Summer Learning Plans - Curriculum/Planning Deals
Monday, April 14, 2014 at 5:00AM
Are you thinking about summer yet?
I know it's about 6 weeks away, but as our school year is winding down and the weather is getting much nicer I'm finding myself motivated to start planning for summer.
{Many curriculum sales also happen this time of year, so I'm keeping my eyes open for those!}
Summer is a welcome break from the normal homeschool routine. After a week of lounging around everyone is usually at loose ends, so this summer I am PREPARING.
Normally I think of all the things I want a summer to include, but if I fail to make a PLAN we accomplish very little. So here it is -- in writing. (Now I MUST stick to it!)
*This post contains affiliate links.
Literature/Writing
Practicum: The kids and I will be attending a 3 day Classical Conversations Practicum in May. While I am busy learning all about writing, Anna will be in a Lost Tools of Writing camp and Grant will be doing a Public Speaking Camp. Win/Win.
{This will also be the time I purchase any CC curriculum we need. I like to see it and talk to other moms at the CC bookstore during Practicum.}
Fortuigence Essay Class: Anna has the opportunity to take an expository essay writing class through Fortuigence. She chose an Expository Essay class and is excited - we've never done an online class with her before.
The Cay: Read Aloud and study guide - I've heard so many great things about the literature guides from Bright Ideas Press. We chose The Cay because it's a book I've been wanting to read with the kids for a long time!
Plus, the study guides are 20% off in April, so I snagged a few. (We may do a few other books next year, so now is a good time get the 20% off. )
Math
Anna worked SO hard in math this year and is finished with Saxon 8/7. We did not, however, do the investigations this year, so we will be working our way through the invesigations (TOGETHER) this summer.
Grant will be continuing to work on his drills and finish his Saxon 5/4 math book (he will have about 15 lessons left).
{*I always get my Saxon books through Amazon. I manage to find the best prices this time of year. The Saxon 5/4 books are on sale right now, actually. }
Latin
Coffeeshop Latin: Because Latin was so intense and difficult during the school year, we are going back through Henle Latin this summer. I have been told that the Memoria Henle Latin study guides are excellent. I purchased them at convention and Anna will be teaching ME Latin from these guides.
Each Monday evening we will retreat to our local Starbucks and have our Latin lesson. She's really excited about this, and I'm excited to spend time with her and sharpen my Latin skills. I learned just enough to help her this year, but I really needed to do all of her assignments with her - so this is my remedial summer!
Music/Art
Music Camp: Grant will be attending a one week music camp at the church where Hal and I were married. We do this camp each year (this year Anna will be on a mission trip, so it's just Grant attending) and it is SO valuable! I love that he gets handbells, drama, art, choir, and professional performances each day. We are SO LUCKY to have this camp in downtown Atlanta.
Art Classes: I'm looking for an art class for my art lover. I hope to find something he can sink his teeth into!
LEGO
First Lego League (FLL): We are beginning to form a FLL team. This summer we have gathered a very small group of boys who will be learning to work as a team and just focus on having FUN with LEGOS. I'm excited about this adventure, and also a bit nervous. It's A LOT of work!
Of course, we will be pulling all of our resources from LEGO® Education and also using elements of the free LEGO class I have here on the blog to help us in our meetings.
*LEGO® Education will be offering a group buy later this week through the Homeschool Buyers Co-Op that you won't want to miss. More info coming soon!
Exercise
YMCA/Triathlon: Our local junior traithlon is happening the first week in June. Grant is training already and is excited (this will be his first time participating).
We have restarted our YMCA membership so the kids and I will be working on swimming and running, too. I'm looking forward to this. Once baseball season is over Grant is usually at loose ends, so this will be good for him. My Anna doesn't enjoy a lot of exercise, and I'm hoping to make a dent in that this summer.
Baseball Camp: Last summer Grant participated in baseball day camp. He LOVED it, so he will be going for a week this summer.
