Term Two Review

ENGLISH:

Reading:

All three boys read lots of books for their independent reading time. I do not dictate what books they choose for their “free” independent reading time. I keep a list of all the books the boys read in their portfolio for easy review.

Monster: Is no longer participating in Premiere’s Reading Challenge this year as he completed it in Year 9. However, if he finds PRC books in the library that look interesting to him, I’m certain he will pick them up and read them. He is also enjoying reading e-books on his phone - the trick is for him to remember to tell me that he has read them!!

Monkey: This years Premier's Reading Challenge started at the end of February and finishes mid August. Monkey is determined to earn his medal, so though reading is a slower process for him (he is like me and needs quiet surroundings) he continues to work his way through the remaining number of books he needs to complete the challenge for this year. Next year he has determined he will get started MUCH earlier.

Munchkin: Since he finished his required Premier's Reading Challenge books last term, Munchkin has been enjoying lots and lots of free reading this term. However, I have been rather slack about the quality of books I'm allowing to enter our home (via the library) so I am now concentrating on finding books that are more suited to his reading level (which is quite high) and also better content and less fluff.

Writing:

All three boys continue to use the Institute for Excellence in Writing: Teaching Writing Structure and Style curriculum. It allows each boy to work at a level appropriate for their age and ability. It “grows” with the child so to speak. See below for a list of the types of writing each individual boy did during Term Two.

Monster: The Wedding Rings (Unit 5), Plants (Unit 1/2)

Monkey: Plants (Unit 1/2), The Ancient Greeks (Unit 1/2), Greek Weapons/Warfare (Unit 1/2)

Munchkin: The Failed Cake (Unit 5), Earth (Unit1/2), Aboriginal Water Management (Unit 1/2), The Land of Mosstralia (Unit 5), -

Writing was rather hit and miss this term. While all three boys did do SOME writing this term, I don't feel like it was enough, or at least not difficult enough, for any of the three of them. But this is one of the reasons why I put the time into writing up a Term Review at the end of each term, as it lets me see where the gaps are and adjust accordingly the next term.

 

Spelling:

Monkey:  I use the Ozspeller website to choose and create weekly word lists for him. I quiz him orally Monday – Thursday and then he takes a written test on Friday morning. In Term 1 Monkey decided he would like to review the Advanced spelling lists again. Spelling is an optional subject for him and I'm pleased that he is continuing to review this year. In Term 2 Monkey continued to progress through the Advanced spelling lists and he will finish weekly spelling work for his school career when he completes all the lists in the Advanced group.

Munchkin: Term Two saw Munchkin completing the first Targeting Spelling workbook and we began working through the next one. However, to change things up a bit I'm alternating the spelling work for him. So one week he completes a unit in the workbook, and the next week he does an Ozspeller list and we alternate. This seems to be working well and gives me a good indication of how well his spelling ability is improving.

 

Literature:

Below are the books I selected to read to the boys for their literature this term. Munchkin’s books were read to all three boys, Monkey’s books were read to Monster as well, and Monster’s books were read only to him.

Along with “classic literature” there are three books that we read aloud repeatedly. The first is the Bible and then we also read “The Book of Virtues” and “The Moral Compass” by William Bennett. We alternate these two books. We will finish reading "The Book of Virtues" sometime early in Term Three and we will simply begin reading "The Moral Compass". Then when we finish it (sometime next year I imagine) we'll again read "The Book of Virtues".

Munchkin: In Term Two we read the following books: "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende, "The Ersatz Elevator" and "The Vile Village" by Lemony Snicket   

Monkey: In Term Two we read the following books: "The Prisoner of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling   

Monster:  In Term Two we read the following books: "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger    

 

Grammar:

Monkey: I started Season Two of Analytical Grammar with Monkey this term and quickly discovered that I need to brush up on the curriculum before we continue. So we have paused Monkey's grammar curriculum for the time being, and likely won't pick it up again until next year. This will give me ample time to familiarize myself with Seasons 2 and 3 of the program before then.

Munchkin: is not doing any grammar curriculum this year. I have learned that (for our family) grammar is best introduced in the late primary grades or early high school grades. Given that I have had to review spelling rules with Munchkin, I have decided to hold off starting formal grammar lessons with him until he starts high school (Year 7/7^th grade).

** For Term 3 I have decided to read "The Word Spy" and "The Return of the Word Spy" both by Ursula Dubosarsky. This will be a review for both Monster and Monkey, but not Munchkin. It will be a great introduction to grammar for Munchkin before we launch into Junior Analytical Grammar next year, and the two older boys loved the books so much the first time through that they will thoroughly enjoy the review. **

MATHS:

Monster: Continued working through his Haese Mathematics Year 11 textbook - Mathematical Methods. Over the course of the term he completed chapters six through  of the textbook covering the following topics: Non-Right Angled Triangle Trigonometry, Trigonometric Functions, Counting and the Binomial Expansion, and Probability.

