Our 2010-2011 Curriculum Choices

I saw this blog hop this week and thought that I'd jump on the bandwagon! I wish I had some new really cool resource that I'm using that I could share with everyone.... but that's not the case! We are following our homeschooling "bible" - The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and adding some extras for my little pre-Ker (mostly to keep her busy and get her ready for K).

What We're Doing Together
* Bible Time - We are currently memorizing Psalm 19 together, so we will continue working on that passage! We also will work on our Awana verses together! I really want to do a "what is God like" unit for the kids and I! But we'll get a lot of attributes from Psalm 19 and from my Mom's Bible Study material:)

*Story of the World - We will finish Vol 1 (we only have 5 chpts left!!!!) and then start on Vol 2! All will listen, Anna and Chris will verbally answer questions, Anna will complete the narration and everyone will do the activities (when possible).

*Science - We will study Earth Science and Astronomy using the Usborne 1st Encyclopedias. Again, we will all work on the activities and experiments with Anna completing "lab write-ups".

2nd Grader
*We will continue to use SAXON for math! It's a very thourogh and straightforward curriculum with fun activities mixed in. With my math background, I really think having a SOLID foundation in math is soo important and I was very pleased with Saxon last year, so Anna will work on Saxon 2.

*For reading we will attempt to stay with books corresponding to Story of the World. While I am deviating from The Well Trained Mind some, I have really enjoyed Sonlight's reading list that match our history. We are also considering the McGuffey readers! And library books;)

*She'll work through Spelling Workout level B and then start C! She loves workbooks and did really well working through level A last year. What I really like are the little Writing Assignments in each section so we are sure to get some creative writing in each week;)

*For grammer, we'll continue to work through First Language Lessons. Anna did AWESOME memorizing her the poems. The lessons are very simple and many include copywork! Again the concentration is on basics!!

*And I slacked on Anna learning cursive this summer! So she'll work through a cursive writing curriculum based off of some workbooks I picked up at a homeschooling consignment shop;) She saw them and was read to start today:)

Kindergartener
***I've really debated about where to place Chris this year! Technically because of his late birthday he'd be starting Pre-K. But he has already starting the "learning to read" process and really is a little further along than a child just entering K. But he's still a busy little boy whose not quite ready for a lot of independent bookwork. So... this is the plan.... subject to change!!!

*We will start SAXON 1!! But I'm planning to stretch lessons and worksheets out for 2 days. Once addition facts are learned each day includes the lesson, math fact sheet, front/back of worksheet... that's plenty for my ACTIVE boy for two days. So we'll finish half this year and then the other half when he's a 1st grader (unless he wants to go faster)!

*He will also continue to work through the activities we have called Math Mastermind during his alone work time. They are very hands-on and require critical thinking. Chris loves the activities and they "challenge" him!

*To continue to learn to read we will get back into The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading. He's not crazy about this book, but it's such a great foundation for reading! So it will require this momma's patience and creativity:) He also likes the BOB books and the TAG readers:)

*For handwriting, I'll have copywork for him:) Probably sheets I make myself.... Bible verses we are learning (home and Awana) and sentences that explain pictures that he draws;) Surprisingly his handwriting is pretty decent for a little 4 yr old, left-handed boy!!

Pre-K
*Pre-reading with Starfall, pre-K workbook and reading library books. But I suspect that sometime before Christmas she will also be working in Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading unless she starts working in the K workbook??

*Lydia is also working on following directions and she loves cutting and pasting:) I found some Kumon cutting and pasting workbooks on clearance! They will be perfect to keep her happy and busy while I have one-on-one time with Anna and Chris (math and reading)!

*For math, Lydia is learning from the Pre-K workbook, activities we do together, puzzles, board games and meeting time with Anna and Chris:)

*Lydia will also use our already acquired printing helps to start working on her handwriting... very laid back! But she loves doing "school work"!

I feel like this year I am concentrating on the basics! With having Nate now and trying to keep everyone challenged, I just feel really stretched. We'd love to start learning Spanish as a family in the evenings... Brian also has his hands full with pastoring, teaching an online course through our local community college and possibly taking a class!

We will be meeting up with other homeschoolers for fun and field trips! I LOVE the group we're a part of and maybe we will have the flexibility to get more involved this year!

Next week they are sharing their School Rooms.... oh my! So glad I made time to clean it up yesterday... I hadn't seen the top of the table since I brought Nate home from the hospital! I still have a couple of projects I'd like to do in there before I "present" it.... LOL!! you all know I'm not very good at the decor thing.... so we'll see what happens;)