For the first time ever, I finished planning next year’s curriculum in June! It helps that I’ve gone through each of the grades and all of this material before. And now I can look forward to a much more peaceful summer, with no curriculum choices hanging over my head.
Our big ‘together project’ this year will be Canadian history. We plan to do a lot of reading aloud, watch a lot of movies, visit many museums, and do some projects as well as work through some textbooks.
Having frequent, shorter lessons and adding in the fun stuff (picture study, composer study, nature study, Shakespeare, math reading, science reading), as Charlotte Mason suggested, makes the lists seem very long, but we don’t do each of these things every week. For example, some, like the math reading, happen only once a trimester, and we do picture study every second week.
While we acknowledge the fact that God may have different plans for next year, we also are serious about our responsibility to educate our children so we plan carefully. Here are our tentative curriculum plans for the 2013-2014 school year. (Note: all links are to my reviews.)
Miss 15 (Approximately Grade 11):
Bible: Omnibus 5 , Bible book summaries, reading list
Math: continue Singapore NEM #3; begin Singapore NEM #4; Math on DVD Algebra review; math reading and reports
English: Format Writing—paragraphs and short essays; Rod and Staff Grammar 7; Omnibus 5 (possibly with selections from Omnibus 2); continue How to Read a Book; five 750 word essays, and one of 1500 words (some of these will be for history)
Science: Apologia high school science: continue Chemistry; start Physics; science reading and reports
French: continue BJUP French 2; Kids Can Press French and English Phrase Book and French and English Word Book
Dutch: stories, vocabulary, copywork
Greek: master the alphabet and phonics using resources from Trivium Pursuit
History: History through Canadian Eyes with a focus on living books and Canadian history DVDs; Omnibus: medieval times; history reading and reports;
Logic: Finish James Madison Critical Thinking Course
PE: daily exercise; continue health book
Art: continue Artistic Pursuits
Music: organ, choir
Skills: Sewing and fabric crafts
CM learning: composer study, art study, nature study, Shakespeare
Guidance and career: Life-planning, aptitude testing, career study
Contests: CEMC math competition; Royal Canadian Legion poster, essay, and/or poetry competition;
Miss 13 (Approximately Grade 8):
Bible: Selections from Omnibus 1 and 2; Promise and Deliverance
Math: Geometry; the essence of Key to Geometry; Key to Algebra (the first few booklets); Singapore NEM #1; math reading and reports
English: continue English Literature for Boys and Girls; Format Writing—short essays; Rod and Staff Grammar 6; dictionary based spelling and vocabulary; literature—selections from Omnibus 1 and 2 and reading list
Science: Apologia Physical Science; Science Roots; science reading and reports
French: continue French is Fun 1; Kids Can Press French and English Phrase Book and French and English Word Book
Dutch: stories, vocabulary, Rosetta Stone written work
Greek: master the alphabet and phonics using resources from Trivium Pursuit
History: History through Canadian Eyes with a focus on living books and Canadian history DVDs; Streams of Civilization 1; history reading and reports; two 750 word reports, one 1500 word report, which can be projects for either history course.
Logic: The Thinking Toolkit
Computer: Kid Coder
Penmanship and copywork: Poetry from The Book of Virtues
Typing: Gentle Shepherd Typing Practice Pages
PE: judo, maybe swimming
Art: Artpack 7
Music: organ, guitar, recorder
Skills: Sewing and fabric crafts
CM learning: composer study, art study, nature study, Shakespeare
Contests: Gauss math competition; Royal Canadian Legion poster, essay, and/or poetry competition; track and field
Miss 10 (Approximately Grade 6):
Bible: Show My Thy Ways #5
Math: Key to Fractions, the first two booklets of Key to Measurement, and maybe more; continue fact drill; math reading and reports
English: Pathway Reader #6 and workbook; Intermediate Language Lessons Lessons 101-end; Daily Grams (and maybe some of Rod and Staff Grammar 4); Natural Speller
Science: Abeka 6 Science and Health or Apologia Zoology 3; science reading and reports
French: Kids Can Press French and English Phrase Book and French and English Word Book
Dutch: stories, vocabulary, Rosetta Stone written work
Greek: master the alphabet and phonics using resources from Trivium Pursuit
History: History through Canadian Eyes with a focus on living books and Canadian history DVDs; history reading and reports; one major project
Penmanship and copywork: Presidential Penmanship
Typing: Gentle Shepherd Touch Typing
PE: judo, maybe swimming
Art: Artpack 6
Music: organ, guitar, recorder
Skills: Sewing and fabric crafts
CM learning: composer study, art study, nature study, Shakespeare
Contests: Royal Canadian Legion poster, essay, and/or poetry competition; track and field
—
This post is linked to Teach Them Diligently and is part of TCC’s Homeschool Curriculum Choices from our Review Authors.
I have really enjoyed reading through your list for the year and some of your blog posts. I want to dig in deeper to some of your curriculum and your writing. It’s refreshing to read someone who writes and enjoys the beauty of encouraging others in the many ways you are doing so here.
Thank you so much, Rebecca! You’ve really encouraged me. 🙂
Glad that you have it all done and ready for next year. Looks like a good list. 🙂