Monkey: Finished his Year 7 Haese Mathematics book, completing chapter 17 on Transformations, and chapter 18 on solids. Immediately he began working on the Year 8 Haese Mathematics book and completed the first two chapters covering the topics of: Number and Sets and Venn Diagrams.

Munchkin: Continued to work through the Haese Mathematics Year 5 textbook. Over the course of the term he completed chapters 3-6. The topics we covered in term 2 were: Angles and Lines, Polygons, Circles and Solids, Fractions and Decimal Numbers.

 

SCIENCE:

For the remaining school subjects I try to teach all three boys together as a group as much as I possibly can. So I will now start listing Munchkin’s work first and work from youngest to eldest boy rather than repeatedly recording the same things.

I rely heavily on our library for quality books to cover the content we study in the remaining subjects. When I am planning a unit study I do a subject search for books and reserve any and all that look like they will be suitable for the boys. I include picture books, junior non-fiction, and I’ve just started including adult non-fiction for both Monkey AND Monster.

 

Munchkin, Monkey, Monster:

 Munchkin, Monkey and Monster: We read the following books this term for their Science Content:

"Earth's Changing Surfaces", "Solar System", "Solar System", "The Solar System", "Circulation", "Muscles", "Skeleton", "Light", "What's That Sound", "Classification of Animals", "Classification", "It's Alive", "Life Cycles", "Adaptation and Survival", "Salinity", "Solids, Liquids, and Gases", "Pandemics", "DNA and Genetic Engineering", "Cell Division and Genetics", "Animal Cells and Life Processes", "Cells Tissues and Organs", "Cell Function and Specialization", "Plant Cells and Life Processes", "Plants and Fungi", and "Cells and Life Processes"

** With our slow beginning to the term (thanks to COVID) and many other life disruptions through the term, I chose to teach science to all three of them collectively. Despite their different grades/year levels in school, all three have cells/plants as one of their science content subjects so it made it rather easy this term. **

HISTORY:

Munchkin: I read the following books aloud to Munchkin for History this term:

We read the Taste the World series all about food, with the following titles: "Salt and Pepper", "Garlic", "Sugar", "Chocolate", "Corn", "Tomato", "Rice", and "Potato"

"Peacetime For Alice" by Davina Bell

"Meet Daisy", "Daisy All Alone", "Daisy in the Mansion" and "Daisy on the Road" by Michelle Hamer 

"Australia's Amazing Inventions" and "Australia's Intriguing Past"

Monkey: I read the following books aloud to Monkey for History this term:

"Spartans", "Ancient Greek Children", "Greek Gods and Heroes", "Hardnuts of History - Ancient Greece" and "Best and Worst Jobs in Ancient Greece"

 Monster: I read the following books aloud to Monster for History this term:

"Marie Antoinette"

"The French Revolution: From Enlightenment to Tyranny" by Ian Davidson - this is an adult non-fiction book and we finished it over the Term 2 school holidays

I read the following books to all three boys in observation of ANZAC Day:

"ANZAC Day", "Uncle Finny's War", "Alfred's War", "Jack's Bugle", "This Old Thing", "Digger", "The Last ANZAC", "The House That Was Built in a Day", "The Poppy", "Digger", "Simpson and His Donkey", "Do Not Forget Australia", "ANZAC Sons" and "Australia Remembers"

 

GEOGRAPHY:

Munchkin, Monkey, Monster:

We read the following books as part of their Geography studies this term:

"Floods", "Places and Spaces", "Earth is My Home", "Australian Outback", Resources and Waste", Human Influence" and "Caring For Waterways"

 

PDHPE:

In Term Two we read a series of books about the human body which is a cross over unit study with their science curriculum.

 

 Creative Arts:

    

 

Latin: (Monster)

Monster is currently working through two Latin textbooks independently. They are Lingua Latina Familia Romana and Lingua Latina Exercitia Latina 1.

 

Marine and Aquaculture Technology: (Monster)

We took a break from studying this subject in Term Two.

German: (Monkey)

Monkey is currently working through "Getting Started With German" by William E. Linney. Monkey also practices his German on DuoLingo on his mobile phone.

Creative Arts ~ Drawing: (Monkey)

Monkey has chosen creative arts for his second elective with an obvious focus on drawing and painting. I don't direct much work for him with this elective, he simply draws or paints when the mood hits him. As I find videos or books that I think will interest him in these areas I point them in his direction. I photograph the artwork that he creates and include it in our reporting on the blog. He has also begun his own sketchbook for this year that he will draw/paint in and be prepared to show to our AP when she returns in two years for our registration process.