Our 2012-2013 Curriculum Choices

Since beginning "grades" we've followed The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. And we have loved the resources and  having "a plan". Thankfully though home schooling doesn't have to follow just one plan:) We get to use materials that "fit" us and our goals;) So our choices aren't all "The Well-Trained Mind" approved or suggested but I am hoping they are a good fit for us:)

Through the summer I read Educating the Whole Hearted Child by Clay Clarkson and Sally Clarkson. This book covered a lot more than just educating and home schooling, but really parenting with the purpose of  positive habit training and discipleship. As I plan this year, I'm trying to balance a strong core program, fun (and needed) science and history curriculum but allowing room for us to have the time to train and disciple. Reading the book was a much needed reminder to me since I tend to get overwhelmed with just academics!

One of the most wonderful benefits of homeschooling to us is that we get to learn together;) We have tried to organize our studies so we can do as much as possible together through the day! This makes our activities a lot more noisy and fun;)

What we will do together:) 

Bible - Our 24 Family Ways by Clay and Sally Clarkson, Memory Verses, Journals (1000 gifts and/or SOAP)
History - Story of the World, finish 3 and start 4
Science - Physics using physics4kids.org, possible Nutrition class
Art - The World's  Greatest Artists vol 1 from Confessions of a Homeschooler
Music - possible co-op class once a month, hymn/song each month
Spanish - Hooked on Spanish (we're going to try to fit it in again this year)
PE - Rec Time with local home schooling group and soccer in the fall :)

What we work on separately:)


4th Grade*
*Spelling - Spelling Power
*Math - Saxon 54, XtraMath for math fact practice
*Reading - books from the library mostly corresponding to history/science topic
*Grammar - Rod & Staff yr 4 (we're giving R&S a try this year since FLL seemed too easy)
*Writing - letters to friends and family, Writing with Ease??? (still not 100% on this)

2nd Grade*
*Spelling - Spelling Power at s.l.o.w. pace
*Math - finish Saxon 2 and start Saxon 3, XtraMath
*Reading - finish OPG, reading books from library
*Grammar - First Language Lessons 2
*Writing -  letters to friends and family, Writing with Ease

1st Grade*
*Spelling - sight word lists for grades K, 1, and 2
*Math - Saxon 2, XtraMath
*Reading - finish OPG, reading books from the library
*Grammar -  First Language Lessons 2
*Writing -  letters to friends and family, Writing with Ease

Tot School
*Clean up activity/toy before moving to the next toy
*Obeying requests, sharing toys, quiet during reading aloud
*Participating in Bible and Circle Time with older kids
*Possibly some Before Five in a Row reading and activities
* Busy Bag activities that correspond to topics and/or skills from BFIAR


We are also hoping to get involved with a local home schooling group (or two)! Since beginning home schooling Anna in 1st grade, I know we have greatly benefited from being apart of a group for events... mostly field trips but also end of year parties and field day, etc!! It's nice for the kids to be a part of bigger group of students of all ages (younger and older) who also home school:)

Just a note.... * I use these grades to help guide what I am requiring of them. I know my 2nd Grader is more of a 1st/2nd!! Some of his abilities are right at 2nd grade and others aren't!! Thankfully that is one of the blessings of home schooling:) He can learn at his own pace and we can take more time where we need to and  challenge him in areas he excels:) And that is the same with all three of my older kids, not just my 2nd grader:)

Participating in the "not" Back-to-School Hop.

Mower Nap & Extra Rider

Nate's been known to fight naps and then crash in some strange ways! It was a weekend afternoon and I had just started to get the kids down for nap/rest. And then Brian started the mower:)

Nate perked up! And then ran outside and waited until Brian invited him on. Minutes later...

Really was sound asleep:)

As soon as Brian woke Nate he had another rider... waiting her turn;)

The neighborhood dog had to see the Miracle Mower for herself:) LOL!!

She LOVES riding on things... mowers, golf carts:) We've already had a couple of neighbors say that she rides with them... LOL!!

I love Nate's expressions as he tries to tell "Sissy" to get off the mower!

BTW... Brian's mower was off with the Nate & dog pictures:)

More Wordless Wednesday at  NapTime MomTog, 5 Minutes for Mom,  Mama to 4 Blessings, Go Graham Go

and Live and Love...Out Loud !!!

Nate Saying Lydia

It's soo cute to hear the younger kids as they begin to say their siblings' names.

