Goals for Henry's PreK

My goals for Henry are probably the most vague, but I find it better to simply adjust day by day and work at his pace than to worry about being able to do a certain amount by the end of the year.

Letters / Phonics

• Continue improving letter recognition skills with various games and activities.
• Begin phonics after Christmas when ready

Math Skills

• Continue improving letter recognition skills with various games and activities.
• Continue to improve counting skills
• Sort objects based on size, shape, color, or thickness
• Continue improving identification of basic shapes
• Identify and create patterns

Writing and fine motor skills

• Begin work on writing skills with a combination of tracing, coloring, and mazes.
• Learn to write his name
• Continue improve skill with scissors
• Increase fine motor control with various activities

Listening skills

• Continue increasing attention span for reading.

Other goals include continuing to work on playing nicely with his siblings and just plain spending more time and having fun together to enjoy this stage.

Goals for the Next Year Part 2 - 6th Grade

Goals for Violet's 6th Grade

Math

Solidify math facts	Continue math drill with a combination of Flashmaster, flashcards, and other methods.
Improve problem solving skills	Complete Singapore level 6 and CWP series
Solidify basic computation skills and concepts of fractions, decimals, percents, and ratios	Complete Singapore level 6 and supplement as needed with other resources.
Solidify basic geometry skills with triangles, rectangles, and parallelograms and learn basics of circles	Complete Singapore level 6 and supplement as needed

Language Arts - Reading/Literature

Improve reading comprehension and narration	Continue assigning selections of literature daily with oral narration. Have her jot down a list of facts for more difficult selections. Write up model narrations, compare her narration against the model, and discuss differences.
Introduce basic literary analysis	Use teaching the classics methods to complete story charts and add basic discussion of some selections this year.

Language Arts - Writing

Improve paragraph writing skills.	Complete second part of CW Homer and writing lessons in Rod & Staff 6
Learn to write stories out of chronological order	Taught in CW Homer
Improve outlining and summarizing skills	Complete weekly outlining and summaries of history and science topics. Write book reports or plot summaries of literature selections.
Improve writing style.	Taught in CW Homer and apply to other writing across curriculum.

Language Arts - Grammar & Spelling

Finish up spelling skills	Complete SWO H.
Solidify 8 parts of speech and basic diagramming skills.	Complete Rod & Staff 6 and grammar exercises in Homer.
Introduce more advanced grammar concepts

History

Finish timeline.	Add HTTA figures weekly as related to reading.
Cover historical events through modern times	Read resources recommended in TruthQuest AOR 2 and 3.
Expand study of history beyond basic facts and stories.	Have weekly history discussion of either TruthQuest commentary or a selected history topic.

Science

Introduce the basics of chemistry and ecology	Complete God's Design for Chemistry and Ecology series.
Increase interest in science.	Complete as many hands on activities as possible. Have available supplementary library books on topics. Require 1 science related library book choice each week.

Latin & Greek

Continue to build Latin vocabulary and grammar concepts.	Complete Latin for Children level C.
Improve translation skills.	Work through level C history reader.
Learn Greek alphabet.	Complete Greek Alphabet Code Cracker.
Introduce basic Greek vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.	Complete Elementary Greek 1.

Logic

Improve ciritical thinking and reasoning skills.

Complete Critical Thinking Books 1 and 2 and the remaining portion of Building Thinking Skills Level 2.

Goals for Next Year Part 1 - 8th Grade

It's been a few years, since I have taken the time to formally sit down and write out our goals for the year.  Over that time, I've just kept a list in the back of my mind  for each of the kids and chosen curriculum that I believed would help us meet those goals.  Because we reuse curriculum from one child to the next, it's easy to say this child needs to do x,y,and z next year from the curriculum on our shelf and forget that within that each program there are portions that will need more focus or may require a bit of tweaking or supplementing to meet the needs of each particular child.  This is my attempt to step back and assess what we need to work on academically for the next year and how we will accomplish that with our current curriculum.

