2010-2011 Curriculum

It's that time again!  Lately my mind is swimming with ideas and plans for the up-coming school year.  We are planning on starting August 16th.


I'm excited to post our curriculum choices and link up with Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers!
This post is also linking to:




Dale, 2nd Grade:
Bible

What the Bible Is All About: For Young Explorers

This will give us a great overview of the Bible by learning the writer and main events of each book, along with where it fits in to the Bible and how it points to or teaches of the coming Savior.  Not sure yet what kind of hands-on we'll do with this.  Possibly some sort of notebooking, but we'll see.  I'm open to suggestions. ;)

Math

Singapore Math: Primary Math Workbook 2A US Edition

This will be Dale's second year in Singapore Math.  We've actually got some finishing up to do in the level one book.  Between having a new baby and slowing down to make sure Dale has the basic math facts committed to memory, and this that and the other... well... we just have some left.  No biggie though.  I love homeschooling!  At any rate, Singapore seems to be a good fit for us so far.

Handwriting

Handwriting has been a stressful place for Dale and I at times in the past.  What is working best for us right now is his new pen pal!  He's only sent one letter so far, but has started a second, and with it plugged in to our daily schedule, I'm hoping we can send out one a week.  That, along with what little handwriting is required to complete his other work, is plenty for my 7 year old.

Phonics / Spelling

The Complete Book of Phonics, Grades K-3

I am mostly a believer in the Charlotte Mason method of phonics and spelling, as in it mostly isn't necessary as its own subject, especially at this age, and especially with Dale already reading so well.  However, I like having this work book for that 'just in case' insurance, so we have been chugging along a few pages at a time off and on for a year or two and will continue to do so.  It's good for busy work, which even homeschoolers sometimes need a little bit of (at least at my house!).

I also have a public school spelling workbook I bought at a garage sale (just tore out the 2-3 pages that had been written in and it was good as new).  We will complete a unit from this book each week.

Science

For second grade we will continue to follow the suggested science course of study outlined in The Well-Trained Mind (The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, Revised and Updated Third Edition).
This means we'll be starting the year finishing our biggest lapbook to date, a study of the body.  If you are familiar with The Well-Trained Mind you know the body is studied in 1st grade, so yes, this is more leftovers from last year.  Again... no biggie.  I downloaded this lapbook during a sale from Currclick.


After that we'll be moving on to Earth Sciency Type Things like:
Weather / Weather tracking
Tornadoes
Hurricanes
Volcanoes
Earthquakes
Dinosaurs, Fossils
Astronomy

Most of my resources will come from our own books, our public library, and Currclick.  We'll probably do a lapbook or two and some notebooking, and hopefully a few hands-on experiments along the way.

Typing

Dale has been working his way through the lessons at Dance Mat Typing.  We will continue that, just being more consistent with it.  Probably 3-4 times a week.

The Arts

I am hoping to cover either Art or Music or Poetry each week.  Nothing major, just making the effort to set aside a little time to learn about someone new and their works.  We'll listen to composers, research their biographies, learn about instrument families, look at the works of various artists and their biographies, and read and memorize poems.  And hopefully create art, music, and poems of our own.  A lot of this will involve Alan, as well.

Piano
Dale has learned a bit of basic piano with sporadic lessons through a couple of the piano books I used as a beginner, way back when.  I think he is ready now to sit down for regular lessons and practices.  Our curriculum arrived this weekend, and I can't wait to get started!  We will be using:

Music In Me: Lesson Level 1

What's missing?  

History. 

Ancient Times, Volume 1, Revised

We began Story of the World in 1st grade and it wasn't a good fit for us at the time.  So we planned on making it a summer study for the whole family to do together.  Yeah... uh... that didn't happen either.


I'm not giving up yet, though.  I don't have it plugged in for the beginning of our school year, but we'll see what happens once we get rolling.  The potential is there for us to really enjoy it and learn a lot, when the time is right.  Someday.  Maybe soon.  I hope.

Otherwise I'll be all messed up on that 4-year rotation thing. :)


Whew.  Okay.  Still with me?


Alan, 4 year old Preschool
This is the first year I am planning and scheduling regular activities for Alan.  I'm really excited about it!  For our core curriculum I will be using the Bible & Rhyme from Hubbard's Cupboard.  And... brace yourselves... I plan on following it as written.  
That's big news for me.  There's not much I do exactly as suggested when it comes to school and cooking.  
However:
#1 - I used a lot of Bible & Rhyme with Dale when he was this age, and really like it.  
#2 - The idea of somebody else doing the majority of my planning is wonderful.


In addition to Bible & Rhyme we will be doing lots of alphabet activities from Confessions of a Homeschooler.  Have you seen the things Erica has available?  They are amazing!


I still believe preschoolers can and do most of their learning living and playing and being read to.  But I can't see Alan just sitting around watching while Dale is 'doing school' every day.  He'll want in on the action too.  Plus, all that making and doing is FUN!  :)


Of course, we'll be going to the library weekly and reading, reading, reading.  (Both boys)


Have you used any of the above resources?  What are some of your favorites?
*All of the links to Christianbook.com are affiliate links.  If you make a purchase from CBD after clicking one of these links, a small percentage comes back to us here at the Buffalo Herd.  Thanks!

What do they know, anyway?

"They" say you shouldn't nurse a baby to sleep.


That you should lay them down calm but awake so they can learn to go to sleep on their own.


And we do.


Sometimes.


But I don't think "they" have ever held a sleepy nursing baby...


watching him drift off to sleep all warm, comfy, and content...


and then laid him gently down in his soft snugly bed...


to stand over him and smile and marvel, thanking God for the blessing he is, and that he's asleep!

