Just interested in what everyone is using this year? This is our first year of homeschooling, I really don't know all of the different types of curriculums that are out there. Thought it might be interesting seeing what is working for you and your family. I'll start it off. My son is a first grader and here is what we are using right now: Reading Abeka 1 Handbook for reading and Reading and Phonics teacher guide Math Abeka 1 Arithmetic Spelling Spelling skills from Barnes and Noble Lang Arts Just a workbook we picked up from 1/2 price books Science Abeka discovering God's World History Abeka My America and My World Bible We are getting our lessons off a internet site.
Hi! We are using Alpha Omega Life Paks for Language Arts and History for my dd9th grade work, and SOS Math 8th, and SOs Science 9th. Then a Computor Unit type study we are looking over but she claims she already knows everything in it, for Computor, She does HOme Ec too, as a side thing learning to cook and clean proplerly as well as sewing, and jewelry making. She will be taking music when I can find it. Ds 9, 4th grade SOS, math, science, Lang ARts, and History and geography. I am adding in for both Creative Writing 101 ( make it up each day) Bible, dd does from a devotional reading she has that was written by tweens for tweens. And Ds does SOS Bible Have a fun year! Enjoy the teaching, and remain flexible with what they learn and what they do not!
Hello there, I am homeschooling my 3 children: ds-15, 10th grade: He chose to try Alpha Omega Life Pacs this year for Science, English, History and 2 electives: Composition and Art. He is doing VideoText Algebra, taking piano lessons and Rosetta Stone German. ds-almost 13, 8th grade: Saxon Algebra 1/2, A Beka Science, Vocabulary from Classical Roots, Spelling (a book from Barnes & Noble Bookstore), Story of the World History (I give him extra deeper and more detailed assignments), Greek (from greeknstuff.com ), English (variety), handwriting (A Reason for Handwriting), he's in "Homeschool Strings", an orchestra taught by a homeschool mom, and piano. He loves cooking and tries out a lot of recipes for some of our meals! dd-9, 5th grade: Saxon 76, D'Nealian Handwriting, English (variety), A Beka Science, Rosetta Stone Spanish, Story of the World History (assignments not as deep and detailed as big brothers, but more than the activity book), and she takes voice and piano lessons. She also is very creative and comes up with all sorts of arts and crafts that she does. For PE we do a wide variety of things, but not a set program this year. For Bible our family is going through a book together called "The Great Controversy".
deena, did you download the Spanish sample? I am waiting for my cds to come in the mail. I forgot to add Greek, Hebrew and Spanish to dd's courses, So they may not start till later second quarter?
TMom, No, I haven't dl'ed anything. I'm waiting for the one I ordered before I knew it could be dl'ed! I got a VERY good deal on the Rosetta Stone German and Spanish, but found out it was missing some components, such as the tests and quizzes! So, I'm not too happy about that! It didn't sound too good to be true for that price, but it sounded really good. So I guess I'd say if it even sounds really good, it's probably not! But at least they can use the computer parts. I don't even know what a whole program includes, so I don't know what all I'm missing... Is your dd doing all those languages at once? Just wondering since you said second quarter you'd add them to her courses....
Deena, Re my dd and her languages, I am not sure what will be included in the mailed CD so I am leaving it open, I am thinking maybe a quarter per langauage as a sampling.. if I can stretch it that long!~ I will have to view it before really knowing... thats the only thing with samples you have to see it to sample it! So one language for 2-3 months and so on should help her to get an idea of what one she wants to do more of after that. I think some languages come easier than others and though we may be interested in one if we just don't get it, then we may want to try something else. Which is why I sent for all three I would have liked to send for a whole curric on Spanish, or Greek but hubby has both of those 'somewhere on the book case in the den' and well, its a wall to wall book case! I found one Temas, but was told its not very good. So now i look for the other? Someplace we also have Greek/Hebrew how to book... so will continue looking for that as well. ONe of the things I like about home schooling my dd is that she can pick something up the first time, where as the older one had to be retaught somethings almost yearly. But then they say we learn with our first child and the rest learn with them and again and again.... so that could have something to do with it?
Basic Curriculum- Exploring Countries and Cultures from My Father's World. (Bible, Science, Geography, Art, Music, & Reading) Math- Horizon Math Language Arts- Primary Language Lessons, Writing Strands Spelling - Spectrum Spelling Foreign Language- Rosetta Stone Spanish I have to say that I have really enjoyed using My Father's World. They are very reasonably priced. Plus they encourage you to use the library instead of purchasing a ton of books that after 1 year just take up space. www.mfwbooks.com
We are finishing the last of Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons. (This includes writing) Singapore math with Professor B as a supplement The complete book of maps and geography I still haven't found a Bible curriculum When we finish 100ez lessons, I have A little phonics workbook that will last a couple weeks and then We are going to finish the year with just reading books on the level she is at. And I'm going to just get creative on writing practice. I'm thinking of trying some of those lap books and maybe a few short unit type studies. We are going to have an informal year. I've got Grammar and Communication for children (Based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard), Spelling Power, And Exploring Creation with Astronomy but I don't think she is ready for them.
