For homeschooling geeks only

Well, I decided to put up the lists of books, etc. that we put in our homeschool portfolios this year. I always like looking at other homeschoolers' lists of stuff. So, if you do one, post yours.

This is the boy's; this would be his 5th grade year if he'd gone to school but he is registered as a 4th grader because that's the way it worked out when we started. I like having the "extra" year for him, particularly now that we've identified so many learning problems.

English:

Visited library at least twice monthly.

Obtained library card and checks out own books.

Learned how to locate books via Dewey Decimal system.

Attended library program based on the book Tut Tut.

Read the following fiction (nonfiction is listed under subject areas):

The Sands of Time - Michael Hoeye
The Castle in the Attic - Elizabeth Winthrop
Knight's Castle - Edward Eager
Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius - Frank Asch
Rats! - Jane Cutler
George's Marvelous Medicine - Roald Dahl
Tree Castle Island - Jean Craighead George
The Witches - Roald Dahl
Dr. Dolittle -Hugh Lofting
The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle - Hugh Lofting
James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl
Tut Tut - Jon Scieszka
Summer Reading is Killing Me! - Jon Scieszka
Marco? Polo! - Jon Scieszka
Hey Kid! Want to Buy a Bridge? - Jon Scieszka
Shark Shock – Donna Napoli
Soccer Shock – Donna Napoli
Urchin and the Heartstone – M. I. McAllister
Blackthorn Winter – Douglas Wilson
The Return of the Twelves – Pauline Clarke
Leepike Ridge – Nathan Wilson
100 Cupboards – Nathan Wilson

Other Literature Resources Used (Literature Read Aloud):
The Misadventures of Maude March – Audrey Couloumbis
Mad Maude: On the Run – Audrey Couloumbis
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
The Thieves of Ostia – Caroline Lawrence
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking Glass – Lewis Carroll
City of Dogs – Livi Michael
The Secrets of Vesuvius – Caroline Lawrence
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer- Mark Twain
Little Lord Fauntleroy – Frances Hodgson Burnett
Journey to the River Sea – Eva Ibbotson
The Water Horse – Dick King-Smith
The Penderwicks of Gardam Street – Jeanne Birdsall


Attended monthly reading group to discuss and share books via oral, written, and artistic presentations.

Completed oral and written reports for Webelos (Cub Scouts) badges, including “Communicator” Badge.

Contributed a book review to homeschool group newsletter.

Composed reports on various topics.

Resources used:
Spectrum Test Preparation Grade 4
Spelling and Phonics Daily Skill Builders, Grades 3 and 4
Skill Building Grammar grade 4
Bridging Phonics for Middle-Grade Students
AVKO Sequential Spelling program,
Daily Grams grade 4
Scholastic Children’s Dictionary
The ABCs and all Their Tricks – Margaret M. Bishop
The Prairie Primer by Margie Gray

Mathematics:

Completed Math-U-See “Beta” (addition and subtraction) and through chapter 20 of “Gamma” (multiplication) books

Used computation skills for cooking, building, sewing, etc.

Other resources used:
Mathematicians are People Too – Luetta Reimer
Spectrum Test Preparation Grade 4

History:

Studied the time period between the American Revolution and the Civil War in World History..

Visited Franklin Institute King Tut exhibit.

Attended Pennsbury Manor Homeschool Afternoon.

Visited the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Valley Forge, USS New Jersey, Mill Grove (John James Audubon home), Abolition Hall, Johnson House, Cliveden, Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport.

Attended Family Stage’s production of “That Fabulous Franklin.”

Attended re-enactment of the Battle of Germantown and the Memorial Day Ceremony at Washington Crossing Historic Park.

Read the following:
Winter at Valley Forge (Landmark)
Hero of the High Seas: John Paul Jones and the American Revolution - M Cooper
Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Palace at Versailles - Linda Tagliaferro
The Stone Age News - Fiona MacDonald
Men of War - Patrick O'Brien
Aztec News - Fiona MacDonald
Pony Express (Landmark)
Hero of Trafalgar: The Story of Lord Nelson - A. B. C. Whipple (Landmark)
Watt Got You Started, Mr. Fulton? - Robert Quackenbush
You Wouldn't Want to Live in a Wild West Town! - Peter Hicks
Of Courage Undaunted – James Daugherty
Old Ironsides – David Weitzman
A Day that Changed America: The Alamo – Shelley Tanaka
John James Audubon – Margaret and John Kieran
The Boy Who Drew Birds – Jacqueline Davies
Young Teddy Roosevelt – Cheryl Harness
Crossing the Panther’s Path – Elizabeth Alder
Little House on the Prairie – Laura Ingalls Wilder
On the Banks of Plum Creek – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Iron Thunder – Avi
Duel of the Ironclads – Patrick O’Brien
In Freedom’s Cause – G. A. Henty (audiobook)
Robert E. Lee and the Road of Honor – Hodding Carter
With Lee in Virginia – G. A. Henty (audiobook)
Lee and Grant at Appomattox – MacKinley Kantor
Fort Sumter – Brendan January
Rifles for Watie – Harold Keith
The Planes the Allies Flew in World War II David C. Cooke
Tank: The M1A1 Abrams – Michael A. Black
Gettysburg – MacKinley Kantor
The History News – Revolution – Christopher Maynard


