Homeschooling Plan 2015-2016

This is technically Haley's 8th grade year. I have been going back and forth with a number of things when planning for this year. I am trying to keep everything doable with our busy music/travel schedule while still covering everything I want her to learn and that she wants to learn. I went back and forth with science this year. She did High School level Biology this year and my original plan was Chemistry but then with all her other subjects especially a rather heavy history plan (and lack of a burning desire to actually do chemistry), I decided Chemistry can wait until next year. This being her last non-high school year, I'd have her do more of an overview of science course and fit in some science subjects she is interested in like zoology which she has not gotten to delve into in depth.

Here's the plan for this year:

          Algebra 2: PLATO Algebra 2 
          English: Windows to the World

                        The Power in Your Hands

         World Literature

                         Work with writing tutor weekly

           Latin: Second Form Latin (one lesson per week)

           History: The History of the Ancient World/ workbook

  with various Teaching Company video lectures

           Science: Joy of Science videos with experiments in Chemistry and Zoology

           French: Bon Voyage (1 chapter every 2-3 weeks)

           Music Theory: Well Trained Mind Academy Intermediate Music Theory 

           Art: The Annotated Mona Lisa by Carol Strickland 

This plan is not set in stone and may change depending on how the year progresses and leaving room for some bunny trails as needed.

Homeschool...finishing up the year.

I don't know why but I always feel like our school year roughly coincides with the regular public school year. Maybe it is my nostalgia for a new start every fall or something. I don't know. September is when we switch up history and science cycles and when we change the grade we tell people Haley is in...this corresponds to where she'd be if in school. All other curriculum tends to be on a continuous cycle...just moving on and changing when we finish something.

Haley and I have done a good job with the curriculum we picked this year. There haven't been many bombs. In the past month or so, we've finished up some things and moved on to others.

Here is where we are right now...

Math:
-Saxon 87...we finished up Thinkwell Pre-alg but I didn't think Haley had enough experience manipulating numbers to move on to Algebra 1 and she didn't like her initial experiences with Art of Problem Solving Pre-Alg...again due to needing more experience/practice so back to Saxon we went. She's happy, doing well, and feels confident in her math abilities.

Language Arts:
-Lightning Literature 7...I have been waiting to start this program. I wanted Haley to be able to get the most out of it and be able to do 7th grade level output. We started this about a month ago and she's doing really well. We are taking our time and working toward completion of a chapter every 3-4 weeks.
-Wordly Wise...continuing on with this
-Language Mechanics for practice with grammar.
-Writing With Ease...we just started this last week so I don't really have much to say...yet.

Foreign Languages:
-Rosetta Stone Spanish and Gaelic...continuing with this.

Science:
-We are nearly finished with PLATO and have only 2 more lessons to compete. She is almost finished with the workbook she's been doing concurrently called Just the Facts. We have a few other resources to go deeper into rock study and planets. I am thinking about getting Discovery Ed Streaming for the rest of the year and just following her interests until Sept. when we will start Chemistry.

History:
-This is going slowly but steadily. We are reading through 2 chapters of History of US by Joy Hakim every week and note booking a page for each chapter along with maps. Also reading along in We Were There Too and doing pages from a number of workbooks/activities about Revolutionary Times. I hope to get through the Civil War by Sept and Haley would love to do a Civil War lapbook.
-Mapping the World with Art...we have about 4 more lessons in this book then we'll be finished. Once finished we will do more with regular art though I haven't decided which of the many art curricula we will use yet.

Music:
-Violin, fiddle, orchestra, and piano (which just started in January) continue to go well.

Plans for Homeschooling 2011-12

After speaking with my homeschooling friend Kate, I got a burst of energy and decided to get our plans in order for the coming school year. So, I cleaned book shelves and went through bins of homeschooling curriculum and materials I have in the basement. I had ordered a few items already but had most of what I needed left over from homeschool years past.

Here are the plans for Haley this coming year:

Math: Finish up Saxon 76 (hopefully this summer but we may have a few chapters left) and get serious about Thinkwell Pre-Algebra. Not sure yet if we will do Saxon 87 or another Pre-Algebra program after.

Language Arts:
-I am planning a poetry study for the 1st half of the school year. We will use Best Poems from Hewitt Homeschool and then use what we learned to study poems of our choice from various poetry books we have around.

