Friday, August 22, 2008

What We're Using

The Heart of the Matter is hosting an online meme today about what you're using this year for homeschooling. Here's our list:
  • Bible: A Child Story's Bible, by Catherine Vos--We're reading a small section each day and then doing a related craft. We're also doing memory verses.
  • Math: Saxon 1--Emily Anne is doing first grade math because her 4K preschool class last year used the 5K Saxon math curriculum. The first two weeks have been review, and the daily meeting time is a little too repetitive for us. However, we are getting into adding and subtracting, and EA loves acting out the "some, more, less" stories.
  • Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting, 1--The first section of this workbook includes many review lessons. EA needs them, but they are quite long. This subject is our struggle, as EA requires continual prompting to stay on task with these long review lessons. Once the actual lessons begin with the shorter practice and the incentive of mailing out a finished Bible verse, I'm hoping the struggle will end.
  • Phonics: An Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, by Jessie Wise--I love, love this book! We had started last spring to supplement the phonics she was receiving in 4K but used it only sproradically. Now that we've been using it every day for about three weeks now, Emily Anne's reading has really taken off. We just started the section on consonant blends yesterday.
  • Science: From Mudpies to Magnets--We actually haven't used a lesson from this book yet. I think I'll choose one to do per week.

Check out what other home educators are using at The Heart of the Matter.

7 comments:

Liz said...

I like your choices.

We used Saxon K when my son was 3 (he's 6 now) and we, too, found it too repetitive. I would skip or combine similar lessons. We didn't do the meeting book everyday. Again, too repetitive.

Sallie said...

I love A Reason For Writing as we used that last year for practice with two of my children. They both have motor skills issues and/or eye coordination problems that made them need the extra practice. It really worked for them!

God bless,
Sallie
http://www.angelfire.com/sc/anderklan/seasidetales/index.blog/1336922/the-first-day-of-school-key-to-success/

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing. I love reading what everyone is doing. :)

Kellie said...

I love the idea of the craft related to the bible story! I am starting preschool this year with my 3 year old.

6intow said...

We use (actually Abeka K-2 and then flow into) Saxon and a Reason for Handwriting, also.

One thing I love about homeschooling is I can adapt the books as much as I want for each child. We hardly ever do a whole book from the beginning.

Most math curriculums (even when repackaged for homeschool) are still designed to offer lots of review to make sure that kids didn't forget (or never learn) what they need to move on to that grade level. I usually look to where I think my child will be, give them a test at that point (usually about lesson 20-30) and if they ace it we either start from there or even jump ahead a few more lessons. This has ended up putting us ahead in math all the time, but I don't think that's a bad thing. And, if they start getting stuck on something we can slow down and take a few extra days to solidify a concept without getting "behind."

We do generally do only half of the written work for each lesson as well unless I feel they need more practice.

Sorry, that was really long (and lots of parentheses), but I hope it was helpful or encouraging, or both.

Thanks for sharing your plans. I always like to chat curriculum with fellow homeschoolers. There's so much good stuff out there!

~Erin

Becky said...

Wow, I'm impressed! How old are your precious little ones? And you are doing all that already? I like your blog. Seems like I can learn a lot from reading of your adventures. :-)

Anonymous said...

Hi, Celeste! You have an award on my blog. :)ro