2012-2013 Curriculum

We are currently following a classical education model.  

First Grade

Abby is six.  She is eager to learn and remembers things well.  She's reading somewhere between a sixth and seventh grade level, working a year ahead in math, and is really excited to start history and science this year.

Language Arts:  

Writing With Ease, All About Spelling (finish up level 2, maybe begin level 3), First Language Lessons (finish level 1, move into level 2), review phonics via Webster's Speller (first few weeks), good books

Math:

MEP Math Y2, Singapore Primary Math Y2, Miquon Green and Blue

Science: 

REAL Science Odyssey: Life, good books

History:

Story of the World: Ancients with Activity Guide, good books

Music and Art: 

Listening to good classical music (Classical Kids should help here!), Art with a Purpose

Junior Kindergarten

My goal for Emmett this year is to get him reading fluently.  From there, we'll add in curriculum as necessary or he demands.  He tags along with history and science and loves those activities.

Language Arts:

Funnix Beginning Reading, maybe he'll start AAS level 1 in a few months, good books

Math:

Miquon Orange, maybe we'll move him into MEP and/or Singapore y1 

Preschool

Ellie is the child that demands to do her own reading and her own math.  She has activities this year because she loves them.

Letter Crafts:

These will be activities that I cull from all over the place.  We'll focus on a letter a week and watch a lot of LeapFrog Letter Factory.

Activity Book:

Ellie will also work through the What Your Preschooler Needs to Know workbook that goes along with the book.  It's very open-and-go and she often begs to do more.  

Tot School

My goal for Hyrum this year is just enjoy the time with him.  He will tag along with what everyone else does and make messes, color on the walls, potty on the floor, and spill his snacks...which is exactly what I expect a toddler to do!

"Doing School"

About a month ago I posted where we "do school." I'm not sure if it will remain the same when we actually "start school"...I like the idea of Abby sitting at a kid-sized table, but the only one have is an Ikea one in Emmett's room. While it's fairly light, I'd probably have to drag it back and forth to the living room to "do school" everyday. I'm sure that would get old.

I guess, while I mull it over, we'll keep schooling at the dining room table.

Fall Line-Up

We are getting ready for "back-to-school" at our house, just like everyone else in the US. Abby keeps asking me when she'll go to "real school." Umm...maybe never? LOL I tell her usually, "We'll see."

Lately, though, she keeps asking me when school starts. So, we've set a date so she can see it on our calendar. I'd like to start with an all-about-you type of page and "first day" pictures and a few light lessons and then maybe we'll go off and do something fun. That something fun, I'm hoping, will emphasize the fact that kids in school don't get to do fun things during the day like that. Daddy's also going to take off, so it will be lots of fun...whatever we do. I haven't decided that yet...

Anyway, with the fall semester coming, it's a great time to evaluate and really see what we're going to do. I'm saving the start of some lessons for the 22nd of August, which is our start date.

This list is subject to change or rearranging as I see fit. After all, it is our first year of homeschooling with curricula and as much as I've read reviews and researched and picked what I think will work...the fact is, it may not.

Abby turned 5 at the end of May.

For Language:

• She is at a solid second-grade reading level. We stopped Funnix 2 halfway through because it was getting repetitive and not necessary. I'm hoping a spelling program that is rich in phonics instruction will fill in any holes in her phonics understanding. For that, we'll be working with All About Spelling Level 1.
• To encourage her reading, I'm going to have her read to me the Sonlight Readers. We'll back up to grade 1 and read through those and the grade 2 readers as well.

For Math:

• I've ordered RightStart Level A and are awaiting its arrival. I think she'll have fun with all the manipulatives. The scripted lessons, I think, we'll be good for her. She does not care for open-ended lessons at all. She wants to be told what to do and complete it effortlessly.

Outside of the House:

• Swimming lessons at the local community college. She really wants to take gymnastics too. Hopefully I can find a way to make that work...

For Everything Else (science, history, art, etc, etc):

• Five in a Row! Enough said. We've done seven units so far and LOVE the curriculum! We own all of the books that aren't out-of-print in the second volume. As we row the other volumes, we'll collect those books as well.

Emmett turns 4 in October.

For Language:

• We'll do lots of letter play and phonemic awareness activities. My aims for him this school year will be to work on rhyming and an increased phonemic awareness. If he's really interested we'll start some of the earliest blending exercises...but probably not. Whatever he wants to do...

For Math:

• He is the type that I could see loving the discovery method of playing with Cuisenaire Rods and Miquon Math. For the next few months the rods will be special time to play between myself and him. Gradually we'll work ourselves into some Miquon-ish type activities.

Outside of the House:

• Swim lessons at the local community college, which he loves! He is quite the little swimmer as well!

For Everything Else:

• Tagging along with his big sis doing FIAR!

Our full-time tag-alongs include:

Ellie turned 2 at the end of July.

• What can I say? She's two. Our goals this school year for her include colors, shapes, speaking in better sentences and finish potty training. Oh, yeah...and trying to contain the toddler tornado. Wish me look on that one.

Hyrum just turned 2 months.

• My goal for him this year would be those typical of the first year of life: giggle, roll, sit, crawl, feed self, stand, walk... Most importantly? Be CUTE!

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