The End Of 2nd Grade
Well we did it! She did it! After starting school at the beginning of August last year (in preparation of little brother’s September arrival) we finally finished up Abigail’s 2nd grade school year at the beginning of this month.
Originally, I had her scheduled to mid-May, but if you caught yesterday’s post, we took a nice long road trip at the beginning of May, so she worked really, really hard (particularly on her math!) to work ahead and finish a few days early so she wouldn’t have to finish her last few lessons once we got home.
I have mentioned before, but in the state of Missouri (every state has different laws pertaining to homeschooling, so if you’re curious about what your states are, a quick google search or a peek at the HSLDA website will tell you everything you need to know!) once your child turns 7 years old, you are required to log at least 1000 school hours (600 core, 400 non) to make up your school year.
While, I appreciate the fact that I don’t have to submit our curriculum, or have someone come review our home to be able to homeschool, it still isn’t the most fun thing in the world to have to log all of those hours. Especially for a 7 year old! Won’t be a problem in the slightest to find those hours with my teenagers…but seven years old?
I digress. We made it happen and that’s what counts!
In our time logging hours, Abigail completed this year:
Cycle 3 of Classical Conversations where she learned-
- 161 events and people in a chronological timeline
- 24 history sentences (including the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights)
- All of the U.S. Presidents
- 120 locations and geographic features in North America (including all 50 states and their Capitols!)
- 24 science facts (including the first 12 elements of the periodic table and the parts of 8 body systems)
- Latin rules and vocabulary- she also memorized John 1:1-7 in english and latin!
- English grammar facts
- Multiplication tables up to 15×15’s, squares and cubes, as well as basic geometry formulas and unit conversions
- She participated in 12 science experiments and 12 science projects
- Learned music theory, introduction to orchestra, and played the tin whistle
- Exposed to drawing techniques and studied 6 great artists and made art related projects
- and gave 24 oral presentations!
But that’s not all!
She also completed:
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind: Level 2
PreScripts Cursive Letters and Coloring – Medieval to Modern History
PreScripts Cursive Words and Drawing: Scripture
In addition to her basic curriculum, she also spent lots of time reading, writing stories, creating copious amounts of art(you should see her gallery wall!), playing outside, baking in the kitchen, learning how to clean around the house, and most importantly, got to spend every day with her family (including that precious new baby brother!)
Now that she has finished, we are in full blown summer vacation mode over here! Nothing but reading is required of her in a day. I’ll sit down sometime in July and make plans for curriculum and look at our upcoming year to see when we should start and finish the school year- but until then, it’s time to celebrate a year well done and play!
Thanks for sharing!! We start homeschooling my oldest in the fall and I’m excited! It’s nice to hear from other families who do the same!
That is very very impressive!! AND you did all that with a newborn?! I’m considering homeschooling my (3) boys and it’s helpful to see everything that goes in to it. Thanks for sharing!
ahhh you guys are amazing!! i cannot believe all you did and that she is finished with 2nd grade!!! that is crazy. TIME!! time, what are you doing?!
I love that you home school. My cousins were HS and had a successful weekend business making over $1000 only working Saturdays… at the ripe old age of 13 and 15. The eldest grduated high school and college on the same day and just graduated with her Juris Doctor (law degree)… and she just turned 20.
I totally commend you for doing this!!
I am also in Missouri and planning to home school. I honestly never thought I would say that, but I think it is the best fit for us. My son is not even two yet, but I have put a lot of thought into it. This sort of overwhelms me, but it also makes me feel like I am making the right choice. I want to be able to give him a good education while not having other people raise my child, give him experiences he wouldn’t otherwise have, and not have our family’s schedule totally dictated by the school system. I will be checking out your other home school posts!
You are amazing. This is the reason I could not, nor want to homeschool. My hats are of to you, and other parents that homeschool. Like other teachers, you guys are truly special, to me. Congrats to your now 3rd grader. Wow, 3rd Grade. ?