Our Curriculum {2015-2016}

Happy end of summer?!?  Last year we tried a hybrid....this year we are back to full time Homeschool and I am so excited.  Why we nixed the hybrid is another post... 

7th Grader

Bible - Christian Studies II by Memoria Press and Who is God by Apologia

Math - Abeka Basic Mathematics (7th grade math)

Latin - First Form Latin from Memoria Press

Grammar - Rod & Staff English 7 and Classical Conversations Essentials
Grammar - Fit It! Grammar 2 - Robin Hood

Writing - IEW US History based writing
Writing - Classical Composition - Fable and Narrative (Accelerated plan)

Spelling - Spelling Power

Vocabulary - Vocabulary from Classical Roots A

Literature Units - Tapestry of Grace Year 3: Dialectic level

History - Tapestry of GraceYear 3: Dialectic level

Science - Anatomy and Physiology from Apologia

Geography - Tapestry of GraceYear 3 and Road Trip USA (for fun) by Confessions of a Homeschooler

P.E. - USAG Girls Gymnastics Team level 8

5th Grader

Bible - Christian Studies II by Memoria Press and Who is God by Apologia

Handwriting - A Reason For Handwriting

Math - Abeka Arithmetic 5

Latin - Latina Christiana I from Memoria Press 

Grammar - Rod and Staff English 5
Grammar - Fit It! Grammar 1 - The Nose Tree

Writing - IEW US History based writing
Writing - Classical Composition - Fable and Narrative (Accelerated plan)

Spelling - Spelling Power

Vocabulary - Vocabulary from Classical Roots 5

Literature Units - Tapestry of GraceYear 3: Dialectic level

History - Tapestry of GraceYear 3: Dialectic level

Science - Anatomy and Physiology from Apologia

Geography - Tapestry of GraceYear 3 and Road Trip USA (for fun) by Confessions of a Homeschooler

Classical Conversations Foundations Cycle 1 CDs

P.E. - USAG Girls Gymnastics Team level 5/7

3rd Grader

Bible - Listening to Christian Studies II by Memoria Press 

Handwriting - A Reason For Handwriting

Math - Abeka Arithmetic 3

Latin - Prima Latina from Memoria Press

Grammar - Rod & Staff English 3

Writing - IEW Bible Heros

Spelling - Spelling Power
Vocabulary - Vocabulary from Classical Roots 4
Literature Units - Tapestry of GraceYear 3: Upper Grammar level
History - Tapestry of GraceYear 3: Upper Grammar level

History - Story of the World: The Middle Ages

Science - Anatomy and Physiology from Apologia

Geography - Tapestry of GraceYear 3 and Road Trip USA (for fun) by Confessions of a Homeschooler

Classical Conversations Foundations Cycle 1 CDs

P.E. - USAG Boys Gymnastics Team level 4

Kindergarten/1st

Bible - ABC Bible Verses

Handwriting - A Reason For Handwriting

Math - Abeka Arithmetic 1

Phonics - Primary Phonics 

Phonics - First Start Reading from Memoria Press
Reading - Bob books and Primary Phonics books

Classical Conversations Foundations Cycle 1 CDs

P.E. - Gymnastics

Update: We don't do ALL of this every, single, day.  (I will post my sample schedules that I use for the kids soon.) For what I call our "core" curriculum, we do bible, math, history, latin, grammar, and writing every day.  Two to three times a week we do spelling, vocabulary, science, and geography. Then there is some other little "daily work" that the kids do, deepening on their age/grade.

Our Curriculum {2014-2015}

Its already August, and I know some states start school in August and some in September.  We are more of a year-round-school family, so our curriculum is ongoing and can sometimes change mid year. This year, we are trying a Hybrid school (kids in school 2 days a week).  Some curriculum is school (KCA) required and the rest we are doing here on our own.

This list might scare some, but know that we don't do everything every. single. day.  

Some things are once or twice a week.  Somethings are once a month. Some things are 5 mns a day, some are 15 mns a day. So.....while it might look like a lot its manageable....most days.  If/when it get to be too much, some of the extras slide.  I'm ok with that.  After all, I'm the teacher, right? 

6th Grader

Bible - *Big Truths for Young Hearts

Math - *Saxon *8/7

Latin - First Form Latin from Memoria Press

Grammar - Rod & Staff English 6 and Classical Conversations Essentials

Writing - *IEW Middle Ages

Spelling - Spelling Power

Vocabulary - *Vocabulary from Classical Roots 6

Literature Units - *Tapestry of Grace (through the hybrid)

Classical Studies - Famous Men of the Middle Ages from Memoria Press

History - *Tapestry of Grace (through the hybrid)

Science -*Chemistry (through the hybrid)

Geography - Road Trip USA by Confessions of a Homeschooler

Fine Arts - through KCA

Classical Conversations Foundations Cycle 3 CDs

P.E. - USA Girls Gymnastics Team

4th Grader

Bible - through the hybrid

Handwriting - A Reason For Handwriting

Math - *Horizons 4

Latin - Latina Christiana I from Memoria Press and *Song School Latin

Grammar - Rod and Staff English 4  and Classical Conversations Essentials

Writing - *IEW Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales

Spelling - Spelling Power

Literature Units -  5th grade from Memoria Press and *Tapestry of Grace (through the hybrid)

