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Welcome to Homeschooling 2011

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School started on Monday.  We've had officially three days of school ... and I am IN LOVE WITH HOMESCHOOLING!

Our homeschool journey already has been a long story with many, many pitfalls, mishaps, and mistakes. But, it has also been the best learning experience ... for me.  I don't think I'd change it ... except to say that I wish I could go back seven years ago and really be committed to homeschooling my children.

I've posted many entries about our adventures at school last year ... so many that I don't think I need to rehash it all.  Needless to say, we found the public school wanting.  So, we are trying to fill in the gaps this year, in the hopes that our children will actually learn to love learning; give them a good base to continue their education (at home).

Without further ado, for those of you who are interested, here is a list of our curriculum for the year: 

2011-2012 Curriculum

LANGUAGE ARTS
Grammar: Easy Grammar 2, 4, and 6
Vocabulary: Worldly Wise 3000 2, 4, 6
Spelling: All About Spelling Level 1 (Grade 2)
Spelling: Phonetic Zoo (for Grades 4 & 6)
Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing (Grades 2, 4, & 6)

HANDWRITING
A Beka Cursive with Phonics (K, 2)
(Eliza and Kate will be using the Grade 2 materials from A Beka because Eliza barely learned cursive in MN, and Kate didn't learn cursive at all! A Beka begins teaching cursive in Kindergarten, so their Grade 2 materials are spot on for Eliza and Kate.)

MATH
Saxon 1, 2, 5/4, 7/6

HISTORY
The Story of the World Volume One

SCIENCE
Apologia Zoology 3: Animals of the Sixth Day

SPANISH
Rosetta Stone Latin America Spanish Level 1

READING
Kindergarten: 
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Lots of books from the library
Books from the list at the back of Teach Your Child to Read
Explode the Code

Grade 2:
Finish the last lessons in Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Explode the Code
James and the Giant Peach
Corduroy & A Pocket for Corduroy
Little Bear
Ox-Cart Man
The White Stallion
Flat Stanley

Grade 4:
Caddie Woodlawn
Babushka Baba Yaga
The Black Pearl
The Hundred Dresses
The Trumpet of the Swan
Island of the Blue Dolphin
The Jungle Book

Grade 6:
The Hobbit
Johnny Tremain
Robinson Crusoe
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Where the Red Fern Grows
Bridge to Terabithia
Call it Courage

GROUP READING
Ella Enchanted
Chocolate Fever
Magic Treehouse Books (that correspond with what we are studying in history, or science)

I haven't decided on all the books we are going to read for our group reading.  (Any suggestions are welcomed!)  

Originally, I was going to use a program called Learning Language Arts Through Literature.  But, when we went to the Arizona homeschool convention, I was able to look at it in depth and found that it touched every subject in language arts, but just barely.  Almost like a touch and go.  I wasn't thrilled with that approach.  So, I changed my plan and went with my back up plan (good thing I had one!).  I picked out the grammar, vocabulary, and spelling curriculum.  Then, I couldn't find something for reading/literature that I really liked.  I wanted something that would actually go through a classic text and disect it.  So, I've just made a list of classics that we will cover and I will end up making our own literature units.  Thankfully, there are so many resources on the internet that I have found unit study guides for many of the books on my children's lists.  I won't have to come up with everything, but a lot of what I want to do I will have to develop on my own.

And, I haven't narrowed down Eliza's and Kate's reading lists ... I love all the books in their lists and can't wait for them to love them too.  Makes it hard to take any off the list.  I just have to keep reminding myself that while some schools only study four books (one per quarter), we can study as many as we want, and when we want since we'll be homeschooling year round.  So, they are on their lists and we'll get to them when we get to them.
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Comments

Lynette said…
Yay!!! My favorite post so far. :) :) :) :) I recognize most all of the curriculum you've chosen. I've been trying to think of books for M to read beyond the books listed at the back of TYCtR -- so thank you for a list. :) :) You can find classic book lists just by typing that phrase (and adding the grade level) all over the internet, so if you feel like you don't have enough of a list, I wouldn't stress at all. As far as group read-alouds are concerned, just about anything goes! Here's what we've read (or started to read and then stopped -- which I think is totally okay if something isn't capturing your child's interest enough):

The first two books of the Little House Series

The BFG (haven't finished that one yet)

The first two books of the Chronicles of Narnia series (I'M the one struggling to read this one :) )

Ramona Quimby (my kids don't get the wonderful public school experience, so they aren't as interested in the book as I thought)

A particular book I really really want for reading aloud:

Just So Stories by Rudyard Kiping

They are moral stories (I believe about animals) and are supposed to be EXCELLENT.

I also have a Greek Mythology book compilation that is designed for reading aloud. I've read some of it myself and am really impressed with the storytelling...And because it's Greek Mythology, the stories are very short and sweet, so you could read one if you only have time for one that day or you could read the whole book in a week. :)

Hm.

I hope that was all helpful! :) :)

You're getting ME excited to start -- and I've still got 2-1/2 weeks to go!
August 11, 2011
Aubrey A said…
Wow! Look at you go! I'm so impressed. Who knows what the future holds for my little family, one day I might need all of these curriculum references because I might be doing it all by myself too. You are freaking amazing! Have I said that enough yet? Thanks for sharing!!
August 12, 2011
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