Another School Year 2011 - 2012

Last week I put the final plans and notebooks together (plans that took me a total of about 30 hours to complete this summer) for another school year. This year I'm really excited about our switch to using the Well Trained Mind as our guide for how we homeschool and many books from its authors. It's a more classical approach than Sonlight which we've used the past three years and a perfect switch for us now that the girls are getting older and can work more independently and go more in-depth on subjects like history and science. Given that we're having another baby in just a couple months I'm also excited about the fact that this will be easier for me than keeping up with all the reading and parent involvement that Sonlight requires.

We just finished up our first week of school and it was a great success. The girls loved the history readings and crafts and science was a hit too. I get lots of questions about what books and curriculm we use so here's our complete list. I also have our blog printed in a book format at the end of every year and like to have a record of what we used in our blog book.

Oh, we're also super excited about our new homeschool co-op starting in September. It's called Trivium Cooperative Academy and will be a great supplement for all the history, science and art we're doing. We have lots of friends there already and it's going to be a great way to spend our Fridays.

Mira 4th Grade

Bible

Family Devotions: Teaching Minds, Teaching Hearts Family Catechisms, Missionary Stories, the Bible

Bible Study Fellowship – Book of Acts (the girls go to BSF together with Shane on Monday nights and during the week they work on BSF together before starting school work for the day).

Personal Devotions: Reading through New Testament (1 chap per weekday - this was Mira's own idea. She wanted to try to read through the New Testament in a year so I helped her create a schedule), Faith to Grow On Tween Girls' Devotional.

Math

Teaching Textbooks Grade 5

Spelling  

Finish Phonic Zoo from Institute for Excellence in Writing Level B, Start Level C

Writing

Academic Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing, Creative Writing: Story Starters

Grammar

Rod & Staff English Grade 4

Literature/Reading

Historical fiction and non-fiction, great novels. Sonlight, Veritas Press, WTM. See Schedule.

30 Minute Daily Read-a-Louds with Mom.

Typing

BBC Online Typing Program (this is an awesome free typing program and Mira loves it)

History

Story of the World Modern Age Book/Audio, Activity Guide (maps, narration, review, crafts/projects). Using notebooking to make a history notebook.

Oregon State History Scrapbook (lots of field trips)

Science

Real Science For Kids: Physics. Knex’ Simple Machines.

Memory Work

Weekly Bible Verses, Review Times Tables, Latin, Poetry, History: Preamble to Constitution, Gettysburg Address, Review US Presidents, Review State Capitals, Major Wars from 1850-Present.

Latin

Finish Prima Latina, Start Latina Christiana Level 1

Art

Discovering Great Artists, Picture Study, Classical Music/Composer Study

Annah 1st Grade 

Bible

Family Devotions: Teaching Minds, Teaching Hearts Family Catechisms, Missionary Stories, etc.

Bible Study Fellowship – Book of Acts (the girls go to BSF together with Shane on Monday nights and during the week they work on BSF together before starting school work for the day).

Personal Devotions With Mom and West: Bible Story Book

Math

Horizons  1^st Grade

Phonics/Reading

Finish Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading.

Readers – See List.

Spelling

Spelling Workout A

Grammar

First Language Lessons

Writing

Daily Copywork: Queen Copywork for Little Girls, Journal Writes, Book Summaries, Letters to Family, Copy Memory Work, Narrate Story Starters to Mom.

Literature

30 minutes Reading on Own From Book Basket (See Literature List).

30 Minute Daily Read-a-Louds with Mom.

Social Science/History

Story of the World Ancient Times Book, Activity Guide (maps, narration, review, crafts/projects).

Supplemental Books as Outlined on List.

History Pockets: Ancient Civilizations.

Using notebooking to make a history notebook.

Science

Animals, Human Body, Plants Using Well Trained Mind Schedule, Kingfisher First Encyclopedias and lots of library books. Making lapbooks of topics of special interest.

Latin

Prima Latina and Latina Christiania I video/book w/Mira

Handwriting

Queen Pictures in Cursive Primer

Art

Discovering Great Artists, Picture Study, Classical Music/Composer Study.