-Spelling Power
-Wordly Wise 6 and Word Roots Level B Book 1
-Selected activities from Writing Strands Level 4, Writing for 100 Days, and Writing Power
-Book Club with friends on Skype using Deconstructing Penguins

Science: Our spine will be PLATO Earth Science
Additional Materials:
DK Rocks and Minerals
Magnetism by Peter Riley
How the Earth Works by John Farndon
Just the Facts: Earth and Space Science by Jennifer Sinsel
Usbourne Rocks and Fossils
Science Experiments: Earth Science by Tammy Williams

History: Our spine will be History of US by Joy Hakim with the Study Guide (Books 3-10 We did books 1 and 2 this past year)
Additional Materials: (for the beginning part of the year)
American Revolution: National Park American History Series
Everyday Life: American Revolution
Struggle for a Continent
How Would You Survive in the American West
Daily Life in a Covered Wagon
Everyday Life: Civil War
Going Along with Lewis and Clark: Unit study
George Washington's World
Abraham Lincoln's World
Mutiny on the Amistad
Civil War

Geography and Art: Mapping the World with Art by Ellen McHenry
Artistic Pursuits Grades 4-6 Book 1 (Meant to do last year but didn't get to it)
Various art resources and project books

Foreign Language:
Rosetta Stone Spanish
Rosetta Stone Gaelic (if we get the laptop fixed)

Music: Violin/Fiddle lessons and orchestra
Piano at home

We'll see how it goes!

Summer Plans...

I have been trying to figure out exactly what Haley will be doing for school through the summer. I don't like to let the kids' brains turn to mush so always have a few educational ideas for each to break up the down-time. A couple hours 2-3 days a week for school is about all I plan on.

The boys are now in public school but, even so, I plan for them to do a bit of math- Alg review for Newt since he spent the last year doing Geometry and will be doing Alg.2 in school next year and Pre-Alg review for Dylan. They will also have reading...summer reading for school and do some vocabulary building activities.

My plans with Haley include continuing through Saxon 76 and Thinkwell Pre-Alg. We used a number of supplements this year to slow her down so still have a little less than half the book to finish but she seems to be moving more quickly lately like some things have clicked. The other possibility, because Saxon teaches a concept then adds to it later, is that she already understands the adds to it later parts from learning it the easy way the first time...that whole parts to whole learning style she has going on.

She will also be reading and working on her Artists lapbook. She is doing a unit on poetry at the moment and is enjoying it so we'll continue. It is a warm up so she can do the Best Poems book we have that goes a little more indepth into poetry but we'll wait to start that in Sept.

We have finished most of our readings on Colonial America...yes, it took us the entire "school-year" to do American History up to the Revolutionary War. We did a lot of activities and extra readings and followed many "bunny trails." My plan is to not get into the Revolutionary War until Sept. but to finish up the Colonial Times lapbook we began.

We are also going a bit more indepth with the Human Body at Haley's insistence so will continue working on that for the summer.

Other than that, we have some arts and crafts projects in the works. She is going to have violin lessons only once a week for the summer, most weeks anyway. I think her teacher will let her do repertoire only for the summer as well which she always loves...none of those technique books to worry about. Fiddle lessons will continue to be regular to get ready for the All Ireland in August.

That's our summer....lots of swimming at Grammy and Poppop's pool, cousins coming to visit (including the new baby twins), Celtic music camp in July, and Ireland in August! I love summer!!!

School plans...September 2010-whenever

This coming year Newt and Dylan will be attending public school. Newt will be in high school (9th grade) and Dylan in middle school (7th grade). I have serious thoughts about supplementing Newt's math since he will only have math half the year due to the most ridiculous and counterproductive scheduling I've ever heard...but that's another story.

So, that leaves Haley at home with me. Mmmmrrrrhhhahaha...just kidding. Here's what we have planned for the coming school year. It's a bit ambitious so we'll see how much we get done.

Math: Saxon 76
Hands on Equations
Teaching Company's Joy of Mathematics DVDs
Problem Solving the Systematic Way Primary 6

Foreign Language: Rosetta Stone Spanish and Gaelic

Language Arts: Wordly Wise 5
Editor in Chief- finish A1 then move on to A2
Michael Clay Thompson: Grammar Voyage, Paragraph Town, Caesar's English, and Building Poems (we started CE and BP last year so will finish it up then move to the next level)
Introductory Level: Best Poems and Best Short Stories (If we finish these up will move on to Lightning Literature 7th Grade.)
Reading Strands-Understanding Fiction
Critical Thinking Company books: Language SmArts and Run on Riddlers

History: History of US by Joy Hakim along with a middle school level study guide from Hewitt Homeschooling Resources along with numerous supplements like biographies, activity guides, critical thinking guides, fiction and nonfiction books. I can't possibly list them all here but as we begin each era I'll try to post which ones we're using.

Science: Biology: We are studying biology this year beginning with the human body per Haley's request, moving on to animals around winter, then to plants in the spring. Our spines...
PLATO Life Science- computer program
Teaching Company: Joy of Science DVD lectures on life and biology.
NOEO Biology complete with books and experiments
Eyewitness Books: Life
Biology for Every Kid

Human Body: Human Body for Every Kid
Head to Toe Science
The Body Book
Various books and coloring books on anatomy and slides for microscope.

