2019-2020 Curriculum & Schedule

I love these sorts of posts! Here is my plan so far for fall. It will be so strange because my oldest graduates next month and heads off to college in another state in the fall, but I will still have 9 kids at home, the following grades: 9th, 8th, 6th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, with a tagalong PreK and Toddler who don’t have any formal lessons.

9th grade boy:

• The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts level 6 (this has reading, writing, grammar, art, geography, punctuation/editing, sentence dictation).
• Apologia Biology with labs
• History of Science – he requested this topic so I’m creating a course for him with Hakim’s science books as a spine and some books about scientists and discoveries he’ll be interested in. We will include more geography in this as we plot where people lived and where discoveries happened. Some written narration in this too of course.
• Math U See Algebra 1
• Film Studies (elective, still figuring out resources for this one).
• Piano
• One more elective – he is still deciding.

8th Grade girl:

• The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts level 6 (this has reading, writing, grammar, art, geography, punctuation/editing, sentence dictation).
• Apologia Biology with labs
• History 2 from The Good and the Beautiful. This is done as a group with all the younger kids. Some written narration in this.
• Math U See Algebra 1
• Art – This child is very artistic and has set goals in this area.
• One more topic, she’s still deciding.

6th Grade boy:

• The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts level 5 (has same sort of things level 6 does).
• History 2 from The Good and the Beautiful. Some written narration in this.
• Science – still deciding. This will be a group of my 1st-6th graders. Possibly using an Apologia Elementary book as a spine.
• Piano
• Math U See Pre-Algebra
• One more subject, he is still deciding.

5th Grade boy:

• The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts level 3.
• History 2 from The Good and the Beautiful.
• Science – still deciding.
• Piano
• Math U See Epsilon
• All About Spelling level 3 and 4
• Brave Writer projects (Partnership Writing stage)
• Copywork/Transitioning to dictation.

3rd Grade boy:

• All About Reading level 3 and 4
• History 2 from The Good and the Beautiful.
• Math U See Gamma
• All About Spelling level 2 and 3
• Science – still deciding.
• Brave Writer Projects (Partnership Writing stage)
• Copywork
• Piano
• Art

2nd Grade boy:

• All About Reading level 4
• Math U See Beta
• History 2 from The Good and the Beautiful
• All About Spelling level 1.
• Science – still deciding
• Brave Writer projects (Jot it Down stage)
• Copywork
• Piano
• Art

1st Grade boy:

• All About Reading level 2
• Math U See Alpha
• History 2 from The Good and the Beautiful
• Science – Still deciding
• Copywork
• Brave Writer projects (Jot it Down stage)
• Piano
• Art

PreK boy and Toddler girl:

• Play! No school work. No formal lessons. They can join the big kids (aka, get into things, watch science experiments, color or draw while big kids are writing) but nothing planned, scheduled, or instigated by me.

Phew! We also will do some group learning for nature study, hymns, scripture study, composers/artists study, PE.

Like Tristan, I love these posts! Like Amanda, I have stepped away from CM in a large way. (I was never a purist). Usually I’m further along in the planning stages, but this year I’m letting having trouble in a few areas. Here’s what I have so far:

Ds15 (grade 10)
Bible-give him a choice of the following:
(1) Choose a book or group of the Bible to read section by section
(2) One of the plans from Learn the Bible for Life
(3) A daily reading plan from Crosswalk or Bible Gateway

English
Finish lessons from Daily Grammar website
Schoolhouse Spelling Upper Elementary list
Literature: probably finish Book of Virtues for Young People (started and abandoned in gr. 8). Either read the selections together and discuss them or have him type the answers to the 5Ws for each selection. (Handwriting is his weak area)
Handwriting practice: We abandoned the idea that his traditional printing will improve and started him on block printing a couple of months ago, when he was having trouble filling out the form for his learner’s permit. Since then he had filled out several types of forms. He will continue to do so for awhile.

Math: undecided. He didn’t like TT Algebra 1, so we’ve spent this semester in math review and the little bit of algebra I feel comfortable teaching him. He’ll start Algebra 1 from scratch next year. Considering mathhelp.com and algebra-class.com.

Science: probably PAC Integrated Chemistry and Physics or the chemistry half.

History: US History. Curriculum undecided. Will include historical fiction as we go along (Johnny Tremain, Across Five Aprils, etc.)

Computer: Our state requires a course in keyboarding, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. He would rather take a game programming course. We’ll see.

Drivers Ed: if he passes his permit test, dh will begin teaching him to drive.

