Summer School

We don't follow a typical school year calendar. I usually say we school all year round, which is true, but it is also true that we take breaks. Our breaks are just unpredictable. We might take a break in October, or in February. We might "do school" on Saturday and Sunday, but not on Wednesday and Thursday. Much depends on what we are working on and what we want to accomplish. Much also depends on energy level. One of the things I love about homeschooling is that when my kids are having an off day, we can go light on school.

Summer this year has meant school. We have actually been working much more diligently on reading and math than we had been this spring. We somehow fell into a much better groove that has meant continued work and excitement.

We area also, of course, inspired by summer reading programs. My favorite is Half-Price Books. For reading 15 minutes, 5 times a week, kids get a $3 voucher to use at the store. My kids love picking out new books, so this is a great program for them! We also participate in our local library summer reading program. This year, because the other two are both time based, I am also letting Kiddo do Border's program. Their program is based on number of books read. You read 10, you get a free book from their list. That is cool, too. The combination lets Kiddo have tangible rewards fast and continuously.

I know some people see summer reading programs as bribing their kids to read. I view it as rewarding behavior that is already in place. We aren't doing anything different than we always do, we are just recognizing that behavior. Or rather, we are allowing others to recognize that behavior. And truthfully, the Half-Price books program saves me money The kids get to buy their own books, I don't have to!

Kutey's Summer Reading

Kutey is anxious (at 3) to learn to read. I'm not going to stop her, but I am not going to do any formal instruction yet, either! We'll be doing a lot of read aloud time, however. Here are some of the books I am planning to read to her. Some of them I have never seen, so they may be quickly eliminated. Some of them are her favorites, that are read repeatedly. Some of them are books I hope to build units around, and Kiddo will join in on those (he'll be listening to them all anyway! He can't stay away when books are being read.....)


Robert McClosky books:

• Make Way for Ducklings
• One Morning in Maine
• Lentil
• Blueberries for Sal

Dan Freeman books:

• Dandelion
• Corduroy
• A Pocket for Corduroy
• Bearymore

Jan Brett books:

• The Umbrella
• Town Mouse Country Mouse
• Berloz the Bear

Dr. Seuss Books:

• The Lorax
• Oh the Places You'll Go

Ezra Jack Keats:

• Goggles
• Whistle for Willie
• The Snowy Day

Where the Wild Things are By Maurice Sendak
The Little Lost Robin by Elizabeth Baguley
The Little Engine that could by Watty Piper
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson
Copy me Copy Cub by Richard Edwards
Old Turtle by Douglas Wood
First Poems of Childhood
Dora's Backpack
Where is Boots
Curious George books
Clifford books

That oughta get us through a week or so.

Kiddo's summer reading list

I have probably over committed Kiddo this summer. I have been signing him up for every reading program in sight, though he has been very excited to sign up! We took a little break in our reading, and that proved to be not the best idea. Enter the reading programs. This is the list I am hoping to have him read. We may not get through all of the series books, and I am sure there will be others added!

Series of books (hoping to find one that Kiddo LOVES!):
Littles First Readers by John Peterson
High-Rise Private Eyes Series by Cynthia Rylant
Mr. Putty and Tabby series by Cynthia Rylant

Individual books (there will be more, this is just what we have on hand right now!):
Whose Mouse are You? By Robert Kraus
Who Took the Farmer's Hat? By Joan Nodset
The Berenstain Bears Home Sweet Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik
Biscuit Visits the Big City by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Biscuit Finds a Friend by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Biscuit and the Little Pup by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
The Happy Egg by Ruth Krauss