Other Resources Used
The Story of the World, vols 3 and 4 by Susan Wise Bauer
American Revolution (Landmark)
Justin Morgan Had a Horse – Marguerite Henry
Stowaway – Karen Hesse
George Washington, Spymaster – Thomas B. Allen
George Washington’s World – Genevieve Foster
Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West – Marguerite Henry
Ten Queens – Milton Meltzer
What’s the Deal?: Jefferson, Napoleon, and the LA Purchase - R. Blumberg
Amos Fortune, Free Man – Elizabeth Yates
By Wagon and Flatboat – Enid LaMonte Meadowcroft
Stowaway – Karen Hesse
Davy Crockett in His Own Words
The Adventurous Chef: Alexis Soyer - Ann Arnold
The Defenders – Robert Livesy and A. G. Smith
The Great American Gold Rush – Rhoda Blumberg
Victorians – Ruth Brocklehurst
Flames Across the Susquehanna – Glenn Banner
The Carpetbaggers – Lucia Rattmer

Geography:

Completed mapping project with book The Voyager’s Stone

Referred to maps while reading books (such as Stowaway).

Located places on maps when reading (such as locating Independence MO while reading Little House on the Prairie) or talking about a new place.

Other resources used:
Geography (Time Life)
Spectrum Geography Grade 6 workbook
National Geographic US Atlas for Young Explorers
Civics:

As part of history curriculum, studies and discussed the Constitution and Bill of Rights, branches of government.

Discussed election cycle, voting, electoral college.

Participated in community service project with Cub Scouts.

Earned Webelos (Cub Scouts) Citizen badge.


Science:

Performed experiments from the Usborne Book of Science, chemistry section, other books and kits, online; completed lab sheets.

Earned Webelos (Cub Scouts) Forestry Badge through independent study and course at Morris Arboretum.

Attended maple sugaring program at Wissahickon Environmental Center.

Attended Insect programs at Briar Bush Nature Center.

Discussed science topics as applicable to reading (ie. Discussed medical use of leeches from reading On the Banks of Plum Creek).

Studied animal classification

Read the following books:
The Wind Masters - Pete Dunne (Peregrine Falcon section)
The Snake Scientist - Sy Montgomery
Snakes - Maria Mudd Ruth
Dogs - DK Eyewitness
various books on aviation (partial)
The Bermuda Triangle: Strange Happenings at Sea - David West
The World's Greatest Fighters - Robert Jackson (partial)
Horrible Science: Chemical Chaos – Nick Arnold
Journey to the Bottomless Pit – Elizabeth Mitchell
US Army Survival Manual
Reptiles and Amphibians – Scott Weidensaul

Other resources used:
The Usborne Book of Science, Chemistry section
Wandering Through Winter – Edwin Way Teale
North With the Spring – Edwin Way Teale
The New The Way Things Work – David Macauley
Oxford Children’s Ecyclopedia
The Picture History of Great Inventors by Gillian Clements
The Chemist who Lost His Head (Antoine Lavoisier) – Vivian Grey
Winter World (partial) – Bernd Heinrich
Handbook of Nature Study – Anna Botsford Comstock
Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather – Eric Sloane
Audubon Nature Encyclopedia
Benjamin Franklin’s Adventures with Electricity – Beverly Birch
Pasteur’s Fight Against Microbes – Beverly Birch
Rocks and Minerals – DK Eyewitness
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html
http://www.eol.org/


Safety Education:

Attended township fire safety day.

Worked on personal safety notebook for Webelos badge, including fire safety rules

Attended DARE presentation with local police officer.

Attended safety presentation by local paramedic.

Health:

Completed study of nutrition, planned a week of meals using nutrition pyramid as guide to earn Webelos Fitness badge.

Discussed proper exercise, nutrition, dental care.

Physical Education:

Attended Homeschool PE class weekly (fall term), played outside, hiked, participated in Little League Baseball.



Art, Music, Performing Arts

Listened to and discussed various musical styles at home.

Attended musical play “The Wizard of Oz,” attended piano recital of local musician, works of Beethoven and Chopin, attended dress rehearsal of Pennsylvania Ballet “Carnival of the Animals” and “Jupiter Symphony” ballets.

Read Ludwig van Beethoven by Mike Venezia, listened to Beethoven’s Symphony #5, among other works

Listened to and discussed Handel’s “Messiah.”

Visited a bow-maker’s workshop.

-Listened to music, sang, played with keyboard.

Visited the Barnes art collection.

Completed Webelos (Cub Scouts) Artist Badge requirement.

Drew maps, other types of drawings for Reading Group, Webelos projects, pleasure.