Since I'm not updating here nearly as often as I'd like to, a lot has happened since my last post. But I'm very excited to say that - as of today - ALL of the curriculum for our first official year homeschooling has been purchased! It took a VERY long time for me to choose the materials we'll be using... it was an exhaustive process of researching, choosing, crossing off "the list", researching some more, choosing again, etc.
Since one of the reasons we've chosen to homeschool is to include our religious beliefs into our studies, finding curriculum materials that integrated those philosophies proved more difficult than expected. I also wanted to give my children a very thorough education, which I don't feel they've been receiving in the institutional school setting. In their private school (which, for the record, is FAR better than the local public schools!), topics seem to be covered only briefly before moving on to something else, and in very limited scope overall. And while we've been pleased with the progress the boys have made in their reading and phonics work, there are many other academic areas the boys have developed an interest in that we feel are important enough to be included in their studies (specialty science topics, more advanced math subjects, etc).
So after much thought and prayer, I've chosen the following curriculum for our first year homeschooling.
- ACSI Bible Studies. This is what the boys were familiar with, as it's the program used in their private school. They've done well with the Biblical concepts presented so far. We purchased separate curriculum sets for First and Second grade - each included a Student Book and Teacher Edition. The First Grade study is called God and My World and focuses on family, the Bible, Jesus, the Church, and the "special gifts and abilities" God has given us to help others. The Second Grade study is called God and My Actions and focuses on humility, courage, self-control, faithfulness, compassion, honesty, encouragement and trust. These studies and others can be reviewed and purchased from http://www.acsi.org/.
- Story Of The World History. SOTW seems to be fairly well-known in the homeschooling community. Reviews are aplenty and most speak highly of author Susan Wise Bauer's method of teaching complex historical topics to even the youngest of tikes. Since this is our first year using SOTW, and our boys are close in age/grade, we decided to group them together for our studies of "Ancient Times" (Volume One in the 4-volume series). Each volume includes a reading book, detailed activity book, an extra set of student pages and a packet of tests. Reading books are also available as audiobooks and materials for each volume are available for purchase separately or in a discounted combo pack (which is great if you're like us, and prefer to just get it all!). I've flipped through the materials and I'm pleased with the depth of the content upon first sight. The reading book is attention-grasping for even my hard-to-wrangle 5-year old, and the activity book includes a WIDE variety of activities and projects, as well as well as reading lists to further expand on and reinforce subjects covered in each chapter. My only complaint is the the activities included are materials-heavy and frequently require things we wouldn't normally have on-hand (such as grass seed, clay, laminating sheets, etc) - this will require an additional expense on our part, if we choose to include those activities. We'll also have to plan well in advance to be sure we can get our hands on suggested reading books (thank goodness for networked library systems). That aside, I think the boys will benefit greatly from the material presented in the SOTW series and we look forward to continuing with the next three volumes (The Middle Ages, Early Modern Times and The Modern Age, respectively). More on this complete history curriculum following classical education methods can be found on their website, http://www.peacehillpress.com/.
- A Beka It would be easier to tell you what we're NOT using through A Beka this year (Math). A Beka Book follows a more traditional approach to education, using textbooks, tests, workbooks, and teachers manuals explaining each step of the process. Materials are divided into grade levels and available for purchase separately or in discounted "kits." A variety of supplemental resources can be obtained from them as well to help teach concepts such as math or phonics. A Beka sells curriculum for nursery-aged children through high school and in subjects that many families would feel offered a "complete" curriculum. We'll be using A Beka for phonics, reading, spelling, art, writing, history, health, language and science. The "readers" are colorful and intriguing and since our boys are familiar with the materials through their private school, we feel it will be a great 'core' for us to build upon in our homeschool! A Beka products can be viewed/purchased on their website, http://www.abeka.com/ - be sure to inquire about a local materials display, so you can view their products first-hand if you've never used them before!
