Homeschooling: It's not what we do, it's how we live.

Our Current Curriculum

This is a list of the subjects we’re currently studying, and the books, websites and other resources we’re using during this year.

(Updated January 1, 2012 for the beginning of our 3rd year of homeschooling.)

Here’s what we are using in 2012, our ‘Year 3′ of homeschooling:

To make sure that we’re covering at least what they would in each grade (comparable to public school), I’m using the grade-appropriate books from the Core Knowledge Series as a guide (it’s really not a ‘curriculum’) and one of the big, inclusive workbooks for each grade. We supplement quite a bit, but use the CK series and grade level workbooks as our backbone. My thinking on this is that if the need or desire to return to a brick-and-mortar school ever arises, they will be able to easily transition back to their peer grade.

Our school year runs from Jan-Nov, but their ‘grade level’ is more traditional since they were in school for a time. Plus, with relatives and friends in public school, it’s easier to keep track of their ‘grade’ for now. We’re slowly moving towards a less ‘grade level’-centric style as the kids get older and are able to settle more into homeschooling (which means moving at their own pace. This will naturally mean ahead in some areas and behind in others.)

Core Knowledge:

There are many of the inclusive grade workbooks out there. I’ve looked at several brands and the one we like is from Harcourt Family Learning. YMMV; we’re really only using the language arts, spelling and math (as individual practice).

I’ve mentioned before in various posts; worksheets are not really our ‘thing’. However, we’re finding that using the information on the worksheets in these books as a day-to-day guide to be very helpful, especially in areas where one day builds on the previous day’s lessons. We’ve gone through one set of these books already (LBB CC3 from Jan-May; PeaGreen CC2 from Jan – May 2011) and liked them enough to continue using them.

During Summer 2011, we used the Summer Activities for Gifted Students books (grade 4 for LBB and Grade 3 for PeaGreen) as a ‘bridge’ to the next grade. We didn’t complete these books  and will probably not be getting them again this summer (2012).

To help encourage independent learning and personal responsibility, we’d planned on using the STARS planner that I created to help them keep track of their goals and responsibilities, both academic and personal. You can find blank versions of the STARS planner as well as a blank version of my lesson planner and other printables that I made on the ‘homeschool forms’ page. Update on the STARS planner thing June 2011… not so much. As much as I like and need a planner, at this age, it’s not as useful as I’d hoped, primarily because we still do so much together. We’ll pull this out again when they’re doing more independent work; perhaps in the Fall. Update on STARS planner, October 2011 – yeah… not so much! Since we switched to workboxes, the planner isn’t as useful; or at least, I haven’t figured out exactly how to make them work together yet. Update for 2012: we’re going to give it another go!

Math

Handwriting & Journal

  • Journal Prompts and Handwriting worksheets from SuperTeacherWorksheets, I Wonder and whatever I may think of, or they come up with to write about. We’ve started using the ‘journalist’ idea from Heart of the Matter online as well.
  • We started cursive for both boys this past year (2011). We will be starting this year with much of their written work in cursive. In the past, I have made custom-printed worksheets themed relevant to something we’ve been or will do and have them trace, and/or copy
  • The boys both have email addresses and blogs for journaling and computer. (Contact me for the link to their blogs. If you have a homeschooler who is looking for a pen pal, we can chat about that, too.) Sometimes they actually do the typing; sometimes they talk and I type. They choose which pictures to add. We’ve slacked on blogging in 2011; 2012 will see more updates from them.
  • For 2011′s school year, we tried to focus more heavily on handwriting, note-taking and constructing paragraphs and reports in addition to daily practice. That was somewhat successful and will be continuing in that vein.
  • I really like Let’s ZOOM! for ADHD kids; it’s a technique designed by an OT to help prepare for writing (or just before using any tool; scissors, etc).
  • We’ll begin working on typing practice in 2012.

Reading

  • We make continuous use of the Library and Leveled Reading books. The boys each read books of their own choosing for a minimum of 30 minutes each school day, plus a reading comprehension lesson 2-3x per week in addition to whatever recreational reading they choose to do.
  • As they complete their reading selection for the day, they use an index card (paper-clipped to the book) to make notes about the chapter/pages they’ve read so that writing a book report is easier when they’re done with the book.
  • I  read aloud to them from some type of literature book (poetry, classic stories, etc) at least 3x per week. If we have a film of the same book, we’ll often read and watch, then compare the stories.
  • We’re using Reading Eggs (definitely worth the paid subscription) to reinforce basic concepts and boost confidence; plus, it’s fun.
  • Each week, the boys do at least one Book Report with Story Mapping and Book Report Sandwich as a tool. They’re dictating and I type their thoughts out, then print for them to copy. As their skills improve, they’ll be writing more (note-taking) to construct reports on their own. Their STARS planner has a page for Book Reports and Field Trip Reports each week.
  • The Harcourt Workbook’s Reading section has reading comprehension and story sequencing lessons. We do a couple of these per week.
  • Books we love: D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths, Merriam-Webster Children’s Dictionary

