CURRICULUM

We like to pick and choose what will suit the learning styles and interest of our kids instead of buying a comprehensive all-in-one package. When I dove into the homeschool world I spent untold hours reading forums and researching. Ultimately, you will never know what works until you try something. You’ll have success — and failures.  The best thing about being in charge of your curriculum is that a) there is SO much variety, endless …. b) if something isn’t working, you can drop it and switch to something else that will work much better for your children immediately. You can enhance your children’s learning styles with your choices.  Here I’ll share our choices because I know I benefited from others’ lists when I was trying to make sure I was covering all the angles.

Thoughts for 2016-2017

GRADE 7

MATH

• Math-U-See – Zeta (finish)
• Math-U-See –  Pre-Algebra
• Khan Academy supplementation & computer science exploration

LANGUAGE ARTS

• CLE LA (grammar, penmanship, spelling, writing, diagramming, vocab – all in one!)
• IEW TWSS (go through all units with own source material)
• Cover Story – Middle School Writing Curriculum – Continued
• All About Spelling & Spelling Power
• Vocabulary – Visual Vocabulary after Baron’s Painless Vocabulary con’t
• Reading lots of books from home and library
• Reading Comprehension and Literary Devices: At least 3 books with literature guides to study
• occasional cursive practice for fine tuning
• keyboard typing tune up practice

HISTORY

• All American History – Volume 2, Civil War to the 19th Century, Bright Ideas Press
• Library and video resources to match what we’re studying

SCIENCE

• Apologia Exploring Creation General Science
• 4H Veterinary Science Level 1 *supplement exploration for fun
• investigate different creation theories – evolution, young earth creation, old earth creation. (resources: library books/videosw on evolution, Reasons.org, BioLogos, hhmi BioInteractive, Faraday Schools, Origins, Answers in Genesis)

GEOGRAPHY

• a fun, cultural global exploration with designed passports, art and regional meals
• Maps: Read, Understand, Apply – Continued

BIBLE

• Mother-Daughter “Ties that Bind” by Kristin Armstrong (at bedtime)
• Soul with Nate Morgan Locke – Right Now Media (read gospel of Mark) also do PictureSmart Bible NT page – Mark
• Beauty by the Book for Teens with Laurie Cole – (read Proverbs) Right Now Media (workbook)

LIFE SKILLS

• The Middle School Student’s Guide to Ruling the World or at Amazon
• The 21st Century Student’s Guide to Study Skills (or use in Grade 8)

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Branches Homeschool Community  Enrichment 1x a week.
• Martial Arts – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
• Guitar – Self Instruction with Center Stage
• Piano – Self Instruction along with www.musicnotes.com
• Girl Scouts – Cadettes – specifically working on Silver Award this year
• 4H – Veterinary Science Project

GRADE 2

MATH

• Math-U-See – Beta Con’t
• CLE Math 2

LANGUAGE ARTS – Reading, Spelling, Writing, Grammar, Penmanship etc.

• Reading lots of books from home and library (created a book for him to log the titles of books – every 5th book gets a Pez or other little candy!)
• Daily thoughts journal with jar of prompts if needed with replies from mom for fun
• All About Spelling – Level 2 continued – then to level 3
• WriteShop Primary Book C (a lot of dictation and collaborative story telling)
• CLE Language Arts 2
• various Grade 2 workbooks we already have on our shelves – grammar, vocabulary
• Read through picture dictionaries we already have for fun

HISTORY

• Historical Fiction and Living Books from library to match what we’re studying
• Mystery of History – Volume I
• Driving Through History – Ancient History – Dave Stotts

SCIENCE

• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Chemistry (finish before September)
• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Life

GEOGRAPHY

•  a fun, cultural global exploration with designed passports, art and regional meals

BIBLE

• rewatch The Gospel Project for Kids app to match same timeline as sunday school

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Branches Homeschool Community  1x a week
• Swimming lessons weekly continued
• Trail Life – Woodlands – Fox 3x a month meetings plus 1-2 adventures
• Martial Arts – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

CURRICULUM 2015-2016

GRADE 6

MATH

• Math-U-See – Zeta (mastery based – decimals, percentages, conversions, metric etc.)
• Math-U-See – Epsilon (finished)
• Khan Academy supplementation & computer science exploration

