Curriculum

After weeks and weeks of praying and planning, the curriculum list for 2013-2014 is done, except PE! (Thankfully, Georgia has plenty of summer days so I have some time to figure it out!)

We are mixing things up this year, remaining eclectic in style!

First, my youngest son will be "officially" in school as a new Kindergartner!

Second, I really worked hard in making sure we focused on subjects that are not typically in schools. After all what's the benefit of homeschooling if you cannot give your children an unique education?

As a result, we will be adding Life Skills, Health, Character, Computers, and Keyboarding to our curriculum. For my Kinder, we are adding Logic and I cannot wait to see the wheels of his little brain turn.

Finally, because my little one will be more involved, we can actually spend some time at the table learning together this year. Our "final" new entry to this school year is more time together as a family learning about each other and God.

I am very excited for this year and cannot wait to get the ball rolling!

Personal Devotions/Bible

(We study this as a family!)

God & Me
(Acute devotional that leads us into a quick Bible story & prayer for the day!)
A is for Adam
(AiG's alphabet Bible curriculum with cute riddles for us to remember!) 
Godly Traits
(A jar of "Godly Traits" that we pick from a couple of times per week and discuss.)
Grapevine Studies
(Stick-figuring our way from "Joseph to the Promised Land" this year.)

Family/Group

Geography

RoadTrip USA (and postcard swaps!) 

State Notebook by Primary Graffiti  

We made our way through the Northeast & Southeast! Hoping to finish up the west coast this year (December would be ideal!) 

Science/Health

Apologia: Zoology 2 Swimming Creatures with Notebook (junior for Chipmunk!)

ABeka Health 3 (for Peanut)

Readers on good nutrition, hygiene, and exercise (Chipmunk)

This is our first year with Apologia! We have heard all rave reviews and my oldest soon is REALLY into sea animals. I am still a bit reserved teach a very concentrated science as opposed to a broad view. Something inside of me still says that science should include (matter, force, motion, plants, animals, fossils, rocks, human body, etc) I am definitely going outside of my comfort zone to offer him a better science experience. We will see how it goes.

At the beginning of the summer, I was desperately looking for something in the area of hygiene for my oldest son. We discovered Abeka's Health 2 and we loved it. So, I am picking up the beginning of the year with Health 1 day per week. It has really helped him and I am so grateful to not be preaching this concept to him every.single.morning. 

Logic/Critical Thinking

Can You Find Me?           (Chipmunk)

Mind Benders Book 3      (Peanut)

www.mensaforkids.org

This is fairly new to us. I have been teaching logic to my Peanut through samples of standardized and gifted tests.  We are striving for hard for Mensa! Last year, he scored three points less to get in! Ugh! I figured we should supplement with Mind Benders to help us get over the edge.  Because, I knew Chipmunk would want to follow behind his big brother, I purchased a simple workbook for him too. (I did not know providers sold logic curriculum for Kinders until I asked; so this is a major bonus for us!)

Life Skills

ABC's of Handling Money God's Way

As I was thinking over “life skills” I really thought there wasn’t anything I could give them at their ages. They were really too young for anything I came up with: cooking, baking, consumer math, survival-hood, etc… I began to give up on it saying “they’re just too young for ‘life!’” LOL!

I was watching one my favorite pastors on TV and he revealed children are never too young to learn about money. I loved what he shared and I wrote down some of his wisdom to share with them in a few years! Then I found ABC’s of Handling Money God’s Way! Ta-da! I found a way to introduce them to a life skill that they will need for the rest of their lives. 

Physical Fitness

We will be going outside at least through October, but I would like to find a DVD/curricula by September so we can still get a bit of exercise in during the winter months.

 

Kinder (My Chipmunk)

Language
A Beka Handwriting, K5
A Beka Phonics & Reading K5
Bi-weekly letters to pen pals
(One girl in South Africa and one boy who live in the English Channel!)
Story telling and read alouds (by mom) of classical/modern literature texts.

I have planned 15 minutes of our day to read one picture book and one excerpt of literature to both boys.  I need to promote a love of reading and literature in our homeschool! My oldest has the reading bug, but he is finding other ways to occupy his time lately and I would much rather see him reading more. Also, my youngest is beginning to learn to read and I need to foster reading the same as I did with his brother.

Math  
BJU K5

Social Studies
A Beka Community Helpers

Third Grade (My Peanut)

About a 3rd of his curriculum come from BJU Press. We love their content! My son could never quite get into their History so we need to change. We loved the Science and are only leaving it to study a more concentrated view of subject (sea animals!) I want to "test" something out in Reading and that is the only reason we have put it on hold this year. I have a strong feeling we will back to it for 4th!

Language

A Beka Reading, 3

ABeka Handwriting 3

BJU English, 3

BJU Spelling 3

First Language Lessons, Level 2

Daily Comprehension

Bi-weekly letters to pen pals  (one pal in MD and another in IL!)

