Our 2011-2012 Curriculum

We are working hard at being as eclectic as we can be this year.  I cannot call myself an Unschooler because we will be using some set curriculum.  But I am trying hard to have a layed back approach with several fun options to keep the kids attention.

Group Activities......

*Lots and lots of educational games

*Science---I had chosen habitats for the start of this year, using the Hands of a Child Series.  But we are going to bounce around in this area now.  I was starting to plan some dinosaur activities, and then Lydia requested some Animal Studies.  So we will be working on animals alot over the next couple months.  We will be including habitat information and the library has walls of books to keep us busy!  We will also study Outer Space in September, the Human Body in August, and Germs too.  I am going to let the kids choose the animals and in what order.  Joey also requested some Simple Machines and Magnetism units.  So this winter we will be exploring that as we will be snowed in more by then..lol.  We will be using the Wildlife Explorer series to help supplement and Joey was drooling up a storm at the Magic School Bus science kits as well as the science kits he found at Hobby Lobby. So I have already started stocking up so we are set and ready to go.




*History---Story of the World Volume 1 and we will be including History Pockets into the appropriate areas.  To go along with this we will also be using an Ancient Science Experiment book, so we will be getting plenty of Science!!



*Geography---We will continue using Erica's Expedition Earth program, but not concentrate on it as fully.  We will start US Geography this year.  But waiting until fall.  I plan on using alot of board games and activities to help in this area.



Language Arts---Five in a Row and



Boys......

*Math---Teaching Textbooks (they are only in Grade 4....but this was the only stock photo I found)




*Grammar and Writing---We will be using everyday life for this.  We will be doing some letter writing with some older ones in our Congregation.  Each boy also have a blog that they will be updating weekly, with my help to write out full sentences.  I also found that the Summer Bridge books have awesome...awesome grammar sections.  We have been working through these currently.



*Typing---Typing Instructor.  Still waiting on the disk to come in.  We have gone through so many typing programs, my head spins just thinking about them all.  So maybe...just maybe we will have a winner here.

*Joey has already begun studying Spanish using Rosetta Stone.  Actually we both have begun (I am refreshing my Spanish.)




*Lots and lots of games and activities for Fine Motor skill and Critical Thinking skill activities.

Lydia.....

*Math---She is working on Math U See Primer.  We are also using lots and lots of games to introduce and help her grasp some of the concepts she is struggling.  Right now it's plain number recognition.  But we are working hard on it.




*Phonics---We are going to continue with Headsprout and keep throwing in some lessons from Teach you Child to read in 100 Easy Lessons.



Language Arts---She and Caty will be working their way through the poetry sections of these books.  Wish I would have had these for both boys or even when Lydia was smaller.  But so far we are really liking these! (We are using 1 and 2, and I am working on ordering the next set.  We are going through these pretty quickly.)



We are going to continue using workboxes and I promise to start posting weekly on Wednesdays to show what we are doing. I just fell behind with everything that has been happening. 

Have a wonderful school year...we already are!!!