Grade 1 Curriculum Choices 2018

Today we take a peek in to what we've pulled out for Charlotte to do for 2018.

This is a tricky year.  Tricky because they are still transitioning to reading, and it's also where I tend to throw in a lot of random worksheets in to the mix as well.  I don't want to swamp the child in too much book work though either.  I hope my internal mother instinct and balance is working at it's optimal level.

But..... I do need to start making it a little bit more formal.... especially since she's 6 now, and we've moved back into a state that requires a yearly visit by a moderator from the Education Department.  Yep, for the last 8 years I've been entirely free, but now I'll have someone looking over my shoulder at times.

* * * * * * *

For Bible...

We'll be starting with these.  Essentially, it's copywork for character qualities.  So each day she'll come along and copy one portion into her workbook.  While the work itself is from the secular book, I do keep the christian one on hand as well.

For English...

She'll finish up Learning to Read { she's almost done and only needs to complete 2 more workbooks } and she's half way through LA 1.  We'll also keep working on phonics as well.

For Reading...

We'll continue with reading the remaining stories in her Learn to Read workbooks until they are done and then we'll move over to the Bible Blessings Readers and others.  I've got so much at this level that yes, what to choose, what to choose.  I am sure to share some of it as we move through the year, stay tuned.  :)

For Math...

She'll pick up half way through this book and continue on.... 

For History...

We'll jump to the next book in the series.  This will also cover Geography because there is a map for pretty much every single lesson in the book.  :)

For Spelling....

She'll just continue along in this book.

For Science....

We'll be starting the year off with a unit on Spiders.  I imagine it will take us about 3 - 4 weeks and after that we'll move into something else.  I have a BAJILLION science resources at this grade level, so it's not a matter of what to include, but rather, what are we not going to include.

For our Spider unit I have these 4 books pulled out and ready to go.  However, I also have a number of short passages and illustrations galore in our collective works to peruse as well.

Art...

She'll either be joining in with the girls with the following resource and other projects that they'll do, OR I'll be finding her a ton of directed drawing.  Either way, Monday afternoons will be for Art as usual. 

Looks like a lot for a little 6 year old, doesn't it?

But we can tweek it to accommodate.  That's the beauty of homeschool, being able to meet more closely to the child's needs and abilities.

I can't wait to see all the fluffies that get added in too.

As long as we don't get bogged down with too much book work we should have time for fluffies, and it's the fluffies that make life's memories and fun and probably the most learning.

Yes, so thank you for visiting, looking forward to our new school year journey.  

Grade 8 Curriculum Choices 2018

Yep, it's that time of year again....  where I get to stress over what curriculum each child should have and do.....  and this year Chloe will be in Grade 8....  those years go so quickly.
First up, Bible.  We're continuing on with this particular series because she really likes it, and I like it too.  At some point during the year she'll jump to Book 8.

Additionally, she'll also continue memorizing scripture as well { not shown } with her little card box etc...

For English she'll be using Christian Light Education LA 5.  It is heavy on the grammar.  We'll also supplement with other odds and ends as the year progresses, but this is what will be in the dailies.

For Math we are going to back track a little so that we can build up those foundations and confidence.

For History this year I am going to let Chloe entirely detour with a school text book, yep, slacker that I am.  The up side is that she might end up writing LESS essays??  I dunno, we'll see how it all plays out.

And for Geography - another school text book....

For Science we're going to put our hands to Apologia....

And Bob Jones University for Literature....

For LOTE we'll continue to dip our hands into two different languages.....  French and Greek.  Still no Latin on the horizon, alas, but I am not ready to give up hoping, just yet.

For Art we'll probably put our hand in for a number of different things, but as a series, or fall back, we'll have our Australian Birds drawing that we'll continue on with this year.

For Vocabulary Chloe will be doing 'Get to the Root of It'.  It's a Greek and Latin root word program.  My only indecision is should we do a lesson over 1 or 2 weeks??    

And for Reading we'll continue along with our random selections... so long as she's reading whole novels I shall be very happy and content.  Of course I'll let her pick some, and I'll pick some.  

