I'm planning to start my 10th year homeschooling in a couple of weeks. We have always used the Weaver unit study curriculum from Alpha Omega
. I love that it gives me age appropriate learning standards from K - 6th grade so I'm cycling back through it again without having to repurchase it. I've actually unglued myself from its directives over the years and just used it as a skeleton to help me know where to go next, but it's still a solid, thorough Bible-based curriculum that's great for you if you don't need a scripted curriculum. (It requires some prep.) I was going to set it aside this year because it's my 9th year using it, but in the end I decided that it was just too valuable for my kids and I didn't want to have to learn something new.Because EVERYTHING else is new.
Here is what we are adding this year for my fourth grader:
I have just a couple weeks to figure everything out. There's a huge manual for Spelling Power
that takes about 12 hours to read. Angling for Words
was recommended for my dyslexic child so I have to read through that teacher's manual too. I haven't even ordered our full math curriculum yet and there are other manuals for Right Start to read as well. The YWAM biography will be a nice break mid year. We have used their unit studies before so it's familiar to me. DH and I are hoping to take a trip to India in the spring, so we'll make it a unit study.
I still haven't quite nailed down what my kindergartener's directives will be this year. Here's a few resouces I'm going to work with though:
I've already taught two children to read and I've never even looked at Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
until now. I have borrowed this from the library to look it over. It might be a good fit for S. I've used Games with Books
for years for all my young kids and we're at least going to start the year with some of these activities. The Nature Book just inspires me to get outside with my child and make things with our hands. Finally, while I used Making Math Meaningful
all the way through with my oldest son, I never did the Kindergarten level which is scripted and has very little writing work. Perfect. Other than that, he'll be doing the age appropriate learning activities along with his older brother out of Weaver. We start with the themes of Royalty and Respect. So, if you need me I'll be buried under all my instruction manuals.
Have A Blessed Year!
ReplyDeleteYou have some wonderful plans.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Dawn
I was so disappointed when it came Hannah's turn to go through Teach Your Child. I mean, come on, I've used it 3 times and it worked! I am thinking of showing it to her again to see if she might do it now, but the tears weren't worth it last time. I love the book though, it's easy and dang it, it does work!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great plan! So...after 10 years, do you feel like a "pro" or is it different every year?
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at B's description: my 9 year old loves filling his pockets with stuff, too! I never know what I'll find on laundry day!
Wow--India? How exciting!
Have a wonderful year of homeschooling!
Liese -- if you decide not to use 100 Easy Lessons, I'll borrow it from you. :)
ReplyDeleteHey Meredith -- it's different every. single. year. All my kids learn differently and I'm not at the same place in our curriculum with B where I can use the lesson plans I made when J was in 4th grade. That's okay. He'd need to do different activities.
And yes, India! We'll know more this fall.
Thanks ladies!