Jessie is down for some quiet time. Sam is at camp. Kirby is asleep on the couch. I’m reading over July’s homeschooling assignments and I think I just had an ephphany! (ouch) Mind you, I’ve already done a lot of the foot… err finger work (typing) but I think this will save time in the future AND (I hope) be more involving (empowering?) for Sam.
For Spelling I’m using much of “The ABCs and All Their Tricks.” (ABCaATT) For July (and purty much the entire year) I had meticulously typed words from different spelling rules (2 rules per week) and entered them and their assignments into HSTracker. Weeeeellllll, what if in the future I just give him the rules I want him to look up in ABCaATT and he:
- chooses and copies down 15 words from each rule assigned (Monday)
- Dictionary work: look up words, copy down syllable separations & parts of speech, read the definitions. (Tuesday)
- rule review, oral spelling test. (Wednesday)
- Dictionary work: origins & Respellings (Thursday)
- Oral Spelling Test, write down missed words for later review, write sentences using all those words, individually or together (Friday)
For Thursday’s dictionary work, he’d have to utilize the computer as our hard copy doesn’t include things like origins. I think I’m OK with that since it would help him practice his touch typing. Tuesday’s dictionary work would be on the hard copy and would give him practice using one the ‘old fashioned way.’ 
He’s pretty good at that but could use practice.
I also noticed today that I did not put anything into HSTracker for Writing Strands. 
I’ve already printed out scads of pages for my reference but not Sam’s assignment pages. I think I’ll make these changes before I print his stuff.
