snyder scoop

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Charles Towne Landing

Over Labor Day weekend, we visited Charles Towne Landing in Charleston. This trip fit perfectly into our study of the colonization of America! The girls enjoyed learning about the location where the English first settled in South Carolina. They have a fabulous museum and a great animal park with all kinds of animals that were native to this area in the 1600's!

Skylark Co-op

We are so blessed to be members of Skylark Co-op! This group of families strives to integrate Charlotte Mason philosophy into their schooling. Each Thursday we participate in Co-op. Here is the schedule:

1st Thursday : Nature Study
2nd Thursday: Mom's Meeting
3rd Thursday: Lesson Day
4th Thursday: Field Trip

Last week was our first Nature Study! We had a wonderful time at Lake Conestee Park! The 2 and a half hours flew by!! The girls enjoyed observing and sketching their findings into their nature journals.

Nana and Greg take girls to Caesar's Head

A huge thank you to Mom and Greg for hanging with the girls while we attended our Adoption Training class! They had a fun time going up to Caesar's Head!!

Snyder Family School 2012-2013

Our Charlotte Mason based Curriculum:

Bible: Apologia - Who Is God? And Can I Really Know Him?

Reading: Living Books, Classic Literature, Sonlight suggested Novels

Math: MATH U SEE (Claire will accelerate quickly through Alpha, Beta, and Gamma this year)

(Camdyn will move through Alpha and Beta this year)

History: Truthquest

Science: Apologia - Exploring Creation with Astronomy

Composition: Institute for Excellence in Writing Method

Grammer: (Claire) Intermediate Language Lessons

(Camdyn) Primary Language Lessons

Geography: Elementary Geography by Charlotte Mason

Spelling: (Claire) Spelling Wisdom

Copywork: (Camdyn) Various Scripture, hymns, poetry

Character: Wisdom and the Millers Series

Art Study: Michelangelo, Turner, Rembrandt, Renoir

Poetry Study: Robert Louis Stevenson, Emily Dickinson

Handicrafts: Family Chore List, Cardboard and Paper Crafts

Family Reading: Chronicles of Narnia, Lamplighter Publishing novels

Personal Development: American Heritage Girls

Extras: (Claire) Art Class

(Camdyn) Gymnastics Class

Our first 40+ days of schooling at home have gone very well! I'm so proud of the girls and how hard they are working! I've already seen a DRAMATIC improvement in their desire to read. We read aloud, independently, and with each other ALL THE TIME! This has made all of our subjects come alive but especially history. We are also really enjoying the Chronicles of Narnia. So far we have read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and are half way through The Silver Chair!

So.....has it been hard? YES! Are there times when I lose my patience? YES! Do the girls always listen to me and everything runs smoothly with no disputing? NO! Has schooling at home exposed all of our sin in a new way? YES! And for us right now, God's grace is washing over a lot of my short comings. We desire to do this His way and follow His lead and pray daily that He will bless our time together. This precious time together is the BIGGEST blessing we've seen so far!

Below are some pictures from our first 40+ days of schooling at home:

Claire's Alpha Certificate

Love seeing this!

Handicraft: Friendship bracelets

Working on our Jamestown Fort

Finished Jamestown Fort

Salt dough model of Mercury

Flour/Butter mold of Volcano on Venus

Cam's version of Michelangelo's Statue of David

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Beach Trip with the Finleys

We enjoyed an awesome long weekend at the beach with my sister and her precious family. So much fun! A huge thank you to Mimi and Pops for hosting the four of us and seven kiddos for the weekend!
We had a ball at the beach, going to the Citadel (where a few of us got haircuts...), watching the Olympic opening ceremony (ummm...weird...), and celebrating Uncle Jason's birthday! We love y'all are so are grateful to be able to do life with you!