LANGUAGE ARTS

• Reading lots of books from home and library
• Cover Story – Middle School Writing Curriculum – Continued
• All About Spelling (still going levels through at snail pace just to cover rules when we have time.)
• Grammar – various workbooks we already have on our shelves, within Cover Story too
• Baron’s Painless Vocabulary
• ZBFontsOnline Plus (great for penmanship and spelling reinforcement)

HISTORY

• All American History – Volume 1, The Explorers to the Jacksonians, Bright Ideas Press
• Historical Fiction and Living Books from library to match what we’re studying
• Drive Through History Video Series – USA

SCIENCE

• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Chemistry

GEOGRAPHY

• a fun, cultural global exploration with designed passports, art and regional meals
• Maps: Read, Understand, Apply Grades 5-6 – Continued
• mapping as we go through All American History – Volume 1, Bright Ideas Press

BIBLE

• Living Great for God Program by Dave Strehler
• You Are More Than You Think by Dave Strehler
• Little Visits

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Branches Homeschool Community  Enrichment 1x a week. MoezArt Theatre (Charlotte’s Web and Robin Hood), Calligraphy, Dance, Glee, Overcoming Obstacles, Peacekeepers, Tournament of Heroes US Debate, God’s Girls, HomeSchool Musical)
• Martial Arts – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
• Guitar – Self Instruction with Center Stage
• Piano – Self Instruction along with www.musicnotes.com
• Gymnastics – Beginners Tumbling (Fall semester only)
• Girl Scouts – Cadettes
• Glee4God performance choir

INTEREST LIST FOR FUTURE: Elements of the Universe ; ‘How to Study Your Bible – For Kids’ by Kay Arthur & Janna Arndt OR ‘Wise Up’ by Positive Action; IEW Fix-It (The Nose Tree) and/or Giggly Guide to Grammar Deluxe with DVD; Wordly Wise 3000 ; English from the Roots Up ; Blackbird & Company Education Press Literature Guides ‘Level 3’ (A Wrinkle in Time?) or Free Glencoe Guide; CLE Math 600; Shurley English OR CLE LA, Beautiful Fleet, IEW Elegant Essay, The Lost Tools of Writing

GRADE 1

MATH

• Math-U-See – Alpha – Continued
• start Math-U-See – Beta
• CLE Level 100 (bought 100-105, ended up skipping through too easy)
• Khan Academy supplementation & computer science exploration
• Math apps like Splash Math 1 for a change when needed

LANGUAGE ARTS – Reading, Spelling, Writing, Grammar, Penmanship etc.

• Reading lots of books from home and library
• Story telling via recording, and dictation
• All About Reading – Level 3
• All About Spelling – Level 2
• Writing with Ease – Level 1 (copywork, oral story discussions)
• WriteShop Primary Book B
• various Grade 1 workbooks we already have on our shelves – grammar, vocabulary
• Read through picture dictionaries we already have for fun
• look at the Visual Vocabulary books for fun
• ZBFontsOnline Plus (copywork, penmanship practice)
• ipad writing apps with pen stylus

HISTORY

• Drive Through History Video Series – USA
• Historical Fiction and Living Books from library to match what we’re studying

SCIENCE

• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Chemistry

GEOGRAPHY

•  a fun, cultural global exploration with designed passports, art and regional meals

BIBLE

• The Gospel Project for Kids app; Buck Denver asks “What’s in the Bible?”; Little Visits with God

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Branches Homeschool Community  1x a week: Music, art, PE, learning centers, games, playground, drawing, acting, adventure play
• Swimming lessons weekly continued
• Martial Arts – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

On Hold for future, we have too much on our list already: Blackbird & Company Education Press Literature Guides ‘early bird’ ; Elements of the Universe

CURRICULUM 2014-2015

GRADE 5

• Math-U-See – Epsilon
• Khan Academy supplementation & computer science exploration
• Mystery of History – Volume III (continue and finish)
• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Earth and Space (continue and finish)
• Cover Story – Middle School Writing Curriculum
• Learning Language Arts Through Literature – Purple book
• First Language Lessons 4
• a fun, cultural global exploration with designed passports, art and regional meals
• Maps: Read, Understand, Apply Grades 5-6
• All About Spelling (still going through at snail pace just to cover rules when we have time.)
• Reading lots of books from home and library
• Yamaha Music School – Piano Private only – Grade 8 piano (stopped Dec. 2014 after 5 yrs of lessons – moving to self taught with music chosen by Pebbles, composing etc.)
• Guitar – self instruction
• Art / Crafts
• Bible – The Gospel Project for Kids app; Old & New Testament Picture Smart Bible; Buck Denver asks “What’s in the Bible?”
• Accountable Kids
• Interactive games, apps etc.
• ZBFontsOnline Plus
• Branches Homeschool Community  Enrichment 1x a week. FALL: All About Dogs, Girls Ensemble Choir, MoezArt Theatre “The Little Princess,” clogging, Quilling and Paper Crafts SPRING: Knitting, Drawing inspired by Video Games (grids, perspective), All About Dog Training, Drawing Faces, MoezArt Theatre Variety Musical Show “A Night On Broadway”
• Martial Arts – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
• Girl Scouts – Juniors

