Our Curriculum for 2009/10

Well, we are officially ready for our next school year. I have finally placed an order for the rest of our curriculum. I am so excited to start! During the summer, we will continue with spelling, reading, and some math. We usually start our school year with the cores sometime in July. I like starting early. It allows me to take breaks throughout the year without out feeling guilty. This is especially helpful for me since I've been going to college. When the semester starts to get rough and I need study time for myself, I can ease up on my teaching duties at home and not feel like I'm failing my kids.

Here's the line up-

Drake grade 6:

• Sonlight Core 5 (5 day schedule) Study of the East - includes History, Readers, & Read-Alouds
• Horizon's Math 5
• Growing With Grammar 5
• All About Spelling
• Wordsmith Apprentice
• Wordly Wise 3000 5
• Apologia Science Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day
• Handwriting Without Tears Cursive
• The DK Illustrated Family Bible
• Rosetta Stone Spanish

Ava grade 2:

• Sonlight Core 2 (5 day schedule) Study of the second half of world history. Fall of Rome to present- includes History, Readers, & Read-Alouds
• Horizon's Math 2
• Sonlight Language Arts 2
• Modern Curriculum Press Phonics Level C
• All About Spelling
• Explode the Code books 5/6
• Wordly Wise B
• Apologia Science Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day
• Handwriting Without Tears Printing
• The DK Illustrated Family Bible

Extras:

• Mark Kistler's Draw Squad
• Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry 1 (I just had to get this. It looks very informative. I'll be taking come chemistry classes next semester; why not study it with the kids too right?)
• Story Starters by Karen Andreola

Books Galore!

Since our new school books came, I spent some time the past week organizing our bookshelf. I did have all of Core 3 packed away and decided that it was better to put everything out. Now, I know compared to some of you, this collection is quite small. Most of these books are from Sonlight Cores 1-5.

The Great Turkey Walk, Gone Away Lake, Little Britches, Moccasin Trail, and Old Yeller were some of Drake's favorite books this year. I enjoyed reading Lincoln: A Photobiography to Drake and cried like a baby on the part when Lincoln was shot. It was sad. Of course I knew he was assassinated, but it was all in the moment I guess.

Understood Betsy, The Usborne Time Traveler, The Usborne Book of World History, Magic School Bus at the Waterworks, Follow My Leader, and Greek Myths are some of Ava's favorites.

The George Muller Book is one of my favorites from Core 1 history. I'm happy that we will get to read more in the series.

Core 3 books

The Sign of the Beaver is Drake's favorite book from this core. I think I was all choked up during that story too.~New books that we can't wait to dig into~

C.M. Book

I've recently started reading through Vol. 1 of Charlotte Mason's home schooling series. I find her philosophy on education very interesting and have felt convicted while reading this book. I see all the mistakes I have already made, but I do feel encouraged to keep on and improve. Vol. 1 is about teaching and raising children under nine years old. There is a ton of good information that not only deals with the intellectual aspects of children, but also their health and well being. I no longer see this book as a "homeschool" book but as a parenting book. There are 6 Volumes altogether. I found a website that summarizes all the volumes for those who might like to check that out. Click Here