In the Spring

My thoughts always turn to Fall. I know I won't be able to relax during the summer if I don't have some kind of plan for next year's homeschooling adventure. This summer is going to be one of the best summers on record, so I'm getting to gittin'.

This year was such a success that I'm going to follow the current model closely. I was lucky this year because I could lump two kids in together on writing and grammar, next year I will have three kids on very different levels for math, reading comprehension, and writing/grammar. Because reading comprehension and math can be done independently for the most part, I'm not as concerned about that, but writing/grammar needs substantial time. I'm also going to use three separate curriculums for writing/grammar so there is no overlap.

Bible this year was a book of prayers, and a Bible timeline we followed story by story. I think we'll upgrade to The Divine Office and The Chronological One Year Bible.

Science, we watched Physics and Our Universe from The Great Courses and did a coloring page about the elements on Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday and Thursday we did applicable Science in a Nutshells from Delta Eucation. Friday was Co-op, or whatever needed catching up. We'll follow that pattern again with Earth Science, Understanding Space, and maybe the Meteorology class. I have fallen in love with the Science in a Nutshell. Two experiments every week! I am such a cool mom, and all I do is open the box. They also fill in gaps and bring learning down a level.

History, is my favorite subject. It's the longest story ever told. We are skipping most of modern history and going back to the ancients. Monday and Wednesday, Iris will work through SW Bauer's book on the ancients, making notes and writing a summary. Peter and Jimmy will do her Story of the World curriculum with me. Peter will write his own notes. Jimmy will tell me what to write down. Tuesday and Thursday, we will watch History of the World: A Global Perspective. I will work in lectures from The Other Side of History and 30 Masterpieces of the Ancient World. We will also color in Dover coloring books about the period.

Reading comprehension, I like to use every opportunity to connect the things we are learning, so for those who can read I gather age appropriate books about the period of history and science discipline we are studying. My kids also enjoy some vintage open court from the seventies.

Writing/grammar, My older girls loved Write Source. Writing with Ease and First Language lessons were short enough to get done with Peter in the time frame he cared to spend on those subjects. I'll definitely use them again. My only real question is what to use to teach Jimmy to read. He is more of a sitter than he was, but I don't know what will capture his attention, or at least that he will endure. Research needs to be done.