Curriculum Thread!

Discussion in 'Homeschooling' started by featherhead, Feb 5, 2016.

  1. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    Ok, it's been kinda quiet around here. So how about a thread about curriculum favorites, etc. Maybe we can all get some great ideas from each other. You can post multiple things per category, doesn't really matter :).

    Curriculum Favorites:
    Language Lessons for Today (MFW) - I haven't used it yet, but I've got it in waiting for fall and it looks really good
    CLE Math - so thorough, lots of review
    CLE Reading - I love all the stories, and the workbooks are great as well
    Sonlight - I love just sitting with my kids and reading great books, but it doesn't happen unless it's part of the plan, so Sonlight is great for me. Just too expensive :(

    Curriculum that didn't work for you:
    Apologia Astronomy - maybe my kids were just too young, but it didn't get done
    Handwriting Without Tears - I only used the Kindergarten book, but it seemed expensive for what was actually in the book

    Curriculum you want to try:
    My Father's World - this looks like a great curriculum, but I thought it might be too time consuming for me in fall with a new baby, so I may try it another year
    Spelling You See - I've got this waiting for fall as well, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet.
    Easy Peasy - It would give my kids more independence, we just need at least one working computer first. I wouldn't want them doing all their work on the computer, though
     
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  3. mom4girls

    mom4girls Member

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    I will chime in and say that all about spelling is great! My DD understands and is picking up spelling much better. I would love to just read with my kids but I too can't afford the curriculums. I like parts of Abeka, and I guess next year is going to be crazy mixed up. lol I love Chalkdust math for the upper grades (pre-algebra and up). Love to use the great courses as some of our History. Wow there is so much out there! Oh and Usborne books are great!
     
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  4. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    I am loving curriculum by "the plain people" - Amish and Mennonite publishers. Christian Light Education, Rod&Staff, Pathways, SchoolAid/StudyTime. They tend to be no-frills, well thought out, fairly inexpensive, easy to teach, thorough...

    In particular, I love CLE Reading. I like the stories, I like the workbooks, and I like the fact that they have a Bible memory verse associated with each story, that the verse and the story share a theme, that part of the lesson explains any "hard words" and how the student can apply the verse to his/her own life in an age-appropriate way, I like how they cover poetry. There is of course vocabulary and comprehension, but also literary analysis, character training, and Bible memory, and critical thinking.

    I love CLE Math. It's an incremental spiral (like Saxon math, which I also like), but in a workbook so the student doesn't have to copy 30 problems into a notebook to work and the speed drills are included in the daily lesson so you don't have to remember to make copies like Saxon. The explanations and examples are very clear.

    I like both CLE Language Arts and R&S English. CLE is in workbooks, and it spirals like the math. R&S is in textbooks, which my grandson is liking because we can do it orally, which gets it done quicker with less pencil involved. Since CLE includes grammar/composition, spelling, and handwriting in every lesson, it's "self-contained" but R&S covers only grammar/composition, and spelling and handwriting need their own courses, but in some ways that's an advantage because the student can use the style of handwriting that "fits" and the level of spelling as well.

    For science, I really like R&S. It's well laid-out and age-appropriate, which means not every day in the lower grades, and more thorough as the grade level goes up. R&S does not cover lab sciences with separate courses (biology, chemistry, physics) but if you do all the levels, you will have a very good foundation for the lab sciences in high school.
     
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  5. mschickie

    mschickie Active Member

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    Curriculums I love:

    Math: Saxon (grades 4 and up) Horizons (1st-3rd)
    Science: Apologia and Sonlight Science
    History: Mystery of History and BJU(for High School), Time Traveler series by Homeschool in the Woods
    Grammar: Easy Grammar
    Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3000 and Jensen's Vocabulary
    Spelling: Spelling Power
    Writing: IEW (love it)
    Logic: Art of Argument
    Bible: God's Great Covenant

    I love the Sonlight selections of literature

    Things that have not worked
    Tell Me More French (similar to Rosetta Stone) did not work for dd. We will probably try it again in high school to supplement but now we use a traditional textbook.
     
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  6. 2littleboys

    2littleboys Moderator

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    I love Apologia (science), Life of Fred (for math and introductory science), Rod & Staff (for English and Bible), and anything by Classical Academic Press. Oh, I also like Sequential Spelling and WordlyWise, and (for history) Notgrass and Bright Ideas products.
     
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  7. mschickie

    mschickie Active Member

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    I was looking at the new catalog for Classical Academic Press and it looks like they got some new upper level products I am very excited about. I am hoping to go to the Great Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati and check out their booth. Love their stuff. I forgot to list we used Song School Latin and Latin for Children, great programs.
     
