2014-2015 Homeschool Curriculum Plans

We are almost one month into our 2014-2015 school year, and I am just now sharing our curriculum. To say I’m a bit behind is an understatement. Ha! I’m sure you all are used to that by now. 😉

I shared our first day of Classical Conversations pictures yesterday, but we’ve been at this school thing since August 4. We normally school through the summer, but we decided – for multiple reasons – to just let it go and pick up where we left off last year. The girls could not wait, and drove me crazy for a week wanting to get started. They love school, so I relented, and we began a week earlier than I had planned.

Our word of the year for our homeschool is proficient. The definition of proficient is: competent or skilled in doing or using something. I think there is so much pressure for perfection in this world, and perfection is not what I – or anyone else, for that matter! – should be expecting. The girls think this “word thing” is a hoot, but are also coming to realize that perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and being and doing her best is where it is at.

Everyone

This year, Classical Conversations is in Cycle 3. All three girls are participating in the Foundations program, and all will be involved in learning the Cycle 3 material.

I am supplementing the regular Cycle 3 information with a few items:

• Cycle 3 Classical Conversations notebook (downloaded from CC Connected)
• Cycle 3 Audio CDs, and eventually the iPad app (it has not been released as of now)
• Cycle 3 Memory Work Flashcards
• 50 Great States Fast-Fact book
• The Constitution: A Collection of Historically Important Communications of the United States of America (Target Dollar Spot)
• My Body
• States and Capitals (wipe-clean book)

Abby Grace and Reese are using the Prescripts: Math Terms to work on their cursive handwriting, as well as copying sentences that I come up with. As we move along in the Essentials program, both girls will add diagramming to their handwriting. Both girls are copying the grammar charts that come with the Essentials program.

Abby Grace (age 10)

This will be Abby Grace’s second year in the Essentials writing program with Classical Conversations. We had our first class on Tuesday, and I will just say the girl has retained a lot. Her confidence has increased tremendously, as well. This is her absolute favorite class and subject, and I cannot wait to see what the year has in store for her. I can see only good things!

• Teaching Textbooks 4 and 5 (we only purchase the CDs)
• PreScripts: Math Terms
• The Complete Book of Maps Geography
• McGuffey’s Eclectic Spelling Book
• The Story of the World Volume 3 and Volume 4 (reading books only)
• Essentials of the English Language
• Institute for Excellence in Writing: US History-Based Writing Lessons
• Private Piano lessons

Reese (age 8)

Reese was a little upset with me when I told her I would not be enrolling her in Essentials this year. Technically, it is a three-year program, and enrolling her this year would have made it a four-year program for her, so it was a wise decision for multiple reasons. However, I told her she could sit in while I worked on Essentials with Abby Grace AND she could begin working on the Essentials grammar charts and diagramming. Reese also needs a boost in the reading department, so we are going through the 100 lessons book again.

• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
• Rod & Staff “We Learn About God” reading books and reading lessons (after 100 lessons is finished)
• PreScripts: Math Terms
• The Complete Book of Maps Geography
• McGuffey’s Eclectic Spelling Book
• Math U See: Alpha (second semester: Beta)
• Our Mother Tongue
• Grammar & Diagramming Sentences
• Private Piano lessons
• Private Art lessons

Meleah (age 6)

Technically, Meleah is still five, but that will only be true for the next five days. We are starting Kindergarten work this year, after holding off last year as I felt she was not ready. That was the best thing we could have done, and she is really excited about her work and CC this year. She was participating in learning the memory work on Tuesday, when last year all she could do was suck her thumb and break down when it was time for oral presentations. This year, she is much more confident and I can already see how she is thriving.

• Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten (Yellow Book, looks like it is no longer available)
• Happy Handwriting (print, looks like this is also no longer available… I’m on a roll with oldies!)
• Math K5 (I have an older edition than what is linked)
• Explode the Code: A, B, & C
• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (after HOP book)
• Math U See Primer or Alpha (depends on how she does with the Math K5)
• Private Piano lessons

HOP is working so far, but if I see that she’s ready to move on, we will go ahead and jump into the 100 Lessons book. That’s one thing I love about homeschooling; it’s not a one-size-fits-all deal and we can tweak as necessary. Another thing I love is that we can use whatever we want to teach, whether it’s considered “grade level” or not. For example, the reading books Reese wants to use are labeled as “first grade,” but she wants to use those books. We have them, and you know, why not use them if she’s wanting to read them?! I also like that we don’t have to move on if we get stuck. If someone needs to really work on a math skill, we can stop, work on that skill, and pick up where we left off later.

This is what our family is doing. I hope it helps others, or gives someone a new idea to try with their child(ren), but what I do doesn’t always work for everyone, and vice versa. Always do what works best for your family!

I’ve linked as many of these books as I can to help out any of you who might be interested in checking them out further. Some are affiliate links in this post. You do not pay a penny more when you purchase a product through my link. Thank you for supporting my site!