Homeschool update – 2009 January

Christian

• Math:  Christian is poised to move on from Algebra II to Geometry in February.  He has been doing particularly good work of late, showing all his work and writing very neatly.  That is very important at this level of math.
• History and Literature:  The Sonlight curriculum works very well for us.  Christian continues on schedule in these two area.
• Science:  Apologia Physical Science is awesome, we are on course.
• English:  We are doing several things to prepare Christian for the CLEP Freshman English Composition test.  He will take that next month, after which he will start doing a lot more writing.  He will start his annual research report at that time.
• Spanish:  Second year Rosetta Stone – good progress.
• Music:  Guitar lessons continue.
• PE:  Four days per week of fitness at the YMCA.  He is also in the very beginning of a strength program and making good progress.
• Arts and Crafts:  Christian is knitting on a special scarf (we will have pictures soon) and working on his Betty Blonde graphical novel.
• Electronics:  We continue to work on our our ham radio.

Kelly

• Math:  Kelly is poised to move on from Geometry
  to Precalculus in February.  She is continuing on schedule.
• History:  Kelly is in preparation to take the U.S. History II CLEP test.
• Science:  Apologia Biology is awesome, we are on course.
• English:  Kelly, as always, writes A LOT.  She writes in this blog, her own private, girls blog (a bunch of girls, including one older “girl” who has lots of skills, training and experience in this area, write short stories and poetry, then judge each other — it really is an excellent tool), her diary, etc., etc.  She will
  start her annual research report in March.
• Spanish:  Second year Rosetta Stone – pretty good progress.
• Music:  Piano lessons continue.
• PE:  Four days per week of fitness at the YMCA.  Kelly has been studying health and nutrition and is doing a great job of assuring she gets the right kind of nutrition in the right quantities–not too much, not too little.  She has also been experimenting a lot with new recipes.
• Arts and Crafts:  Betty Blonde, knitting.

Beside all this, we have additional projects planned, not the least of which is the video blogging project that will probably not start now until this summer.  We continue to read aloud together every evening with a bowl of popcorn.