Saxon is a thoughtful and observant student, he has a gift for logic and problem solving. Saxon is an intelligent and a gentle soul.

 

English

Grammar & Composition

  • Students conform to or challenge an audience’s preconceptions and expectations about content and form, and they evaluate the effectiveness of each approach.

Saxon has a good understanding of many parts of grammar; last year we focused on correct tenses, nouns, verbs and adjectives, homonyms, synonyms & antonyms, onomatopoeia’s, homophones, abbreviations, contractions and developing stronger vocabulary skills. In the upcoming years our formal study of grammar will continue.

In the upcoming years we will also be covering literary analysis, characters, setting, plot, conflict resolution, development of writing style, paraphrasing, writing sequence, parsing, building a copia of words, figures of speech & description, poetry rhyme & metre, outlining, summarising and chronology, key word outlines, note taking, oral reports, writing from outlines, three paragraph report and research reports.

Resources include: Cottage Press: Language Lessons for Grammar Students, English for Australian Schools – Ronald Ridout Bk 5, Grammar Made Easy – Barbara Dykes, Precis Writing, Character Based Writing Lessons

 

Creative Writing

  • Students work through the composing process, including planning, researching, drafting, conferencing, editing and publishing.

Saxon developed an interest for Creative Writing this year, fostered by our Writing Club. It has wonderful to see his interest develop and flourish.

We hosted a weekly Writing Club with homeschool friends throughout 2019 and we have continued to do so since. Saxon’s writing skills have grown in leaps and bounds since we began Writing Club. The synergy and enthusiasm of all has been wonderful to behold and has certainly supported his interest in Writing.

In the upcoming year our intent is for Saxon to write daily. To assist him in developing story plot, characterisation and conflict resolution, also to encourage him in becoming a stronger writer in other writing styles.
Resources include: Writing Prompt Cards, English for Australian Schools – Ridout, Writer’s Jungle, Institute for Excellence in English, Voyages in English

 

Narrations                 

  • Students respond to and compose a wide range of simple and complex texts for pleasure, critical analysis and information-gathering, varying their approach according to a text’s purpose, audience and context.

A retelling of what has been read/watched/learnt into one’s own words, requires a good understanding of the subject matter, it takes concentration and sequencing skills. Narrations can take various forms; oral, written, illustrations, acting, building or creating. As we consider narrations to be an extremely important skill, a foundation for logic and writing, we will be devoting time to narration regularly for the subjects of; Faith, Geography, History and Science.

Saxon’s narration skills are quite good, his comprehension is excellent, he can remember the finer details, can deliver sequence well, can gather the main points, the biggest challenge however is getting Saxon to share what he has gathered in detail.

This year we will continue to focus on building on Saxon’s narrations strengths, increasing the quantity and length, mainly in the written form and to a lesser degree orally.

 

Dictation

  • Students apply their knowledge of the elements that shape meaning in texts.

In the upcoming year Saxon will undertake weekly dictation lessons, which will strengthen his spelling, punctuation, listening and recall skills.

Resource: Spelling Wisdom

 

Logic

  • Students focus on details of texts to analyse meaning, perspective, cultural assumptions, ideologies and language.

To have the ability to think and communicate both orally and in written form is an underpinning of our educational goals; the study of logic is an excellent basis for higher level thinking.

Saxon will continue with logic in the upcoming year. We will be covering:: what is a fallacy, what is good reasoning, benefits of listening, opposing viewpoints, red herring fallacies and recognising them, ad hominem attacks, genetic fallacies, tu quoque, faulty appeals, straw man, assumptions, circular reasoning, equivocations, loaded question, generalisations, analogies, post hoc ergo propter hoc, propaganda, appeals to tradition, hi-tech, snob, fear & pity, bandwagon, exigency and repetition.

Resource: The Thinking Toolbox – Nathaniel Bluedorn

 

Independent Reading 

  • Students enjoy, reflect on, critically assess and articulate processes of response and composition.

Saxon’s discovered a love of reading only a couple of years ago. He often can be found reading, at present he is enjoying the Percy Jackson series for the first time.