- Considering God's Creation Science. Considering God's Creation by Eagle's Wings claims to be "a creative Biblical approach to natural science" and, while appears to follow a 'notebooking' approach to learning, does include a teacher's manual, complete with audio cd. It is said to be adaptable for 2nd to 7th grade, but we'll be using it with both our 1st and 2nd graders. Science can be a fascinating subject with seemingly endless depth, and it's very important to me to approach it from a Biblical perspective, at least to begin with (once they have a good foundation in science "God's way", I'll be more comfortable hitting on points that include references to evolution, etc). This actually made finding a pre-written science curriculum difficult, since many are not Bible-based. I chose the science course from Eagle's Wings based on user reviews, including the review by Cathy Duffy in her book "100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum." The table of contents lists creation, the universe (stars, sun and planets), the Earth, Non-living things (rocks and minerals), weather (a favorite subject for the boys - something we'll be covering in far more depth than the book includes), the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom, animal anatomy & physiology, and man ("made in God's image" - anatomy and physiology). While the book is written to be able to cover all material in a single school year, I think we may take our time with this one and cover these subjects more thoroughly over 2 or even 3 years. While I'm not necessarily a fan of notebooking, the authors have done a great job of writing the curriculum in such a way that it includes many different learning styles. Each chapter includes a handy list of materials needed prior to beginning the lesson, a vocabulary list, Bible reading to "back-up" the information presented, review questions and a "Digging Deeper" section with references to additional resources or activities that may be done. I can easily see this being something our family has trouble pulling ourselves away from! Visit http://www.eagleswingsed.com/ for information on products available for purchase, as well as a link to the Yahoo e-mail group (accessible on their "Support" page) for Considering God's Creation users!
- Horizons Math, Health, Physical Education. I've heard nothing but good things about the Horizons curriculum, especially in regards to Math. Math is a strong subject for both of the boys - their teachers have had difficulty keeping up with their desire to learn and their ability to master concepts in this area especially. While we are familiar with the A Beka math program, we chose to experiment a little for our first year homeschooling. Horizons Math is on par with what the boys have learned already in their private school and, if I find they are advancing too quickly through the curriculum, we can purchase the next highest grade level whenever we're ready to move up. Math materials include student books, teacher's guides and tests, and may be purchased individually or as a set at a discounted price. Health is another area where I feel a great deal of focus should be spent. At this age, very little is covered in the conventional school setting. While A Beka touches on the topic briefly (in conjunction with Safety & Manners), I felt a little more instruction would be beneficial. The Health course has graded subject levels and includes a teacher's guide. The scope & sequence highlights topics covered in growth & development, disease prevention, substance use/abuse, nutrition, emotional/mental health, social health/interpersonal skills, family life/human sexuality, personal health, community health, consumer health and safety/first aid for both grade levels (in fact, these topics are covered in all grades from K thru 8th grade). Each chapter, also written from a Christian viewpoint, includes a preparation/materials list, statement of objectives, background on subjects to be covered, lesson plan, and list of related activities for more in-depth studies. Horizons Physical Education manual is written for Grades PreK-2 and includes age-appropriate information and activities for each grade. It can be used as a specific curriculum guide, or as a more general reference manual for those seeking guidance or ideas to use in their homeschool. All materials can be viewed and purchased on their website http://www.aophomeschooling.com/. You can request a catalog, download placement tests, find local homeschool support groups, and more online.
- Geography Matters Geography. GeoMatters follows a unit study/notebooking approach to learning. We have purchased both the "Galloping the Globe" (World Geography) and "Cantering the Country" (U.S. Geography) bundles (each of which includes lots of additional books and resources). Cantering the Country also includes a CD-ROM with over 150 printable maps and activity sheets that can be used in the lessons. The bundles are claimed to include subjects such as Geography (one would hope...), Bible, history, science, literature, maps & flags, language arts, civics, and more. Cantering the Country has a "chapter" for each State, while Galloping the Globe is broken down by continent, and then further by country. Each includes such a wealth of information, activities and projects that you should have no trouble catering to almost any child's learning style. Products can be purchased individually or in bundles, and are available from http://www.geomatters.com/.
- Suzuki Piano. Suzuki is a "method" of teaching piano that involves both learning to read music as well as play by ear. As a child, I was taught to play piano using the Suzuki method, and have frequently gone back to music in my adult years. As such, I felt it would be the best route for us to follow as a family, to encourage music appreciation (especially in regards to classical music, which many people find 'drab' when introduced at a later age). Being somewhat familiar with the teachings and methods of Suzuki, I will be able to teach at least through the first few levels of instruction. Once, and if, the boys progress beyond a level where I am comfortable playing the role of the 'teacher', we can consider more formal music lessons with a trained instructor. If you're interested in learning more about the Suzuki method, you can visit http://suzukiassociation.org/parents/twinkler/. You can also join user groups (Yahoo groups has several) for those interested in the Suzuki method to get more information or to talk with parents and teachers who can offer their experiences for anyone considering training in this area. Once some basic knowledge of music has been established (through the Alfred's series below), we'll begin Book 1 - all books and audio CD's are available online or through your local sheet music retailer.