Language Arts (Grammar, Phonics, Spelling, Literature)

  • Harcourt Workbook to cover language arts/grammar concepts in addition to exposure to literature
  • Spell by Color
  • Everyday Spelling 3 (half a list per week. I write the words in print and in cursive on a flash card and put them on a binder ring. The kids work the words all week, then test on Friday. Words they spell correctly go into an index file (word bank). Words they miss stay on the ring until they test out of them.) We’re also using the CC workbook spelling sections for additional practice, but not for testing. Supplemental Spelling lists from AAASpell.com and lists/practice assignments from SuperTeacherWorksheets (scroll to the bottom of the page for holiday lists)
  • SpellingCity for custom list and practice work assignments
  • Love Notes journal
  • Extensive use of the Library and online literature, audio books and literary/film comparisons; YouTube for grammar concepts (Grammar Rock, homophones, their/there/they’re, etc.)
  • Reading assessment tools
  • Other resources: KISS Grammar / English Maven

Science

History

  • PRIMARY for 2012: SWB’s Story of the World Vol II & Mosaic activity guide for Vol II
  • Mosaic, using SWB’s Story of the World Vol I (Activity Guide) Vol II (Activity Guide) Vol III (Activity Guide) Vol IV (Activity Guide); Mosaic takes the place of the activity guides. We’re starting with Mosaic and if that doesn’t appeal, we’ll switch to the SotW AG’s.
  • Timeline: I did like the timeline pages on Mosaic; we started a scroll timeline (which is like a wall version, but on craft/butcher paper and rolled up for storage) in January 2011. Here are a bunch of purchase-able options and figures to go on your timeline. (October 2011 timeline update: we got off to a good start, but slowly got away from it during the summer. We’ve been pulling it out at the end of a chapter in History to add things to it. We use the timeline for geography, literature and science as well.)
  • MacroHistory
  • A Short History of the World by Alex Woolfe & The Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (from the Ice Age to the fall of Rome)
  • We’ll also use lapbooking and community resources to round out History/Social Studies and Geography. Our local community is home to many museums and historical sites that offer learning opportunities for history lessons that are outside of academia, so we’ll be taking advantage of them as much as possible.
  • We use our history passports very frequently – more than I’d expected! I even had to add more pages in…

Geography

  • AAAWhere (US States & Nations of the World)
  • We’ll eventually get back to doing one state per week in an in-depth study.
  • We are using our History Passports to log where we’ve been in the world; not just states, countries and continents, but also geographical areas (like Tornado Alley in the US and the Fertile Crescent in Africa/Asia Minor).
  • We also keep a ‘geography folder’ with maps that we use and refer to during other lessons.
  • Postcrossing (pinning the map where we have sent cards to and where we have received cards from)

Latin

Music, Art, Drama

  • Piano Lessons (practice daily and formal lesson 3x per week)
  • Planning on using Artistic Pursuits (books 1-3 are aligned with history; Book 1=ancients, Book 2= Renaissance, Book 3=Impressionism to Modern) eventually. They’re kinda spendy though. I found Art Express 2-5 at Goodwill, so we’ve been using that. They also have an online extension to coordinate with lessons here.
  • Masterpiece Art Instruction (Article: Art & ADHD)
  • countless crafts and art projects that tie into an academic lesson, plus holiday and just for fun
  • That Artist Woman’s Blog
  • Drama Links from A-Z Home’s Cool Homeschooling
  • National Gallery of Art NGAKids
  • art journaling and other various crafts and construction projects

Physical Education & Health

My Awesome Kids:

  • LittleBoyBlue is 10 years old and is in 4th grade (ish). He’s also ADHD and has SPD. We use a combination of methods to keep him focused and productive instead of prescription medications. We do use naturopathic alternatives, nutrition therapy and a variety of fidgets and scheduling modfications.
  • PeaGreen is 8 years old and is in 3rd grade (ish)

About our school:

Our 2010 school year began in January and went in a 6 week cycle, followed by a one week break. Each 6 weeks equaled one grading period (for a total of 7 learning modules, or ‘mods’). The ‘school week’ was M-Th. I found that six weeks was too long, so we’ve changed that for 2011. We also updated to a M-F school-week schedule (2010 being our first year, we were a little more relaxed).