Goals for Jessie's 8th Grade

Math

Solid grounding in basic algebra

Complete Foerster's Algebra I and supplement with NEM 2 and/or Alcumus as needed for challenge or additional practice

Language Arts - Reading/Literature

Increase critical thinking of literature	Focus on a few works at a slower pace with more depth of discussion than last year.  Continue reading a second tract of books at a faster pace with a focus on 1 or 2 literary elements.
Review basic literary analysis and increase depth of discussion	Watch Teaching the Classics videos this summer. Work farther down the Socratic list of questions to increase depth.
Introduce worldview analysis and apply to literary selections	Work through Teaching the Classics worldview supplement and then apply questions to literature selections.  Place books in context by using research and writing skills learned previously in CW Diogenes Maxim.

Language Arts - Writing

Continue to build outlining and notetaking skills	Have weekly outlining selections for history.  Continue notetaking in BJU with physical science text.  Practice taking oral notes using a combination of Sunday sermons, Latin Alive DVDs, and possibly Traditional Logic DVDs.
Continue to refine summarizing skills	Write summaries for history of various lengths.  Write plot summaries for some literature selections.
Build essay developing skills	Work through Classical Writing Diognes Chreia.
Apply essay skills across curriculum.	Write some 5 paragraph essays related to history topics. Write literary essays covering specific Socratic questions from Teaching the Classics or discussing a theme for a specific work.

Language Arts - Vocabulary & Grammar

Increase exposure to roots and verbal analysis.	Complete exercises in The Word Within the Word Volume 1 and Building Thinking Skills 3 Verbal.
Solidify understanding of grammar concepts and diagramming and apply to more complex sentences with multiple phrases and/or clauses.	Complete exercises in R&S 8 as well as grammar exercises in CW Chreia.

History

Finish timeline through modern time.	Add HTTA figures weekly as encountered in reading.
Continue to asses the effect of worldview on history.	Discuss TruthQuest commentary.  Research the beliefs of select historical figures to determine the effect on their choices and actions.
Support opinions with facts, quotes, examples, etc.	Develop a few short thesis during the year in place of summaries and then support the thesis using the skills learn in CW.  Complete a few TruthQuest writing prompts.

Science

Exposure to topics related to physics and review of chemistry.	Complete BJU Physical Science.
Learn basic lab safety techniques.	Complete as many labs as feasible from BJU.
Learn to write basic lab reports.	Complete lab write ups for the majority of labs.

Latin & Greek

Increase mastery of languages.	Review Latin and Greek vocabulary and grammar over the summer.  Progress through Latin Alive 2 and Elementary Greek 3 start in the fall.
Continue to build vocabulary and grammartical knowledge.
Continue building translation skills and appreciation of language.

Logic

To improve critical thinking and reasoning skills.	Work through Traditional Logic 1 and at least part of 2.
To identify faulty assumptions.
To distinguish between valid and invalid arguments.

Goals for the new year

Time to evaluate my goals from last year. I think the overall goal for this year will be more consistency.

Physically

• Improve my eating habits by:

1. Drinking more water and less caffeine free Pepsi - I do great in spurts. Need to work on consistency.
   
2. Having a least one fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack - The set menu worked well last year, but I let it slide towards the end of the year. Just need to pick back up again.
   
3. Using my bread machine to make more homemade bread - I went through a couple of spurts during the year. I picked back up over the holidays using it to make various dinner rolls.
   
4. Eliminating soy from my diet - Almost completely eliminated except for the occasional convenience food buy.
   

• Becoming more active as best as I can for the first half of the year and reestablishing a more consistent exercise program for the second half of the year. - I started off well last year, but didn't follow through. Another area needing consistency.
  
• Remember my daily vitamin - I did better this year, but there's still room for improvement in consistency.
  

Spiritually:

• Spend time daily on a more consistent basis in reading my Bible and praying - I made some improvements last year. Still need to improve on consistency.
  
• Try to read through the entire Bible (whether I can stay on the daily schedule or have to finish up next year) - I kept losing track last year. Trying again.
  

Relationally:

• Try to spend some non-school quality time with each of my children individually twice a week - My focus for the beginning of the year is to spend more time with them in the kitchen. I want to get back to a game night as well.
  