Vacation/Fun/Service
Mission Trip: Anna will be going on a one week mission trip to Savannah, GA. She went on a trip like this last year and came back telling me she knew she wanted to work with children one day. I think mission work is so important for kids this age.
Visiting Family: Each summer Anna goes to visit my sister in New York. She is going again this summer! My sister is a huge supporter of our homeschool and always makes sure to plan many fun things for Anna's stay. I am thankful Anna has this chance to be away from home with extended family.
Florida!: My mom and dad live in south Florida. We will be spending Anna's 13th birthday (July - how did that happen??) with grandma and grandpa. I'm SO looking forward to getting to the beach and to spend time with my parents, too. It's been a hard few months for them and we can CELEBRATE everyone feeling better!
Do you take the entire summer off, or do you keep schooling?
When do you purchase curriculum?
Please watch for the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle Sale coming next week! There are several homeschool resources you will want to take advantage of!
Reader Comments (9)
I have not heard of Bright Ideas Press and after a quick browse there are a few things here I would like to purchase - like the Writer's Workshop Ebook. I need to bump up the level of writing in my Friday Group and this could be very helpful. I also love the high school movies to literature course. Have you used these products before? There are very few sample pages available to the reader and I would love to know your review or recommendation.
I too am in planning mode for next year and I am consciously going deep, rather than broad. I am only choosing a few things to add.
Thanks!
Jess
Sounds like you have a Great Plan !! I have always taken about 6 to 8 weeks off in the summer, June and July. I think that we will keep working this summer though on our weaknesses especially:) You have some great ideas in you post. Thanks so much for sharing them. I always look forward to reading all of your posts. Have a blessed day ~ Amy
Ooh, I would love details on that music camp, Mary. Could you email me the name of it when you get a chance? We normally swim all morning in the subdivision pool, have lunch, then do math and reading and interest-led learning in the afternoon. The kids usually do a week of VBS and this year will be going to a performing arts camp. They are really excited about that!
I need to make a summer plan too. We don't do school like we do during the school year, but everyone will have math lessons to finish and I try to plan some fun unit studies that are easier to do in summer :)
I don't know where you find the time, but I love how organized and productive you are with your homeschool. This is our first year (with a junior, freshman, 5th grader, and 2-year-old), and I really feel so disorganized. I'm so thankful to finally be homeschooling, but wow...it's a bit overwhelming. This summer I really need to focus on getting my junior's transcript in order. She will be going on a missions trip to Italy for 10 days, and at church camp for 3 weeks, so will not see a lot of her. My freshman will be working 60-hour weeks with dad (not too sure how I feel about this yet). So... I'm planning on lots of gardening and projects with my younger 2.
I have to keep reminding myself that when the kids were in public school, they never finished a workbook. It's funny now that I'm the teacher, I want to check off every box! Gotta get over that. :).
Thanks for the inspiration and motivation! Love your website!
We school year round, though our summer's are lighter schedules and usually involve mainly Mathematics and Language Arts with a focus on literature. We have a few fun travels planned (like going to KY in June) and a bunch of interesting things we're planning on doing. I tend to purchase our curriculum beginning sometime in June and finishing with the last purchase (Health) in November, though I tend not to buy any curriculum in Sept. or Oct. (we don't begin Health until Dec. so unless I find a good sale I wait until Nov. to buy it so I can get the "box day" rush). This year we're probably going to be stepping lightly into Latin, though I haven't decided exactly how to do so yet...
I'm so excited to hear you are starting a FLL team! This will be my first year coaching FLL after watching for 2 years and coaching a Jr.FLL team last year.
We have a summer music camp here also and love it! My kids look forward to it every year. I'm busy making plans for summer too. We are going to make a lapbook review cycle 2 CC. It is something I didn't focus enough on this year. I am also opening up a brand new cc campus in our town so that will take up a lot of my time!!
Sounds like a busy but fun summer! I think learning to write properly is very important. A couple of my oldest boys have said that I should have made them write more! So the younger kids do write more!