Week 1 was a fantastic start to the new year, the children were keen and worked extremely hard to achieve all their work.  Week 2 we settled into more of a routine but still achieved a huge output. 

All choices of materials are proving successful so far, most we have continued with from last year. 
Highlights
Spelling Wisdom continues to be a winner (from my viewpoint;) the children’s spelling is steadily improving.  Mariah astounds me with her capability,  not only of her excellence in spelling but the retention and speed in which she takes a dictation passage.  Chiara is spelling huge paragraphs and incredibly difficult words, she still continues to be stumped by the easier words.  Dominic is doing well and Xavier has improved the most since last year, he is now able to retain longer amounts at a time and his spelling is slowly improving.  Malachi is struggling the most, he needs to learn nearly every word prior to each dictation  

Phonics and Reading

Genevieve is using a little book to reinforce her knowledge of sounds.  Mostly doesn’t need help but does occasionally.
We have also been consistently focusing on reading daily.  She has finished Prep Bk 2 Qld Reader!  And has moved onto Prep Faith and Freedom reader and is doing remarkably well:)
Individual Literature/St Reading

Mariah is reading her way through
‘Little House on the Rocky Ridge’ Rose Years – Little House Series

Malachi has read;
Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner
Saint Colette
Saint Angela Merici

Xavier has started a reading binge on Vikings, spurred on by Mariah’s studies:)
Beorn the Proud
Horned Helmet
Rolf and the Viking Bow

Dominic hasn’t been reading any of his assigned readings, he has been reading Skeleton Coast – Clive Cussler instead.

Chiara
The Kings Highway by Kenneth R Guindon
Life Worth Living Bk 1 by Bishop Fulton Sheen
The Loveliest Flower by Doris Burton
Life Worth Living Bk 2 by Bishop Fulton Sheen

Read Aloud
Picture Books
Johnny Appleseed – Solveig Paulson Russell
Little House; County Fair – Laura Ingalls Wilder
A Little House Birthday – Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House Bk)
Chinook! – Michale O Tunnell
I Wish I’d Flown the Atlantic with Amelia Earheart – Leonie Young
The Happy Man and His Dump Truck (Golden bk)
The Outback Rocket Ship – Dan Vallely
Possum Creek’s Big Flood -Dan Vallely
The Great Possum Creek Bush Fire – Dan Vallely

Grammar
C & D are applying themselves well with Ridout, the fact that I am consistently marking this year makes a difference.
Xavier has begun Lingua Mater despite the fact that he began with a lot of noise, which I ignored, he has come around and tolerates it sufficiently to do the work well.  
Malachi & Mariah are both using Emma Serl’s Intermediate Language Lessons and doing well.

Copywork
Genevieve is enjoying writing, but struggling to hold the pencil correctly.  Mariah has begun cursive and has a beautiful hand, Malachi has a fair hand too.  I may well have to accept the fact that Dominic and Xavier will never have lovely writing:(  However I have not given up yet.  We shall preserver.

Literature Analysis
Windows to the World-IEW  Dominic and Chiara are working on this together in a formal lesson with me.  I’m very pleased with the book, and impressed with their ability and knowledge.  Week 1 we covered annotations, they had to annotate a huge passage.  Week 2 we began discussing allusions, they grasped this well and in fact have a wide knowledge to draw on to comprehend many allusions in literature:)

Faith
Using Faith and life for M&M & X.  Actually despite resisting this program for years, I’m finding it not too bad, a good basis anyhow.
Chiara is undertaking  Our Moral Life in Christ, very solid, Chiara is understanding it well. Covered, Law and Situation Ethics so far.
Dominic and I are working on Introduction to Catholicism I really enjoy doing Faith with Dominic.  He asks the most amazing questions, not always related to the chapter but really searching.  Special time.
Genevieve is currently using ‘My Jesus and I’ by Aloysius Heeg.   Saxon is joining in and they are both doing well.
Teens  have listened to a couple of sessions of Teen Timeline, introduced a discussion on some heavier topics that I wasn’t expecting.  Fortunately  it went over X head but Dominic has asked what he meant, we discussed Incest and Bestiality.

History
Mariah and I are enjoying working on a Viking lapbook.  Achievable and low stress but giving her some knowledge.
Chiara has handed in some solid essays on Australian history, very happy with her research techniques and grasp.
Boys happy continuing with SOTW4. 

Science
Dominic and Xavier are focsuing in studyug the innards of computers, they pulled apart one of the Robinsons and successfully worked on the hard drive, combining part of theirs to make it work again!
Chiara pulled apart a small clock radio.
Malachi, Mariah and Genevieve undertook a few kitchen experiments a week

Other work was covered in; Maths, Nature, Composition and Spanish. More on them next Learning Notes post.
Very solid beginning to the year:)