Since we live in Georgia, one of the laws for homeschooling is that I have to write a yearly progress report and keep it on file for 3 years in case the school is to ever take us to court. Samantha's school year is 365 days a year because I believe learning takes place all the time. However, for paperwork purposes, Samantha's school year and grade promotion will run from June 1st to May 31st. (We were going to do September through August, because Samantha's birthday is in September and that is when all the activities begin, but the schools want their final attendance and other paperwork by the end of May. SO...Here it is: (This is the rough draft, but I have spent several hours on it. And I am so excited about how well it is turning out!)
Samantha Anne Mays
Progress Report and Kindergarten
Curriculum
Description: Samantha learns using a relaxed custom curriculum meant to
teach her the basic concepts of each subject. She uses a range of things from
books, games, and movies to real life and hands on experiences. Samantha
choices her own units of study, generally science related, which is then
extended to include all other core subjects as well as other areas such as
Bible Study and Arts.
Unit Studies
Samantha has completed a variety of unit studies (of her
choosing) this year. Her main focus has been on Butterflies, Space, and
Weather.
*Butterflies:
Samantha spent an extended period of time, in the months preceding and on into
her Kindergarten year, learning about butterflies, specifically about the life
cycle and behaviors of a butterfly, the different physical appearances and
anatomy of the different species, their diet, habitat, and needs.
Activities: Butterfly
Pavilion by Insect Lore, Butterfly Garden
Books-Some Examples Include: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Are You a Butterfly?
Space: Samantha
spent several months covering material on Space. She learned about each of the
planets and their physical/chemical properties, as well as the moon phases, Earth’s
movement as related to seasons and days/nights, constellations, and the lifecycle
of stars.
Activities: The
Magic School Bus: The Secrets of Space Kit: Space Mobile, Constellation Box,
Space Poster with Stickers, Clay Light and Rotation Models, Smalll Telescope,
etc. Large Telescope, Space Exploration Scavenger Hunt, Field Trip to the Planetarium
in Lafayette, GA
Books-Some Examples
Include: There’s No Place Like Space,
God Made Outer Space, Every Planet Has a Place, Magic School Bus Lost In Space,
Me and My Place in Space, Galaxies, Galaxies!, The Stars: A New Way to See
Them, and The Magic School Bus Sees
Stars, George’s Secret Key to the Universe
Weather: Samantha
spent a few months learning about the weather. Samantha learned about the
different types of weathers-sunny, cloudy, windy, rain, storms, tornadoes, hurricanes,
typhoons, etc. and the areas of the world certain weather is most likely to
take place and why. She learned how to read weather instruments and predict
future weather based on forecasts, instruments, and cloud types. Samantha
learned the scientific explanations for how and why each type of weather occurs.
Activities: Weather
Journal-Recorded the Date/Time, Forecasted Weather/Temperature, Observations,
Hypothesis, Actual Weather/Temperature, Cloud Type, Pressure, Inches of
Rainfall-if any, Notes, Reading Weather Instruments-Thermometer/Rain
Gauge/Barometer, Wind Vane, Creating Homemade Weather Instruments, Weather
Experiments, Weather Computer Games/Apps, Weather Movies, Watching Daily
Weather Forecast on weather.com, Weather Songs, Researching Pictures of
Weather-i.e. Tornadoes
Books-Some Examples Include: Oh Say, Can You Say, What’s the Weather Today?, Magic School Bus
Electric Storm, The Man Who Named the Clouds, Flash, Crash, Rumble, Roll, Magic
School Bus Inside a Hurricane, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, Listen
to the Rain, Hurricanes, Snow, Eye Witness Books
Science:
Samantha has used a variety of scientific tools to measure
in standard and non-standard measurement, such as measuring spoons and cups,
rulers, tape measure, scales, thermometer. She also uses a variety of tools for
viewing such as a telescope, microscope, and magnifying glass to observe and
record physical characteristics and changes in objects.
Samantha has conducted numerous experiments using the
Scientific Method. She knows the meaning for words such as “hypothesis” and
“conclusion.” Experiments include those observing change such as those of the
life cycle or watching food change from a liquid to solid, and experiments
demonstrating basic scientific properties and laws, such as the basic “cup and
water” pressure experiment.
Activities: Samantha’s
main focus this year has been on Life Science. Most of her learning is through
hands on activities. Samantha has cared for a variety of animals including a
cat, ladybugs, and three small chickens. She has observed the life cycles of
each, most of them from inside the egg on into the adult stage. Samantha cares
daily for her cat by feeding, watering, and playing with it. She observes the
cat’s behaviors and has learned about cats as kittens, cats in heat, and the
general behaviors of an adult cat. She has witnessed the life cycle of a
ladybug using Ladybug Land by Insect Lore. And she has also seen baby chickens
hatch and be cared for by their mothers for several weeks. Samantha helped care
for three five-week-old baby chicks without a mom. She has observed the basic
behaviors around the mother hen and away from the mother hen. She has seen them
search for food, drink, dust bathe, nest, and socialize with one another.