• Spend more time in the evening with DH - Currently I'm having a hard time getting Henry to sleep. As we work on that, the time will come.
  

Other:

• Put together the crocheted squares for Violet's blanket that have been sitting in a bag for over a year. - I did get a few rows assembled last year. I just need to keep working on it as I find time.
  
• Organize Henry's room - I have the baby part organized as best I can. When finances permit, we still need to purchase some furniture. I'd like to get Benny a larger bookshelf and move his into Henry's room.
  

• Establish a system to manage my digital photos so that they get edited and uploaded in a timely manner. Go back through older photos and get caught up with my backlog. The photos are organized now. Need to work on consistency of downloading and editing beyond what goes on the blog.

• Should I achieve the previous goal before year end, I'd like to start working on the boxes of photos I have stored from before we started taking digital photos. The end goal being some scrapbooks that the kids and I can look through together. On my want to do projects list. We'll see.
  
• Improve the consistency with which chores get done around the house both by myself and by the kids. We have really slid backwards in this area since mid year. My fault, not the kids. I think we'll try to ease back into it this year.

New goals for 2010

• Work on my own education. As part of my book challenge, I'll read through as many of the Great Books in the Rhetoric as I can starting with the Iliad. One a month would be superb, 10 in the year great, even just one a good start.
• Complete my new book reading challenge.
• More decluttering and organizing.
• Revise my current cleaning system to include more help from the kids and free up more time for other activities.
• Of course - finding and setting up a new school cabinet as well
  

2009-10 Goals for Violet: Math, Logic, and Latin

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
MATH
1. Review previous math facts and related concepts.	Singapore Math 3A
2. Memorization of all multiplication and division facts.	Singapore Math 3A, Multiplication Wrap-up, and drill
3. Introduce and master long division.	Singapore Math 3A
4. Apply all four operations to topics such as length, weight, and capacity.	Singapore Math 3B
5. Introduce the concepts of angles, area, and perimeter.	Singapore Math 3B
CRITICAL THINKING
1. Continue to develop reasoning and analytical skills	finish Building Thinking Skills 1, Visual Perceptual Skills 2
2. Develop logic and problem solving abilities	Mind Benders Beginning Book 2
LATIN
1. Gentle introduction to Latin vocabulary and very basic grammar.	???

2009-10 Goals for Violet: Language Arts

I'm really cutting it close this year as I try to get these goals completed before going to our state convention this year. Here we go.

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
GRAMMAR
1. Review definitions of the 8 parts of speech.	Part of memory box.
2. Improve ability to identify the parts of speech in a sentence.	R&S 3
3. Introduce the two basic parts of a sentence.	R&S 3
4. Introduce sentence diagramming.	R&S 3
SPELLING
1. Continue to improve spelling skills and vocabulary.	SWO E
2. Continue to improve editing skills.	SWO E and CW Aesop
PENMANSHIP / WRITING
1. Improve legibility of writing	Copywork
2. Begin working to put together spelling, punctuation skills, and basic grammar without a model.	Dictation
3. Introduce the editting process of writing rough and final drafts.	CW Aesop
4. Introduce more dialogue into her writing.	CW Aesop
READING
1. Continue variety of books read beyond fiction.	Assigned weekly history biographies and science books.
2. Increase attention to details and content.	Narrations and discussions of assigned literature. Analysis in CW Aesop
3. Increase independence.	More assigned reading to replace reading aloud.

