I may seem to have it all together but know I struggle just like you with insecurities in educating my children to the best of my God-given ability. There are many days that I wonder if I am able, but He equips me each and every day with confidence! The one thing I have learned over the last nine years is to do what works for our family and my children. Yes, it’s easier said than done at times…but like they say the grass is not always greener on the other side. Granted it has taken me several years to get this much-needed concept, but it is so freeing when you do!
This year we will have a Junior, Freshman, 5th grader, 2nd grader, and a PK3er. It’s quite a span of learning but I am excited for the challenge. Each child has a specific area that we will focus on throughout the year with them. I hope my pouring into their focus area will lead to good fruits down the road, it is after all a marathon and not a sprint. This year I am so excited to be at a place where we can reuse most of our curriculum. The bulk of our curriculum budget went to my highschooler's as we have on hand the majority of our Dialectic and Grammar stage curriculum. My older girls asked to switch up our normal Sabbath schooling schedule of 6 weeks on, 1 week off. So, we are going to try 9 weeks on, with a 1 week break in between. We will school 6 days a week for Mikayla because of her gymnastics training schedule and for anyone who does not finish their weekly assignments. With this schedule, we will have 18 weeks done by the start of our Christmas break on December 15th.
***Like always, none of the links below are affiliate links. They are just for reference for me***
Bible ~ Bible Road Trip, Year 1: Books of the Law and History, Rhetoric level
Math ~ Saxon Advanced Mathematics (Pre-Calculus) with lecture instruction from Art Reed DVD’s and mom
Honors Science ~ Apologia Physics with Dr. Wile (online)
English 3 ~ AP English Language (online) PA Homeschoolers with Mrs. Inspecktor
History ~ AP US Government (online) PA Homeschoolers with Mrs. Reed
Foreign Language ~ Spanish 3 with Homeschool Spanish Academy (online)
PE ~ Varsity softball with SCA (Spring 4 days/week)
~ preparing for academy application Physical Readiness Test (PRT)
Electives:
~ Honors Meteorology (one semester course)
~ Economics (one semester) *most likely online with Alpha Omega’s Monarch program.
~ Digital Savvy Computer course (she has completed first semester just needs to finish 2nd semester) ~ Driver’s Ed (never completed in 10th grade)
~ Essentials of Communication (one semester)
Extras
~ PSAT/ACT 1 hr/day
~ Girl Scout Ambassador
~ Complete Girl Scout Gold Award {equivalent to Boy Scout Eagle Scout}
~ Community Service with the National Exchange Club
Total credits: 9 credits
* Madison will sit for the AP English Language and AP US Government exams in the Spring of 2018.
Mikayla is jumping into the Rhetoric level of learning this year too! This summer we have started navigating the NCAA Clearinghouse waters as she would like to compete Division I gymnastics in college. It’s a whole world of muddy water that is getting clearer each and every day with research and communicating with other homeschooling families who have “been there, done that”. I am confident that her high school level course load will live up to NCAA standards and pass review when the time comes. Mikayla is eager to start 9th grade year because she knows she is getting closer to meeting her goal of being a collegiate gymnast. She doesn’t know which Division 1 school she would like to compete with just yet, but being on the campus of Michigan State University for Lv9 Eastern’s this past April really made an impression on her.
Morning Time Recitations
Bible ~ Bible Road Trip, Year 1: Books of the Law and History, Dialectic level
Math ~ Saxon Algebra 1 with Geometry using lecture instruction from Art Reed DVD’s and mom Honors Science ~ Apologia Biology with Red Wagon Tutorials lectures along with Fascinating Biology video lectures
Honors English 1
~ Rod &Staff Grammar, book 8
~ Vocabulary from Classical Roots, books B & C
~ Bell Ringer Journal / Current events
~ Literature: Selected short stories – A White Heron, The Diamond Necklace, The Ransom Red Chief, The Purloined Letter, A Worn Path, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Mara, Daughter of the Nile with study guide
Memoria Press The Iliad and The Odyssey Set
To Kill a Mockingbird with study guide
The Aeneid with study guide
Jane Eyre with study guide
The Eagle of the Ninth with study guide
The Miserables with study guide
~ Composition: selections from both Excellence in Literature and Writing With Skill 2
~ Read-Alouds from MTR
Honors History of the Ancient World ~ Tapestry of Grace, Year 1 at Rhetoric level with online co-op. She will complete Accountability and Thinking questions, geography map work, charts, and a timeline
Foreign Language ~ Spanish 1 with Alpha Omega LifePac with Homeschool Spanish Academy for conversation/immersion speaking (online)
PE ~ Level 10 gymnastics, 30 hours a week
Electives:
~ Latin: Memoria Press Second Form Latin
~ History of Fine Arts 1
~ Keyboarding: Typing for Christian Service
Extras
~ PSAT prep 30 minutes/day
Total credits: 8.5 credits
Montana is jumping into the world of logic learning this year for 5th grade. She is my first student to be homeschooled from the beginning and it has been challenging and rewarding seeing what works for her as a learner. She is now a voracious reader but not a huge fan of math. Hopefully as the years go on she will start to like math a little more, especially since she plans to be a zoologist or a veterinarian.
