Please post what you will be teaching....

[Lux Et Veritas Academy]

Please post what you plan on teaching this summer?

Do you take a break?
Do specialized subjects?:)

[Kimber]

Math everyday. Reading. Science, we've let that slide. Memory work. A couple of read-alouds. Movies in Spanish.

[Jami]

we'll have weeks off here and there for travel or guests, but I like to keep up with a math, writing practice, and plenty of reading (them to me, me to them) through the summer. We use Horizons for math and I may take a short break when they finish their current books and do a little Singapore to change things up a bit. I'll continue with our history and literature readings from Ambleside. I want to get up to Queen Elizabeth and the age of Exploration in our British history studies because we'll be doing a year of American history next year and I'll start with the explorers. :) Violin lessons continue during the summer. Really most any "skill" (math, music, writing) I hate to have too long a break away from at the ages my children are.

Oh and we'll grow some things in the backyard starting in another month or so and continue through the summer, so we add in "botany" I guess. :)

Jami

[OnTheBrink]

Because we had such a bumpy start to this year, we'll be continuing history and science until late summer. Reading, too.

[Quiver0f10]

I was thinking of getting some of those vacation station books from BJU as we will be using BJU next year. I do have them read everyday and I was thinking of maybe studying the continents for fun.

[Beth in Central TX]

We will continue our daily reading time. My oldest will start Omnibus I next year, so he will get ahead on some of the reading. My 5-year old will read out loud and work on math flashcards. My 6th grader will also work on Editor in Chief, and my 5th grader will work on Mindbenders. Both of these are published by Critical Thinking Press. They will both practice their typing skills with Typing Tutor.

[periwinkle]

Absolutely Nothing!

The kids need a break. I really need a break;)

School will start again in August with only 2 students...my oldest will be heading off to college:eek:

[Mom2legomaniacs]

You know, it depends on where we are in certain areas when we get to that point. I like to take a complete break for about 4-5 weeks. I guess I will assess closer to the time. I have found that mine need a total break. But I do generally go year round. I take off all of June and then start back in July when the right time appears. In May we are starting to cut down. The books that we finish are done and the ones we have left we continue with.

[Hoggirl]

I am not sure how old your kiddos are, but I think learning to type over the summer is a GREAT thing to do.

[Closeacademy]

We will continue with school as scheduled. Although I do have two very special units planned for July and Aug. We are going to spend one month doing time (history, math, etc) and another month doing money (history, math, science withe money, dollar bill origami).

So we will have some fun stuff this summer but it will be school as usual. But then again we do Charlotte Mason short intense lessons so it really doesn't take that long and we are ready to go to the pool when it opens at 1.:)

[BusyBee]

Latin, Math, and Reading everyday. A weekly Science or History Project.

[godpoetry]

We finish up school mid-May. We take a break until school resumes late July or early August. I need the break while they go to Scout camp and do church activities or other reading programs at the library.

[Anne in Hawaii]

We will also keep up with Latin because I've found that they forget vocab over long breaks. I'll be busy trying to get ahead in reading for Omnibus III.

[Sue G in PA]

Definitely math every day (or at least 4x wk). Math is the one subject that needs the most review after an entire summer off (so says many a ps teacher that I know!). I don't want to "waste" that much time. We'll read every day (some pleasure, some history-based or science-based), do some writing but not too much. We are very behind in History so I'm going to take the summer to catch up so we can be almost finished Ancients by September. My summer science plans are to study plants in depth (God's Design for Plants). We are going to construct some raised garden beds, start a vegetable garden (not sure what veggies yet) and make a small pond in the yard to hopefully attract some frogs, toads and other water creatures. I got this great book out of the library about garden projects you can make, plant, etc. and how to attract beneficial bugs, creatures to your garden. It showed how to make a habitat to attract toads (my ds9 will REALLY get into this!) Fun, fun, fun! I'm so garden-phobic...but this will really stretch me. And my kids will love it! I can't wait. Oh, for my own sanity, we're going to take about 2 wks off in July and we're vacationing at the end of June.

[Sarah CB]

It will be a sad summer season for my crew. We moved in January so had a very extended Christmas break. We usually school through about half of summer, but this year it will have to be even more than that. We'll take one week off for Suzuki camp and one week off for the kids to go to Grandma and Grandpa's. Other than that their little noses will be to the grindstone.