2009-10: Goals for Jessie - Math, Logic, and Latin

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
MATH
1. Continue to improve multiplication and division skills. Learn to divide by a two digit number. Learn the order of operations.	Singapore Math 5A
2. Continue to improve on understanding of fractions, addition and subtracting of unlike fractions, and addition and subtraction of mixed numbers.	Singapore Math 5A.
3. Improve 2D geometry skills learning about triangle (area, sum of angles, types), working with angles, and 4 sided figures	Singapore Math 5A and 5B
4. Introduce the concepts of ratios, percentages, averages, and rates. Expand on the concept of decimals.	Singapore Math 5A and 5B
5. Improve 3D geometry skills by calculating volumes.	Singapore Math 5B
6. Continue to improve computation speed in multiplication and division.	Weekly timed math drills
LOGIC
1. Continue to improve reasoning and analytical skills.	Building Thinking Skills 2
2. Continue to improve logic and problem solving skills	Mind Benders B series Think-a-grams A1 and A2
LATIN
1. Improve Latin vocabulary and grammar	Latin For Children Primer B
2. Continue making Latin more fun.	LfC Activity book and DVD
3. Continue reading and translating Latin.	LfC History Reader

2009-10: Goals for Jessie - Language Arts

It's that time of year again. Time to focus my brain and think about what I actually want to accomplish with Jessie next year to make sure that the time and money I invest in curriculum and planning bears some fruit next year as we enter into a new stage of learning.

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
GRAMMAR
1. Solidify an understanding of the 8 parts of speech.	Accomplish using R&S 5 exercises and grammar work in CW Homer
2. Improve ability to identify the parts of speech.	Accomplish using analysis exercises in CW Homer
3. Improve ability to parse words and diagram sentences.	Accomplish using R&S 5 exercises and grammar work in CW Homer.
4. Continue to improve punctuation skills.	Learn new skills using R&S 5. Reinforce through dictation and CW draft editing.
5. Become familiar with using a thesaurus	CW Homer
SPELLING
1. Continue to improve vocabulary.	To be practiced using SWO G and H.
2. Continue to improve editing skills.	To be practiced using SWO G and H, dictation, and CW.
3. Increase emphasis on identifying word roots, prefixes, and suffixes.	To be practiced using SWO G and H and Latin for Children B derivatives exercises.
WRITING/PENMANSHIP
1. Continue to improve legibility, speed, and length of handwriting.	Dictation
2. Understand the six parts of a narrative scene and be able to analyze a scene to determine each part.	CW Homer
3. Analyze a piece of writing to identify the author's emphasis and message	CW Homer
4. Summarize, paraphrase, and outline a narrative	CW Homer
5. Improve word choice and variety using synonyms and a thesaurus.	CW Homer
6. Learn to manipulate a sentence using the six sentence shuffle to write it multiple ways.	CW Homer
7. Improve structure and style of narrative writing.	CW Homer
READING
1. Continue variety of books read beyond fiction.	Assigned weekly history biographies and science books.
2. Increase attention to details and content.	Assigned literature readings to be discussed with Mom.
3. Introduce basic literary anaylsis and discuss select readings throughout the course of the year.	Teaching the Classics

Another Happy New Year

It's hard to believe how quickly time goes by. It seems like only yesterday that baby Henry was born, and now he's crawling, sitting up, and babbling. It seems like only a couple of years since we began our homeschooling journey, but in truth we're on our 5th official year already. As I look ahead to the new year, I can see even more changes coming. Jessie will turn 10! EEK! I'll have my first official logic stage student in the fall. (Believe me she's ready with the why questions.) Violet's work will also ramp up as she hits 3rd grade, and Benny will officially begin K. For the first time it's finally hitting me that I have only a limited amount of time to teach and enjoy them before they grow up and move on. There is so much I want to cover with them and so many things that I want to do. (I foresee another list coming in the future.) At any rate in order to focus again, I thought I would revisit last years New Year's resolutions and see how I did and where I still have room to work.
Physically:

• Improve my eating habits by:

1. Drinking more water and less caffeine free Pepsi - I've gone back and forth with this one over the course of the year. Now that our Christmas tree is out of the house, and my allergies have subsided, I can start working on being more consistent in the coming year.
   
2. Having a least one fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack - Here is one area that I didn't make much progress on last year. In order to make this more attainable, my goal is to create a list of breakfast, lunch, and snack options for myself that I can choose from each day. If I have more of a set menu, I'm far more likely to follow through here.
   
3. Using my bread machine to make more homemade bread - Again I had some ups and downs here. The goal for the new year will be more consistency.
   