Dd12 (7th grade with special needs; probably works on a 5th grade reading level)
Bible–still deciding on one of the following:
(1) A Rachel Wojo Gospel reading plan
(2) Primary Reading Plan from Learn the Bible for Life
(3) Daily devotional from Keys for Kids
(4) Monthly devotional calendar from Not Consumed

Language Arts
Schoolhouse Teachers Daily Grammar. Finish Level 4 and begin Level 5
Spelling: continue a review of missed words from other plans we’ve done the last few years
Reading/Lit–undecided. I have a booklist to work through, but I’m also considering using More Streets and Roads, an old reader that my mother used for teaching back in the ’60s.

Math–Teaching Textbooks (she loves it)! Finish grade 5 (which we just started last month) and begin grade 6

Science–undecided. Considering PAC Basic Science Mysteries, Exploring Creation with Sixth Grade Science from Schoolhouse Teachers, God’s Design for Science, or The How and Why Club, an old science reader from my parents’ basement.

Geography–she wants to study world geography next year. I need something that either has tests or that I can create tests for in some way. Considering Trail Guide to World Geography (I would buy the notebooking pdf to go along with it), All about the World from Schoolhouse Teachers/Write Bonnie Rose, or the course I created for my son when he was in 7th grade using the Lands, Peoples, Cultures book series. Whichever plan we choose, I would include books with world settings (The Wheel on the School, The Incredible Journey, etc.)

Extras: nothing scheduled. We’ll do art and handicrafts as she shows interest.

I love these posts, too!  I’m still early in my planning, so this post will be just a rough sketch of what we have planned.  I will have 12th, 8th, and two in 5th.

12th:

–College: he has been fortunate to be able to dual-enroll with an area college, so he will continue with that course load.  He is on pace to have 15-20 college classes done by the time he graduates in June.

–Extracurricular: piano lessons, theater, choir, and politics, all of which he has been heavily involved in this year.

The younger three will participate in morning readings, during which we will cover:
–History: 1860-present using various living books
–Grammar: Fix-It Grammar level 2 (level one has been a great fit for our family this year!)
–Religion: Scripture memory and lessons with The Bible Tells Me So
–Math: drills using CalcuPak
–Literature: tentatively Stuart Little, How to Train Your Dragon, Mary Poppins, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, to coincide with our book club
–Poetry/Fine Arts: nothing specific planned yet

In addition, we will do the following family/small group studies:
–Foreign Language: French Immersion class – hoping to get into this!  There are limited spots available
–Science: Marine Biology; trying to work out something with a local estuary to go in once a month for labs and hands-on research and activities.  Anyone have a suggestion for a secular curriculum for Marine Biology?

8th:

–Math: Teaching Textbooks Algebra I
–Writing: co-op writing class
–Spelling: ?  He has struggled here.  Prepared dictation doesn’t seem like a good fit for him.
–Foreign Language: an online language class of his choice (hopefully French to complement the immersion class, or Latin, which he has previously studied)
–History: independent history readings and videos/documentaries to supplement our family studies; entries in his own timeline
–Literature: independent literature readings incorporating lots of audio books (There may a book club starting with several boys his age incorporating lots of outdoor/survival skills.  Going to keep an eye open for that!

5th (two girls):

–Math: TBD;  I sat with them as we went through Teaching Textbooks 4 last year.  I’m not sure TT5 would be the best fit for them.
–Dictation and Copywork: selections taken from their literature reading using Bravewriter Arrow
–Written Narrations: this will be new to them this year
–Spelling: additional program (?) for the one who struggles
–Art: continue with the local homeschool class they enjoy as time and finances allow

Is the PM option gone?

ErinD: What do you use for Intro to Rhetoric?  I’m looking for something like that to use with my son but wasn’t sure of a good resource.

Tristan:  Have you used The Good and the Beautiful already ? I really like the samples, but it’s more than I usually spend just for one topic/subject so wasn’t sure it’s worth it.

Thanks!

Updating my previous post.

Ds15 (grade 10)
Bible-We’ll either do one of the plans from Learn the Bible for Life or one of the plans from Easy Peasy Homeschool

English
Finish lessons from Daily Grammar website
Schoolhouse Spelling Upper Elementary list
Literature:
(1) Finish Book of Virtues for Young People (started and abandoned in gr. 8). Either read the selections together and discuss them or have him type the answers to the 5Ws for each selection. (Handwriting is his weak area)
(2) Read and analyze the Hunger Games trilogy. I got them for him over a year ago b/c he said he wanted to read them. Hasn’t picked them up.

