embroidery.

    Enjoy your year,
    Blessings,
    Jillian

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  13. Hi Jeanne,
    As usual you are an inspiration. It certainly sounds as though you and Jemimah will have a truly creative and stimulating year. Enjoy!
    Louise

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  14. Ooh, lots of luverly learning ahead!

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  15. oh, it sounds wonderful! Hope you have a great, and blessed year!

    Jill

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  16. Sounds fantastic - very thorough and loads of variety!

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  17. Sounds like a great year!!

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  18. I was so excited to have a peek into what you will be doing this year. Sounds wonderful. Looking forward to joining you on this journey. :)

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