We all laugh when we remember Anna (18+ months) calling Christopher "Dee":) Nate also has a funny name for Chris, he calls him "Tiss". It's funny because it's very hard to decipher whether Nate is saying Chris or kiss:)

But he just started to say another sibling. And I think it's the hardest of all the names:) But he says it;)

Link up what your kids are saying!! Record and remember these sweet memories;)

Making it Pretty, Nocturnal Animals & Faking Frogs

In my life this week...

Painting!!! I've been painting an old bookcase we had at the parsonage. We were hoping to get something different for the schoolroom at the new house, but decided last week to try to use what we have for now...

so since Wednesday I have been putting on a layer a day of white paint on a previously green bookcase. It's been a test of patience and perseverance. But after Sunday's coat, I think it's finished and can get placed in the schoolroom soon;)

And I really think it will be nice having it white! It's been a chore to make it pretty... but I know we need bookcases and it's was cheap to repaint it since we used paint that we already had;) Can't beat that!!

The Olympics:) We've had the TV on since the opening ceremonies... when the signals are good;) LOL!! NOt sure how much we'll watch during the days the next few weeks?

And we've been attempting to establish a chore routine around here. Our home is larger and requires a little more help from the kiddos! So we're spending our "home days" before school starts trying to teach and train on chores. I"ve definitely noticed a difference in the cleanliness of the house. But it's not been an easy road.... at lot of it has to with Momma's diligence :/

In our schooling this week...
umm, yikes. We've almost totally have taken a whole month off school... we all are ready to get back... almost:) We have still kept our afternoon reading and library visits. And the girls are occasionally on xtramath.org:)

Of course when we do take a break we never really stop learning or working together.

This has been a pseudo-Science week;)
We were able to participate in a library program with guests from a state Aquarium. We've been to the program in years passed, but this year the presenter's teaching style was just soo fun and really grabbed our attention! We really enjoyed the program and learned a lot about nocturnal animals.

We also had some animal learning adventures around the house;)

We borrowed a library book about spiders. The pictures were amazing and gave us a very close up view of spiders, their parts and how some of them eat. It's one of those books, you cringe when you read it.... LOL. We'll, I did.... Chris loved it!

Lydia enjoyed a visit with a friendly little dragonfly;)

 Later we found a frog hanging out at the cat's food bowls. As we approached the little frog he closed his eyes and acted like a rock;)

LOL!! Too funny!!

Earlier in the month I shared that we had been playing a LOT of Crazy 8's! Well we upgraded the kids to UNO this week.... we've played a LOT of Uno!! The kids love it and ask to play Uno more than they ask to eat... LOL!!

I'm inspired this week...
the simple beauty of flowers. We have found a couple of flowers on clearance these last two weeks! And it's soo nice to add some color to our yard;) Making it pretty slowly... a little at a time;)

I was also inspired by a friend who called to say she couldn't come. I was in the midst of a project that looked like it was going horribly wrong:( She encouraged me to "press on"... exactly what I needed to hear, at the right moment;)

Places we're going & People we're seeing...
Besides the library and Walmart :/ we haven't been out that much this week. But we were very glad to have Grammie and Uncle Eric visit Thursday. They came to help with some house projects... and we got some done;) But they also cut a path to the water to a fishing hole;)

What We're Reading...
Together we're reading a book called Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright. I've heard good things about this book and look forward to finishing it with the kids this week:)

Anna is still working her way through The American Girls and Boxcar Children books. Lydia is reading everything in sight... or at least trying!! I can really see an improvement in her reading this summer as she has tried to read more on her own! It's like when the "reading bug" bites, they really take off in their reading skills... more than they get from reading lessons alone. It's very exciting to see!!!

What am I Praying for...
the hearts of my children. That they would understand the love of Christ and desire Him fully... in spite of my lack of demonstrating Christ's love for them on some days:/ And that I would be mindful of that task each moment. Loved a post about love, patience and thankfulness!

Questions/Thoughts this Week...
Question is what to do with Anna's Grammar/writing this year. I used First Language Lessons 3 for her last year. She did it, liked it... but a lot of it just seemed like review or busy work for her. I'm not against diagramming sentences... she did plenty of it:) I just know I really struggled with being a decent writer in middle/high school and would love to give her a solid, but fun start;)

SO I'm on the hunt for a fun beginning writing "program" that could be used with all three older kids grades 1-4th. I think I know what I want to use. Would love some input:)

Picture to Share...

Just an afternoon on the swing:)




Linking up to Moments to Remember, Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up.

Lydia's Friendly Dragonfly

Lydia saw him... she "pet his wings".

Can you see the dragonfly she is staring at?

He landed.

Then she showed him off;)

Submitting this picture  to
 Shoot.Edit.Submit., Photo Friday, Give Me Your Best Shot, and Fabulous Friday!