What I Do for School Work

Some people have been curious as to what I learn when I homeschool.  Well, it's not all fieldtrips and fishing!  We do a lot of driving (sometimes all day!) from one place to another.  So, each of us has a laptop to complete our work in.  We are trying to "go green" and become as paperless as possible.  A lot of our work is scanned if it's done on paper and then the paper is recycled.  We also save some work on SD cards through photography or video documentation.  We are really trying to keep our own carbon footprint as small as possible.

What I do on a normal day for school work is the following:

1. Algebra - We have a lesson of each day that is internet-based which is about twenty minutes long.  After our internet lesson, we do practice problems in our notebooks.  At first, I didn't like algebra because it seemed too hard but now it is getting easier and easier so I don't mind doing algebra anymore.  It's starting to make more sense to me.
2. US Constitution - This is a card game based on the Constitution and we got this game at The LBJ Library and Gallery in Texas. 
3. US History - For history, we watch videos and we go to museums and national landmarks, like the JFK Memorial or The Sixth Floor Museum (where the assassin shot from when he killed JFK).  We have also studied about Native Americans.  Before the trip, we completed reading three textbooks since September, with reading comprehension questions, on US History (two books was on World History and one book was on US History) and a video series on US History so we are not currently reading a text book.
4. Literature - This includes reading fiction, reading non-fiction, writing answers to the questions about the story that was read, and we listen to audio classics.  For example, we are currently listening to The Sign of the Beaver.  It is a very interesting story to me.  
5. Art - We study art by going to galleries and art museums, studying the sculptures and paintings.  One of my favorite paintings was in a gallery in Arizona and it was of a giant burger.  It looked pretty good to eat to me!  The art that I'm personally doing right now is photographic art.  Below are the burger and one of my own photographs I've taken recently of Mama.
6. Science - We recently completed studies on biology.  We completed a computer program on biology.  We almost finished a workbook before we left town, too, and we dissected a frog.  Did you know you can order a frog to dissect in the mail?  They keep it perfectly preserved for you - DISGUSTING!  To learn about possible careers in science and what science can lead to in real life, we can explore this website:  http://thefunworks.edc.org/SPT--homegraphic.php and you can too!  But, I still want to be an engineer.  When we are out of internet range for a few days, we end up having a 'science' day where we focus on science that day and usually do a science project.  
7. Handwriting - This is a little hard to learn but I am working on it.  This is one of my hardest subjects.  We work out of a handwriting workbook for this subject.
8. Typing - I use a computer software that teaches typing.  I actually took a typing class at the Mendocino Junior College so I already knew how to type but I was really, really slow so this software is fun and has games.  I am becoming a faster typer!
9. Business - I am starting a business and currently reading a lot of books on online businesses and how to start a business.  My Mama is a traveling notary and is getting her own business off the ground.  She does taxes, too, but not all the time.  I also read about successful businessmen such as Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki.  Once I get my business started, I will learn how to use MSExcel so I can keep track of my expenses and income by myself.  Mama says Business Math is really important to understand if you want to be successful in business and I do.
10. PE - I really enjoy golf and taekwondo.  Those are sports I can practice even when I'm not at home.  But my new sport that I'm trying to learn is skateboarding.
11. Foreign Language - We study Latin and Spanish by using computer software.  We actually use Rosetta Stone and it is fun to use.  It makes learning language feel like playing a computer game but it also teaches reading and writing, in addition to speaking.  We are supposed to finish both softwares by the end of summer.  They come with headsets that you use to speak into in order to record yourself speaking the language.  Mama says that learning Latin will help me in other subjects.  Hmmm....

Here are some pictures I took recently.

In the summers, we go to summer school or summer camps.  We only go to academic ones.  These can be boring because I already know most of what they are teaching (my sister says she already knows everything they are teaching, too) but the best part is recess and lunch, when I can hang out with friends, or computer class.  Mama says it's good for us to go to summer school but we don't really want to.  The days are long and we already know what they are teaching but it's okay.  Mama says we always say that before we go and then we always have fun once we are there.  But Mama says she will try to get special permission for me to attend the high school classes at the junior college this year so I won't be so bored and I can hang out with other teenagers.  My sisters are probably going to go to the Catholic summer school nearby at St. Eugene's.  That's where one of my sisters went last year and I went there, too.  There is also a special summer school at Stanford for kids my age.  I am really interested in that program because I am really interested in going to Stanford.  Stanford was ranked as the number two school for engineering studies in the nation.  I want to go there when I am older!  Here's a picture of Stanford U.