As part of Samantha’s Life Science focus, she participates
in frequent nature studies, which include activities such as natural walks
where she collects sticks, leaves, rocks, dead insects, bones, or any other
interesting nature related object for her nature collection. She also asks
questions and makes observations about her changing surroundings and sounds she
hears to record in her natural journal after her walk. Her nature journal
includes these sorts of observations along with a picture (photograph or
drawing) of something interesting she may have seen, such as squirrels jumping
from tree to tree in the back yard or a snake swimming down the creek.
Reading:
Samantha started the year knowing her letter sounds and starting
to read three letter words. Samantha is beginning to read three and four letter
words with ease now and is working on mastering words with special rules such
as words that contain “Ch,” “Sh,” “Ar,” “Er,” and words with a silent e at the
end.
Samantha has read a variety of texts including Fiction
stories-Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales, and Picture Story
Books. Examples of Non-Fiction are Poetry and Informational books about
animals, Space, Weather, Gymnastics, and States/Countries
Activities: Samantha
takes weekly trips to the Library. Each visit she checks out 20+ books, some
related to her unit studies and others not. Some she reads individually and
others are read to her in a variety of environments such as the Library, home,
outside, and in the store or car.
Every morning Samantha has a word or several words written
on the marker board for her to read. Every night Samantha writes her own words
and sentences on her marker board to describe pictures she has drawn or lists
she is making. She also plays on starfall.com on a regular basis to enhance her
reading skills.
Math:
Samantha began the school year knowing only how to rote
count. She has mastered true counting to 30 and counting to 100 by 1s with minimal
assistance. She has started working with basic single digit addition and
subtraction sentences, sometimes with the assistance of manipulatives and
others by memorization or counting mentally.
Samantha began working with money this year by learning the
names of each coin and bill. She has assisted with counting money with a money
counter and sorting it while she volunteers at the Women’s Enrichment Center.
Samantha has touched on several other basic math concepts. Samantha
has a basic knowledge of all basic 2 dimensional shapes and several 3
dimensional shapes. She has a basic understanding of patterns. And understands
the concept of more or less. She has also started working with charts and
grids.
Activities: Samantha
learns math through playing board games such as Smath and BINGO, computer games
such as starfall.com and powermylearning.com.
She also completes daily math work on her marker board,
along with her daily spelling/reading.
Samantha enjoys using manipulatives-counting bears and Cuisenaire
rods, Geo Boards, and Tangrams.
Everyday activities such as grocery shopping are used as
educational opportunities. Samantha compares prices, weighs fruits and
vegetables, and uses a calculator to add up the total.
Samantha also learns advanced math concepts through her unit
studies. For example, learning the distance between the sun and planets and
what a light year is.
Social Studies:
Samantha’s main focus in Social Studies this year has been
on Community. The object of Samantha’s “lessons” are for her to see the
community functioning as a whole, whether it is working together to help
someone without, learning the basic functions of government buildings, people
working in the community, or economics in the community.
Activities: Samantha
stays involved in the community during her daily life by taking trips to the
Post Office, Bank, local Fruit Stands, farms, and playgrounds. Everywhere she
goes, she is getting to know the people around her and what they do. Samantha
is familiar with most of their names and has learned a little here and there
about things like how the Post Office works and how to plant certain vegetables
or which ones are currently in season.
Samantha has a working knowledge of Community Helpers and
what they do. She knows what a fireman does and has taken a trip to the fire
station where she viewed a fire safety video, went inside a fire truck, and saw
a fireman in his suit. She also knows what police officers, postmen, and other
helpers do for our community.
This year Samantha graduated a group called Parents as
Teachers, which was a big part of the community. She got to know several other community
families and went out as a group to do activities such as Holiday Parties,
Story Time, and trips to the local pool, Fire Department, or local events.
Samantha also attends church weekly and takes part in
volunteer projects. (Refer to Bible Study).
Samantha has also acquired knowledge about different family
structures and how they work by being around other family members and friends’
families. Samantha knows what parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins
are. Samantha spends several hours a week visiting family members and learning
from them. For example, one of her grandmothers is teaching her how to crochet,
while her grandfather teachers her about different states.
