Second Grade- Really?!?

Oh boy, this year Emma is technically considered a 2nd grader. What does that mean for us? Nothing really.

This year will probably follow the same basic routine as last year. We'll unschool (or hackschool) for the most part, with a few "structured" items thrown in for sanity's sake.

We actually started with some structure last week. Nothing major, just one task a day to get Emma back into the swing of things.

I mean, I started school again, why shouldn't she?

On the 16th, Emma and I sat down and I asked her to pick something to work on in the following areas- Geography, History, Math, and Science. I knew I wanted the writing to be postcards or letters, and that she would be writing for most of the other tasks, so I didn't feel like she needed another specific task for this.

Writing also happens to be the "school" subject she is the least excited about.

I also didn't include a specific task for reading because this child reads like a fish swims.

The ever elusive reader burrowed in her nest. 

(said in a Steve Urwin accent)

Oh no, I've been spotted!

She sure is "on the ball" with her reading. 

Not sure what the deal is, but she hates it when I take pictures of her reading.


If I'm sneaky enough, I can get some good ones. 

Anyway, back to the point of this post. As you can see in her list above, here is what we decided on:

Geography was a horse geography sheet about Thoroughbreds. She actually enjoys filling these out which makes this mama feel good about putting it together for her. 

She wrote two postcards.

Science was bumped to this week because she needed my help and we never got around to it. Bad mama. We will be making gak. 

Playing with numbers (math) is simply working through a 1st grade math workbook. She's already 1/2 way through it. She actually decided to work on it at bedtime last week and did about 5 pages. 

History was simply to write 3 or more sentances about a famous Thoroughbred. She chose to write about Seabiscuit. She first wrote the sentences out by hand, then typed them onto her computer. 

We taped the handwritten portion to her horse geography sheet. 

On schedule for this week are

Math- more work book (already done)

Geography- Horse geography sheet about Welsh Ponies

Mail Call- Writing a letter and drawing a picture for the author of the Miranda and Starlight series that we are really loving right now. 

Science- Gak

History- Type a one page story (using size 24 font) about a welsh pony who traveled in time to the Ice Age (her idea). I'm interested to see how this one turns out. I actually have a worksheet for her to use to gather some info about the Ice Age- if she decides to use it. 

And that's it. 

What did you learn this week?