Wordy Wednesday

It's been so long. My life turned upside down-again. I must say these last two years have been a roller coaster to say the least. I decided on a school schedule for the boys-going year round, because I like the breakdown and with too much 'down time' my kids turn on each other. We are going to do a combined 1st grade/kindergarten year. Four just turned four but he's ready for K. One and Two also did K at four and were fine. Three just had no-interest (he still really doesn't) so I just waited until he 'should' have started. Four is always wanting MORE so I'm going to let him jump right in with his brother. I'm hoping there will be some positive peer pressure on Three as a result. 

Our new school year starts on Monday, July 8. Our first theme is 'all about me.'  I've been working hard on planning the first month, allowing me time to keep planning ahead on the weekends. We don't have our first "track out" until September. 

How I planned?  I made a master list of themes I wanted to cover. Some of them naturally correspond with certain days of the year-day of the dead, for instance. Or apple picking-I want to make a trip to the orchard near us so I checked their website for picking times and put the apple theme in that same week. We do an annual beach trip on Mother's Day so I put the ocean theme there. You get the idea. Then I just filled in the rest of the themes. Leaving our "track out" weeks empty. 

My goal is to have one field trip a week that corresponds, if at all possible, with our theme (like the orchard, and the beach...)  I also want to take the kids to the mountains-since I've lived here for 22 years and never been to the mountains in my own state!  I've seen Gorgeous mountains in Canada...but not three hours from me, go figure?  I am undecided about what theme I will tie that into or if it will be a "track out" trip. 

I have some shopping to do to pickup the supplies for our first few themes. I'm excited to get going again. It's been a month of only doing math and reading (skills I don't want Three to lose momentum on) and I think we're all ready to get back in the full swing of things. 

Happy Schooling!