4. Eliminating soy from my diet - It is much harder to find store products with soy or soybean oil. I also try to avoid dairy as much as possible. I have yet to find a butter that is non-dairy, not hydrogenated, and contains no soy. More home cooking will help, but ultimately I'm going to have to choose either some dairy or some soy.
   

• Becoming more active as best as I can for the first half of the year and reestablishing a more consistent exercise program for the second half of the year. - This will be my main focus for the beginning of this year. Baby Henry is now sleeping in long enough stretches that I feel like I can set an alarm and get up to do something. I'd like to start with 5 days a week for the first part of the year to lose a bit of weight, and drop back to 3 towards the end of the year to maintain a healthy weight.
  
• Remember my daily vitamin - I did better this year, but there's still room for improvement in consistency.
  

Spiritually:

• Spend time daily on a more consistent basis in reading my Bible and praying - I did very well at the beginning of last year before Henry was born. I'd like to recapture that consistency now that he's a little older.
  
• Try to read through the entire Bible (whether I can stay on the daily schedule or have to finish up next year) - I honestly have no idea how far I got last year, so I'll just try again this year keeping better track of my progress.
  

Mentally:

• Start memorizing my way through the Psalms - Another area that I started very well with before the baby that I'll try to reclaim my progress in for the new year.
  
• Read and work my way through the book Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit - I actually completed this goal. YEAH!!!

Relationally:

• Try to spend some non-school quality time with each of my children individually twice a week - The girls and I have played a lot more board games this year. I'd like to spend some more time with the girls doing some cooking and sewing. With Benny, I'd like to play some more active games in addition to our reading together. I also need to make a conscious effort to find more ways for Benny to help me. He loves to work and accomplish something.
  
• Spend more time talking or doing something together and less time watching tv in the evening with DH - Another area to continue to work on consistency.
  

Other:

• Steam and put together the crocheted squares for Violet's blanket that have been sitting in a bag for over a year. - I did get them steamed last year. This years goal will be to get them put together.
  
• Reorganize what's currently in my office to make a bedroom for the baby - I made progress organizing the office part of the room and got the basics for Henry. Now that he is more active and has more toys to play with I need to reorganize the baby part of the room and buy the child some furniture beyond just a crib.
  
• Work through the pile of stuff that I have set aside to sell either by listing it on Ebay or getting it ready to consign this spring. - I did consign part of this pile. I set a few things aside to give to my niece in the coming years. Of course there is always a new pile as the kids outgrow things for me to work on for the coming year.
  

New Goals for 2009

• Establish a system to manage my digital photos so that they get edited and uploaded in a timely manner. Go back through older photos and get caught up with my backlog.
• Should I achieve the previous goal before year end, I'd like to start working on the boxes of photos I have stored from before we started taking digital photos. The end goal being some scrapbooks that the kids and I can look through together.
• Improve the consistency with which chores get done around the house both by myself and by the kids.
  

2008-09 Goals for Violet: Math, Logic, and Foreign Langauge

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
MATH
1. Improve mental addition and subtraction	Singapore Math 2B
2. Continue multiplication and memorize facts for x2, x3, x4, x5, and x10	Singapore Math 2B, Multiplication Wrap-up, and drill
3. Cover remaining topics in 2B	Singapore Math 2B
4. Numbers to 10,000 and addition / subtraction of larger numbers	Singapore Math 3A
CRITICAL THINKING
1. Continue to develop reasoning and analytical skills	Building Thinking Skills 1, Visual Perceptual Skills 2
2. Develop logic and problem solving abilities	Mind Benders Beginning Book 1
SPANISH
1. Learn the Spanish alphabet
2. Increase Spanish vocabulary	Spanish for Children (library) Learnables Spanish 1 Other library resources??

2008-09 Goals for Violet: Language Arts

The grammar section is expanded beyond what I would normally do for goals. This is simply because using FLL as written for a few weeks this year was not accomplishing our goals. One of my projects over the next couple of months is to make some modifications to how we will use FLL. Basically, we'll keep the parts that I feel are useful, discard the portions that overlap with other areas (AKA narration, picture study, and copywork), and modify how the material is presented so that it is not primarily auditory and has more application of concepts.