Australian studies will also be included on Wednesday afternoons.  I'm not entirely sure on the pathway for that, do we just read and enjoy the journey or do we wreck it with a hundred worksheets?  Any suggestions?

Yes, so this is the basic set up that we have for Chloe this year.  Can't wait to see all the little fluffies that we add along the way to help break the monotony.  And I hope we've chosen well for where she's at.  :)

Working on Writing

This week we traveled out to pick up some writing workbooks to add in to the mix.  At this point I am going to toggle them in on alternate weeks with the Greek/Latin Root Words that we are already using.

First up, I got this particular book for Chloe.  I aimed it at a lower level to make it easier.  I didn't want anything that would make it difficult.  I want to look to getting her more skill sets with confidence minus any tears.

Inside the 10 units they cover:

Recounts

Descriptions

Narratives

Expositions

Reports

Procedures

Poetry

Discussions

Explanations

& Reviews

It was well priced at: $ 16.95

For Phebe and Hannah I got them a copy each of the following book.  Once again I also dropped the age limit and went for a lower grade level to ensure an easy route.  I want the skill sets without any struggles.

Inside it covers 8 units:

Recount

Description

Poetry

Exposition

Report

Procedure

Narrative

& Discussion

Like the previous book, these were also $16.95 each as well.

Yes, so if you are looking for any Australian writing curriculum, these might be something that you'd also be interested in.

Thanks so much for visiting.

Grade 7 Chloe 2017

Here's what I've got lined up for Chloe this year:

{ Bible }

She's actually still in book 6, but at some point she'll jump on over to book 7.
All good to go.  :o)

{ English }

We're running a little tardy on getting through some of these English books, which in turn has us working a little lower than were we need to be for Chloe.  I don't think she minds.  Probably likes it as it's not so demanding.  So yes, she'll be working on this until it's finished.

and I'll be toggling it with:

{ Maths }

Chloe is actually more than half way through with this text as it is, so we're just going to go ahead and continue with it until it is done.  Then we'll move into Saxon 7/6.

{ Reading }

Various reading materials.  I'm weeding out all the twaddle, so yes, the reading levels will jump considerably.  This in turn will mean less books read for the overall year, but they'll be more quality books.


{ History }

We're going to try out something entirely foreign and new for us.  Abeka History, year 7.

{ Science }

and the following book: 

{ Spelling }

She's got a few lessons left here, and then I'm hoping for her to jump to the next book in this series.

I've got a good system going at the moment.  Each day we test out 10 of the list words and then she'll work on the ones that need work.  Copy, copy, syllables.  I have found that when you really focus on the syllabification that it boosts the quality of the spelling by a long way.

{ Vocabulary }

Monday and Tuesday - Divide in half and copy out the definitions
Wednesday and Thursday - Write a sentence for each word.
Begin the workbook and follow on for a second week.

So it'll take her 2 weeks per lesson.

{ Literature }

Something new to try out as well.

{ Nature }

{ Foreign Languages }

She has Greek and French available if she wants.

Truth is I can also muster up some Latin too in a jiffy.  :o)

Thanks for visiting chookies.

Grade 5 Phebe 2017

Here's what I've got lined up for Phebe this year:

 { Bible }

She's already started it, so that is nice.  So now she'll just continue on.  :o)

{ English }

Yep, she's already peeked in this book too.

{ Maths }

Phebe has worked quite well with Saxon 5/4 so I think this next book
will also be a super good fit for her as well.

{ Reading }

Various readers throughout the year.


{ History }

This book will be new, so she's being paired with Hannah for History this year with the following.  :o)

Our backup book for just in case.  Once we add outlines, essays, map work, people pictures, and timelines it would easily become a full curriculum without too much trouble.  Yeah, so a good backup plan.  :o)

{ Science }

Just the next book in the series.  :o)

Do a little vocabulary work, do an outline, write a little.  Maybe even do some diagrams.  Too easy.  The way science is supposed to be.

