Curriculum choices for 2007-2008 school year

Just curious what everyone is using.

For my fourth grader we're using:

BJUP for reading, spelling, writing, math and history
SOS for bible and science
An evan moor study on Australia and Africa for geography

Side note: I'm usually not a boxed curriculum person for science and history but with a new baby due, I figured that this would make life a little easier and less stressful for me.

For my kindergarten/first grader:

We're using the BJUP dvd series. She does much better with this, doesn't want mommy to teach her, she wants to do it herself. lol

I'm still up in the air about what to use this year. I cant' get my boys to tell me their preference, but after 11 years of unenthusiastic scholarship, I think I will go with some boxed stuff. I simply can't pour my heart into making a curriculum if they don't meet me part way. My eldest will be a Senior, so I plan for him to take English at the local Jr. College. I'll check back in when I have a better plan. :)

I see what I use as I go along but here is a ruff idea

Math: Fininsh Taching Textbooks Math 7 do Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra and start on Algebra 1 (unless Pre-Algebra is a lot harder than it looks).

Science: Intergrated Physics and Chemistry chapters 1-6 ( basicly 1 year) and then I'll see if I want to do more.
Story of Science:Newton at the Center and Einstien adds a New Dimension if I get to it. This isn't a curriculum but it's an awsome science series. I'm reading Aristotle Leads the Way right now and am almost done.

History: Story of the world 2 (unless I finish it during the Summer) and 3 or even 4 if I get there. Lots and lots of historical fiction which I love.

English: All the Shakespeare on the Double! Shakespeare plays. I'll do lots of writting but I don't have a curriculum. Maybe some spelling or grammar. Classics is something I want to work on.

French: French Now Level 1 and maybe I'll finish a French novel.

Music: Violin and probobly the dreaded music theory (sound advice level 2).

Art: art class and probobly some books on artists and art.

That's all I can think of. As you can see I'm not very sure about what I'll do and I don't use much of a curriculum.

I keep thinking of more stuff!

Science:
Yes Mag a very good science magazine

History:
Learning Through History magazine

By the way, I'm in grade 7.

For my 8th grader:

Teaching with God's Heart for the World (Unit Study on Missions with a really quick study on Ancients to Modern).

Lial's BCM with D.V.T's

BJUP Life Science at Tutorial

Speech (Abeka at Tutorial)

Literary Lessons from The Lord of the Rings

Latin in the Christian Trivium 1

and Sonlight Pre-K for my Kindergartener along with SWR for phonics, Rightstart Math, and Handwriting without Tears

living4Him247 - I like the sound of your unit study on Missions. Is it suitable for a 9th grade level too?

It's definitely suitable for a 9th grade level. It uses books like Operation World, From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Streams of Civilization 1, an older Abeka history book (which I think was either 8th grade or 9th grade level). I've also added in the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia for her to do outlining, and the Story of the World books.

Here is the link where I bought the unit study:

http://laurelwoodbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1384

It's out of print, so this is where I was able to find it, and it was inexpensive. It took me about 4-5 days to write out the year's schedule, and I still have to put it in a Excel spreadsheet, but in this 4-5 days, I also picked out my dd's reading list, a movie list (we watch a movie every Friday, along with the child making a food item from the region studied)

It's a great base to start from, and really could be used from Kindergarten to Grade 12, by adding/removing appropriate books.

This was a bit long. Email me if you have any other questions.

Not too long, thank you. It looks great. I'm going away for awhile, but when I get back I have to get organized, so I'll look it over. I have most of the books mentioned above. My son hates reading though, so I may need to do something more basic with him. Very smart boy, does not enjoy reading.

I've looked through my things, and these are the books I will be building our school year on.

9th grade:
English: Backgrounds to World Literature and Masterpieces from World Literature by ABeka (these will be used to intersperse with history studies as well)

History: Konos History of the World, Vol. 1 The Ancient World (used as a timeline and for ideas more than a full curriculum. (this is his break year from science, but Konos incorporates a lot of science)

Math: Saxon Algebra 2

Ethics: Thinking Like a Christian and Countering Culture by David Noebel and Chuck Edwards

German: Using the Rosetta Stone (possibly)

12th Grade:
English: The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, How to Write Poetry, How to Give a Speech, How to Improve Your Grammar and Usage, How to Write a Story, How to Write a News Article, from the Speak Out, Write On! series.

Practical Living Skills: Biblical Financial Study, How to Manage Your Money, I will also teach about cooking on a budget, managing a checkbook/debit card, laundry skills, etc.

Math: Saxon Physics

German and Ethics, same a 9th grader

In addition to these, both boys are involved in sports and earning money as they can, church youth groups and music lessons.

*edited to add some touchstones

Mrs. Lee,

Its so nice to see that your taking the time to teach basic life skills to your kids. Almost all homeschoolers do.

I have to share that a neighbor (14 years old) at our last place, came over to have me sew a rip in her shirt that was about an inch long-she didn't know how to do it.

Another time, her older sister (18) came over to borrow a can of tomato sauce. I knew they didn't know how to cook, so I casually asked what they were making. They were surprising their mother with a spaghetti dinner. I had to explain that a can of tomato sauce is not spaghetti sauce to her.

It frustrates me because I feel that we're really cheating our kids by not teaching them the basics of living, laundry, cooking, etc. Mommy won't be there forever. I learned alot from my mother, but also at school in Home Ec, and they don't teach that anymore.

Sorry for the rant, it just drives me crazy. Does it make anyone else nuts?