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
GRAMMAR
1. Memorize the definition of a sentence.Recognize that a sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark.Memorize the 4 types and sentences, be able to correctly identify them in a story, and correctly use the appropriate ending punctuation with each sentence type.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
2. Memorize the definition of a noun. Identify nouns in a sentence. Explain the difference between common and proper nouns, correctly identify them, and use appropriate capitalization.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
3. Memorize the definition of a pronoun. Learn the pronoun list. Use the list to identify pronouns in a sentence. Correctly capitalize the pronoun I in a sentence.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
4. Memorize the definition of a verb. Identify action verbs in a sentence. Memorize the state of being verbs and correctly use them in a sentence. Understand the concept of linking verbs. Memorize the list of helping verbs.Use the list to find helping verbs in a sentence.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
5. Memorize the definition of an adjective. Identify adjectives in a sentence when located in front of the noun. Identify adjectives in a sentence containing a linking verb.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
6. Memorize the definition of an interjection and be able to give examples. Memorize the definition of a conjunction and be able to identify the 3 most commonly used.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
7. Memorize the definition of an adverb. To be able to correctly use adverbs in a sentence.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
8. To memorize the 3 articles.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
9. Memorize the definition of a preposition. Memorize the list of prepositions. Use the list to identify prepositions in a sentence.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
10. Understand how to correctly form a contraction with an apostrophe. To correctly apply basic capitalization to writing. To correctly use commas in a series. To understand the difference between direct and indirect quotations. To correctly punctuate a direct quotation. To understand the terms synonyms and antonyms and be able to give examples.	Accomplish using modified version of FLL.
SPELLING
1. Continue to improve spelling skills and vocabulary.	To be practiced using SWO C and D.
2. Continue to improve editing skills.	To be practiced using SWO C and D.
PENMANSHIP
1. Improve legibility of printing	Copywork
2. Learn correct formation and connection of cursive letters.	Copywork
3. Improve narration ability	Practice narrations from assigned reading.
READING
1. Increase variety of books read beyond fiction.	Assigned weekly history biographies and science books.
2. Increase attention to details and content.	Assigned literature readings to be discussed with Mom.
3. Improve reading speed and ability to sound out longer multi syllable words.	Continue reading aloud to Mom at least twice a week.

2008-09 Goals for Jessie : Math, Logic, and Languages

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
MATH
1. Continue to improve multiplication and division skills.Learn to multiply by a two digit number.	Singapore Math 4A
2. Continue to improve on understanding of fractions, addition and subtracting of fraction, and introduce mixed numbers.	Singapore Math 4A.
3. Improve 2D geometry skills by measuring angle, understanding parallel and perpendicular lines, and continue to work on area and perimeter.	Singapore Math 4A
4. Introduce the concept of decimals. Learn to do basic operation with decimals.	Singapore Math 4B
5. Improve 3D geometry skills by identifying solid figures and learning how to calculate colume.	Singapore Math 4B
6. Continue to improve computation speed in multiplication and division.	Math keys, drills
LOGIC/CRITICAL THINKING
1. Continue to improve reasoning and analytical skills.	Building Thinking Skills 2
2. Continue to improve logic and problem solving skills	Mind Benders A2, A3, A4
LATIN
1. Improve Latin vocabulary and grammar	Latin For Children Primer A
2. Make Latin more fun.	LfC Activity book and DVD?
3. Begin reading and translating Latin.	LfC History Reader
SPANISH
1. Learn Spanish alphabet.
2. Increase Spanish vocabulary.	Spanish for Children (library) Learnables Spanish 1 Other library resources ??

