Week 1 - Officially Started

Cody's classes all arrived on Tuesday, late afternoon. We decided to get started Wednesday. I already like and dislike his Switched on Schoolhouse classes. The setup is great, he did really well today with the computer format. The down side, I was not ready for a Science experiment yet. Really, the first week of classes? So today I had to order art and Science supplies. I am looking forward to the experiments, and all the cool supplies.

On another note, we have our first field trip planned for the Science Center in Baltimore on September 21st. Trying to plan a visit to the Benjamin Franklin Institute for October get to see the Cleopatra exhibit and the Center. Should fit well with his current scheduled assignments too.

It is only the first week of school and I am already trying to plan next year. I think next year we will use:

• Exploring Creations General Science
• Around the world in 180 days
• Saxons math (not sure which level he'll be on then)
• Switched on Schoolhouse English
• and the required electives...

So far so good.

Week 1 - OK

We are only facing a few problems. Cody no longer wants to learn Japanese, not that I am surprised. He now wants to learn "something with normal letters like Spanish or something." And aside from Japanese we only have a math set, Saxons Math 7/6. The rest is in the mail.
We were going to use Clavert but after some talking and deciding and waiting on their placement test results we picked some materials out that include:

• Switched-On Schoolhouse 2010: Grade 6 Science
• Switched-On Schoolhouse 2010: Grade 6 Language Arts
• Switched-On Schoolhouse 2010: Grade 6 History & Geography
• Lifepac Electives: Art, Complete Set 
• Health Quest: Lifepac Elective
• Horizons Physical Education Grades 6-8
• Music In Me: Hymns & Holidays Level 1

That covers all the State Requirements that he learn. I am considering Rosetta Stone for foreign language, my husband I would like to learn a few languages so maybe Cody will find interest in one that we want to learn also: Italian, German, Spanish, or Arabic.

We are hoping the computer based setup of a few of these classes will help keep him motivated.
Next year will I'm sure be different with different classes and different formats but this year is planned unless we run out of material to cover near the end of the year. I am thinking we will need the next math sooner than the rest.

I want to plan a few field trips also, but want to see what the classes are covering exactly so I can try to match up to what he is learning and spike his interests.
So far we have covered 6 lessons in Math in 3 days and he has written the Japaneses vowels and a few other characters.

I expect the rest of his classes to arrive Monday, I hope.

So it is August...

Cody and I will begin this journey as soon as he gets home. We decided this summer while about 3000 miles apart that we would not go to middle school. The problem with that is that as it is our first year we are going with the Calvert Curriculum and there is a placement test. Now I emailed it to my parents and they mailed it back but there were parts left undone.
So the school year will start when Cody gets home and the test is done and we order and the supplies arrive.... 
No rush, maybe we can get a field trip in before then.
Wish us luck this will be an interesting year.