Hi everyone. No cirriculum but my son is learning all the time. :)

#10 - Well, my son's friends think I'm a genius...so it's hard to argue with that. ;) But I think one of my greatest fears is sending my kids out on their own without basic skills. Seems to me that's a sure way to a life of debt to others.

#11 - Message to short. Need elaboration. Welcome :) What are you doing with your son? I would be the first to say that little or no curriculum is needed until the 6th grade at least. Unless, like me, you are clueless in math.

Hi again. We unschool. Sorry about the shortness of my posts, i am a little busy and i'm new here but feel free to ask any questions. :)

#13 - Could you give a brief :) definition of what the difference is between homeschool and unschool?

sure. Unschoolering is trusting that a child will learn what he needs to learn when he wants too. Children want to learn and life and play are connections/learning. I don't care(for example) if my son learns to read at 6yo. or 9yo. or 12, when the need is their,learning happens. The only thing that testing does is make a child cram or learn by mote to pass than soon forget but a child that is interested is something has the internel motivation to learn as opposed to an outside(person) telling him he needs to learn this or that. I want my son to keep his autonomy and giving him my trust is best.Can i suggest this link? sandradodd.com
she is great with words and explaining.Just click on unschooling. thanks.

Has anyone here read any of John Holt's books?
I also have a question. Do we each have a blog here or is that for the people who paid? I think this site is great and wonder how i never heard of it before,lol
You'd think our local library would mention it. I found this site my doing a "social network" search.

Thank you feelingwords4eva, that was very clear.

I'm not sure I can answer your questions. I don't think I've read John Holt, but the name is familiar. As far as the blog goes, I'm not sure I understand. Not very computer savvy. I've paid, but don't have a blog here, I just ramble around in the groups I belong to and to other's profiles wreaking havoc and making comments. Kidding about the havoc. I do like to talk about things, but try very hard not to arouse anger, etc. If you enter some of the books you have at home, this site will match you up with folks who have those and similar books. Hopefully then you can find like-minded people to chat with. I enjoy the groups because I enjoy chatting with both people who are like-minded and those who see things differently than I.

#16 feelingwords4eva, there's a blog called www.homeschoolblogger.com that is free. I have one there, its very nice.

When i mentioned testing i should have said; how schools do it. I enjoy reading how and what other homeschoolers are doing, no matter what method they use. I don't want to anger anyone either. All homeschoolers are wonderful to me!!!
Mrs. Lee, reeking havoc...that was funny,lol!
I should get my books entered...eh?
homeschoolmom, thanks for the blog link! :)

feelingwords4eva: I unschool too! It's nice to know about other unschoolers.
I don't think you need a curriculum, just do what you like. Unscholers can have some portion of a curriculum if they want. My mum really wanted me to do more formal math because she wasn't comfortable teaching me herself. I know kind of enjoy my math curriculum. I'm really, really keen on physics so we found a physics curriculum (with chemistry too)that I really enjoy and has more to it than the books I get from the library. Mostly I just see what I want to learn about as I go along. Right now my interests are Shakespeare,physics and philosophy (I was reading Sophie's World) by the fall some might of changed, by winter some will of changed and by spring I might be interested in completely knew stuff.

I think my mum has read some John Holt books but I have not.

feelingwords4eva - See what I mean about the books? It might help you find other unschoolers as well. I'm going to start another thread about unschooling, if you are willing to instruct and answer some questions, I think it could be helpful for some who are beginning their adventure.

bookykid, maybe you can help answer questions too. I like having the perspective of an instructor and instructee. :)

Hi bookykid! You sound like a wonderful, interesting child.um, i don't know if your a girl or boy but you seem like your doing very well in your learning!
MrsLee, that be wonderful and i surely would love to help out!

feelingwords4eva: I'm a 12 year old girl.

Let's see...

My youngest is continuing with Phonics Pathways, Primary Math (Singapore), and lots of science books. He'll listen in on Story of the World vol. 2 for our next 2 children and do coloring pages, maps, etc. during that.

Middle kids are doing Rod and Staff English (but I may switch at the very last second here and get Jr. Analytical Grammar!), Primary Math, Story of the World along with a lot of supplementary reading, Christian Kids Explore Biology & Chemistry, Reading Detective and we're all doing Training Hearts, Teaching Minds for Bible, which I am *loving*. Sequential Spelling.

Our 2 oldest will do Lightning Literature 7 and 8, maybe some additional writing (I have Write Source 2000....and I also think Analytical Grammar looks good...I'm a mess!). BJU World Studies which actually coincides with Story of the World (Middle Ages). Painless Vocabulary, typing and Teaching Textbooks math which I'm really excited about because they can do it alone!

Apologia Gen. Science, too. Gee, did I forget anything?? *passing out*

I'm not a homeschooler, but I just wanted to link to the CSMP Math ciricumlumn. My boyfriend who's now a PhD student in Computational Linguistics (ie, math + human language) had this system while in elementary school, and found it to be extremely good. It's fully available online now at that site.

My 14 yo is taking online classes for Spanish 2, Marine Science and Language Arts. She uses Teaching Textbooks for Algebra 1 (hoping we have finally found a math curriculum that she'll use and understand)

For the boys (10, 8, & 6)

Bible: Come Ye Children

History: SOTW 3

Math-U-See: Primer, Alpha, Beta & Gamma

Language Arts: hoping to get LLATL soon, levels Yellow, Orange and unsure about Red or Blue for the 6yo. He is Using 100 Easy Lessons right now.

Science: winging it with books and internet. Going through the Human Body right now.

Spanish: we have a tutor come by twice a week