Creative Writing w/ mom-inspired writing prompts

Math

BJU Grade 3

History

Christian Liberty Press: (One Nation Under God)

Gallopade’s1000 Readers 
(We have some pretty fun people to study this year, see below for sample list!)

Christian Liberty Press is new for us! I discovered this on Christian Book one day, not even looking for it.  I tried a few social studies/history programs last year and I could new quite get anything we both liked (and learned from!) By the beginning of July, I figured one will come to me and when it does (whenever is does) we will teach/learn it then. So far, I love everything about, especially the price! ($10 for the whole year and only $3 for my Teacher's Edition.) Hopefully, it lasts the year!

We found Gallopade's Readers at a homeschool convention this summer. Love it! What a quick, fun, and easy way to focus in one historical figure when it's time to catch a break from the main studies. 

Enrichment

Latin:                          Rosetta Stone & Getting Started w/ Latin

Character:                  Notgrass’ Walking in Truth

Keyboarding:              Typing Instructor

Art:                                 See the Light

Music:                         Young Composers & Steve Green

Computers:                 Easy Peasy

There you have it!

Reviews forthcoming.....

Mission & Vision Statements

It’s that time again! Back to school planning. Join me for 7 days of planning your homeschool!

Day 1: Annual Mission Statement

The first item you want to plan is your mission! Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? What do you need to learn this year? Where are you falling short at? What can you do differently?

Each year I try to commit to seeking a mission for our family and homeschool. Our vision is pretty much standard. It’s what we do daily and what we aim to achieve. (If you do not a vision, write one!)

Your vision says this: after it’s all said and done, the kids are graduating and leaving, the books are all packed away, and the homeschool classroom is becoming a memory, what do you hope to envision in your children (as people and students)? Your family? You? That’s your vision!

The mission, however, changes depending on your family’s needs, desire, and dynamics. This school year, we are working on maturity of character and peace. (I am finding that with raising sons, character is extremely imperative.) What will you and your family work on this year?

I believe every family should seek a vision and then create mission each year for growth and strength as a unit and individually. This is not a “homeschool” thing; it’s a “family” thing. However, because homeschooling requires so much time spent with family I believe it’s vital for those families.

Remember, to keep your mission and vision statements some place in the home where everyone can view it. I like to print mine on pretty paper and store in a frame.

Here is ours:

Family Mission Statement 2013-2014

To become more like Christ by maturing in character: (Time management, self-control, honesty, and gratefulness.) We aim to fall more in love with God’s Word as we seek Him for His purpose, peace, and power in our lives.

Family Verse: Those who love Your law (the Word of God) have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble. (Psalm 119:165)

Family & Homeschool Vision Statement

To raise sons of God useful to His kingdom; while preparing them spiritually, morally, academically, and socially for life, family, and business.

Motherhood Vision Statement

To be “the woman” our sons will look for in seeking their wives.

Family Motto: Dominate!

Join me tomorrow for “Planning Your Homeschool Day 2: Curriculum Choice”

People Prayers

If you are anything like me, you love yourself, your "created" family, and your "born-in" family. Because I am so in love with all these people, I desire to pray for them. I mean, really pray for them. Not just, "Father, bless so-and-so." Don't get me wrong, I have done that. It never felt "right", but it was all I knew and I figured some prayer was better than no prayer. It was easy to pray over my own mother, my own husband, or my beloved, sweet little boys; but how do I pray for that wayward auntie or long-lost cousin? It's not likeI really "know" them or even understand why they are going through whatever they are going through. This really bothered me. I knew there had to be something I could do through prayer. On the tail-end of a prayer call, my pastor mentioned the three prayers that you pray over people, any person. As I began to study this and gain further teaching, I became aware off all the "benefits" and power I could pray over all these people I am connected to, by blood or otherwise. Wanna know a secret? You can even pray these prayers over yourself!  

Basically, there are three prayers found in the New Testament that you should pray for people daily. You can download them HERE! May you be blessed as you pray for all the people you love and watch God take action!

Blessings, 

Joyice, The Writing Enhancer

Homemade Laundry Detergent Experiement!

Hi Gals/Guys!

I have a cool and fun "science" experiment for your upper elementary through high school students/kids. I was sitting at my desk over the weekend looking up several recipes for laundry detergent so I could run off to the store. I also took a quick look at my lesson plans to see if there was anything I needed to get for my upcoming lessons and I realized my 7th grader did not have any Science planned. Ugh! I was bummed as I sat there trying to come up with something he could do! Then...it hit me! I could have HIM make the detergent as an "experiment", wash a small load of laundry to "test" his creation, and "record" his results. Like how I added all those key Science terms? (Me too!)

Thus the, "Homemade Laundry Detergent Experiment" was born!
Here is a neat and fun way to give your child a simple experiment and get a load of laundry of them.

(It would pretty fun for an Home Ec class as well, if that's still in a course in schools!) Enjoy!

Please click HERE to download your free copy!

Blessings, 

Joyice, The Writing Enhancer