Community Service: Samantha
serves in her community by volunteering at the Women’s Enrichment Center in
Dalton, GA. Samantha does a range of things, from helping to sort donations,
counting change, or speaking out for the Unborn during WEC engagements.
Geography:
Samantha began learning about the different states and
countries and their locations. Samantha is aware that states are located in
different places around the US. She is also aware of the existence of other
continents and bodies of water, climates, and geographical differences.
Activities: Samantha
spends a lot of time studying and identifying places and features on maps and
globes. Samantha’s interest is usually sparked by post cards that she receives
in the mail periodically from her Grandfather, who travels. She likes to
research the locations of the postcard, and the animal, plant, or geographical
landmark on the post card using books at the library or Internet sites.
Basic Concepts: Samantha
began learning several basic everyday life concepts including the days of the
week, months of the year, and dates-including some national holidays. She can
tell time by the hour on an analog clock and can tell time by the hour and
minute on a digital clock.
Physical Education: Samantha
stays active during the day by playing outside-doing flips, running, playing
games with friends, playing on the playground, or simply taking a nature walk.
Samantha also participated in dance this year for two
semesters. She was in a preschool Ballet/Jazz combination class at Ginger Brown
Academy in Ringgold, GA. Her class met once a week for 30 minutes where they
danced to funny songs, learned basic dance moves and techniques, as well as
prepared for their numerous Winter and Summer performances.
Music: Samantha
is surrounded by a variety of different music in her everyday life including
Gospel, Classical, Rock, Pop, Country, and traditional music from other
countries.
She also has several small instruments to experiment with on
a regular basis including the drums, recorder, tambourine, maracas, and the
triangle. Samantha also participates in the Children’s Band in Children’s
Church, whether it is playing the drums or dancing and singing on stage.
Art: Samantha has
used a variety of tools for art including scissors, glue, pens, pencils,
markers, crayons, colored pencils, pastels, paints and brushes, regular paper,
sketch papers, and craft materials such as glitter, pom poms, popsicle sticks,
and stickers.
Samantha regularly does arts and crafts ranging from free
time and holiday crafts to helping with a house project such as painting or
refinishing a piece of furniture.
Samantha knows the basic concepts of colors such as primary
and secondary colors, warm and cool colors, and how to mix colors to make other
colors.
Samantha also has a basic knowledge of lines, horizontal and
vertical, straight and diagonal, and how they go together to make basic and
organic shapes.
Samantha can draw people, which she generally labels as family
members or friends, familiar places, such as home or the beach, and animals,
which are usually labeled as pets.
Technology: Samantha
works with a wide range of technology. She is proficient in the basics of using a computer and track pad
or mouse, iPod/iPad, and television/remote control. She is also proficient in
using more basic household technology such as the oven or a garage door opener.
Home Economics: Samantha
is able to do a variety of housework with little or no assistance. She
understands the basic concepts of cooking/baking from scratch, simple cleaning,
and household errands. Samantha has ample knowledge about the health benefits
of eating organic foods and cooking from scratch. She is also familiar with the
process of making household cleaners. Samantha goes grocery shopping on a
regular basis and knows to look at the labels and ingredients and what to look
for. (Although, she generally needs
assistance when reading.) She has been taught the benefit of buying from local
farmers and is encouraged to do so. Samantha is also learning ways to be more
economical with her money.
Bible Study: Samantha
has a basic knowledge of the Bible and some of the stories in it. She knows who
her creator is and what he sent his Son to do for us. Samantha engaged in
several activities, especially this past Christmas and Easter pertaining to the
Birth and Death/Resurrection of Jesus Christ, including a live Nativity Scene,
an Advent Chain with the Story of Jesus’s Birth through daily Bible verses,
Resurrection Eggs, attending church and participating in Sunday School lessons,
and watching Bible based shows and playing Bible based apps such as Veggie Tales.
Special Field Trips: Apple
Festival and Apple Picking in Ellijay, GA ...........
Conclusion/Main Goals:
Samantha will be continuing on to her 1st grade year this June
and continuing on through next May. Some of the goals for this coming up year
are focusing still on more life science, including unit studies on the Human
Body and other basic scientific topics such as Electricity, along with any
other studies of choice. For Reading, Samantha will continue to build on the
skills she already has. By the end of the year, the goals for Samantha is to be
able to read a simple children’s story with ease. Samantha will continue to
work on basic addition and subtraction throughout the year. The goal is for
Samantha to master single digit addition/subtraction and be at least at an intermediate
level with two and three digit addition/subtraction by the end of the year. Samantha
will continue to learn about the different states, continents, countries, and
bodies of water and become familiar with the locations of each one. She will
also learn more of the geographical characteristics and domestic plants and
animals. Her main focus this year will be on the United States.