Our 2011 school year began in January and went in four-week cycles, followed by a one week break. Two four-week cycles equaled one grading period. We had 5 ten-week periods of school, and stop at the beginning of December and take the rest of December off. Our summer months tend to be lighter and less desk-y than winter and fall because of all the classes and programs available to us in our community.

Our 2012 school year will follow a similar pattern as 2011, however I am scheduling more of a true break during the summer. We’ll continue the four weeks on/one week off until July, where we’ll take a 4 week break, then continue. That leaves us with a four week ‘small session’ in November, but the number of days scheduled for school is comparable to the local ISD. I think that planning an actual break during the summer will alleviate some of the pressure that I put on myself.

We try to start our morning off with a ‘meeting’. Ideally, the boys use their STARS planner to guide them through the calendar, daily copywork and drills (assorted; can include days of the week, months of the year, weather, US geography, Latin and math) then move on to the day’s lessons.

As Year 2 progressed, we moved away from the morning meeting schedule. We started using workboxes in September, and that eliminates the need for a more class-room like setting. We do stick to the same routine for the most part.

For 2012, we’re continuing with workboxes, but will probably take a few minutes each morning to coordinate/update the kids STARS planner so we start off on a good note.

Sample Normal Daily Routine:

  • Box 1: Writing/Copywork/Journal (on Friday, it’s a spelling test)
  • Box 2: Math (usually 45 minute to an hour for each kiddo)
  • Box 3:
  • Break (5 minutes), AM Chores (20 minutes), Break (5 minutes)
  • Box 4: Science or History (2 days per week for one, 3 for the other; alternating)
  • Box 5:
  • Break (15 minutes)
  • Box 6:
  • Lunch (floats; depends on time)
  • Box 7:
  • Break (5 minutes), PM Chores (20 minutes), Break (5 minutes)
  • Box 8:
  • Box 9:
  • Break (5-10 minutes OUTSIDE)
  • Box 10: Piano Practice or Lesson
  • Box 11:
  • Box 12:

Our workbox plan/schedule thing is still a work in progress. We aren’t slaves to this ‘routine’, and it changes up depending on what we have to do that day; field trip days (Tuesdays, usually) generally only have three or four boxes while longer days at home will have all 12. Sometimes our lessons can be combined into one, sometimes the lesson planned is omitted in favor of a field trip or project. Other ‘lessons’ like critical thinking, nature study, PE, home-ec (aka: chores) and other such things are added in conjunction with other lessons or stuck in when time permits. Many times things like that don’t get graded – they’re just a part of life.

We’re also in favor of chucking the lesson plan entirely to focus on a unity study or work on a lapbook, which we’re adding more of as we get more into the habit of making them, or sometimes lessons fly out the window completely in favor of a hands-on project, immersion study or just plain enjoying the great outdoors. The ‘schedule’ is just an ideal or goal to work towards in my head and not necessarily a reflection of our days or homeschooling ‘life’.

I do keep grades, but we’re really mastery focused. At this point, the grading is more for me to learn how to keep track of schoolwork – find what method works best for me so that when it counts (for transcripts), I’ll have an idea of how to do it. I also like seeing ‘this is what we’ve accomplished’. I used Homeschool Tracker Basic when we first started homeschooling. It’s free and easy to use. I added lessons into the plan 4 weeks at a time for each boy (sometimes I can copy the lesson to the other child). This gave me a good idea of how much time we’re spending on each lesson/subject and a daily average.
In June 2011, I found a video that discusses grading up (starting at zero and crediting every correct answer) instead of starting at 100 and grading down for mistakes. I started grading that way and found that kids kids are more cooperative and less discouraged by mistakes. The video I originally referenced is apparently no longer available, but a search led me to Gamifying Education.org. Apparently this is a bigger movement than I had realized. Lee & Hammer have created a ‘what, why, how’ article if you’re interested. I wrote about my motivations and methods a while back and find that this year, they’re much the same. We haven’t incorporated gaming as much as I think there is potential for as of yet, but I am still working on it.

New for 2011 (continued in 2012): For convenience sake, I’ve divided our year up into three sessions: Winter (January - May), Summer (June-August) and Fall (September – December). Winter Session is our heaviest, curriculum-wise; we do more seat-work. Summer is much lighter, a lot of child-led/delight-led learning with some parent-directed basics thrown in for good measure. Fall is moderate; easing into the next grade’s curriculum. We take a break towards the end of November and December, then start fresh in January with our new school year.

You can read my previous Lesson Planning posts here:

2012

2011

2010

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