Starting July 1st I'm taking the year off from medicine to spend it with the boys. I'm not sure what the future holds beyond that but we're really excited about the year ahead. This includes giving homeschooling a try. It's a bit daunting, particularly with a baby and a toddler in the mix, but very exciting. Mr. 8 actually asked how soon we can start - I was thinking of taking a bit of a break for summer but maybe we'll have a special summer elective. He also asked me if we could make computer programming part of our curriculum but I think that's going to have to be an evening/weekend Daddy elective. Immunology I can do - I think Mr. 8 knows much more about computer programming than I do already.
Given that I know there are at least 2 homeschooling moms that occasionally read this and an elementary school teacher, I thought I'd share what I have planned and would welcome any feedback. There's so many great looking curriculums and everything sounds so cool right now that I think I've chosen way too much.
For my 3rd grader:
Language Arts
Spelling: Spelling Workout C/D
Grammar: First Language Lessons 3
Writing: Write from dictation, Weekly writing assignment
- Possibly using The Complete Writer Level 3 or Writing Strands 3
Reading (30-60 minutes of free reading plus history literature)
- Reading to correlate with history: Beowulf (he loved Greek mythology), Chaucer, Shakespeare (Memorize Shakespeare sonnet)
History: Originally I thought we'd just go through the Story of the World but I really like Tapestries of Grace so I think I'm going to go with that. It has all levels and lots of reading options which I really like and is well-organized. I just have to make sure I don't try to do too much which I have been known to do.
- Story of the World, Volume II: The Middle Ages (400-1600)
- Kingfisher History Encyclopedia - I'd like to do some memorization, possibly rulers of England from Egbert to Elizabeth I or major wars and discoveries
- Make a timeline of 400-1600
- Other interesting reading: The Story of the Middle Ages - Christine Miller
- Geography: Memorize countries of the world
- Biographies
Math: He wants to move on to Algebra so I thought we'd try Borenson's Hands On Equations and then go from there. Harold Jacob's Elementary Algebra and Calculus By and For Young People were recommended so we may try those. I also bought The Life of Fred books (Decimals, Fractions, and Pre-Algebra) but I fear he's already found those and read them. I do want him to go back and work some of the problems with me just to make sure.
Science: Chemistry (his choice)
- Adventures with Atoms and Molecules (2 experiments per week)
- Experiment notebook
- Chemistry textbook
Bible: Study Judges to Kings (Veritas Press)
Languages: Spanish with Rosetta Stone (2 lessons weekly)
Languages: Latin
- The Big Book of Lively Latin (Primary Text)
- Prima Latina -> Latina Christiana I
Music: Piano lessons
- Classical composer per week (I'm very inspired by a certain Kansas mom)\
Art: Artistic Pursuits Grades K-3
Other books for free reading (stolen from Ambleside and Sonlight reading lists - it's long but he's a voracious reader and I thought this would give him some options)
The Age of Fable by Thomas Bulfinch
The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
A Book of Golden Deeds by Charlotte Yonge
Bambi by Felix Salten
The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
Little Britches series by Ralph Moody
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight
Gentle Ben by Walt Morey
Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright
Return To Gone Away by Elizabeth Enright
By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Peterkin Papers by Lucretia Hale
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
Tree of Freedom by Rebecca Caudill
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
The Reb and the Redcoats by Constance Savery (British view of revolution)
Justin Morgan had a Horse by Marguerite Henry
he Perilous Road - William O’Steele
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
The Heroes by Charles Kingsley
Pilgrim's Progress
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
Children of the New Forest by F Marryat
For my 1st grader:
Language Arts
Spelling: Spelling Workout A
Grammar: First Language Lessons
Writing: Penmanship with Handwriting without Tears and weekly writing assignment
Reading
- Possible read alouds: The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill, Castle diary: the journal of Tobias Burgess by Richard Platt, The Minstrel in the Tower, The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois
- Reading to correlate with history
History: Tapestries of Grace: The Middle Ages
- Story of the World, Volume II: The Middle Ages (400-1600)
- Kingfisher History Encyclopedia
- Make a timeline of 400-1600
- Other interesting reading: The Story of the Middle Ages - Christine Miller
- Geography: Memorize location of all states (he's actually pretty much done this thanks to the online states game so maybe he'll memorize countries too)
Math: At this point I'm leaning towards Singapore 1B but want to look at Math-U-See a bit more.
Science: Life Sciences (Animals, The Human Body, Plants) - his choice
- First Animal Encyclopedia (20 weeks): I think we'll memorize kingdoms
- The Kingfishers First Human Body Encyclopedia (10 weeks)
- Green Thumbs: A Kid’s Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening (6 weeks)
Bible: Study Judges to Kings (Veritas Press)
Languages: Spanish with Rosetta Stone
Music: Piano lessons, Classical composer per week
Art: Artistic Pursuits Grades K-3
Suggested Additional Books for Free Reading
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
King of the Golden River by John Ruskin
Peter Pan by James M. Barrie
Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
St. George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Pocahontas by Ingri D'Aulaire
Fifty Famous Stories Retold
Parables from Nature
Aesop's Fables
Just So Stories
A Child's Garden of Verses
Paddle to the Sea
James Herriot's Treasury
Viking Tales
Too much?
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Hooray for homeschool planning! I can hardly get enough of it. I think it's great to plan lots of things. You can always trim it down later if you need to (and we did!). I'll have to spend some time looking at some of your texts, though I have no intention of covering algebra with First Son when he's in third grade!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are going to have so much fun!!
Looks like you've got a really good idea of what you want to do. I think given the way your boys read that having a long book list is definitely a good idea! Better to have too many than too few things for independent reading.
ReplyDeleteI do have a few suggestions, though. Number one would be that doing science as a joint subject would make your life a lot easier, especially with a lot of experiments. I can see other areas where you could cut some if it's too overwhelming.
I'm trying really hard this year to not plan too much, given the challenge it's been to have a toddler in the mix this year...
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ReplyDeleteFor writing, I would check out some stuff on the "Six Traits". It's an approach our corporation has adopted, and provides some good ideas for teaching what makes "good" writing. I have a TON of stuff on it at school, that I could get you over the summer. A fun way to approach it sometimes is to show the kids "poor" writing and have them try to make it better. I also have some fun ways to incorporate writing into every subject.
ReplyDeleteI have some great books for elementary science experiments (both physical science and life science)...not that you probably need much help there though. ;)
I also have some fun resources for lessons/projects on the Middle Ages. Again, all at school right now.
Looks fun! It will be challenging to handle all the kids and lessons, but you can do it. :)
Beth, I don't know about Becca, but I'd love to know what books you've liked for elementary science experiments. My kids love them so much I'm starting to think we need to do even more of them.
ReplyDeleteHilary, I don't think I like to hear about challenges with a toddler. I was really hoping next year would be easier with Second Son than this year!
Having created a web site devoted to Constance Savery (no, I'm not selling anything), I was pleased to see Reb and the Redcoats on your 3rd Grade reading list. Add Enemy Brothers when he gets a year or two older. Savery wrote a splendid little book, The Silver Angel, for smaller kids, and I recommend it, but you'll have to go to AbeBooks or another used book source to find it.
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