Homeschool Curriculum Choices 2013-2014


Homeschool Curriculum Choices 2013-2014


With curriculum shopping list firmly in hand, I scoured the shelves of my state homeschool convention determined to find great books at great prices!  I'm fairly certain that I lugged home my body weight in GOOD READS...but that's between me and my chiropractor.  

I'm so excited to be able to share my picks for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year with you.  If you've been a regular reader around these parts, you'll notice that several of my choices have remained the same from last year.  But, you'll ALSO notice, that I'm mixin' it up a bit with a few new additions and replacements.  I have highlighted all of those changes in pretty pink...but don't tell my boys.  They haaaaaate pink! 


Today, I'll be sharing only the subjects that we do together as a group and will be sharing subjects by each grade level (5th, 2nd, 1st, and K-4) in the next few weeks.  I hope you'll swing back again to check those out.

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Family Bible Time

Like last year, we will do most of our family Bible time at the dinner table.  But, I do hope to incorporate a short missionary moment at the beginning of each day.  

  • God's Promises- This is the sequel to God's Names, the book we read last year and loved! (7x a week)
  • Well-Versed Kids verse packs (4x a week)
  • You Can Change the World Vol. 1 and maybe Vol. 2- The Hubs and I have a passion for foreign missions and would love to see our children grow to love it as much as we do.  This is a book that details the spiritual needs of certain people groups around the world and will be a great home companion to our Co-op Geography Club as we study different countries and their cultures. (4x a week)


Science

You might remember my son's desire to learn chemistry {gulp}.  After researching different elementary-level chemistry curriculums, I have chosen one that was suggested by one of my lovely Facebook readers a few months back during an open science curriculum forum.  (2x a week)


History

  • TruthQuest History- With the exception of our State History study two years ago, we have used TruthQuest History since the very beginning of our homeschooling journey.  It is the perfect curriculum for a living literature-style look at history!  My kids and I absolutely loooove this program.  It has fostered a passion for history within each of us.  We will complete our study of Ancient Greece and begin the first part of Ancient Rome. (2x a week)
  • continue our Ancient Greece notebook with additions from Notebooking Pages (whenever applicable)


Geography

I hope to continue our world-wide study in our twice-a-month Co-op Geography Club. (2x a month)

Vocabulary

Last year, my children began to recognize that certain words had similar spellings and consequently similar meanings as other words.  I hope to do a very gentle introduction to Latin and Greek roots in order that they can begin to better comprehend the meanings of unfamiliar words.  (1 root per week...I think)


Life Skills

In addition to reading our family devotional book together at dinner, I hope we can also read a short excerpt from the following book in order to begin learning the HOWs and WHYs of manners. (5x a week)

Phy. Ed.

Admittedly, we do most of our Phy. Ed. requirements in the summer when we sign up for local community-sponsored sport's programs.  But, with below freezing temps for nearly six months out of the year making it difficult for my kids to play outside, I also have to add in little bursts of indoor energy-burning activity throughout the week. (whenever needed...usually once or twice a week)

Art


Creative Writing

  • Creative Thinking Journal Topics- We will use these as story starters. (1x a week)
  • continue using our homemade creative writing journals

Additional curriculum by grade level

K-4 (pre-k)
Tweaks to the Curriculum
Mid-Year Curriculum Evaluation {with small changes}

Here's a look at what we've explored in the past





Want to know what other homeschooling mommas have planned for their upcoming curriculum, be sure to check out the hundreds of lists at the 5th Annual Not Back-to-School Blog Hop from iHomeschool Network.

13 comments:

  1. It's that time of year, huh? I always love reading about choices...and seeing school rooms! I've also made my choices for the year, I think. LOL

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    1. Yep, sad to say that summer's half over and this here momma has gotta start planning for school. *sigh*

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  2. Looks like a great curriculum list! I especially love the manners book...

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  3. Great plans. I like the manners book. I will look into that one.
    Blessings, Dawn

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    1. Can't wait to start that one. With four young boys gathered around the dinner table, sometimes our manners get forgotten {ahem!}

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  4. I had to chuckle at the image of you lugging all those books home - I have to say, "been there done that!"

    Eat Your Way Around the Globe - we are going to have to check that one out!
    Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful start to a new school year.

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    1. Yes, it's a great book with easy-to-implement recipes...no hard to find ingredients.

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  5. I am planning on using English from the Roots Up in my morning time with my three kids (11, 9 and 5) this year. Just as a gentle introduction (like you mentioned). How did this work for you and how did you implement?

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    1. It worked fairly well to introduce the word one day, read the example words another day, and then review the new word along with old words the rest of the days. I made flashcards of each word. We used the program for a year.

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  6. I realize this is an old post...so I'm hoping you can remember how this worked :) but... I'm trying to combine science this coming year for my 5th and 2nd grader. I've been trying to find a curriculum that has some flexibility to incorporate both. I've recently stumbled upon Noeo Science. On their website they mention that when combining levels you can really go either way...as in buy the lower level and have your older student do more or buy the higher level and adjust for your younger student. How was your experience? Could you speak to that a little? I'm just not finding may reviews of Noeo and particularly few that address this specific issue.

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    1. I would choose the younger level and supplement with some library books on those topics for your older child to read independently.

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  7. I know this is an old post but my 10 yr old wants to learn chemistry this year and I'm considering NOEO. Did you like their chemistry program?

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