Who is this woman and what has she done with my usual self?

I am a germa-phobe.  I consider it a side-effect of being a transplant mom.

Therefore, we carefully avoid most any place kids gather in groups.

Especially places kids gather and play and touch lots of things and then.... eat.

So, knowing all that, I bet you'd never guess where we ate supper tonight.

I'll give you a hint:

It rhymes with "Snotty Sneezes".

And it was all my idea.

And we all had. a. blast.

Riding the monster truck.
Picture taken moments before Alan said, "I'm ready to get off now", and Dale said, "That thing made me sea-sick!"

Whack-a-critter. (Sharks in this case)  It's in his genes.

Driving.

Skee ball. (It's in his genes, too.)
Look at that form!

Daddy shootin' some hoops.

Taking a ride with Clifford.  Picture taken moments before he said, "I'm done. I'm ready to get off." Notice a pattern?

Do you win tickets just for being CUTE?

Ticket muncher.  Very likely Alan's favorite thing of the whole night.

Redeeming our tickets for prizes.  Oh the fun and joy cheap trinkets bring!

I am literally praying nobody gets sick from this temporary lapse in our usual care and caution.

I have now returned to my good senses, thankyouverymuch.  

But living on the wild side sure was fun. ;)

I believe "voracious" is the word for that.

As if we don't go to the library often enough anyway, we've been making two or three trips every week for the last month as part of the summer reading program.


No problem, though: not only do we get to see Mimi, the boys adore the other ladies working there, too.

And then all that picture stamping and prize-getting was fun too.


Alan and I read 30 books together, including: Where the Wild Things Are, a few of the Little House picture books (he loves those!), Monkey and the Engineer, Before You Were Mine, and approximately 20-some-odd more.

Dale went on the track for older elementary kids and read by the page instead of by the book.  And... uh... well... in the end he came out reading more pages than anyone!  (One thousand, seven hundred, and ninety-two.)


Yeah.


Back in the late spring / early summer, before the reading program even started, he blew through Beverly Cleary's Henry Huggins series.  Then it was the Ramona books, which he finished after the program started.  Now he is about halfway through the Little House books.  And no, I don't mean the picture books.  I'm talking the inch thick On the Banks of Plum Creek and all those.


And here is where I need your help... he's going to be 7 next month.  Just because his reading level may be advanced for his age, his maturity level is right on target. 

I'd like to stick with as rich reading as he can handle, and not fill him up on "twaddle" just because he's hungry.  But with the mismatch between his reading level and his age level, that is becoming quite a challenge.  He has already read quite a few of The Boxcar Children.  Our library has The Sugar Creek Gang, which I plan to start him on next.  


Do you have book suggestions for a soon-to-be seven year old who is about to read us out of house and library?  

Bread & Butter

My daddy worked the ground.

I was there to help plant the seeds.

Together we harvested the crop.

Together we bought our ingredients.

I went home to slice and soak and fill and boil.

And this is what we have to enjoy and show for it all:

Stay tuned... plans for a second batch are already in the works!

Take me out to the ballgame!

Upon our arrival...

Baby Face

Getting ready to start

Something exciting happened...

Hoping for a fly ball...

Still having fun, Ty?

Mrs. Fix-It

I am a fixer.  A peace-maker.  A problem-solver.


I am also opinionated.  I like to jump in, brainstorm, help, pull from my own experiences and dispense advice as needed.


People like me have to be careful.  

For one thing, it is easy to get wrapped up, worried, and drug-down by taking on troubles of too many.


It is also easy to offend or push away those who may not necessarily need or want help and advice.


I've found myself in a lonely boat full of unwanted help a lot lately.


I have a full two years and beyond of experience as the parent of a 'sick kid'.  I know a little about a lot when it comes to hospital stays, medical equipment, ER visits, diagnoses, and medications.  But I certainly don't have the market cornered there.  Sadly, there are hundreds of thousands of parents who have similar experiences.  And every time a family receives a diagnosis, or a child makes a first-time visit to the ER, those families begin their own personal journeys, meeting their own new friends and fellow travelers.  

I am a homeschooler.  I have a little knowledge and opinions galore on materials and methods and philosophies and beyond.  But guess what?  So does every other homeschooler.  And while it is nice to sit and visit and compare notes and exchange stories, fellow homeschooling parents don't always need or want to hear how and why I do things.


I have been married for almost 10 years.  Sure, that's nothing like 20 or 30 or 50, but I have learned a little bit in our 10 years.  Things I feel are important.  Things I would love to share with other couples.  But there isn't exactly a line of women outside my door waiting for my marriage advice.


My point is, I have been learning over and over again that people generally ought to want your help before you start handing it out.  Otherwise, you may find those around you offended, and yourself feeling rebuffed and frustrated that you don't seem to be changing anything.  Ask me how I know.  

But I have also learned this: There is one place where my help is always needed.  There is one place where I am truly the one and only expert.  You know where I am going with this, don't you?  


It is in my own home, as wife to my husband, and mother to my children.  As long as I am living, no one else can minister to them like I can.  And the more I spread myself thin trying to solve the problems of the world around me, the more I neglect those closest.  Those that need me the most.  Those that want my attention like none other.


I don't want to become so inflated and so busy trying to 'save the world,' that I neglect those that mean the world to me.


All those needs I see around me?  Until I am asked for more, the best I can and should and will do for them is to pray.  Beyond that, my time, my attention, and my efforts are best served by the beautiful people I see, and hear, and touch every day.  And that is my greatest goal.