Handwriting practice: We abandoned the idea that his traditional printing will improve and started him on block printing a couple of months ago, when he was having trouble filling out the form for his learner’s permit. Since then he had filled out several types of forms. He will continue to do so for awhile.

Math: undecided. He didn’t like TT Algebra 1. He’ll start Algebra 1 from scratch next year. Considering mathhelp.com and algebra-class.com.

Science: Schoolhouse Teachers Animal Science

History: US History. Curriculum undecided. Will include historical fiction as we go along (Johnny Tremain, Across Five Aprils, etc.)

Computer: Word, Excel, and Powerpoint

Drivers Ed: He flunked the permit test in April and hasn’t picked up the book since. Probably won’t happen this year.

Dd12 (7th grade with special needs; probably works on a 5th grade reading level)
Bible–Rachel Wojo Gospel reading plans

Language Arts
Schoolhouse Teachers Daily Grammar. Finish Level 4 and begin Level 5
Spelling: continue a review of missed words from other plans we’ve done the last few years
Reading/Lit–Will work through a list that I have, which includes the Girlhood Journeys series

Math–Teaching Textbooks (she loves it)! Finish grade 5 and begin grade 6

Science–When I asked her, she said she wanted to study Earth and Space Science. When I gave her a choice of resources, she chose Schoolhouse Teachers Earth and Space Science. We’ll try it, but I’m wondering if it’s too difficult for her. If it is, we’ll switch to Easy Peasy.

Geography–she wants to study world geography next year. I showed her Trail Guide to World Geography and she said she wanted to try it. We’ll use the notebooking pdf to go along with it. If that doesn’t work for us, we’ll use All about the World from Schoolhouse Teachers/Write Bonnie Rose. Whichever plan we choose, I would include books with world settings (The Wheel on the School, The Incredible Journey, etc.)

Extras: nothing scheduled. We’ll do art and handicrafts as she shows interest.

@amama5 – Yes, we used The Good and the Beautiful Language arts (levels 4, 5, and High School 1), History 1, a few science units, and a few handwriting levels last school year. We really love it! One thing I adore about the language arts is that it takes so many lovely CM things (artist/picture study, geography/mapping, poetry/poet study, living books, copywork/grammar, etc) and rotates through it all so I don’t have to plan out what days to do the extras so much. It’s in there. Lesson 5 may have spelling/grammar/reading/mapping. Then in Lesson 6 you may find picture study/reading about the artist/copywork of a poem, and writing down some nouns from the picture you were studying. It makes it so much smoother for my large family have a feast of good, true, beautiful ideas spread before each child.

The history is family style and rotates within lessons with: reading from the teacher book by me, activities, audio stories, read aloud, a history game, the optional crafts, and there are free student notebooks included for various grade groupings with more readings, coloring pages, notebooking opportunities, etc depending on age.

It’s always so much fun to see what everyone is doing and to share what we have chosen for the upcoming year as well! I can’t believe that this will be my last year of homeschooling. After nearly two decades, I will be officially done. I try not to think about it. I have loved, loved, loved home educating my children. I wouldn’t trade all of these precious hours I have spent teaching my children, learning along side them, and delighting in watching them learn and grow, for anything! I am so very thankful that God led me to home schooling all of those years ago. He has been so faithful.

This is my daughter’s senior year. She will be starting one or two college classes this first semester. We aren’t sure of the exact details yet as we will be finalizing the details on Thursday. Right now, we are thinking she will start with some fun electives to ease into the transition.

Other than that she will be using various resources to keep up her math skills for college. This will be listed as Math for College Readiness on her transcript. I’ve seen this course offered as an option at various high schools and we chose to go this route instead of doing Precalculus since she isn’t headed into a STEM field. She may go ahead and take a college math class in her second semester as well.

We will continue to use living books for English. She will write an essay each week and we will work on a research paper some time this year.

We will also continue using living books for our history studies.

She has completed all of her science credits so we have chosen to use Jason Lisle’s new Logic program this year instead. We are huge Jason Lisle fans here! I highly recommend all of his books. He is a creationist astrophysicist and has the wonderful talent of bringing extremely complex topics down to the layman’s level in an interesting and informative manner. We have really enjoyed reading his books, attending his workshops at our state convention and watching him on youtube.

She is continuing to study German using Rosetta Stone and a German Grammar Demystified.

She will continue reading her Bible and working through a couple of devotional books, one with me and one on her own. We also read the Bible together and discuss our readings each day.

She is continuing to learn to play the guitar and draws and paints for hours every day. This is her passion. She has various art books that she consults and does projects from here and there.

I think that covers it but I feel like I’m forgetting things. 🙂

I hope all of you and your families have a wonderful year!