[Wendy in ME]

Math and spelling for ds 9 who is struggling, some Latin review so they don't forget everything and some summer reading. We will continue with a full load until the very end of June and start up again September 1.

[Mrs Mungo]

We'll be doing our regular schedule most of the summer because we took about 6 weeks off during our move from the end of Nov to the beginning of January. I know we're supposed to have visitor this spring and summer so we'll just take off here and there when we have company.

[periwinklemommy]

but I'm more leanient - All year we take breaks when we need to, especially for travel, or family etc. We may be moving in the summer so we'd take some time off for that, but honestly, if I'm not having the kids do lessons they turn into vegetables! In the summer, I'll let them off for playing with friends or swimming or playing outside, and I won't interrupt creative play to start lessons, but it will always be there as something we can and should do.

Lisa

[Laura Corin]

Please post what you plan on teaching this summer?

Do you take a break?
Do specialized subjects?:)

We keep Chinese going and I make sure the boys get exercise, but that's it for a month.

Laura

[Jennefer@SSA]

We will take a break for 6 weeks from everything but reading. I need that time to do my yearly deep cleaning/organizing closets and such. During that time I plan to order all that we will need for the coming school year.

Then for the next 4 weeks we will continue reading and add math (all the fun supplemental things we have not gotten to this year) and Spanish. I will work during that time on long-term planning for the coming year.

Other ideas: We will travel for 2 weeks somewhere in there - one week to visit each set of grandparents - as well. I am considering teaching a mini-course to a small group of kids based on the book Manners Made Easy (http://www.amazon.com/Manners-Made-Easy-Workbook-Student/dp/0805437703) too.

Wow, that's a lot to fit in one summer, huh?! Doesn't sound very restful now that I've typed it all out. Need to think about that some more!

Thanks for a good question. It made me really think through some things! :)

Blessings

[Trivium Academy]

We're moving (we think!) in June during our two week break, this is our timeline of studies from Jan-Aug, we're going to take two weeks off and then start 3rd grade on Sept 15th. I need to add Nature Study for science June 23-Aug 22 under Science, we'll probably read The Animal Book for Children by Burgess during that time.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g270/triviumacademy/Jan_Aug2008.jpg

I just realized our poetry isn't on this one but here's our schedule:

Once I Saw a Little Bird
Time to Rise
Singing Time
Rain
Singing
Happy Thought
Purple Cow
The Secret Song (long one)
and then review all (1st and 2nd grade) previously memorized poems from June 6-Aug 22

French and Primary Language Lessons will be continued too.

[SandraDumas]

going into First-

Calculadder
Summer Bridge Book
Read every day, esp from McGuffey's Primer

Going into Pre-K
A big jumbo preschool book from Walmart or somewhere

That's it!

And we're going to read, read, read and read some more and get TAN!!! In fact if my dh doesn't work from home, and I still don't have a car, we are going to see about taking the trolley to the beach twice a week! I've never taken public transportation with dc before but I am not going to be a fearful suburban housewife and miss out on the beach with my little ones!!!!

[Beth in SW WA]

Daily: Bible study, Math, Latin and fun journal writing

[Pretty in Pink]

singapore math workbooks for review a few days a week, but no new concepts.

we are going to do a unit on elections. still looking at resources for that.

both of my older boys will be taking swim lessons for at least one session, and we plan on going to the pool a few times a week as well.

we may continue on with the next TOG unit, haven't decided yet.

[JenniferVA]

We take off June and July each summer with the exception of their individual instrument practice. During the summer due to the combination of our vacations and their music instructors' vacations, music lessons taper to twice a month on average instead of weekly.

However, this year we haven't been able to tackle much of our history reading list--too many good books and not enough time. So, the current plan, other than 20 minute daily instrument practice, is to read those history books like Martyr in the Catacombs and The Bronze Bow.... I may throw in 10 minutes of daily Latin vocabulary flashcards review as well, but that would be the limit. I choose not to do more because we really need the break. We're in the 6th year of homeschooling, and I know that for my boys retention and getting back into the swing of things come August hasn't been a problem. Also, our math and grammar programs have built in review. If we have a problem or lose ground, we'll do more during the summer break or go to year round schooling.

