Summer School

Can you just see reading a big stack of fun books on the hammock? What about a tent pitched on the deck? It's giving me a lot of ideas of what I'd love to get accomplished this summer. Would you believe, of all things, school related. Already moved beyond the chores and onto reading and more reading and more reading.  There are just so many books I've wanted to get to and haven't yet.  Here's the list that is growing in my head:

• Hardy Boys #48 -#58 (may work through these more slowly, we've only been reading them for about 4 years, what's one more)
• Farmer Boy from the Laura Ingall's Series
• Treasure Island
• Huckleberry Fin
• Finish up "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" Series; believe I would need to start over on Silver Chair and then read The Last Battle.
• Island of the Blue Dolphin
• The Secret Garden
• Tom Sawyer

Not sure, as of right now, what else I would add.  Would love to see this be a morning thing, reading to our boys for an hour or so over a good breakfast, still in their pj's, in sleeping bags or blankets.  Learn to make it a habit before school starts in the fall.

There are so many things I can see being a benefit of this.  First, continued exposure to good literature.  Second, a way to help teach reading comprehension with fun ways of remembering the story through narration and coloring pages (really good idea for those needing a good hand workout).  Third, time spent together.  Also shared memories of "the reading summer".

Both have already mentioned that they want to continue on with their math "workbooks" and be able to start a fresh book in September.  This really isn't a whole of work on my part.  The desire is there, for both kids, so it is really just gentle encouragement.

 Will probably through in some penmanship through various forms.  Thank you notes, letters to friends who have moved, and tracing of math facts (yes, their numbers still look bad and why not work on math facts).

They're looking forward to doing some American History next school year and want to finish up the current History book too.  Another easy thing to do as we haven't stressed over memorization of facts yet.  It's been sheer exposure right now.

So, for now, this is our tentative summer outline.  I'll get around to looking for other cool things too and possibly blog about those ideas on another day.