I'm excited about our curricula choices for the coming school year. Since we school roughly all year round, our "year" will start July 11th. That will give me a week after finishing Tapestry of Grace to finish getting my ducks in a row before starting up again.
Breakfast Bible and reading time: I read a Psalm or two, and a chapter of the New Testament. I also intend to add in a little reading each morning from Marilyn Boyer's For You They Signed. Because I heart everything by the Boyers.
Lunch Bible and reading time: I read the Proverbs chapter of the day, a section from Polite Moments, a Miller story, and a chapter from one of Sarah Maxwell's Moody books. We're soon finishing Polite Moments, and will then add in The 21 Rules of This House.
5th Grade:
- Illuminations - This is a wrap-around program based on the Mystery of History by Linda Hobar. It includes history, geography, writing, literature, humanities, and a partridge in a pear tree. Check it out. We're starting with Year 2, after completing Tapestry of Grace Year 1.
- Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space - I've always done Apologia, but Illuminations actually schedules CKEES, so I figure we'll throw it against the wall, and see if it sticks. Besides, I got it for $8 at a used curriculum sale.
- Rod and Staff English - I just love the Building Christian English series. I think the Mennonites enjoy order so much that they can really get enthusiastic about the rules of grammar. We do about 95% of it orally, and it takes less than 10 minutes a day. Teacher prep is a big fat ZERO, which is a plus in my book.
- Singapore Math - she's a few lessons into 5B now, and I told her she can start her new Life of Fred math book (Decimals and Percents) when she has finished half of this book. She adores Life of Fred, and really - who wouldn't? It's an incentive to keep plugging through Singapore.
- La Clase Divertida - because I bought it a couple years ago and STILL haven't used it, and she's chomping at the bit. I'll include the littles, too.
Kindergarten:
- Character Concepts by Marilyn Boyer (TheLearningParent.com) It's technically a preschool curriculum, but the character training and scripture memorization are wonderful.
- Saxon K Math - because I have all the stuff from when I used it with my first child. Otherwise I would look elsewhere. It's fine, though.
- Adventures in Phonics A, by Christian Liberty Press. I almost feel like I'm cheating by using this book. It's so cheap, so easy, and so...effective. For less than $9, my boy is learning to read. He has completed almost half of it since March, and he's reading sentences!! I used it with my first-born six years ago, and we didn't even complete the book. She took off, reading fluently, by the time we were about 75% through.
- Uncle Rick Reads... During naptime I let him listen to Rick Boyer's audio Bible series. He loves it, and has memorized an enormous amount of scripture for a little tike.
Preschool:
- Character Concepts by Marilyn Boyer (TheLearningParent.com) I don't use the recommended preschool workbook by Christian Liberty Press. I got to look through it, and just didn't feel it was any better than the $7 preschool workbook you can pick up at Sam's Club, so I didn't bother.
- Saxon K Math - because she sees her brother getting to "play math," and she wants to too. Note: I do NOT feel formal math instruction is necessary until children are much older. Mine just happen to be math nerds.
- Kumon workbooks - right now she's working through Let's Cut Paper. When she finishes that, I'll probably start her on Kumon's My First Book of Tracing.
At night my husband is leading us through Training Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade. After family worship, I read aloud. Right now we're working through the Little House books.
Now, these are my intentions, but it is said that the best way to make God laugh is to tell Him your plans. Or, to put it more Biblically, "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." Proverbs 19:21 May His purposes for our upcoming year be fulfilled by our willing and cheerful hands, to His Glory. And if there's some chocolate along the way, that would be a bonus.
