First Day of School 2012-2013

This is our first day of the new school year.  Yes, it is a Wednesday, but Madyson and Mackenzie are attending the public school this year and this is their first day, so I decided to start Katy and Ava Marie on the same day.

After reading Psalms 15 together I worked with Ava Marie first.  We started by watching the Hooked On Phonics video for Pre-K 1, Letters A through H.  Then we used the workbook and read the story that came with that.  Then she wrote her A's in her Letter Book.  After that I gave her a choice to have me read some books to her or she could color a picture on plain paper with her new markers, she chose drawing the picture.  So we will read some books after lunch.

While Ava Marie and I worked together, Katy started her science.  I gave her a list of what she will need to do each day:
Read
Journal one page
Science
Math
Handwriting

And she can choose what order works best for her, unless we have something planned and I need her to get one of them done first.  She is in the 7th Grade now, so I want her to have more control over when and how she completes her work.  Also, we are focusing a lot on writing this year.  For the last 2 years we have mainly focused on Reading and History.  This year I want her to focus on Writing and Math.  She loves to read and I have noticed that she is likes to create stories and also to journal.  I told her if she can keep up her journal for the next 2 weeks, I will help her create a Blog of her own.

This will be helpful in teaching her about the internet also.  Up until now I have not allowed my children to use the internet except under my watchful eye, which won't really change. But I have also not allowed Katy to do much research on the internet, I just feel that old fashioned books are better!

But...I love to Blog and I love to read other's Blogs, so I want to be able to share this with Katy, I just want to make sure she is safe.  I will link her Blog to this Blog and also to my personal Blog, Defying Gravity.  I don't get a lot of traffic, so I am not concerned about who will read her Blog.

And here is our traditional First Day of School picture on the front porch with our Public school girls.  The sun was shining in their eyes.  Mackenzie is in 4th Grade and Madyson is in 3rd Grade.

It is a half day of school today, so the girls will be home for lunch and then  think I will take them swimming!  We won't have very many days left of this great weather or the time to swim.  Our twin boys are due any day now and dance classes will start back up in September.  I need to remind myself to take advantage of every opportunity to get them outside and using up their energy!!

I hope everyone as a great First Day of School!