Threads like these remind me how grateful I am to be able to homeschool. I love the freedom homeschooling affords me to individualize these things and chose a schedule that meets my family's needs.

Jen

[Hazelt"nut"]

Next year will start in July for us. July and August in the south are too hot not to school. My ds3 will continue to study a letter of the week with activities and books related to that letter. DD6 will have a Kinder graduation party in May with family and friends attending. We will read alot and maybe go over math fact sheets but mostly take a break while I plan for July. For us Summer starts in May so its almost here!

Sheryl in GA
PreK ds3
Kinder dd6

[MelissaMinNC]

Well, I won't be "teaching" reading, but we will do a lot of reading. We will keep up with math at least 2-3x/week. We will probably continue our plant study that we'll start in the spring - but way, way informally, we'll just tend our gardens, etc.

And pe - we'll go to the park, and the pool, and hopefully the beach, and definitely the mountains.

:)
Melissa

[Heather in NC]

math
reading
latin
piano

[cin]

We have a pool so our summer centers around time to swim :) We will continue reading and math, adn I'm thinking about zooming through a 2nd grade health text so that won't take up any 'REAL' school time.

[Bee]

We go year round.Maybe a little lighter in summer depending on the weather.We do a lot more nature study and field trips in the summer.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

We'll take at least a one, maybe two week break when the baby comes in May. Most of our subjects will be finished up by then. I believe we may have some history and science to finish up in May and June. Other than that we'll just read and maybe play some games for math drill and geography.

Last year my kids complained after two weeks of nothing structured to do, so this year we're going to try to find a balance between a little more structure with more free time for June and maybe part of July. (I do need some time in June for planning once I have all my curriculum.) I think we're going to start school a little earlier, probably sometime in July instead of waiting until August. Then take a few extra weeks off in the fall once the weather is cooler.

[Excelsior! Academy]

We will take a little time off, then do either math, Latin, and piano or a full schedule. Also, they always do the summer reading program at the library. My kiddos will do a couple of summer camps and (hopefully) a week at grandparents, so that will break up their summer some.

I really want to work toward a Jan-Dec schedule. This seems the best way to get 1/2 way there.

[angela in ohio]

My now-6th grade dd will be doing the secondary reading for Omnibus I, thanks to the suggestion of ladies on the HS board. Everything else will be business as usual (we school year round, and our only summer vacation is two week in early August.)

[Sunkirst]

Summer always seems like science time here. My DS 10 has his own garden, and the girls 2 & 5 will help me take care of the family garden. I love gardening, and actually know a bit about insects, so we use our hand lenses and look at tons of insects. Hopefully this year we will actually get to see preying mantis egg sacs hatching. We usually hunt for monarch eggs toward the end of summer and hatch butterflies as early fall arrives. (Here is a photo guide of the process: http://atasteofwaldorf.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html)This year I've found a good pond, and we plan to do tadpoles to frogs. (Guess summer is the time we undergo metamorphosis into our next year's forms :))

Another plan is to look into "Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius." http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071477721/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3FVV55KUG37BP&colid=2303V9AKXHYPVThis sounds like just what my son and all his buddies would love to do.

We'll also do lots of read-alouds and hikes, and tons of playing with friends. We do no organized school from June thru August.

-Kirsten

[dragons in the flower bed]

We do Latin (or phonics), math and science in the summer.

[mcconnellboys]

No teaching here! Save maybe for some stealth teaching. The little generally does horse riding camps; theatre camp and summer swim team. The older does theatre camps and will intern there this summer; does summer swim team and long course summer swimming. He's going to start working at our local library this year, too.....

Regena

[Karen in CO]

We will do math, reading and writing most days this summer plus we will be start TOG 2 which goes nicely with the girls' favorite weekend activity in the summer - Ren. Fest.

dd7 will go to a zoo day camp for two weeks, plus we have a couple of weeks of vacations planned. Those weeks we won't do math or writing.

We also have park days once a week with our co-op which is the only weekday that we won't do our schoolin'. We get up, pack a picnic lunch, eat breakfast and then don't come home until dark. It is one of the highlights of our summer.

[amanda]

We will be doing a more relaxed schedule over the summer. We will continue with Math, Latin, and Read Alouds everyday. My husband will be off 3 -4 days a week during this time, so guitar and piano lessons will be in full force. :)

[Heather in VA]

We don't school in the summer. Gymnastics is a year-around sport and usually practice moves to during the day (18 hrs for my oldest 12 for my middle dd) so that would make schooling a real chore. We play with friends, hang out by the pool etc. Everyone reads but that's about it.

