School Journal - Our Curriculum

I probably should have done this one quite a bit sooner than I am, but that's the way it is. I still want to record what we're doing and share some ideas just in case anyone else can benefit from them and so I will have a record of our homeschool journey (because it seems like the scrapbooking isn't happening as fast as life).

Bible
We're going through a study called Character Building for Families Vol. I. It takes an indepth look at various character qualities, looks into different Scripture passages and applies them to the character quality, has you memorize Scripture together and provides discussion questions. We're enjoying it and I've seen a big improvement in the kids' character since the beginning of the school year.

We're also doing Window on the World and praying through the relevant people groups as we study a particular country.

World Geography
This year and part of next we're going to be Galloping the Globe and using Trail Guide to World Geography by Geo Matters. We are learning about several countries around the world continent by continent. So far we've studied North America (Mexico, Canada and U.S.A.), Antarctica and the Arctic. Right now we're in Africa because my animal-loving 8-year-old is infatuated with Cheetahs and Meerkats. So we're traveling there while the flame is hot. We read a lot of informational books and literature that hopefully I'll get around to posting about. My oldest - 6th grader - reads a grade appropriate book set in that country and also has more indepth map and atlas work. She also gets to do the fun stuff though too. :) We also use this as a springboard for learning about some famous explorers significant to the continent studied. The kids have really enjoyed that so far.

Writing
E is in an IEW class for 4th - 6th grades that I am teaching. We're going through their Fables, Myths and Fairytales Theme Writing Book. I enjoy teaching the class and I think E is having a good time in there too. She never misses a day of doing writing and does not complain about it, which is always a good sign.

The boys aren't doing a lot of creative writing. They will dictate stories to me sometimes which they like, but especially for the 3rd grader, I'm just trying to concentrate on his reading and comprehension. The writing will come later. He also has trouble forming his letters and with a broken arm, those things are just on the back burner for now. My 1st grader is doing copywork - mostly just Bible verses that I write for him, but his letter formation is pretty good especially for a lefty.

Reading
I have both the boys read to me every school day. L reads a book usually of his choosing that is somewhat challenging for him, but that won't be discouraging. And it's usually about an animal! Zach is going through Teach Your Child to REad in 100 Easy Lessons . So far, he's on Lesson 56. He's quite motivated to get through though because there's a toy involved when you reach 100. A little incentive never hurt anyone. :)

Spelling
For E, this has been an area where she struggles. I always thought that if you were a good reader, you'd be a good speller and you wouldn't have to work on spelling. I was wrong! She can read just about any word placed in front of her, but it's hard for her to spell some simple words. I don't know all the whys about it, but I do know that Sequential Spelling is definitely helping her. The spelling patterns over and over again are drilling spelling into her brain with very little effort and I'm liking it. I've tried several other programs and for her SS is working. And it's cheap!!

L is using All About Spelling and not exactly thrilled about it, but I think that the harder the spelling words are, the more he'll need the structure and guidance of the AAS program. We're basically going over stuff that he already knows, but I want to make sure he's got it before we move on since he's had so much trouble with reading and remembering letter sounds and letter combination sounds.

Math
E has started using Teaching Textbooks 6 this year and is enjoying it much more than Math-U-See. I like it because it is one less thing I have to teach and she doesn't argue with me about it. :) There is enough repetition and she actually likes seeing an actual grade which we've never done before.

The boys are using Singapore Math. L tolerates it and Z likes it. L would like math if all you ever did was play games, but I am just not that much into the games. He doesn't like the memorization that math involves, but he definitely is learning the concepts and can follow the patterns pointed out in Singapore. Z just likes math even though last year I was worried that he wouldn't know his numbers. He just figured out how to count to 20 correctly!! Ah well. But he's also my computer lover, so he asks to do math on the computer like Big Sis.

Science
This year we started out doing Apologia Zoology 3. I was so excited to have an animal study that correlated to our World Geography and being able to put the little pictures of animals up on our world map that I cut and colored and worked so hard on. But, alas, as with many things, the kids started complaining about it and I gave in, but we had to do science right? So I looked around and saw Chemistry R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey from Pandia Press. The kids are really enjoying it. It's not a Christian curriculum but it does use a lot of hands-on labs to get the information across.

Preschool
I'm not a big school-type preschool fan, but Betty loves letters and doing school while the kids are doing their workboxes, so she has her own workboxes with school-type activities and crafts and games and books and anything I think might be fun for her (and to keep her busy while I concentrate on the olders). She could hold her pencil correctly when she had just turned two and been coloring and writing ever since. She has her own notebook and is actually writing real letters in it now. It's so sweet seeing her trying to be like her Sissy. I use resources from Confessions of a Homeschooler Letter of the Week Curriculum and various ideas from around the internet.

Misc.
E also does some dictation work to help her with grammar as well as G.U.M. Drops. She loves to write in her journal (which I don't correct) and she always like to read. She crochets and has several pets that keep her busy too. She sings in a girls choir at church and is involved in our homeschool co-op.

L enjoys learning about all kinds of animals, so I try to find a special book to read and maybe a lapbook to satisfy his craving for animal facts.

Z is more into Legos than schoolwork, but he's finding more things that he enjoys during school hours. ;) He and L are in a Lego Club through co-op and involved on Fridays with the co-op too.