I’ve shared about my curriculum choices for KD and now I’ll share Buddy’s.

• Spelling: All About Spelling Level 4-6.-I am so happy with the progress he’s made with All About Spelling. We completed Levels 1-3 this past year. This upcoming year we will complete Level 4, 5 and hopefully 6. I know these levels will take more time than the first three, so I am optimistically hoping for three levels but in reality I will be happy with Level 4 and 5.
• Writing: Writeshop Level D-This year we are trying Writeshop. We have tried IEW and Write Strand. Both programs did not seem to help him. I ended up feeling frustrated as did he. Our co-op is doing a class using Writeshop so we are going to give it a try. I wrote about Writeshop in my page about Dysgraphia. The writer’s son suffered from dysgraphia. This particular level is not written by the same person, but it based on her Writeshop I and II.
• Math: Teaching Textbook 5 (and 1/2 of 6)- I feel that the first 30 lessons in Level 5 are mostly review of Math 4 so I am having him do two lessons a day until we get to disc 2. I am hoping that he will finish Level 5 by March and we’ll just start up in Level 6.
• History: My Father’s World Exploration to 1850– We have used MFW now for three years. We are in the 4th year of the 5 year Learning Cycle (we skipped the first one)  This is the first part of US History. I am excited about working through this with him. I am hoping that we can move quickly since it will be one-on-one.
• Bible: He will be doing Community Bible Study with his sister and also AWANAS Book.
• Science: Apologia’s Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day– We are doing a co-op class using this books.This will be Buddy’s 4th Apologia science book.
• Grammar- Here is where I struggle. I have considered many programs, I can’t just pick one. I know that he struggles with writing. It’s not just the thinking of writing, but the physical part of writing. So I don’t want to pick another workbook to frustrate him. Writeshop Level D has grammar integrated into it, but it’s very basic. I have decided to try The Grammar Ace with him. KD did it in 5th grade. It’s very low key and fun because it incorporates the Schoolhouse Rock videos. I also purchased a membership for Grammaropolis through the Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op that we’ll try once a week. It is available right now through Educents see here.
• Reading/Vocabulary- I decided that we are going to read 9 novels this year together. Two of these we will do a Total Language Plus Study. Here are the book choices:

• Squanto, Friend Of The Pilgrims (Scholastic Biography)
• Shiloh
  (TLP study)
• The Revolutionary War: An Interactive History Adventure (You Choose Books)
• Thomas Jefferson: Third President of the United States (Childhood of Famous Americans)
• Thomas Edison: Young Inventor (Childhood of Famous Americans)
• The Stowaway: A Tale Of California Pirates
• The Great Turkey Walk
• The Sign of the Beaver
  (TLP study)
• No Talking

Music- He will continue his Harmonica lessons and do the Composer study with KD

Art-He will also be doing an art class in the co-op.

Spanish-Continue with lessons on Rosetta Stone, possibly move him to Level 2 since we will be going to Guatemala in a few days to study Spanish in Antigua.

Miscellaneous- He will continue doing Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum, Timez Attack (available now through Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op, and Building Thinking Skills. We will alternate days with these 3 computer games.

I’m also considering buying the Beginner Web Design Program from Educents which is 30% this week. I have to decide pretty quickly…..

There it is 2013-14. It will be an interesting year….

Ligia

Last week I shared what curriculum we are doing together, as a family. This week, I want to share what each of my children are doing. I will start with KD since she is the easiest!

Math- Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 (she’s been using TT since 5th grade)

Spanish- Rosetta Stone Level 2 using My Father’s World Lesson plans

History- Sonlight Core 100 -I’ve dissected this curriculum and chose certain books that she will read and some she won’t.

Literature- Sonlight Core 100– also have picked out some books she will not ready, for time sake and value

Bible- She will be doing her own Bible study before bed. However, she will be reading the selections from Sonlight’s Core 100.

Language Arts- I am not using any of the suggested materials that Sonlight offers except the Analogies 1 book. Here is what she will be doing:

• Grammar- Applications of Grammar
• Vocabulary- Analogies 1 from Sonlight Core 100 and Word Roots, Level A1.
• Writing- Write the World from the publishers of God’s World News and World Magazine

Science- Apologia’s Physical Science using the notebook. She will be doing this with a co-op class

Music- She will be continuing her piano lessons and doing the composer study (see our together list)

Art- She is participating in a co-op class.

Along with that, she will take an online class with Landry Academy. It’s our first time using any kind of online program. She is taking the Intermediate Composition that starts in spring.

Also, our co-op is doing a high school Health class using Total Health and she will doing that as well.

Wow, now that I am writing it out it does seem like a lot. She’s a tough girl and wants to get ahead so this year will be our first of many “tough” years.

Ligia

We started our school year this past Monday. KD started 8th and Buddy started 5th. Wow 7 weeks of no school sure makes kids grumpy.

I always like seeing what others are using so I thought I would share what we will be using this school year.

Together:

Bible: Community Bible Study (CBS) study of Romans

Music: My Father’s World (MFW) Exploration to 1850- Sing the great hymns of our faith and learn their stories, coordinated with this year’s history study, using Then Sings My Soul and Music appreciation lessons focusing on Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Chopin with easy-to-use CDs.

Read Alouds: I am taking the Read Alouds from MFW and adding some from Sonlight’s Core 100

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language (Christian Heroes: Then & Now)
Mary Jones And Her Bible
Madeleine Takes Command
Bound for Oregon
Almost Home: A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower’s Mary Chilton
Amos Fortune, Free Man
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Out Of The Dust
William Carey: Obliged to Go (Christian Heroes: Then & Now)
In God We Trust: Stories of Faith in American History (this one is part of the MFW Bible but I want to read out loud so both kids can enjoy.

Character Studies: We did Kids of Character Bible Study by Marilyn Boyer this year we are continuing withProverbs People Book 1

Etiquette: We have been using the Etiquette Factory.  We started the Intermediate book and didn’t finish so we will continue to read and apply these principles of etiquette.

That’s it for our curriculum that we are doing together.

Ligia