Planning for Next Year Part 5 - 5th grade

Do our children have to become gradually more serious about their education? Yes. Does that mean that there has to be an end to enjoyment and fun and their school days?  Not necessarily.  I hope that this year will turn out to be as fun for our oldest student as it is for the preschooler.  Of course, fun  in 5th grade is a whole lot different that the finger paints and bean bag games of preschool. 
Here's what we've got in store for our oldest:
Math : Abeka (workbook only) (although we are currently finishing up last year's work)
Language: Abeka-workbook, but only the grammar studies, composition is separate
Writing Strands- I just love their program and my daughter is excelling with it. (I wrote a review here)
Spelling - see my hybrid spelling method here
Handwriting-A Reason for Handwriting
History - Guest Hollow, American History Year 1 (I reviewed it here)
Science--various resources, Abeka text as a reference, experiments from various places
Art--this student loooves art and is quite spontaneous in this area, also How to Teach Art to Children in a group setting, with siblings
Music-keyboard
P.E.--she is playing volleyball in the fall (2nd year) and whatever else strikes her interest in the seasons ahead.
Also, she is now old enough for our church's youth group so she is having a great time there as well.

I think she is really getting the hang of some of the crafty things I've been trying to teach her in the last few years.  So, hopefully during those wintry days of cabin fever, we will have more craft time !