US History:
After finishing the First World War, Phoebe explored the
aftermath of the war, the Treaty of Versailles, and Wilson’s Fourteen Points.
The she studied Prohibition, the Suffrage Movement, the Roaring 20s, and the
Great Depression, all leading up to the Second World War.
We watched the film Suffragette
whilst discussing the parallel movement in the US—the film is set in England.
After reading The Great Gatsby, which
was for both Literature and History, we also watched the film version starring
Robert Redford to get a better picture of the 1920s and pre-Depression America.
We have covered WWII through Pearl Harbor, and she is now
reading Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young
Girl to give her more insight regarding the Holocaust.
We watched a one-hour documentary about the rise of Adolph
Hitler, and she watched the section of Pearl
Harbor, the Ben Affleck movie, that recreated the Japanese attack. We also
looked at some photos and newsreel footage of Pearl Harbor after the attack,
and looked at photos of the Arizona
Memorial.
We are also continuing to watch Downton Abbey, which gives her more insight into gender roles and
day-to-day life in the early 20th century. Although we have moved
past this time period in her study of history, there is still useful information
to be gleaned. We have also started watching Agent Carter, which provides insight into mid-twentieth century
gender roles.
We have continued to follow the aftermath of the 2016
Presidential election, and while we will not watch the inauguration as a form
of peaceful protest, we will be watching some of the Women’s Watch on
Washington the following day. We have tuned in to some of the confirmation
hearings.
We continue to watch CNN Student News, now CNN 10, every
weekday for information about global events. CNN 10 also offers a weekly quiz
on the events covered, and she has started taking those.
Her current grade is a B/B-.
After the submission of the first report, I did receive the
grade for Race to the Presidency, which is an A.
Literature and Writing:
Books Read:
·
Leaving
Time, by Jodi Picoult (book club)
·
Brown Girl
Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson (book club)
·
The Great
Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
·
The Witch
of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
·
A
Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens (book club)
·
Paradox,
by A. J. Paquette
·
Emily the
Strange: The Lost Days, by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner (book club)
·
When You
Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead (book club)
·
Romeo and
Juliet, by William Shakespeare (current)
·
Greywalker,
by Kat Richardson (current)
·
Magnus
Chase: The Hammer of Thor, by Rick Riordan (current)
Book club books are discussed with the rest of the group on
Fridays. We meet for an hour—I moderate the group—and have a round table
discussion, exploring various aspects of the text.
The Great Gatsby
had a more in-depth discussion since it was a more “official” Literature text,
and because it overlapped with History. Phoebe has been reading a scene a day
of Romeo and Juliet and discussing it
with her father, who is a Renaissance Lit scholar. She has also been taking
comprehension quizzes after the completion of each Act.
She writes reviews of many of the books she reads, which we
post on a blog.
At the start of the Spring semester, she re-read Beowulf and sat in on the relevant days
of an Early British Literature class at Russell Sage College. She will be
writing a paper using the same assignment given to the college class.
Her current grade is a B/B+.
Algebra:
Phoebe is prepping to take the Regents Exam for Algebra in
June, so we are spending time every day on Algebra, using her textbook and
review guides for the exam. Each book has a slightly different order, so she is
working on a variety of topics each week, some new and some review. When there
is a weakness, I supplement with worksheets that I find online to provide more
practice.
Her grade is a B-.
Science:
After
the submission of the first report, I did receive the grade for Fantastic
Beasts, which is an A.
We
switched to a new book after the New Year—McDougal Littel’s Physical Science. We have been working
through the section on Motion and Force, studying Newton’s Three Laws, Gravity,
Mass, and how these things all work together.
The
Motions and Forces section is divided into four chapters, and we have covered
two of them. For each chapter, there are problems to work through, review
questions, and a chapter test. She currently has a B-.
Next
week, she will start an online class called The Disappearing Spoon—here is the description:
“The Periodic Table is a
masterpiece of scientific achievement, but its creation is laden with tales of
obsession, betrayal and adventure. Science and story unite in Sam Kean's “The Disappearing Spoon” which will excite any
student about the periodic table. Students will be assigned actual, hands-on
chemistry experiments that they can conduct at home, as well as other projects
and essays.