Saxon also really loved the inception of Book Club,  a new endeavour we have hosted a couple of times within our homeschool group, it has been hugely popular! The children facilitated the group, the book selections, the questions, the structure, it was all so exciting to see and the children are keen to continue this in the upcoming year.

In the upcoming year we want to continue to foster, nurture and encourage, whilst ensuring the quality of language is excellent. This year Saxon will be reading his way through a list of classic, history & biography titles.

 

Shakespeare

  • Students respond imaginatively and critically to verbal and visual imagery and iconography, considering how these and other features reflect the cultural context of the text.

Immerse Saxon in the beauty and richness of Shakespeare. Choose one play of his choice to read in full. We will first begin with the broad picture via audio version, a re-tellings and then the play itself. Suggest a Comedy

Resources:
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Tales From Shakespeare – Charles and Mary Lamb (and audio version)

 

Literature

  • Through close and wide engagement with texts students extend their imaginations and engage with images of their real and imagined worlds. 

Nurturing a love of literature within our family is at the core of our family’s learning approach, we immerse our children in quality literature from birth.  We read from many genres and delight in living books – a book that makes the subject matter ‘come alive’.

Saxon still enjoys listening to our daily Read Alouds, this year we will have a ‘teenage’ reading time for our secondary students. From experience we know this will be a really special time that we will treasure, where our books can be more aimed at teens, a time of precious conversations. To include literature discussions inspired by Socratic Discussion suggestions.
Resources include: Our extensive home library and the town library.

 

Poetry

  • In considering possible meanings, students develop sustained interpretations supported by evidence and think creatively beyond the text.

The listening to and memorisation of poetry is part of our family’s culture of nurturing a love of literature.

Saxon will continue to be immersed in poetry daily and memorise at least one poem a term, to recite  at our family weekly recitation nights.
Resources include: Banjo Patterson’s poetry, John O’Brien – Around the Borree Log, the English poets and more from our extensive poetry collection.

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Mathematics

  • Students demonstrate fluency in selecting, combining and applying relevant knowledge, skills and understanding in the solution of familiar and unfamiliar problems.

Saxon  is strong at Mathematics, he picks up new concepts quickly, maths appeals to his logical mind.
Last year Saxon covered: fractions & percentages, problem solving, decimals, integers, algebra, geometry, constructions, area, volume. measurement, statistics & data and probability, Pythagoras Theorem, Transformations and Congruence, Statistics,

Saxon will next cover: surds, factorisations, equations & inequations, linear functions, quadratic equations, trigonometry, statistics and probability, volume, area, powers, algebraic fractions and quadratic equations.

Resources include: Maths Online, Kahn Academy, maths board games and our living maths books collection.

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Science

  • Students use scientific inquiry by actively engaging in using and applying the processes of Working Scientifically to increase their understanding of and about the world around them.

We desire to encourage Saxon’s critical thinking skills, knowledge and understanding in explaining and making sense of the: physical, living, chemical worlds and earth and space. To encourage him to foster a questing mind and to understand the importance of scientific evidence in enabling her as an individual and as part of the community to make informed, responsible decisions about the use and influence of science. We have been owner building since Saxon was 3 years and he has grown up observing, learning and building.

Saxon, his brothers and Siena have a particular fascination with ‘all things science’. All four are constantly seeking out scientific knowledge on their own volition.  It is quite common to find them watching a science youtube and then see them filming their own experiment, or the reverse order to ascertain why their experiment might have ‘failed’. To mention just one area of scientific interest and endeavour of theirs.

Last year Saxon’s studies included: an indepth study of Biochemistry, Astronomy, Longitude and Living Earth.

This year his studies will include; Living World; body systems, cells & reproduction.  Chemistry World; states of matter, elements & compound and changing matter. Earth & Space; minerals & fossils. Physical World; energy transformations.

We will also continue to be flexible to follow any further interests that arise and we visualise Saxon exploring a variety of interest areas. To meet these studies we will use various mediums and resources, and we’re confident that other areas of scientific interest and knowledge will be sought and pursued.
Resources include: Singapore Science textbooks, Design curriculum, John Hudson Tiner collection, our home and town libraries, DVDs and youtubes and Snap Circuit Kits and Experiment kits.