Animals: Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method
Usbourne Illustrated Encyclopedia of Nature
Computer programs on cells and frog dissection

Plants: How Nature Works
Inside Guides: Incredible Plants
Handbook of Nature Study by Comstock

Extras:
Music: violin and fiddle lessons plus orchestra
Teaching Company: Listen to and Understand Great Music (more for Mommy but Haley'll listen)

Art: Teaching Company: Museum Masterpieces-The Louvre
Art Activity Packets
Drawing with Children
Artistic Pursuits

Geography: Geography Literature Approach-based on books by Holling Clancy Holling- Minn of the Mississippi, Seabird, Tree on the Trail, and Paddle to the Sea

Logic: Introductory Logic by Wilson and Nance
Critical Thinking Company- Arguments, Think A Minutes, Visual Mind Benders

Curriculum...

We are now coming to a close on what would be a regular school-year for most. We school year round so we don't have definite breaks and most of our coursework simply keeps going but we will be starting our next rotations for history and science within the next month...taking some time for vacation (during which we are doing an American Indian unit study, nature and regular journalling, and Primary Challenge Math for the younger two just to keep from taking so many books on vacation since we have to pack light).

Anyway, here are our curriculum choices for the next "school year."

1. Math

Newt- Algebra II using Saxon Aglebra II, Teaching Company DVDs for high school Algebra II, and Thinkwell College Algebra online (we are working up to doing an actual college course next year).

Dylan- starting Saxon 87 in 2 weeks (Algebra is on the horizon for him in another 10 months or so)

Haley- finishing up the last half of Saxon 3

2. Language Arts

Newt- Lightning Literature 8th grade (has been working on it for last 3-4 months so will continue), Spelling Power, and vocabulary program

Dylan- Readings of interest...undecided on an actual lit. program, Writing Power, Spelling Power, and will begin a vocabulary program (possibly Wordly Wise).

Haley- Reading whatever interests her, Spelling Power, Writing Power, possibly Wordly Wise once I decide on a level

3. History

Boys (Renaissance to about 1800)- Renaissance History Portfolio, World History: The Human Odyssey, World Literature, and various workbooks and activity guides

Haley (Ancient Times)- History Portfolio, Story of the World 1 and Activity Book, Mythology and other readings of the times, World Literature, Usbourne, Kingfisher, and various workbooks and activity books

4. Science (Chemistry)- each child's use of these materials will depend on their level...

How to Teach Science to Your Child, The Elements: Ingredients of the Universe, Conceptual Chemistry by Suchocki plus Lab Manual, A Guide to the Elements by Stwertka, and various experiments

5. Languages- Rosetta Stone Spanish and may do some work in Latin but undecided.

6. Music- continue lessons and practice of various instruments. Listen to music appreciation CDs and read biographies of various composers.

7. Art- Cave Paintings to Picasso by Sayre, The Usbourne Book of Art, and Drawing with Children.

I think that may be it for now unless I come up with something else really interesting.

Fall 2007 Curriculum Plans...

Okay, we are in week #2 of the 2007-2008 "homeschool year." Here is what we have planned so far.

Newt:

Math- Jacob's Geometry

Weekly writing assignment (topics will vary to include different types of expository writing)
Grammar/Spelling/Vocabulary- Spelling Power Level G, grammar to be discussed based on
editing on writing assignments and common errors.

Daily reading

Earth Science- Great Course DVDs on Geology, CyberEd Earth and Space science course,
various books on space, planets, astronomy, rocks/minerals, and earth as needed to
supplement. Purchased rock kit with various specimens for study. In spring with
bring telescope home for further space and astronomy study. Also planning trip to
Yellowstone National Park next summer to coincide with these studies.

Medieval History- Great Course DVDs on Medieval history, World History the Human Odyssey
History Scribe for notebook keeping. Activity books like Knights and Castles by Hart & Mantell and Days of Knights and Damsels by Laurie Carlson.

Rosetta Stone Spanish

Geography- through history study and more in depth with Evan-Moor Daily Geography
practice 6th grade.

Art- Drawing with Children
Music- drums
Phys.Ed.- Wrestling, Taekwondo, Gumdo, and wants to start studying Judo.

Dylan:

Math- Saxon 76

Weekly writing assignment as above

Grammar/Spelling/Vocabulary- Spelling Power level F, grammar and vocabulary learned
through various readings.

Daily Reading
Earth Science as above
Medieval History as above
Rosetta Stone Spanish
Geography as above
Art as above
Music- guitar
Phys.Ed.- Taekwondo, Gumdo, basement workouts and wants to start Judo


Haley:

Math- some combination of Saxon 2 and Miquon red book
Daily reading
Copywork- from readings, poems, etc...
Spelling- Spelling Power level A
Earth Science- joining in on CyberEd and various readings, activities and experiments with
brothers.
History- SOTW 2 plus activities
Rosetta Stone Spanish
Geography- as above
Art as above
Music- violin and fiddle including violin group class bimonthly. Will learn more music reading
and theory through Music Mind Games
Phys Ed- taekwondo and dance


Well, that's what we have so far. When things are not quite as hectic with the end of summer, rescheduling activities for new year, and my everchanging work schedule (which should be on 2 days per week as of the middle of September). I hope to reinstitute daily journal/nature journal activities at least for Haley because we enjoyed them and have the entire school schedule implemented.