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  8. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    Some recent things I've been looking at: Strayer-Upton Arithmetic and DIY Homeschool Journals. I just wish I could see them in person. I think maybe we will try one of the journals over the summer.
     
  9. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    I just got the Strayer Upton Arithmetic books one and two last week. They look really good! I'm hoping they work well for my kids. Each book is supposed to be two years worth of math. So I've got four years worth of math that can hopefully be reused for all five kids. All for $50 Canadian. That's $2.50 per year!
     
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  10. CB Blach

    CB Blach New Member

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    There is a new one out there called The Social Curriculum, it's on Facebook for more info. The author is set to publish another one soon similar to the first called The Courage and Confidence Curriculum, it's got a page too.
     
  11. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    I've never heard of this one before. What subject(s) and ages is it for?
     
  12. CB Blach

    CB Blach New Member

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    The Social Curriculum says 6th grade and up, The Courage and Confidence Curriculum is probably more suited for older elementary and up. Both can be easily individualized though if your kids are not in those age ranges. The majority of The Social Curriculum is about relating and interacting with other people from a Biblical worldview (those who think alike and differently). The Courage and Confidence Curriculum is mainly about lessons encouraging and explaining courage and confidence from a Biblical worldview as well.

    Hope this helps! They are both interesting topics, I would encourage looking at their Facebook pages for more info.
     
  13. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    Thanks. I might check that out, though my kids are not that old yet.
     
  14. Mrs. Melicks

    Mrs. Melicks New Member

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    I am new to homeschooling and was looking for information please. My son has just completed a public pre k and I have been searching for a hands on curriculum. I have narrowed it down to my fathers world gods creation from a to z or heart of dakota little hearts for his glory. My questions are does anyone have any experience with either of the curriculums and since he has completed public pre k would these be to easy for him? I have also heard of the Charlotte mason approach but I feel it is to laid back for me on the academics. Thank you in advance for any help.
     
  15. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    I myself have not used either of those programs. Are you planning on homeschooling long term? If so, Kindergarten really can be laid back and fun. If you wait for the right time to teach things, they come much quicker and easier. The public schools pushing things earlier and earlier does not help the kids at all.

    Are there any homeschool conventions or curriculum fairs in your area that you could attend? It can be very helpful to see things in person. If not, check out reviews and blogs online. There will always be someone that loves a curriculum, and someone that hates it, but it can give you a broader view.
     
  16. Mrs. Melicks

    Mrs. Melicks New Member

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    I plan on homeschooling long term but I want him to be prepared if I had to put him back in public school. I don't like common core though so I won't be teaching him at those standards. I'm not sure of any conventions around me. I'm not sure how you even find out about homeschool conventions or curriculum fairs. I wanted my son to have mainly hands on learning with writing work also. I was going to create my own lesson plans but wasn't really sure where to begin with that. There are a lot of options with homeschooling. I thought a box curriculum might be best since it's my first year and they have everything planned out and tell you what to do but there are a lot of options. Thank you for your help.
     
  17. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    Starting with a boxed curriculum can certainly be easier. I say pick one and go with it. You will figure out fairly quickly what you like and don't like once you get started. You can always add things if you feel like it is not enough, or take more than a year to complete it if it is too much. I think for me, I would probably choose My Father's World from the two of those, though I have not looked at Heart of Dakota much.

    For my daughter who will be in Kindergarten in fall, I am planning to use Rod & Staff's ABC series as well as Singapore Essential Kindergarten math. I will also have a grade 2 and grade 4 student, as well as a three year old and newborn. So we will be learning life
     
  18. CB Blach

    CB Blach New Member

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    I like the Answers In Genesis Science material. There's a grade level curriculum out there called Dakota something, I've heard it's good but not tried it yet. BTW saw on Amazon The Courage and Confidence Curriculum is out. Answersingenesis.org is were you can look at the science material and The Courage and Confidence Curriculum has a Facebook page.
     
  19. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    Answers in Genesis was definitely one curriculum I was considering. However this fall I will have a newborn and two year old, as well as my three school aged kids. So for this year we are going to try Easy Peasy just for Science, for something they can do relatively easily on their own. We might try AiG the year after.
     
  20. DizneeTeachR

    DizneeTeachR Member

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    Does anyone use Teaching Textbooks for math? I am looking at grade 7. My comfort level is going by the wayside. I have my degree in teaching the lower... it's the upper that I am feeling uncomfortable with and want to make sure we are doing what is best.

    That said we did use Uncle Sam and You... liked that. We only got through part of it since we started it mid year.
     
  21. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    I've heard good things about Teaching Textbooks. Some people say it is behind, but if you give your child the placement test it shouldn't matter.
     

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