Fun-Schooling Ethan (8th Grade)

We recently moved and are super excited about having a 'school' room again. A place to put our school books and sometimes meet for a subject that we do together.

My 8th grade son Ethan has been doing so light school using the Thinking Tree books and by light I don't mean light learning or not doing much. I mean light on subjects but with the Thinking Tree journals he covers a lot. 

We rotate the Timeline with the United States Handbook so right now his days include:

Spelling
Creative Writing
Research
Economics
Math
Texas History
How to write an adversitement

Career

Reading

With the Thinking Tree journals it's amazing with how much "cross-learning" they get. For instance with How to Make Money Ethan is learning about jobs, economics, and research.

With the How to Make Money Journal Ethan uses the internet and a DK book called Careers. If he wants to he can dig deeper with any of the occupations (but of course my guy doesn't, he's a reluctant learner and only does what he has too).

The Timeline of World History, history of course but he also does some copywork or writes a summary of what he read, he researches, so he's also getting some writing in there too. Of course geography is included when you add a map or globe.

Are You a Math Genius is not only a math book but creative writing too! In one chapter he has to write an advertisement for the inventions. He also has to think outside of the box when completing a math "problem" (we don't call them problems though).

He also uses ACE for Texas History and CTC Math. Once we find the rest of our curriculum that went MIA during the move we'll add in a more formal grammar and writing program.

Oh, and the Spelling Journal, Ethan is a bit on the older side but he's still searching for words and interacting with them. He was using Word Hunt but we haven't unpacked it so I pulled out the Fun-Schooling Spelling Journal.

History -He spends about 40-60 minutes completing history which includes TX History. He might spend 40 minutes on the Timeline Journal or State Handbook depending which he is using that day and another 15-20 minutes on TX History.

Spelling - 10-20 minutes depending on which page (he's older a younger child would spend less time)

How to Make Money - about 40-60  minutes

Math - 60 minutes which includes Math Genius and CTC Math

Reading - 15 minutes on a book of his choosing, 15 Bible reading, and 15+ of school subject reading through history books, online, and our home library.

Bible - right now AWANA is his main Bible, I hope to have Bible Study time again with him.

This is how we are doing "light" schooling with a lot of learning going on.