Archive for the ‘Curriculum’ Category

2009-2010 School Year

August 29th, 2009 | No Comments

Well, we’re settled into our new home in Minnesota and loving the much cooler weather here! We’ve also met some great people!
9th grade:
My oldest is a 9th grader this year, and has decided to enroll in the Minnesota Virtual Academy High School. She’s a very strong writer, so they’ve put her into 10th grade honors [...]

“Latin’s a dead language, as dead as dead can be…”

August 29th, 2008 | No Comments

“It killed off all the Romans, and now it’s killing ME!!!!”
My dear English cousin taught my kids this chant last year, and my middle two chanted it over and over all week long. (Thanks John!! Grrr….hehe)
We started school again this week, and although it doesn’t seem like we got much done amidst a variety of [...]

8th grade reading list

July 29th, 2008 | No Comments

Here’s the current working reading list for 8th grade…
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885)
The Call of the Wild (1903)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1908)
Animal Farm (1945)
The Pearl (1947)
The Great Gatsby (1925)
Fahrenheit 451 (1950 – Post WWII/Cold War)
*Death of a Salesman (1949)
All Quiet on the Western Front (WWI)
Murder on the Orient Express (1935)
The Good Master (Kate Seredy – WWI [...]

20th Century History 36 week schedule

July 28th, 2008 | No Comments

My 8th grader is going to study 20th century history this year, and after surveying a variety of texts, we decided to use Paul Johnson’s History of the American People. Sections 5-8 deal specially with 20th century history.
Here’s the 36 week schedule I created. I have some other books and resources I plan on adding [...]

8th grade plans…

June 20th, 2008 | No Comments

Tentatively, this is what I’m considering…
Math – Teaching Textbooks Algebra II
Composition – “Lively Art of Writing” (continuing with this)
Latin – Wheelock’s Latin (next year will be her 5th year of Latin)
Logic – haven’t decided yet
History – Famous Men of Modern Times, Jenning’s “The Century for Young People,” and I think, selections from “The World is [...]

5th grade plans…

May 27th, 2008 | No Comments

2008-2009 5th grade plans for KR
Math: Singapore Math 5A/5B
Composition: Classical Writing… either Homer A or Older Beginners
Latin: Henle I (we’ll see how this goes)
Penmanship: Can-Do Cursive
History: Famous Men of Greece/Famous Men of Rome
Geography: Evan-Moor North America unit
Science: Noeo Biology 2
Literature: My 5th grade reading list (in progress, specifically for KR, who’s an avid reader)

2nd grade plans…

May 27th, 2008 | No Comments

2008-2009 Second grade plans for DA
Math: Singapore Math 2A/2B
Phonics: Hooked on Phonics 2 / Explode the Code Books 4, 5, 6
Latin: Song School Latin
Penmanship: Handwriting without Tears Cursive
Literature: My 2nd grade Reading List (in progress… includes D’Aulaire’s Greek Myths and D’Aulaire’s Norse Myths.)
Geography: The Geography Book by Caroline Arnold
History: A Child’s History of the World [...]

1st Grade Reading List for 2007-2008

May 22nd, 2008 | No Comments

I created this last summer, compiling it from various links and my home library. I thought I’d post it here for reference. DA’s reading didn’t take off quite as I’d anticipated, so some of the more difficult “Reading Together” selections became “Real-Aloud” selections.
DA (first grade)
Booklists
http://www.hillsideeducation.com/
http://www.mainlesson.com/
http://www.amblesideonline.com/
Geography
Paddle to the Sea by Holling C. Holling
Literature (Reading Together)
K12 Classics [...]

Secular science?

April 18th, 2008 | 1 Comment

I just found this… The Elements: Ingredients of the Universe (HT to Dragons in the Flower Bed) and it looks REALLY good!! I wonder if I could do this with the girls next year. The state of California says that 8th graders should be doing physical science, but I blew off their standards for this [...]

It’s that time of year…

April 15th, 2008 | No Comments

Time to start making plans, as we finish up stuff for this year (or more likely, just get plain tired of what we were doing and start looking forward to a change)… and get income tax refunds. I’m not sure if we’ll actually be able to school through the summer, though I’d like [...]