Fall 2009 Curriculum is Planned

We are so excited to have our Fall 2009 curriculum planned. Even though we're a month from starting, I feel like I can really enjoy our "off" month knowing that everything is in place for starting first grade! We just received confirmation back from the school board on our letter of intent, so we are officially ready to go. Here's what's planned:

Math
- IXL (Noah & Ava)
- Singapore Math (Noah)
- Graphing, Venn diagram, place value and addition / subtraction games & activities

Language Arts
- Language Smarts (from the Critical Thinking Company) (Noah)
- Starfall (Ava)
- Lots of reading! (Noah & Ava)

Science
- Developing Critical Thinking Through Science (Noah)
- Field trips to OSC, MOAS and Innoventions at EPCOT (Noah & Ava)
- Working on our fall garden & a great 5-week plant/gardening unit study with SLC

Art
- Atelier curriculum (Noah)
- Field trips to OMA and My Art Studio (Noah & Ava)
- Young Person's Concert by the Orlando Philharmonic

Critical Thinking
- Mind Benders and Dr. DooRiddles books from Critical Thinking Company (Noah)
- Mind Benders and Memory Challenge software from Critical Thinking Company (Noah)

US History Unit Study
- US Literacy Library & US Resource Box from Lakeshore Learning (Noah)
- Declaration of Independence and Thanksgiving Project Packs from Hands of a Child (Noah)
- Field trip to US pavilion at EPCOT
- Field trip to Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum in St. Augustine (Noah & Ava)
- Field trip to Washington DC!!! (Noah & Ava)

Other Activities
Horseback Riding (Noah)
Gymnastics - maybe (Ava)

Not sure yet whether or not we'll get back to our French studies this semester. I could tell that Noah had lost interest, but when I asked him about it, he said it was because he couldn't get into the higher levels (I'd been having problems registering the software and it only let him into Levels 1-3). We'll see if his interest picks up once he can move on, but I do have a very lofty goal of using it myself.

Noah, in the meantime, tells me he wants to learn Chinese, Japanese and German. The kids have been watching a Chinese language DVD Ava got for her birthday and seem to really enjoy it. Ava said "thank you" to me in Chinese the other day, and it took me a minute to figure out what she was saying. Sad that my foreign language skills have already been surpassed by my three-year-old.

I'd love to make a big deal about the first day of school this year (we'll call it Ava's first day of preschool, too). Anyone have ideas for me???