I found this printable years ago, using it on and off as a summer studies incentive chart. When the kids complete 12 lessons of Math and 12 days of Reading and/or other Language Arts, it's ice cream time! (As the teacher, I get an ice cream cone too! It's only fair, right?) If you can find ice cream STICKERS for the squares (unlike me) it definitely adds to the chart.
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| Incentive Chart Source |
Both kids will be participating in the Every Hero Has a Story summer reading program at the library and doing Khan Academy math, but Cati will review sentence diagramming with Grammar Revolution here, a struggle from last year, and Sam will learn cursive using Handwriting without Tears. Just for fun, Jake, my oldest who attends a STEM high school, plans to study Finance on Khan Academy. (Yeah, for fun.) He wants to get a jump start on his year-long project that includes designing, building, marketing, and selling a product.
Now, don't feel too badly for them. We're only spending 2-3 days a week on our summer studies (unless the kids decide they want ice cream sooner or more often), and only when we're not at the lake swimming or fishing, off to camps or enjoying time as a family. Summer studies are just a little something to keep us thinking through vacation.
In the meantime, Tom and I are enjoying fishing together, sometimes with family and the kids. We went to my sister's favorite fishing spot this past weekend. Chris, her friend, caught a sunfish and a perch, and my husband caught his first fish, a large mouth bass.
But anyone can catch a fish with a fishing pole with enough patience. It takes REAL fishing talent to catch what I did...
I snagged a FRESH WATER CLAM, folks! Who catches a CLAM with a HOOK? I have yet to actually catch a FISH...
Sam decided to join us one evening. It was his first time fishing! I taught him to cast, avoiding trees and lily pads, mostly. We saw fish chasing our lures, but no strikes.
Another sister got married this past weekend. I was the official photographer, taking about 2000 snaps. I left the SD card with her though, to go through the photos. I did get a few of the wedding location on my cell phone. What a backdrop, huh?
The sun hasn't been out much this week, but we did enjoy an hour near the lake between raindrops, reading, watching the boaters and paddle-boarders go by.
Happy Independence Day!
As always, special thanks to these bloggers for their weekly homeschool blog link-ups. Click on over to see what other homeschoolers are doing!
What a great week. We usually do some summer school, but we are just chilling this year. We are only taking a 5 to 6 week break. All they have to do is read every day. I love the shots. The wedding venue is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteblessings, Dawn
We did take about 5 weeks of unstructured vacation time before beginning our summer studies. It only takes the kids about an hour to do their Math, Grammar or Handwriting and to read. (I do encourage them to read MORE throughout the day though...) Plenty of time for summer! We won't start full subject school until after Labor Day.
DeleteSounds like your family has a balanced and fun approach to summer learning! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI hope! Around here we NEED a summer break. A time to "chill" before another school year. My learning goals for them are always challenging...But getting in a few days during the summer months will put us a bit ahead come fall.
DeleteLots of summer fun. We have lessons all summer, just fewer subjects. Except when we have too much fun planned. It's more to keep the learning all the time mindset and help with only child boredom. Great fishing pics. I've never been and don't ever plan on it :-) I'll experience that through others. Happy 4th!
ReplyDeleteAw, Christy, you might like fishing! Honestly, I don't mind the fishing, but for me my favorite part is getting out on the water, seeing the wildlife, enjoying time with my husband.
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