KINDERGARTEN

• Math-U-See – Alpha
• Splash Math – Grade 1
• Khan Academy supplementation
• Accountable Kids
• Progressive Phonics – Intermediate through Advanced
• All About Reading – Level 2 (with Ziggy! he’s staying…..)
• Adventures in Reading with Zigzag Zebra
• All About Spelling – Level 1
• My Best Handwriting – Book 1
• Reading lots of books from home and library
•  a fun, cultural global exploration with designed passports, art and regional meals
• Bible – The Gospel Project for Kids app; Buck Denver asks “What’s in the Bible?”; Little Visits with God
• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Earth and Space (join sister when interested)
• Interactive games, apps etc.
• Branches Homeschool Community  1x a week: Music, art, PE, learning centers, games, playground
• Swimming lessons weekly continued
• Martial Arts – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

CURRICULUM 2013-2014
GRADE 4

• Math-U-See – Delta
• Mystery of History – Volume II (now finished)
• Mystery of History – Volume III
• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Earth and Space
• Institute of Excellence – Student Writing Intensive A
• Institute of Excellence – Teaching Writing: Structure & Style
• I Speak Latin
• Sarah & David’s Read Hebrew – “Sarah, David & You Read Hebrew” Books 1, 2, 3
• Kids of Integrity
• First Language Lessons 3
• AZ Geographical Alliance
• All About Spelling
• Khan Academy
• Yamaha Music School – Piano JNC 1, Grade 9 piano – combo private lesson and ensemble group
• Bible – reading devotionals for kids; Netflix movies about biblical characters, The Gospel Project for Kids app; Old & New Testament Picture Smart Bible; Little Visits with God
• Interactive games, apps etc.
• ZBFontsOnline Plus
• Junior Achievement’s JA BizTown Fall 2013
• Branches Homeschool Community  Enrichment 1x a week:  Archery, Sign Language, American Girls Book club, crafts, Hebrew, Dance, Leather Crafting, Board Games
• Swim

PRE-K

• All About Reading – Pre-Reading Program
• Math-U-See – Primer
• Splash Math – Kindergarten
• Progressive Phonics – Alphabetti Books and Beginner phonics
• Kids of Integrity
• God’s Little Explorers
• Handwriting without Tears – pre-writing “Get Set for School“
• Bible – reading devotionals for kids; VeggieTales, The Gospel Project for Kids app, Little Visits with God
• Interactive games, apps etc.
• Branches Homeschool Community Pre-K 1x a week: Music, Misc. learning centers, art, games, playground
• Swimming lessons weekly continued

CURRICULUM 2012-2013

GRADE 3

• Math-U-See – Gamma
• Mystery of History – Volume I and started Volume II
• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Life
• Institute of Excellence – Student Writing Intensive A
• Institute of Excellence – Teaching Writing: Structure & Style
• I Speak Latin
• Kids of Integrity
• First Language Lessons
• Writing with Ease
• AZ Geographical Alliance
• All About Spelling
• Yamaha Music School – Piano JXC3, JXC4
• Bible – reading devotionals for kids; Netflix movies about biblical characters
• Interactive games, apps etc.
• Sailing Through Cursive – Traditional along with practice sheets online at ZBFontsOnline Plus

CURRICULUM 2011-2012

GRADE 2

• Math-U-See – Beta
• Mystery of History – Volume I
• R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey – Life
• First Language Lessons 2
• Writing with Ease 1
• WriteShop Primary Book B
• Sequential Spelling
• Yamaha Music School – Piano JXC1, JXC2
• Bible – reading devotionals for kids; watch Veggie Tales etc.
• Interactive games, apps etc.
• ZBFontsOnline Plus