Grading Key: Effort
& Skills
4 - Advanced E
- Excellent U - Unsatisfactory
3 - Proficient
G - Good
X - Not Applicable
2 - Approaching S - Satisfactory
1 - Below N
- Needs to Improve
Days of Instruction: 43 (5.2 hrs/day average)
Arithmetic: The areas of math Jacob continues
to study/practice are :
word problems factors
multiplication,division
fractions
multiples
addition
decimals prime factorization
subtraction
percents prime numbers
money math
number lines geometry
time/clocks
fact families times tables
real-life math experiences
Jacob no longer struggles with upper times tables. This is due to a publication
entitled, “Times Tales: A Trigger Memory System” by J.
von Eggers & M.J. Flanagan & Dena L. Wood. This supplement was a lifesaver to our homeschool curriculum! Now
that the times tables have been mastered, Jacob is doing really well with other mathematical concepts. He has been reviewing
3rd grade m ath concepts through Saxon and standardized test review workbooks. His newfound confidence in all things mathematical
is thanks to Times Tales! Grade: 3( G)
Reading: Jacob demonstrates excellence in his ability
to read with accuracy, appropriate inflection and intonation, and poetic expression, even when he does not fully comprehend
what he is reading. He puts forth much effort in this area. He continues to struggle with comprehension. Often
he is able to determine meaning through context, however this is an area where he may continue to struggle due to his developmental
delays. Jacob excels in memorization of vocabulary and spelling assignments, uses dictionaries to complete work, has finished
reading the first book in The Little House on the Prairie Series,
entitled Little House in the Big Woods. He also read If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine and listened to Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Spear on audiotape. He is currently reading
the 2nd book, Little House on the Prairie in our homeschool
as part of our Prairie Primer curriculum. Jacob has also been
reading selected poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and from A Child’s
Anthology of Poetry (Sword & McCarthy) and The Golden Books Family
Treasury of Poetry (Untermeyer) in addition to classic fairy tales, scriptures from the Bible, non-fiction articles
in National Geographic, and other reference sources for his upcoming
research project on Western Frontier. Grade: 3 (G)
Spelling: Jacob has completed and nearly mastered
ten spelling & vocabulary lists. Jacob corrects misspelled words and rewrites assignments so that spelling is correct
throughout his work. His memorization skills have helped him do well in this area. Grade: 3(G)
Writing, Grammar & Language Arts: The homeschool
curriculum has been integrating the Vocabulary Vine Latin & Greek Roots
program, which is challenging and fun. Jacob prints and writes in cursive daily, however he requires constant reminders in
order to stay neat. He is struggling with mastering cursive writing. He will be practicing this skill throughout the summer
as well. He is putting forth the effort however. Jacob continues to develop skills such as note-taking, brainstorming,
and organizing ideas. He has posted his ideas, assignments and essays on his internet homeschool webjournal. He has
typed emails, improved his writing abilities by continuing study of proper grammar; parts of speech, sentence structure, and
phrases. Jacob continues to respond to literature through writing and narration. This quarter he has spent much time
on reviewing basic skills and concentrating on content he is expected to be tested on through standardized tests. Grade:
2 (S)
Health & Safety: The focus this past quarter
has been on dangers and effects of narcotic drug use, “gate-way”drugs such as marijuana and cigarettes, alcoholism,
gambling & other addictions. Also the topics of malaria, West Nile Virus , mosquitoes & eliminating their breeding
sites and UV-ray protection from the sun were covered. Grade: 3(G)
History: Our homeschool has concentrated on
The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, WWI & WWII this quarter. The Biblical significance of these wars were studied as
well. The class created a timeline of these wars and studied key characters in history such as Winston Churchill, Woodrow
Wilson, Hitler, and several U.S. Presidents. The children spent much time on memorizing the map of the United States, as well
as the maps of Central and South America. Jacob has been reading the historical fiction of Laura Ingalls Wilder through her
Little House on the Prairie series of books. Grade:
3(G)
Science: The study of electricity & circuits
evolved into an ongoing electronics project. Jacob has also learned taxonomy (classification of living things),
studied fossils, types of cells and viewed various cells through microscopes. Other topics investigated were macaque monkeys
and how they bond in social groups, their social order (hierarchy), the Blue Nile and the highlands, gorges, surrounding cultures.
Grade: 3 (G)
Art: Jacob has really tried his best this quarter
in art. He has created a poem-inspired tissue-paper water color and drawings of favorite video game characters.
Grade: 2(S)
Music: Jacob continues to practice guitar,
piano and fiddle regularly in addition to singing weekly at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He has mastered
“Spanish Theme” on guitar which has been posted to his homeschool website. Grade: 2(S)
Physical Education: Jacob has participated in many
physical activities including swimming at the XXXX, scootering and sledding. Grade: 3(G)
Typing & Computer: Jacob is progressing slowly
but surely at typing with proper hand positioning and appropriate speed and accuracy. His computer literacy skills are improving
and he continues to demonstrate fluency in several programs and internet research to aid in completion of schoolwork, as well
for the purpose of finding information for personal interests. He continues to improve his punctuation skills with the use
of various typing programs. Again, Jacob’s abilities really shine in this area (computers and technology in general).
He continues to love learning about technology and displays constant interest in seeking knowledge via [supervised]
internet. Grade: 2(S)
Teacher Comments - 3rd Quarter
Jacob is progressing at a satisfactory level or above in all subject matter.
He has completed the required 225 hours of instruction. He really enjoys computers, technology, science and playing
violin.
Last quarter I was very concerned about Jacob’s inability to recall
his upper times tables math facts. I searched the internetfor hours to see if there was something tried and true to
help them with this problem and I found this remarkable program that literally taught my two youngest children their
upper times tables in ONE HOUR OF TIME! This quarter our homeschool received significant help from the Times Tales: A Trigger Memory System by J. von Eggers & M.J. Flanagan & Dena
L. Wood. This has caused a marked boost in Jacob’s self-confidence. Mastering these basic facts was so key for
him to help relieve some of the stress of learning additional concepts that build upon that necessary foundation.
Our homeschool curriculum for the upcoming quarter will include the use
and guidance of the Prairie Primer, as it has for this past quarter
as well.