Heather

[jellybean]

WOW! After reading what a few of you are doing with such young ones over the summer. I have decided to re-think our plans and take the entire summer to do things we couldn't normally do during the winter months.

[Lisawa]

Right now I am deciding what to do.... we are behind in history... and Im not sure how I want to proceed... so we may continue that.... and math.... taking part of June and all of July off. We begin the new year mid August.

I want to get some good camping and family trips in this summer. Its something we have not done in about 3 years....

[Basketmaker Amy]

We finish up mid-May and then start back up mid-August. We may do some "Art" and also some Boston-related history (since we are going on vacation there in August.) I need a summer break!!!

[Julie in GA]

because we take December off.

[prairiegirl]

Depending on where we are come June, I think we will just do some 'lite' schooling. My dd will need to continue math during the summer so she doesn't forget everything. My ds will need to continue reading for the above reason. I think we might do some science experiments, art projects and other fun things to just to keep the days going.

Julia
mom of 3 (8,7,5)

[Testimony]

I realize that you cannot get away from the reading program. So, my children will do the summer reading program at the library and Hand-On Equation for math.

I am signing them up to go to a choir camp this summer. I will be teaching drama at my church's camp this summer. My children will be in that also.

[my2kidsmom]

but, I think I'll keep encouraging reading everyday (real books). We'll focus some on early American History up to the civil war. We'll do math and English 1-2 days/week and we'll do Latin 1x per week. We'll also focus alot on art and music and do some Chemistry experiments. We'll most likely take 3 weeks off beginning the last week of May, then another week or two at the end of June/first of July, then another one or two weeks at the end of August/first of Sept.

[LisaK in VA]

I used to opt for a lighter schedule... but with work taking me away from home for 2 weeks at a time, and my son having 2+ weeks of camp in the summer, I'm finding we do pretty much a full schedule year-round. When things get hectic I slack off a bit -- and when we have more time, we ramp it up.

So, this summer my 8yo will be doing:

Math, History, Science, Language Arts (including copywork), Art, Music, Swimming, and Latin.

My 6yo will be doing: Math, Penmanship, Reading/Phonics, Music & Art
My 4yo will also be doing Math, Penmanship, Reading/Phonics, Music & Art

[Plaid Dad]

For reporting purposes, we start our new school year in July. In addition to our regular lessons, dd will probably have some outside activities during the summer months.

[siloam]

Please post what you plan on teaching this summer?

Do you take a break?
Do specialized subjects?:)

I hs year around. I figure I ether spend the time hsing or listening to, "I'm board!" and settling arguments. Might as well have our time be productive and do hs.

Right now I think we will continue with the same schedule we are doing now, but last year a dropped spelling. I might do that again.

Heather

[momtolgd]

We will continue through mid July as normal...bumping up history and science after our homeschool co-op ends at the end of april. Through May, June and half of July we will do our subjects here 5 days a week instead of the 4 we are doing now. Then we will take about 6 weeks off for summer break (around mid july through Labor Day.)

[Kristiana]

I haven't really thought this far ahead yet! But my oldest will start piano lessons and I'm trying to make practice a habit through the summer. We'll continue with math and reading as always. Last summer we did a long unit study about trains. I know my 4yo really wants to do airplanes so maybe we'll try that this year. I like to do something different and lighter for a few months. But I'm also contemplating starting our official school year earlier in the summer, so who knows?!

[Daisy]

I use BJU's Vacation Stations and the kids read and send postcards/letters. That's it. They entertain themselves. LOL.

[King Alfred Academy]

I am planning to continue on through as much as I can. We do school year round, but we will be moving to a new state this summer...wish I new which one :confused: , so we will be busy packing and unpacking. I hope to at least continue with math and language arts.

We like to work light in the summer due to the fact that dh is out of school and this summer will not be doing any extra academic research. And because we are moving, we want to visit as many places in the area that we can since it will be unlikely we will return any time soon. Guess we'll be taking school on the road!

[Shari]

We do a full schedule during the summer. From the beginning of June to the end of August is 13 weeks; we do school for 10, taking breaks throughout.