A Peek Inside Our 2010-2011 Homeschool Curriculum
MATH
Fortunately, math is a straight-forward, easy choice for our family. We’ve used Singapore Math since beginning homeschooling four years ago, and it works well for both boys. In fact, Connor will frequently ask to do school in the afternoons, after doing school all morning, just to do more math! Singapore moves quickly without the excessive spiraling some programs are known for, and that is good for the boys who pick up math concepts quickly and easily. Ryan will be using Primary Mathematics 4A and 4B. Connor will be beginning Primary Mathematics 2A and 2B.
SPELLING
This year, we’re trying something new for spelling. Unlike math, spelling is a bit of a struggle for Ryan. We have tried several traditional spelling programs and while he manages to memorize the words for the weekly spelling tests, there has been little carry over to his other work. After reading positive review after positive review of All About Spelling we’ve decided to give it a try.
GRAMMAR
We started First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind: Level 3 with Ryan last year. The straight-forward, no-nonsense approach seemed to work well for him. This year, we will continue Level 3 with Ryan and begin First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind: Level 1 & 2 with Connor. I am excited to use the poem printables available from Jolanthe at Homeschool Creations with the boys this year.
WRITING
IEW is another new program for us this year. Ryan’s writing has suffered as a result of his difficulties with spelling. He is a perfectionist and resists writing anything he can’t spell, which honestly, is just about everything. While we have worked on grammar and sentence diagramming, we have not to date pushed him to write formally. As a fourth grader, it’s time to give practical writing a try. IEW came highly recommended by a number of parents, including parents of children who struggle with writing. After speaking with the IEW folks at convention, we decided to take the plunge.
We started Exploring Creation with Botany last year, but did not finish the book. Not because the program wasn’t fantastic, it was, but because more often than not, when we ran out of time during the day, formal science was the subject we set aside for later. Instead, we did science more informally through our Co-op and a variety of nature center classes. This year, I gave the boys the choice of finishing Botany or choosing another book from the Exploring Creation series. The choice was unanimous and enthusiastic: Astronomy! Ryan and Connor are hoping for many nights of star gazing with their Dad, who worked in planetariums for many years, teaching other people’s children about our solar system and beyond!
We will also continue our outdoor nature study: hiking, exploring, and journaling our way through green spaces both near and far, using Anna Botsford Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study as our guide.
HANDWRITING
We’ve been using Handwriting Without Tears as our handwriting program for years, and it’s a great program. This year we’re moving on to cursive writing with Ryan and for the first time I found myself second guessing our use of Handwriting Without Tears. Why? Because the cursive writing looks a bit, well, odd.
I am in the process of reviewing Peterson Directed Handwriting for the TOS Homeschool Crew and frankly, I’m impressed. So… as it stands… we will be doing handwriting, I’m just not positive which program we’ll be using for Ryan. Connor will use Handwriting Without Tears Printing Power. Ryan will use either Handwriting Without Tears OR Peterson Directed Handwriting for cursive. Stay tuned for my review of Peterson Directed Handwriting at the end of the month.
HISTORY
History is proving to be the most difficult decision this year. For the past two years, we have used Tapestry of Grace, and I LOVE it! I really do! The boys enjoy the literature and the hands-on projects and I appreciate that the history is explored through a Biblical world-view. Unfortunately, as with science, we found that when time was short, and it often was, history was one of the subjects we put aside for another time… again and again and again. And after all of that planning, because TOG does require a good deal of planning, I stressed over setting it aside again and again and again. And so, I started to reconsider our history curriculum….
TOG uses Story of the World as one of its spines, and this year, I am toying with the idea of using Story of the World and its accompanying activity books as our history curriculum, supplementing with the addition of great books from a variety of reading lists including: TOG, Sonlight, and Ambleside Online. The primary downside, Story of the World does not embrace a Biblical Worldview, and after experiencing TOG’s history from that perspective, it’s not something I’m willing to let fall by the wayside without a great deal of consideration.
THE ARTS
This is a post in and of itself… so… coming soon: our Arts Curriculum.