Classical Studies - Famous Men of the Middle Ages from Memoria Press

History - Story of the World: The Middle Ages

Science - *Chemistry through KCA

Geography -  Road Trip USA by Confessions of a Homeschooler

Fine Arts - through the hybrid

Classical Conversations Foundations Cycle 3 CDs

P.E. - USA Girls Gymnastics Team

2nd Grader

Bible - through the hybrid

Handwriting - A Reason For Handwriting

Math - *Horizons

Latin - Prima Latina from Memoria Press and *Song School Latin

Grammar - Rod & Staff English 2

Writing - Writing With Ease Level 2 and *IEW Bible Heros

Spelling - Spelling Power

History - Story of the World: The Middle Ages

Science - *Chemistry through KCA

Geography - Road Trip USA by Confessions of a Homeschooler

Fine Arts - through the hybrid

Classical Conversations Foundations Cycle 3 CDs

P.E. - Gymnastics

Preschooler/Early Kindergarten

Bible - ABC Bible Verses and Big Thoughts for Little People

Handwriting - A Reason For Handwriting

Math - Abeka Arithmetic K and Numbers 1 and 2 from Memoria Press

Latin - *Song School Latin

Alphabet - Letter of the Week (simplified) from COAH  and Alphabet 1 and 2 from Memoria Press

Phonics - Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading

Reading - First Start Reading from Memoria Press

Classical Conversations Foundations Cycle 3 CDs

P.E. - Gymnastics

The items marked with the * are the books that are required from our Hybrid school.  There are more books within the history, literature and bible classes there, but those are course and time period (Middle Ages) specific.

FREE Christmas Alphabet {Printable from 1+1+1=1}

She always has some great stuff.  I'm planning to use these over the Christmas break to review ABC order with my little one.  Every month I keep saying I'm going to start real school with her....next month.  Well, Jan is the month!  Really!  This will be a fun way to break her in.

Curriculum Series {Phonics}

The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading 

The OPG is our Phonics book of choice.  True story, I bought this book the summer (or two?) before I even thought about homeschooling.  I have NO idea why I bought it, other than I was planning to do an "Alphabet Summer."  I'm not sure how this book fit into A-B-C activities??  Looking back, it was a God thing.  (I realized that after I started reading The Well Trained Mind.)

The lessons are scripted and quick.  About 5 minutes per lesson.  Some days we do 1, some 2, or some none.  Whatever time allows and whatever the kiddos will sit still for.  They will quickly be reading small sentences and fun little "stories" which are really a few related sentences put together.  Its neat to see the transition from focusing on sounding out each individual word to understanding the full sentences and stories.

I used this book with my 2nd kiddo when I pulled her out of school mid-1st grade.  I opened the book up and started asking her questions.  (I find it sad that before I homeschooled, I didn't really know where she was in reading, other than she wasn't struggling at all.)  When I got to the first lesson she couldn't easily do, that's where we started.  

My son (at 4) asked me to teach him to read like his sisters.  I picked this book up and we started at the beginning.  I quickly realized I didn't like the repetitive nature of the letter sounds plus (we had the Letter Factory) he already knew them all. I simply skipped ahead and started in Section II.  We've been going strong since then and he's almost done with the book.  Somehow this kid just instinctively knows how to read, so its very little work for me.  I don't even go over the "instructor" part at the top of each lesson anymore because he just starts reading "his" part on the pages. 

I know I lucked out (so far) in the phonic department and that teaching kids to read has not been a struggle for us.  I know it is a huge struggle for some though.

The Little Miss (3) keeps asking about it, so I guess I'll have to start her soon too.  She runs the show around here so I think it'll be a little different trying to teach her. :)  She already knows all her letter sounds (thank you Leap Frog) and some sight words (thank you Preschool Prep). 

 (No we don't to school by DVD, but we do spend a lot of time in the car driving children to extracurricular activities and waiting to pick them up.)

We also use the BOB books.  

My son adored these each time we would check them out from the library.  It was far and few between since they were always checked out.  I gave up and bought the series.  I figured I have another one who will use them and I can always resell when we are done. These are a great confidence builder.  Very quickly, they are able to read the whole book by themselves!  They are 12 to a set (I believe) and worth they cost in my opinion.  I bought one set at a time.

Other Phonics curriculum we've tried and let go of....

Explode the Code books

This was really just busy work for my son so he felt like he was doing "workbooks" like the girls.  I decided there was no reason to spend money on busy work.

Reading Eggs online

This program I did like.  I set all three kid up with an account about 18 months ago using a handful of promo codes.  Then they recalled them and we only had 2 weeks. At the time, I didn't want to pay for it, so we dropped it.  I just tested my 6 year old again to set up another account and he surprisingly passed all the reading levels, so...no point in paying for something we don't need. I will use this for the Little Miss when she starts "school."  Hopefully by then, it will all be on the iPad.