JOYFull Homeschool Curriculum 2016-2017

Every year with homeschooling is a new experience. There is never a dull moment. After a summer of planning, I actually get a bit nervous about the first day of school…the kind of nervous I experienced every time I taught a new course at Michigan State University. I think I was nervous because I didn’t want someone to ask a question I didn’t have the answer to. After all, I was the instructor and instructors should know everything, right? Maybe that is why I am nervous when I start the new homeschool year. I want to have all the answers to the science questions, the math problems, the grammar rules, the “who created God” questions, and everything else that may come up.  The truth is I don’t have all the answers and I never will have all the answers and that is okay. With a good curriculum, some research, (and maybe a visit from an expert…ha) most of the questions my kids have can be answered. So here is our curriculum for this year.

Our Curriculum

We follow an eclectic homeschool style (a little bit of this style and a little bit of that style…). We range from Traditional to Classical with a sprinkle of Charlotte Mason. I have children with various learning styles and some children who need more help than others. I have found that if I choose one curriculum for all my children then I need to adjust the way I teach that curriculum to each child. For example, if I choose Math-U-See for all my children, I may use the manipulatives with one and no manipulatives with another. I may use all the workbook pages with one, and only one page with another. I may watch the video with one and skip the video all together with another. I may finish the book in one year with one child and 1 1/2 years with another. I try to adjust the curriculum to the child versus the child to the curriculum. I have found that curriculum isn’t a “one size fits all” for our family.

In addition to our group subjects, each of my children have individual course curriculum. A lot of the curriculum we use is presented in a way that develops a child’s ability to be an independent learner. This does not replace mommy teaching time, but it helps build their confidence in learning on their own first before I intervene.

The exception is with my children that need mommy-intensive teaching time.  I don’t necessarily choose teacher-intensive curriculum, but rather a curriculum that I teach every part.

Some subjects the kids do everyday and others may just be 1 to 3 times a week. It may look like a lot of work, but many of these workbooks take 10-15 minutes to complete. So here is a list of curriculum based on learning style, age, and grade level.

Preschool

My 3-year old boy, Semi-independent learner

Handwriting without Tears (awesome for children beginning or struggling with handwriting!)
Explode the Code ABC
Math-U-See – Primer
Wipe-off books
Puzzles
Felt-Board
Educational Videos (Leap Frog, Muzzy, School House Rock)
Fine Motor Skills and Other Activities (threading, sorting & building, stacking-this is our favorite. All my kids play it.)
Cut & Paste Books
Exercise
Geography Coloring book

First Grade

My 6-year old boy, Semi-independent learner

Rosetta Stone Spanish, Level 1 Homeschool version
A Reason for Handwriting – B
Logic – Mindbenders, Suduko
Explode the Code 2 
Sequential Spelling 1
Language Arts 1 – Christian Light Education
Math-U-See – Finish Alpha and start Beta
180 Days of Math 2
Geography-Maps, Charts & Graphs A (once a week)
Geography – coloring book (once a week)
Reading for Comprehension A  (once a week)
Draw Write Now (During quiet time)

Third Grade

My 8-year old boy, Semi-teacher intensive learner

Sequential Spelling 1
Easy Grammar 3
Daily Grams 3
Teaching Textbook 3
180 Days of Math 3
A Reason for Handwriting – C
Explode 2 1/2, 3
Spanish Level 1, Rosetta Stone Homeschool version
Logic – Suduko, Mindbenders 3 (Grades 3-5) (3x/wk)
Reading for Comprehension B (once a week)
Draw Write Now (During quiet time)
Geography
– Spectrum 3 (This is the only level of this book that works for us. I didn’t care for the presentation of other topics in upper levels) (once a week)
–Maps & Geography 3-6 (once a week)
–Maps, Charts & Graphs – C (once a week)

Fourth grade

My 9-year old girl, Complete independent learner

Language Arts 5, Christian Light Education
Daily Grams 5
Math, Christian Light Education
Spanish Level 2, Rosetta Stone Homeschool
Latin – Laurelwood Books 1 (Heard about this on Audria@The Well-she has a discount code!)
Typing tutor (3x per week)
Logic – Suduko/Mindbenders (3x/wk)
Draw Write Now (During quiet time)
Reading Comprehension (once a week)
Geography (same as my third grader)
Literary Analysis – Prodigy Press  (1-2 per school year)

6th Grade

My 11-year old, Teacher-intensive learner

Logic – Sudoku
Handwriting Skill Simplified
Teaching Textbook 6
180 Days of Math 6
Easy Grammar 6
Daily Grams 6
Spelling – Dianne Craft (100% mom)
Spanish Level 1, Rosetta Stone Homeschool
Typing Tutor (3x per week)
Geography (same as my third grader)
Literary Analysis – Prodigy Press (1-2 per school year)
Reading Comprehension 6 – Abeka (once a week)

Last, but not least

My 1-year old, Mommy-intensive learner!

Science – exploring food dropped on the floor
Reading – eating books
Geography – crawling up and down the stairs
Spelling – “ga ga?”
Spanish – Does gurggle gurggle count as a foreign language?
Math – dropping 1, 2, 3…100 Cherrios on the floor

Let’s Talk

What do you have planned for your curriculum this year? Do you have something new you are trying this year? Do you have a particular style of homeschooling you use?