This is Groovy Kid's most
rigorous course, and 12 is the absolute minimum age that should enroll.
Advanced chemistry concepts are introduced and explored, and younger students
just aren't ready for the abstract thinking required of this course. This
course would be an appropriate supplement for a high school student studying
chemistry, or would serve well as the chemistry unit study for students in
middle school.”
World Religions:
We
wrapped up non-Western religions with Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. She
also wrote a paper for Buddhism. After the New Year, we started an overview of
Western religions with Judaism. She read the relevant chapter in Experiencing the World’s Religions, by
Michael Molloy, and then began reading sections of the Old Testament: Genesis
1-9 and 11-25, Exodus 1-27 and 32-4, Joshua 1-12 and 23-4, Judges 1-5, 9-16,
and 19-21, Ruth and 1 and 2 Samuel. Each week, she discusses the material, answers discussion
questions, and takes reading quizzes.
Her
grade is an A-.
French:
We
have gotten back into French, and Phoebe is using a variety of resources to
study the language—her textbook, language websites and apps, and podcasts.
She
has started posting daily weather reports on Facebook, and we have a
French-speaking friend in Belgium who comments on her posts and chats with her
in French.
Her grade
is an A-/A.
Physical
Education:
Phoebe continues to take
Modern Dance and Tumbling each week, both of which are rigorous.
There are also other ways she
is active. She has started babysitting a toddler once a week for 2-3 hours, and
that keeps her moving. We do a lot of walking whilst we are out doing errands.
When it snows, she shovels the neighbor’s driveway.
She works hard, so she gets
an A.
Music:
She has either a clarinet or
a piano lesson every week, and she practices her instruments everyday for about
15 minutes each. She learns her songs well, and they sound
just like they are supposed to, so she gets an A for this as well.
Health:
Phoebe continues to be involved
in weekly meal planning and working with me to make sure she has a balanced
daily diet with ample fruits and vegetables. She understands the importance of
exercise and sleep to good health as well.
Since this is something we do
everyday, it is difficult to give a total number of hours. It is just
integrated into our life.
Art:
Phoebe continues to knit (she
is currently making a shawl) and make the models for the Home Depot Kids’
Workshop, which requires assembling and painting the project. She also does a
lot of coloring, which incorporates color theory, and makes jewelry. She does
other assorted crafts and artsy things as well.
Library
Skills:
Library work and research is
incorporated into almost every subject that Phoebe studies. For example, her
History discussion questions, she is required to find other sources to supplement
her answers, and those sources need to be scholarly and cited. And that is just
the tip of the iceberg. Since both her parents are academics, research is just
what we do, so she looks up words and concepts that she doesn’t understand. She
even researches things for fun because it is something she enjoys. Again, it is
difficult to attach a total number of hours to this, since she does some kind
of library work every day.
Practical
Arts:
Phoebe continues doing
household chores. Currently, she irons her clothes, puts her clothes away,
dusts, takes care of the recycling, scoops the litter box, collects the
garbage, and keeps her room tidy. She continues to help with the weekly
errands. The knitting and woodworking she does for Art also has practical
applications. When we are cooking or working on a DIY project, she assists.
Now that she is babysitting,
she is learning more about economics, and she is also putting into practice the
childcare skills she learned at her babysitting class. Being around a toddler
also helps her with patience.
We are both volunteer “staff”
for a competitive crafting group online—the Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House
Cup (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/hp-knitting-crochet-house-cup). While she is
not old enough to serve as an official staff member, she helps plan events in
her dorm, acts as a mentor to new members, and helps plan and organize some
events. While this is all for fun, the organizational and cooperation skills she
is learning will serve her well in the future.
Standardized
Testing:
At the end of December,
Phoebe took the 9th Grade CAT exam, and scored above grade level in
all areas. The scoring sheet is attached separately.
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