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HSIE

History

  • Students describe, explain and assess the historical forces and factors that shaped the modern world and Australia.

We wish for Saxon to have an interest about ‘all things history’ and want him to have an awareness of World History – Modern & Ancient, and Australian history and to understands the past contributes to the present.

Last year we studied various topics including Australian history, on a National and local level.  Our learning covered topics such as Australia in the 1920s & the Great Depression, the Overland Telegraph and visiting the local Museum at  Lawrence. Our World History studies included the Technology Age and an indepth study of World War One and Two.

This year we will continue our Australian History studies, doing a more indepth study of refugees and modern Australia. We will also continue to study what was happening to our First Peoples concurrently. We want Saxon to have an awareness of and passion for our nation’s history.

Our World History studies will continue this year to follow a chronological plan, it will move forward to cover: the Korean & Vietnam Wars, the 1960s, through to refugees and modern Australia.

Resources Include: Wattle Gum Education- as I test run products before release, History of Australia – Manning Clark, Little History of the World – Gombrich and our extensive collection of historical living books, picture as well as chapter books, and the town library.

 

Commerce

  • Students students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of consumer, financial, economic, business, legal, political and employment matters. 

Saxon is to further his understanding of consumer, financial, economic, legal, political and business issues, to have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions as an individual and as a member of the broader community. To be aware of fundamental rights and laws in our society and to know and practice ethical behaviour.

Resources Include: His Dad- a CPA & Finance , Whatever Happened to Penny Candy & Financial Literacy: Money Time

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Languages

  • Students manipulate Spanish in sustained interactions with others to exchange information, ideas and opinions.

Saxon is keen to continue to learn Spanish.

Spanish

  • Students identify and interpret information from a range of written, spoken, visual or multimodal texts, and evaluate and respond in English or Spanish to information, opinions and ideas, using a range of formats for specific contexts, purposes and audiences.

Saxon is keen on Spanish as it has become the language of interest within our family, he has a Tio/uncle from el Salvador and a baby cousin who will be raised bilingual.  It is also the language a number of siblings (who also undertook Spanish for lessons) and his father all enjoy communicating with.

Saxon will focus on; pronunciation and intonation patterns, pitch, accent and rhythm. He will read basic Spanish with its grammatical structures and sentence patterns.

Resources include: Duolingo , At Home Middle School  , CAL (Center for Applied Linguistics)& Tio Ari.

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Technology

Information and Software Technology

  • Students demonstrate competence in using a range of generic software applications and are able to select and justify software choices for set tasks and project work. Students are competent users of a range of hardware devices when solving problems.

Saxon will further develop his skills in computing and technology literacy, he will explore the scope, limitations and implications of information and software technologies.  Saxon will identify a need or problem to be solved and explore a range of possible solutions and produce a full working solution.

Saxon will focus on practical activities that allow him to sustain focus in a range of interest areas at some depth. He will explore some of the following modules:

  • Artificial Intelligence, Simulation and Modelling
  • Authoring and Multimedia
  • Internet and Website Development
  • Software Development and Programming
  • Robotics and Automated Systems.

Resources include: Scratch, Edison robot, Boson, Robobloq Qooper, Drone, Online Coding Course, Kahn Academy Computer Programming , Excel, Word, Webcam

 

Graphics Technology

  • Students select and use appropriate digital presentation techniques to develop and communicate design solutions.

Saxon will will be introduced to the significance of graphical communication as a universal language and develop the ability to read, interpret and produce graphical presentations that communicate information using a variety of techniques and media. Saxon will learn to design, prepare and develop graphical presentations using both instrument drawing and computer-aided design (CAD).

Saxon will focus on practical activities that allow him to develop skills and confidence in the use of a range of equipment. He will explore some of the following modules:

  • Architectural Drawing
  • Australian Architecture
  • Cabinet and Furniture Drawing
  • Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
  • Computer Animation
  • Engineering Drawing
  • Graphic Design and Communication
  • Landscape Drawing
  • Product and Technical Illustration
  • Student Negotiated Project.

Resources include: WordPress, Canva, Computer animation programs, CAD,

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Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

Faith
Saxon is to deepen his personal relationship with God and increase his knowledge of God and His Church.
Resources include: Our library collection.