{ Spelling }

I don't actually have her spelling book for next year YET.  I've got one in mind but I still need to purchase it.  :o)


{ Vocabulary } 

We actually started this last year, and did like nearly half of them, but never mind, we're going to give it another run.  I'll also be adding worksheets to help spread it out, so we can spend more time in learning the words.  I'll let you know when I'm ready to start sharing those.  I am hoping it will be before the month is out. :o)

Thanks for visiting chookies.

Grade 3 Hannah 2017

Here's what I've got lined up for Hannah this year:

{ Bible }

I figure that she'll just mosey along at 1 page a day, except on Mondays where she'll add a new memory verse to her collection.  I just want her to start getting used to reading a real Bible and looking up the answers in it.

{ English }

Hannah has already started Book 4 so she'll just continue on until it's finished.

{ Maths }

I thought that she might have done a bit better with this, so I'm giving her another round of it instead of letting her go on to the next book.  She has those couple of years of padding - so it won't put her back to do another year, in fact I think it will just make it all the much more better as it will be much more easier this time.

{ Reading }

Various readers, although to be honest I want to up the level since she reads pretty good.


{ History }

I thought we'd try out something new.  :o)

I was also thinking this book, so I dunno, maybe I will still use it or keep it as a back up.  Not sure, but I am hoping that by the time we get there it will all be settled.

{ Science }

This year I want to add in all the questions too, not just an outline/mini essay on each chapter.

{ Spelling }

This is what she is currently using, and will just continue working on through.  I'm hoping to pick up the next book in the series as a follow on.

Apart from doing the workbook, each day I dictate 10 words for her to work on - whatever was spelled wrong is copied correctly and their syllables are also noted and worked on.

{ Vocabulary }
She did do a few lessons already, but I'm still going to send her back to the beginning of the book and see if we can't lift that level of delivery.

We'll also add in other odds and pieces and in particular Art as well.

Thanks for visiting Chookies.

Grade 1 Charlotte 2017

Here's what I have lined up for Charlotte and Grade 1 for our 2017 year.

{ Bible }

Bible Stories

{ English }

Learn To Read CLE
Now, as some of you know we are currently working in Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - so this is laying some awesome ground work for when we return to do these.

Followed immediately by Grade 1 CLE.
Technically you can start their Language Arts program once you hit 106 in the LTR, but we shall see how she goes.  They cover a lot of phonics and rules.  Great stuff.  Charlotte will be my 4th child using this curriculum.  Once you find something that is exceptional and works amazing, you just keep using it.  :o)

{ Maths }

Rod and Staff 1

She's already started Book 1, so now she'll just continue until she's finished with Book 2.

{ Reading }

Various beginning readers starting with these:

and 

Here's a photo of the inside of the Green { super beginner } book.  How awesome and gentle is that to start a child with reading?  

I love, love, love that they are ALL God centred and Bible focused.

In addition to HER reading, "I" will still be trying to find time to read stories / books to her too.

{ History - Story of the World I }

I love that you can buy the activity pages and tests as pdf downloads.

I do have hard copies { ie. the books in real life, so I still have the questions, narration examples - which I like to use as copywork quite frankly, and book recommendations } but I really prefer the pdf's instead.

{ Science - Evan Moor Science 1 }

Soooooooo gentle and easy, and it meets my paper trail addiction.
I don't really want to do anything heavy for Science for Grade 1 simply because she will be really focused on getting her reading down solid, and a bit of basic math started.

{ Art / Activity }

Word Work - Generally this will just be her working through a ton of worksheets that I picked up from TpT that focus mainly on word work - Phonics, Vocabulary etc...  Alternatively, there'll be Art days in there too.  However I think in reality that she'll be doing all sorts of things.  This is just the tick space on my list that gives us the room to move things in and move things out - that little something to break up all the other monotony. 

Now, having planned all this, we still have a couple of months before it goes live..... so there is always a small chance I might tweak it before then.  ha ha ha, a good homeschooling mummies prerogative.  :o)

Thanks for visiting Chookies!