2016-2017 Curriculum Picks

Hi there,

Last Tuesday we had our kick-off potluck for our homeschool group in Madison. We also had our first day for classes down there last week. Yesterday was our first day of lessons at home. We didn't start with much fanfare but just jumped in. This is our sixth year of home educating. So in some ways I feel like its becoming second nature and I know my way around but in most ways it is a complicated, fast-paced dance where I must keep on my toes to keep up with the tempo of the music. I have the same "students" every year, so I know with whom I am working but it does not follow that the pattern is basically the same year to year. The kids grow and change and thus what we do must adapt to keep up with their needs and abilities. They must always be challenged and pressed onward. I know I am.. Whew! This is no easy task. Pray for me!

goofball. 

Anyhow, I  must get off to cook breakfast and prepare for our day but I thought I'd quick share some of the resources we are using this year. Many of them are the old favorites but there is quite enough newness to keep everyone on their toes.

Math is Singapore again. Singapore all around (1st and 5th grades).

Phonics is Phonics Pathways again for my little reader.

The bulk of the writing instruction is presented again by Mr. Pudewa at IEW. We are working through the Student Writing Intensive Continuation Course. Year 2.

Cursive for the boys is Writing Our Catholic Faith. Handwriting for Nutmeg through Memoria Press (partly).

Grammar for the boys is something new: Fix It! Grammar through IEW.

Spelling for the boys is studied dictation (Charlotte Mason) is through passages related to our history. Nutmeg does spelling through Phonics Pathways.

Vocabulary is a new concept that popped into my head this year. We've made a notebook called "My Book of Words." They'll write new words that they run across here and review them often. And actually a few subjects already have them doing something like this, so they'll just collect all the vocabulary for all subjects and life in general in this notebook.

History is my favorite! We thrive here. And really, history is all encompassing. It reaches into all areas of our learning. Much of our research and writing is taken from our historical time period for the year. Our literature selections are mostly from the time period. Our handwriting and vocabulary are often from here. Faith/religion and history are inseparable.  The list goes on. We use RC History. I buy the class syllabus (we are on Volume III) and then type of our list of "to do's" for each unit. This year there are seven units. RC History also has lessons plans to purchase but that is not how I roll. I like to take all the resources/activities and create my own checklist and then we work through it. For me, making lesson plans at the beginning of the year for each day doesn't jive with real life. Every day is different. I'd rather do that weekly or even daily.

Some things on my checklists: spines (2), in depth reading (much is independent for the boys. this in depth reading is the bulk of our history learning), historical coloring books (often for Nutmeg), memory selection, copy work selection, Book of Centuries, Hands on Project, Writing Project, Map Work, and History Night as a family.  The history mapping is new to us this year. We use a CD called "Map Trek" to print out our maps. It is incredible! As I was printing it out, I kept thinking "Wow! This is awesome! I NEVER learned this stuff growing up. Even in college."

Science is Apologia again. Anatomy and Physiology. I didn't originally think of this but now I'm seeing that often fifth grade is when human development is presented. So I'm thinking I'll find some additional resources to dig into that area more at the end of fifth grade. Human growth and development is the last chapter our the book. I also purchased the journaling template for science this year. Mostly to give Miss Nutmeg some more things to work on. Much of our vocabulary will come from science as well.

Gentle Latin introduction through Memoria Press. Slowly working our way through this program.

Continuing Art with Artistic Pursuits with Nutmeg and whoever wants to join in.



A new typing program. Typing Instructor.

Nature walks and journals. 

Continuing on with an informal stroll in US geography through picture books and maps.

Fitness: swimming and skiing.

Music: working through "Beethoven Who? Family Fun with Music."  An interactive ebook.

Morning Time: right after breakfast. We work through one Shakespearean play a year and memorize a number of passages. We also memorize together:  weekly verses, prayers, history selections, Latin, states and capitals, science terms, historical people and events, and grammar terms. After our memory work we have a read aloud time.

Homeschool classes in Madison: gym, choir, art, science lab (which turns out to be anatomy and physiology this year! Wahoo!)

Literature and Read Alouds: audio in the car on the way to Madison and just before bed, especially for Nutmeg.

Oh and last but not least is our faith component. This year we are using Gen2Rev Storybook written by Emily Cavins (wife of Jeff Cavins) and a team of writers (who I met at the homeschool conference this year). We started it yesterday and I am pumped!!  Basically we will walk through salvation history from Genesis to Revelation. Along the way we will see exactly where specific components of our faith have their roots in Scripture, specifically the parts of the Nicene Creed, responses in the liturgy, the seven sacraments, and the mysteries of the rosary. I read this to the kids at breakfast. Accompanying the storybook are large chunks of assigned Scripture reading. Yesterday and today, for example, we read Genesis chapters one and two.

I have to say that I love everything we are doing BUT it is a lot. A lot. Our day is very full and I'm not sure what I think of that. I want my kids to have free time to just be kids and play. So I'm not sure what to do with this. Do I have them doing too much?  What would I take out? It all seems non-negotiable to me. I want it all!  So pray for me and discernment. Maybe we do it but at a relaxed pace. We'll see. I''ll be thinking and praying. We'll see how things go.

All my love,

Ruthie

Ha! This lasted for about 5 min total. Then it developed into
ripping off the couch cushions and then jumping into them. I think we need a crash pad area someplace
around here. 

Collecting herbs for our herby playdough. Things for Mace to do. Always the big challenge.