- Alfred's Basic Piano Piano. I really can't say enough good about the Alfred's series. They have such a clear, easy approach to learning piano at an early age that you can teach whether you're familiar with music/piano or not! Since the boys are young and really have no experience with music - reading or playing - we'll be staring with the Basic Prep Course, Level A, which introduces the "finger number" approach to reading music, note names, how to sit at the piano, pedal function, and more. You can find all the books and supplements (flash cards and audio CD's) at http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/ or through your local sheet music retailer. The instructional materials for the Prep Course are geared towards young children, so they include coloring pages, activities and language that are appropriate for this age range.
I do realize that we're "doubling up" in some subject areas (science, geography, etc). That was intentional, as we felt the topics covered in some areas were too limited in scope, while hitting on points we wanted to cover in other areas. We'll definitely have a full day/week/year, but I plan on taking advantage of the boys' eagerness to learn. If we find that the materials are just too much to cover, we'll back off a bit until we can find our own groove.
I was a little surprised at the amount of physical materials the curriculum programs above produced. We bought a(nother) tall 5-shelf bookcase (giving us a total of 5 bookcases in our home - 3 tall, and two short, if you don't count the growing library of books in our daughter's room) just to hold the books and materials as they arrived in the mail.
I've also been gathering lists of supplements suggested by the different texts as materials have arrived in the mail. That's led us to a variety of dictionaries, encyclopedia's, atlases and more. Some of our new favorites, which I'm sure will receive regular use, include:
- The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History
- The Usborne Book of World History
- Scholastic Children's Encyclopedia
- Scholastic Children's Dictionary
- Thorndike Barnhart Children's Dictionary
- Thorndike Barnhart Junior Dictionary
- Rand McNally Children's Illustrated Atlas of the United States
- Rand McNally Beginner's World Atlas
I also found a nice little activity book; the Scholastic Children's Dictionary Activity Book. It's meant for older children (Grades 3-6), but after flipping through the pages I'm sure the activities will be well-suited for my 1st and 2nd graders, and I can use the book as inspiration for similar activities. I plan to use dictionary work, word search/crosswords and writing prompts each day as part of our 'seatwork'. This will give them a chance to work on their reading, writing, and vocabulary skills without it feeling so much like 'work.' I found a great book filled with interesting journaling prompts, called "Writing Down the Days: 365 Creative Journaling Ideas for Young People" by Lorraine M. Dahlstrom. It's available on Amazon.com or you can try checking your local library. This can be used to improve on both their writing and thinking skills as they work to piece their thoughts together on paper.
In regards to the school itself, a name has been chosen, a logo/letterhead is in the works, and an official schedule will be determined before we begin schooling in August (including the 1st/last days of school, number of days of instruction each week, and what topics/subjects will be studied on a particular day). That's not to say that our schedule won't change as other things come up - one of the many joys of homeschooling is that we can adjust our schedule to suit our needs. But having a "schedule" that the children can depend on make our days much more predictable, which makes life run so much more smoothly around here. Because of my ADD (and OCD), schedules help me utilize my time in a more efficient way. I schedule everything, from our schooling to sports to grocery shopping (don't even get me started on the number of lists this produces every two weeks!) to housekeeping to daily meals to special appointments, tasks and events... everything is written in pencil (a military philosophy, based off of the notion that "nothing is official until it has already happened"), and things are added and erased on an almost daily basis.
The school name, while long, was chosen for its meaning. Reverent Cornerstone Preparatory Academy (RCPA for short, because seriously, who wants to say all that!?)
- Reverent - First and foremost, is our reverence towards God. To be reverential is to honor, respect, admire, obey, worship... Our desire to strengthen our relationship with God is the most important part of homeschool. Our society is turning to one that doesn't understand or respect this viewpoint, and feel it's incredibly important to raise our children with a close watch on what they are taking in, and to guide them with the values, morals and beliefs which we hold so dear.
- Cornerstone - We have a strong desire to give our children a great educational foundation from which they can build as they grow older. In building, a cornerstone provides the base of support which prevents collapse. We feel that a wide, hearty base of learning will afford them greater opportunities later in life and we're eager to foster both a strong understanding of the 'basics' as well as allow them the opportunity to involve themselves in special areas of interest, such as meteorology (their current favorite 'subject'), sports, etc.
- Preparatory - As the word itself implies, we desire to "prepare" our children for the lives that lie ahead for them. We feel it is our God-given duty to raise them in a way that would please God and, to us, this includes both personal/Spiritual growth and academic growth. We were not created as drones. Instead, we were blessed with the magnificent ability to observe and learn about the world and people around us. God graced the human body with a powerful mind that is capable of far more than we casually demand of it these days. While we certainly don't expect to be able to "learn everything," we consider it an awful waste to sit and allow the mind to (essentially) rot away.
- Academy - Umm.... school. I guess I don't need to explain this one, lol.
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