Academic Year 2013: Curriculum

Soooo … I suppose some of you might have been awaiting the rest of our schedule that I never posted weeks ago when I posted about our new year.  Back in early January, I wrote about our Academic Year, our  New Schedule and Circle Time.

One major change to those posts is that we’re doing Grammar lessons during the Latin time not with writing when we do History, Science, or Geography.  This frees up some time, works well with Latin, and allows me to continue using Peace Hill Press’ excellent First Language Lessons series as written.  I can do Grammar with the two students who are not watching their Latin video.  They can work on their review work (workbook, flash cards) and then Grammar with me around 3 days each week.  If we have a fourth day, we can do poetry or something lighter.   It’s working out much better for me.

This post, however, is supposed to be about curriculum we use or plan to use during the 2013 Academic Year.

Math (Daily):  Mathematics Enhancement Programme M-girl is halfway through Year 2 and should work well into Year 3 this year.  N-boy is about 40 days behind her, so I expect will also get into Year 3 in 2013.  R-girl is a good way through Year 1 and might be able to get significantly into Year 2 during 2013.  We love this program.

Logic (Independent, Daily during math): Mindbenders, Critical Thinking Activities K-2, Prufrock Press Logic programs.

History (Monday & Wednesday): Story of the World II and hopefully a good portion of III. We use the Activity Guide and supplemental books.  The Jim Weiss audiobooks are a great addition, too.

Science (Tuesday & Friday): God’s Design for Science Heaven & Earth.  We might get into Chemistry & Ecology too.  We’ll probably continue reading, slowly, through Signs & Seasons as well.


Geography (2nd Thursdays): We finished A Child’s Geography last week.  We’re going to work on drawing the world a la Leigh Bortins’ The Core. We’re also going to work on Memoria Press’ new States and Capitals curriculum (might add Logos School’s State Facts Geography).  R-girl is working on Evan-Moor’s Beginning Geography K-2, which I think is excellent as workbooks go.  The others asked to try Evan-Moor’s The World Reference & Map Forms 3-6.

Writing (Daily): We’re working to integrate Writing With Ease: Strong Fundamentals into our content areas at the appropriate level for each child.  I’ve used the workbooks the past couple of years and am excited by this new challenge.

Latin (Daily):  R-girl is using Prima Latina.  N-boy is also using Prima Latina, he got about half-way done last year.  M-girl is on lesson 5 of Latin For Children A.  Hoping to work this more consistently in 2013.

Grammar (Daily-ish):  We use Peace Hill Press’ First Language Lessons.  R-girl is in Year 1, the others are in Year 3.  We’ll work on this 3 days in a week.  On any extra “fourth day,” we’ll also use Michael Clay Thompson’s Music of the Hemispheres; Memoria Press’ Poetry for 3rd-6th; and possibly going to pull in some of Sentence Composing for Elementary School. 

Penmanship: Both R-girl and N-boy have Cursive First to complete.

Art and Music: We continue using Artistic Pursuits which I love.  The children take Piano Lessons.  I’m hoping to add more Artist Study and Composer Study a la SCM and/or Ambleside.

Gymnasium: We participate in community soccer and baseball/softball.  I’d like to do swim lessons.  We play.