Academics – 2010/2011

Math

• Singapore Math Excellent books but too much review/spiraling once we hit level 5, so we switched to…
• Stanford EPGY Underwhelmed. Didn’t care for the interface. So we switched to…
• Life of Fred pre-algebra w/biology
• Thinkwell pre-algebra Weird. Bizarrely easy review in pre-algebra. Liked the professor, though. Maybe a higher-level class in the future….
• ALEKS Level 5 (No needless repetition. For the moment, Scout LOVES this program.)
• Zaccarro’s Real World Algebra

Language Arts

• Michael Clay Thompson L.A. Curriculum (Paragraph Town)
• Writing dictations (2 or so per week)
• Memorizing poems (1 or so per week)
• National Novel Writing Month in November (Goal: 10,000 words)
• Writer’s workshop (local class for two hours/week)
• Shakespeare workshop (local class for three hours/week)
• Penpals (Traditional letter writing. You know, on paper.)
• Reading literature

Spanish

• Rosetta Stone (Latin American Spanish)
• Español Para Chicos y Grandes
• 4-hrs week w/ Maria, her new intercambio
  

Science

• Middle School Earth and Space Science (Johns Hopkins CTY)
• Middle School Life Science
• The usual suspects: science books & mags
• Nature journaling
• Collecting clouds (photography project)

Geography

• Learning geography to supplement language, history, science and literature studies.

History (World)

• The Medieval World (DVD Lectures, Prof. Dorsey Armstrong, Purdue Univ.)
• More books, history DVDs, etc, etc

History (US)

• A History of US (Joy Hakim) – vol 1 – 12

Art

• Weekly art class
• Trips to the art gallery
• Drawing, etc. at home

Photography

• DSLR photography with Mom. (OK, so I make her hold the reflector and grey card. Sue me.)
• Photoshop with Dad

Music

• Listening to Classics for Kids & music around the house
• Reading composer biographies

Critical Thinking

• The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning (We read it together and discuss a couple chapters a week.)