This year begins our 5th year of homeschooling! We have four children: Little Bug (8), Sweet Pea (6), Sarge (3) and Beau (1).

Classical Conversations is the backbone of our homeschool. CC provides our subject content and then I am free to teach it how I desire. We will meet 24 weeks with our CC Community where we will be introduced to our History, Timeline, Science, Geography, Math, English and Latin Memory Work for the week. At Community Day, we will also have lessons in art and music and participate in weekly science experiments and projects. Every week the girls will give a 2-3 minute presentation to their class on various topics throughout the year. With Classical Conversations, the only subjects I need to supplement for each child are language arts and math.

These are our 2017-2018 Curriculum choices:

Classical Conversations Cycle 3 

History 

CC Memory Work -  American History from Columbus to current events

Living Literature - I have collected many books to read to the girls as we study American History this year!

Story of the World Volume 3 and Volume 4 - Lunch time is a great time to listen to Story of the World.

For God and Country (Adventures in Odyssey), Liberty’s Kids DVDs and Draw Write Now Book 5 - These resources will enhance our American History studies.

Science

CC Memory Work - Anatomy and Chemistry

Anatomy:

My Body - CC uses this book for the Human Body project.

See Inside Your Body and Big Book of the Body - We will learn about the body systems by reading these books.

Magic School Bus A Journey Into The Human Body - This is a kit of 11 science experiments about the human body.

Usborne Human Body Sticker Book, Skeleton Floor Puzzle and Magic School Bus DVDs - These resources will add to the fun of learning about the Human Body.

Chemistry:

The Periodic Table Elements with Style - I found this little book at Convention and it looks like the perfect companion to our chemistry Memory Work.

Geography

CC Memory Work - USA geography

USA States and Capitols Interactive Notebook - The girls will make a flip-book to help them learn the states and capitals.

Sequence States and Capitals, Melissa & Doug USA Puzzle, Imaginetics USA Map and Highlights Which Way USA - All of these will help reinforce USA geography.

Map Tracing - My girls love being handed a map and tracing paper!

English

CC Memory Work - Participles, Irregular Verb Tenses and Clauses

Latin

CC Memory Work - Translate John 1:1-7

Art and Music

Drawing and Great Artists - Moses, Rockwell, O’Keeffe, Wyeth, Lichtenstein and Davis

Music Theory and Composers - Tchaikovsky, Debussy and Stravinsky

Public Speaking

CC presentations - Every week at CC Community the girls will give a 2-3 minute presentation in their class on various topics.

Bible

Scripture Memory Verses - Every month we will have a Bible verse to memorize.

CC Bible Memory Work - I just discovered there is Memory Work for Bible so we will learn Cycle 3's Bible Memory Work this year.

Exodus from The Adventure Bible for kids - There is nothing like opening the Word of God and reading it to your children to begin the homeschool day.

God’s Promise - We enjoyed another book from this series last year.

A Kid’s Guide to the Armor of God - Putting on the armor of God is something I want my children to be able to remember learning about and apply once they are teenagers and young adults.

Language Arts & Math

This is the first year I am not attaching a “grade level” to my children in my curriculum choices post. Grade levels are an organizational tool used for public schools to be able to group large numbers of children into “grades”. My children are academically where they need to be and attaching a grade level to them just doesn’t make sense anymore. The only time they need to know what grade they are in is at church so they know which class to attend.

Little Bug ~ 8 years old

Language Arts

All About Reading Level 3 - Little Bug is excited for Level 3 and I am excited for a fabulous open-and-go program.

Progeny Press: Little House on the Prairie study guide - Now that Little Bug is a proficient reader, it is time to dive in to literature study. We will alternate between AAR and Progeny Press.

Explode the Code Book 4 and Book 5 - This provides great phonics and spelling review.

All About Spelling Level 2 - I am excited to learn the spelling rules right along side Little Bug because I am a horrible speller.

First Language Lessons Level 2 - We are getting our feet wet with English grammar before Essentials with these short-and-sweet lessons.

Memoria Press Series Copybook Book 2 - Little Bug will continue to copy Bible verses and poetry from First Language Lessons along with this convenient copywork book I discovered at Convention this year.

Math

Christian Light Education Math 100 and 200 - We will finish Level 100 and move right into Level 200.

CC Memory Work - Multiplication tables up to 15x15, common squares and cubes, basic geometry formulas and unit conversions

Sweet Pea ~ 6 years old

Language Arts

All About Reading Level 1 - I am thrilled to start teaching Sweet Pea how to read!

Explode the Code Primers ABC - These books are a great supplement to AAR and provide great letter sound review.

A Reason for Handwriting K - Sweet Pea will work through this book again for extra practice on her writing skills.

Math

Christian Light Education Math 100 - Sweet Pea loves math and I am thankful we found CLE Math in time for both girls to start at the beginning.

CC Memory Work - Multiplication tables up to 15x15, common squares and cubes, basic geometry formulas and unit conversions

Sarge (3 years old) & Beau (1 year old) ~

Read Books

All the boys need academically is to be read to every single day and to have ample time to play!

Independent Playtime

Sarge will continue with his 60 minute IP time and Beau will have 30 minutes of IP time. As Beau’s morning nap decreases, his IP time will increase to 60 minutes. This time is vital to our homeschool day.

I am looking forward to another fabulous year!

Here is a look back at our Curriculum Choices through the years:

2016-2017 (7 year old, 5 year old, 2 year old, infant)

2015-2016 (6 year old, 4 year old, 1 year old)

2014-2015 (5 year old, 3 year old, infant)

2013-2014 (4 year old, 2 year old)

- Elaine