Morning Time Recitations
Bible ~ Bible Road Trip, Year 1: Books of the Law and History, Upper Grammar level
Math ~ Saxon 6/5 with DIVE
~ Times Alive!
~ The Moffatt Girls Multiplication: The Bundle
Science ~ Real Science Odyssey: Biology 2
Language Arts ~ Rod & Staff, book 5
~ Writing With Ease 4
~ Rod & Staff Spelling 6
~ Vocabulary from Classical Roots, book A
~ Tapestry of Grace Literature
~ The Good & Beautiful Handwriting, Level 6
History/Geography/Fine Arts ~ Tapestry of Grace, Year 1 at the Dialectic Level (online co-op)
Health ~ Health for the Glory of God
Logic ~ BrainBogglers
~ Detective Club Mysteries
Foreign Language ~ Memoria Press Latina Christiana
PE ~ Pop Warner Cheerleading in the fall, Softball in the Spring
Extras
~ Girl Scout Junior
~ Complete Girl Scout Bronze Award
~ Awana TNT
McKenzie is heading into 2nd grade full steam ahead! She is an eager learner who loves math and science. She still is struggling a bit with reading, but from past experience I know this will pass and she will catch on when ready. To do my part we will have a phonics intensive review year. Sounds daunting but I found some great curriculum options to make it a fun hands-on learning experience which is right up her alley. McKenzie is a gymnast, like Mikayla, so we will be scheduling her schooling around gym time. But she loves to do school so I never have any issues with her wanting to complete her lessons after a long day in the gym.
Morning Time Recitations
Bible ~ Bible Road Trip, Year 1: Books of the Law and History, Lower Grammar level
Math ~ Saxon 2/3 *She will finish her Saxon 2 by Christmas break
~ Addition and Subtraction (Mastering Math Facts)
Science ~ Real Science Odyssey: Life 1
Language Arts / Phonics ~ Monthly NO PREP Packets
~ Rod & Staff , book 2 with The Moffatt Girls 2nd Grade LA and Grammar
~ Writing With Ease 1
~ Fluency Strips™
~ Veritas Press Phonics Museum App
~ Hands-On Phonics
~ Hands-On Sight Words for spelling
~ Sonlight Readers 2
~ The Good & Beautiful Handwriting, Level 4
~ Hands-On Morning Tubs
History/Geography ~ Tapestry of Grace, Year 1 at the Lower Grammar Level
~ Story of the World {Vol.1} Audio / activity guide
Foreign Language ~ Memoria Press Prima Latina
PE ~ Level 3/4 gymnastics Team, TOPs Training, 18.5 hours a week
Extras
~ Girl Scout Brownie
~ Awana Sparky
How is it that my sweet baby boy is old enough for Preschool? Time flies guys! Before we know it, he will be ready for Kindergarten…but I am just going to stay in the preschool years and enjoy our time! I am not planning too much for Micah other than hands-on tubs, some online learning, and lots of reading. We will follow a curriculum plan loosely, picking activities from a few here and there, however, the main focus will be fun, hands-on learning in bite sized chunks.
~ ABC Mouse
~ Hands-On Morning Tubs {activities culled from curricula above}
~ Awana Cubbies
Plus any curriculum blessing we receive as we sail with the TOS Homeschool Crew. Have you picked your upcoming curriculum? If so, I would love to see what you are planning! Come back next week and check out our updated school room!
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