2008-09 Goals for Jessie: Language Arts

This will be my second year making academic goals for our homeschool. I've found that knowing what we are trying to accomplish with our school work helps in many ways. As far as curriculum goes, it helps me evaluate whether or not a certain curriculum will work for us, identify places where there is overlap (that can usually be eliminated unless we are using it as a means of reinforcement), and discover portions that may need to be modified slightly in order to make a curriculum meet our needs. During the year, our goals keep me focused on why we are doing what we are. This helps keep school from turning into an endless string of busywork and gives me a basis to evaluate how well our plans are working or where they may need to be altered. The one change that I've decided to make this year is to print out a hard copy of these goals to put in my teacher's notebook so that I will do a better job of remembering to check our progress more frequently during the year.

GOALS	RESOURCES/COMMENTS
GRAMMAR
1. Recite and understand the definitions of the 8 parts of speech.	Accomplish using R&S 4 exercises, Grammar work in CW Aesop, and memory work
2. Correctly Identify the part of speech of a given word in a list or sentence.	Create appropriate grammar work in CW Aesop. Use dictation exercises for additional practice as needed.
3. Given a sentence be able to correctly identify all the instances of a given part of speech.	Create appropriate grammar work in CW Aesop. Use dictation exercises for additional practice as needed.
4. Given a sentence be able to correctly label the part of speech of each word in the sentence.	Create appropriate grammar work in CW Aesop. Use dictation exercises for additional practice as needed.
5. Improve sentence diagramming skills.	Learn new skills using R&S 4. Reinforce those skills with additional practice through CW or dictation.
6. Improve punctuation skills.	Learn new skills using R&S 4. Reinforce through dictation and CW draft editing.
SPELLING
1. Continue to improve spelling skills and vocabulary.	To be practiced using SWO F and G, dictation, and CW.
2. Continue to improve editing skills.	To be practiced using SWO F and G, dictation, and CW.
WRITING/PENMANSHIP
1. Transition from handwriting paper to regular lined paper for writing.	Dictation
2. Improve legibility, speed, and length of handwriting.	Dictation
3. Improve narration ability by decreasing the use of passive voice, increasing variety in sentence structure, and increasing use of more descriptive vocabulary	CW Aesop
READING
1. Increase variety of books read beyond fiction.	Assigned weekly history biographies and science books.
2. Increase attention to details and content.	Assigned literature readings to be discussed with Mom.
3. Improve reading comprehension beyond basic plot and fact information.	Reading Detective Literature narration, discussion, and some book reports.

Happy New Year!

I hope 2008 will find each of us growing in God's grace in our relationships with God, our spouses, our children, and our friends and family. May God draw us ever closer to Him and continue to conform us to His image through this year.

It's been several years since I bothered to make any New Year's resolutions (mainly because I don't end up keeping them); however, in the past year my life has seemed to be more and more unfocused for a variety of reasons. Blame it on the emotional stress of two miscarriages, the overwhelming busyness of trying to do too many things, recent lack of sleep, or my lack of consistency in finding time to read my Bible and pray. Whatever the causes or causes, I'm certainly ready to try to bring my life back into focus before the new baby arrives so I decided to set up some goals for this year that I can work toward accomplishing.

Physically:

• Improve my eating habits by:

1. Drinking more water and less caffeine free Pepsi
2. Having a least one fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack
3. Using my bread machine to make more homemade bread
4. Eliminating soy from my diet
   

• Becoming more active as best as I can for the first half of the year and reestablishing a more consistent exercise program for the second half of the year.
• Remember my daily vitamin

Spiritually:

• Spend time daily on a more consistent basis in reading my Bible and praying
• Try to read through the entire Bible (whether I can stay on the daily schedule or have to finish up next year)

Mentally:

• Start memorizing my way through the Psalms
• Read and work my way through the book Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit
• Try to read through at least one book a month for myself

Relationally:

• Try to spend some non-school quality time with each of my children individually twice a week
• Spend more time talking or doing something together and less time watching tv in the evening with DH

Other:

• Steam and put together the crocheted squares for Violet's blanket that have been sitting in a bag for over a year.
• Reorganize what's currently in my office to make a bedroom for the baby
• Work through the pile of stuff that I have set aside to sell either by listing it on Ebay or getting it ready to consign this spring.

I may or may not get through all of these goals this year, but at least it gives me a place to start and a direction to focus my energy.