Your BEST Homeschool

The art and heart of homeschooling

Hodgepodge Curricula 2011-2012

“We should make plans – counting on God to direct us.” Proverbs 16:9

A list of the plans, curricula and ideas for learning in our Hodgepodge Homeschool 2011-2012.

Voluntary Jobs: Besides the regular ‘Before 8:45, Jurisdictions and Service Opportunities‘

  • make lunches for everyone
  • preschool time with a younger sibling
  • trash collector
  • weather reporter
  • buddy care
  • gardening
  • pets/fill bird feeders, make suet
  • make homemade bread in bread baker
  • set coffee the night before
  • lock up and secure house before departure and in the evenings
  • bring in firewood

Sometimes we enjoy Daily Audio Bible and Daily Learning Links to Feed a Brain.
Brain FoodDaily Audio Bible for Kids – one of the many Everyday Learning Links from Ann Voskamp’s Holy Experience

Many of the curricula we enjoy I have reviewed at The Curriculum Choice. For more on how we use these in our home, click the highlighted links or click here to view them all.

Tapestry of Grace (my curriculum review here). Covering eight subjects for all ages. All Tapestry posts here. Everyone participates in this unit study approach which includes History, Writing, Vocabulary, Geography, Bible, Worldview, Arts and Activities, Literature and Music. We sometimes use workboxes with Tapestry.

Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Topics for all:

  • Robin Hood
  • Alladin
  • Art of the Middle Ages
  • Castles (book, Castle by David Macaulay)
  • Knights
  • St. Patrick and shamrocks
  • St. Valentine
  • King Arthur

Science unit study for all:

Loving Living Math ideas for all: Something new this year! We will take one day a week, maybe even more often as Cindy West of Shining Dawn books says:

From the time my children were in kindergarten, I have followed the same basic weekly schedule for math. We typically complete three textbook lessons per week and two living math lessons per week.

Preschooler:

Youngest two will both enjoy:

  • Music – during Afternoon Quiet time – listen to classical music,
  • Hymn and Ms – hymn memorization program with children’s choir program at church
  • Join in Tapestry read alouds, family projects, read-alouds
  • AiG Science lessons, nature studies

Kindergartener:

  • Before 8:45
  • Rod & Staff G, H, I books
  • Continue reading Early Reader’s Bible transitioning into The Beginner’s Bible
  • Alphaphonics, Explode the Code and plenty of Learning to Read books to encourage eagerness to read, Five in a Row books
  • Saxon Math, calendar work
  • Reason for Handwriting

4th grade:

7th grade:

  • Before 8:45
  • Bible – Answers Books 1, 2 & 3 and Plants Grown Up
  • Music – listen to classical
  • Teaching Textbooks 7th
  • English & Writing: Rod and Staff Grammar
  • Writing: Tapestry writing assignments and those we choose from Rod and Staff 7th grade Grammar
  • History: Tapestry Middle Ages
  • Science Roots to accompany Apologia Biology, English from the Roots Up
  • Electives: Robotics, sounds and lighting technology with Dad at church

8th grade: She’ll be transitioning into high school this year

  • Before 8:45
  • Bible: Polished Cornerstones and another study she will determine
  • Music – piano, guitar, classical music
  • Electives: Photography (AB See Photo Meme) Amanda Bennett’s Digital Photography Unit Study, Drama
  • Math: Teaching Textbooks
  • English & Writing: Rod and Staff Grammar, English from the Roots Up, Science Roots to accompany Apologia Biology
  • Writing: Tapestry writing assignments and those we choose from Rod and Staff 8th Grade Grammar
  • History: Tapestry Middle Ages

Both 7th and 8th grader:

  • Language/Vocabulary studies – English from the Roots Up then later in the year we’ll start a foreign language to be determined
  • Tapestry Y2 Units 1 & 2
  • Science Roots
  • Apologia Science – Exploring Creation through Biology

PE ideas:

  • pool time until September
  • nature walks
  • PE at home?
  • Wii
  • dance to wiggles, Teletubbies, etc.
  • scooters, jump rope

Nature: Outdoor Hour Challenges via Handbook of Nature Study

Art:

Drama: weekly Troupe for 4th and 8th graders

“True education is teaching children how to learn, equipping them to learn, and guiding them into their specific life-purpose by God’s Design.” Wisdom’s Way of Learning by Marilyn Howshall

Music:

  • Younger three participate in weekly children’s choir at church, including hymn memorization program
  • Weekly piano lessons for 4th grader
  • 8th grader maintains skill level practicing independently
  • All listen to classical music series, current composer study or classical music of choice either during Afternoon Quiet Time or while reading at bedtime

Art/Music: Harmony Fine Arts Medieval/Renaissance

Enrichment Day 1-2 x month, Creation Club nature walks

Field Trips:

  • Coke Museum for 9yo’s BD
  • Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
  • Cheaha State Park
  • The General
  • Georgia Aquarium for 6yo’s BD
  • Stone Mountain Park
  • Georgia State Capitol
  • Etowah Indian Mounds
  • Tellus Science Museum

Life skills: Budgeting household math with Dave Ramsey, Technology and robotics, sound and lighting at church
Dance mat typing

Other learning related links:

“Seek God in your homeschool. His burden is easy. His yoke is light.” ~ Wisdom’s Way of Learning by Marilyn Howshall

Our 2010-2011 Curricula (7th, 6th, 3rd and 2 preschoolers)