Curriculum for Our Third Homeschooling Year: August, 2012 to Spring, 2013
8 and 6 year olds together:
Language Arts: Brave Writer and read-alouds daily.
Science: R.E.A.L. Science Earth and Space
Firefly, age 8
Math: Time4Learning and Life of Fred Elementary Set # 1 : Apples, Butterflies, Cats, Dogs
History: Early American History
Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears, Cursive
Extracurricular Activities: Lego Club, Piano Lessons
The Queen Bee, age 6
Math: Hands-On Math.
History with American Girl history books and accompanying activities.
Extra Curricular Activities: dance, Daisy Scouts, sports class.
Love Bug, age 3.5
To see all the learning goals that Love Bug will be working on this year for preschool, click here.
He will also participate in a Preschool Book Club once a week, to include some Before Five in a Row selections.
Past Curriculum
Our Second Homeschooling Year: August, 2011 to Spring, 2012
Firefly, age 7
–Math: Singapore 1A review and 1B (Standards Edition).
–Language Arts: Growing with Grammar, Explode the Code 3
–Music-Piano Lessons.
–Extra Curriculars- Lego Club, Basketball, Ice Skating Lessons.
The Queen Bee, age 5
–Math: Counting to 100, simple addition with manipulatives, writing numbers, making calendars, etc.
–Reading: Reading Eggs website, Bob Books, tons of read-alouds, our own Learning with Literature books and activities.
–Extras: Starfall, PBS Kids websites. Dance class and ice skating lessons.
Together
–History: The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child; Volume 1: Ancient Times and the accompanying Activity Book , as well as lots of other supplemental books, crafts, websites, museum exhibits and more.
–Science- Continuing with R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey-Life (co-op class), lots of Astronomy learning, and Janice VanCleave’s 200 Gooey, Slippery, Slimy, Weird and Fun Experiments
Love Bug, age 2.5
Colors, shapes, letters, numbers. Play, play, play.
Past Curriculum
Our First Homeschooling Year, Fall 2010 to Spring 2011
Firefly, age 6
–RightStart Math, Level B.
–Progressive Phonics , Beginner and Intermediate Level.
–Handwriting Without Tears (Kindergarden review, followed by First Grade), copywork for more practice.
–Five in a Row (Five in a Row): Volume 1
–Lots of read-a-louds.
–Weekly art class.
–Nature Journaling class at our local Nature Sanctuary
–Our own Science/History unit on Pre-history, Dinosaurs and Evolution.
–Brain Pop Jr., various topics.
–R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey, Life Program and Science in the Kitchen (Usborne Science Activities)
The Queen Bee, age 4
The Queen Bee attended a wonderful home-based preschool in our neighborhood until December, 2010. After the winter break, she joined us at home full time.
–Five in a Row (Five in a Row): Volume 1
–Starfall and PBS Kids.
–R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey-Life and Science in the Kitchen (Usborne Science Activities)
–Lots of read-alouds, counting, maps, fun printables, art and craft projects.
–Gymnastics, art and nature journaling classes.
Love Bug, toddler
Love Bug mastered
–Climbing, Level 1
–Destruction, Level 2
Sounds like a great plan you have scheduled. I’ve got a toddler who has just discovered the joys of opening cabinets and pulling things out, or pulling all of sisters books off of the bookshelves…thankfully she hasn’t figured out that she can climb yet…love Pioneer Woman’s take on HS with toddlers!!!
I adore Love Bug’s curriculum!
Thanks Jaqueline and Pathfinder Mom. Toddlers. Hmmmm, what more can I say?
I saw Spanish in your son’s workbox and I’m wondering what you’re using and how that’s going. My daughter keeps saying she wants to learn French, but I’m at a loss as to how to do that at home.
Currently using Muzzy videos checked out from the library over and over again. Need to come up with a plan B that doesn’t cost $200 (price of Muzzy new) before the library catches on to us.
Hi! I was just curious as to how you manage to homeschool three children that require different curriculum? Do your children learn together, and then you focus individually on each child’s age appropriate needs?
Thank you!
Hi. My older two do the same science, history and arts curriculum much of the time. My daughter only just turned 6. This has been her kindergarten year. We did math and reading when she wanted to do it, but I didn’t push it. I’m sort of old-fashioned with regard to kindy and think kids should play a lot. Plenty of time for academics later. My youngest is 3.5 and I have the same philosophy, perhaps more so, where his learning is thru play, play, and more play.
Looks like a wonderful line up. My little one loves Reading Eggs. Have a great year!
I’ve never heard of Brave Writer before. Hope you have a great year!
Hi Julie,
Miss your posting! I checked out your curriculum page and I see that you tried Right Start Math and Singapore math, but have gone with another choice this year. What didn’t you like or what didn’t work for you/kids with the Right Start and Singapore? I’m curious because I’m considering Singapore (switching from Saxon) and I’m trying to get feedback.
Hope you are having great holidays so far!
Dawn
Hi Dawn,
Both RightStart and Singapore are great programs. I think our struggles were more personal. With RightStart, I was overwhelmed with also caring for my preschooler and a toddler who quit napping and I didn’t have time to focus on this wonderful math program. We switched to Singapore, which was more of a workbook, however my son was not ready for it and it also required a lot of my focus and time. This year we are using Time 4 Learning and Life of Fred and it’s working. My son is very math focused this year because he is ready! So we are rolling with it. As it turns out, our first two years of homeschooling were very history and science focused. This year, we are very math, reading, and handwriting focused.
If you are considering Singapore, the things we liked about it were the colorful workbook pages and the ease of everything being ready to go for me, the momma. With RightStart there was planning time involved that I just didn’t have that year. With Singapore, I could just pick up the books and go. I also thought the length of each lesson was very manageable.
Best of luck with your decision and thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting.
Julie