Irst Grade: Alpha Omega Horizons math for grade 1. With this I use the math manipulatives kit from Saxon, cusenaire rods, and other items. BJU Heritage Studies 1 as a road map for lessons I put together from internet, encyclopedia, reference, and national Geo, etc, and present. I found most social studies programs very light, and my student can absorb this type of info like a sponge. BJU Bible Truths: A Father's Care as a road map, and we strengthen lessons with discussion or adding material, and relating concepts to other subjects being studied. For Science we are exploring various topics that come up, as well as doing sort of like unit studies. For language arts, we are using Explode the Code, various reading materials, and some work sheets printed from the Enchanted Learning website and others where needed for extra lettering practice. We will also be using various other materials to reinforce reading and writing.
For my kindergartner, we are using the following: Horizons Math 1 ..........Great! Reading Made Easy (for phonics)..........Love,Love,Love it! FIAR for Science,Social Studies,Language Arts , and Art...........Only been using for 2 days but I like it so far. Fiar Bible......Waaay too basic and IMO a waste of money. Looking for a new bible curriculum Rosetta Stone for Spanish we haven't started yet so I don't have a real opinion on it.
Last year (for first grade), our homeschooling approach was rather eccletic, and I love that! But, with me now in Grad School (as well as the rest of the craziness of life that has seemed to hit us hard this year), I needed at least a foundation curriculum to keep us on track with the basics, so I went with AO LIFEPACs. My dd-7yrs is using 1st grade level Math, 2nd grade for Lang. Arts and Bible, and 3rd grade level Science. However, we add a LOT to the LIFEPAC core. For History/Social Studies, we focus on major dates/events as they arrive on the calendar AND we both thoroughly enjoy reading nightly biographies from the series "Childhood of Famous Americans". So far we've learned about Albert Einstein, Davy Crockett, Crazy Horse, and we're currently reading Walt Disney. Next year, we may try one or two subjects in SOS (Switched On Schoolhouse) to see if we like it. Thanks for letting me share!
Madison (2nd grade) Bob Jones 2 for English, Handwriting, Spelling Saxon Math 2 Alex (1st/2nd grade) Saxon Math 1 I've made my own curriculum for Language Arts They do history, science, and Bible together. History is Bob Jones 2 Science is done through experiments and our homeschool group. I do my own Bible curriculum.
I've used so many over the years. This year we are going easy. Evan is 10 and my last and only hs child now: Math - Saxon 54 Language Arts - Easy Grammar, Level 1 Science - God's Design Reading - 1 hour a day, book report after each book Music - guitar, harmonica
Math: Horizons 1, Saxon 54, and HBJ Algebra I Science: Apologia General Science, finishing Considering God's Creation, and then Great Science Adventures Language: Total Language Plus, English for the Thoughtful Child, Language Lessons for the Very Young, Writer's Inc, Spectrum Reading Gr. 1, Spelling Power History: Mystery of History Vol. II Bible: AWANAS That's it for the most part!
Bible/core: My Father's World, 1st Grade Language Arts: Learning Language Arts Through Literature Math: Saxon 1 Science: Usborne "Explainers" - Right now we're doing Finding Out About Things Outdoors Art: I Can Do All Things We're having a great time!
I forgot to mention that we are giving AO's Drawing Basics w/ Thomas Kinkade a try for art (dd draws EVERY day!), Simply Music program for piano, Typing Basics software for keyboarding skills, Brownie Girl Scout Try-It activities for citizenship and other content-related activities, enchantedlearning.com for MANY things, and various assorted other workbooks/software programs for supplementing. We have a fantastic library and utilize many of it's resources as well. Couldn't live w/o Bill Nye the Science Guy DVD's (although we disagree w/ evolutionary slant present in some of the DVD's)...gosh, I could go on and on!!!
We use Alpha Omega Lifepac's for everything. Kids like the workbook format. Was considering SOS, but we only have a laptop and not sure how they would share. Anyway, like Alpha Omega.
I did Alpha Omega for my first 3 years of homeschooling in actual grades - The Little Patriot Series, then 1st through 2nd or 3rd. I thought about trying it again for the older grades and didn't. Are all your kids younger?
My 9th grader (dd) is using Abeka for everything except computer, and Home Economics I teach those myself no books. My 6th grader (ds) is using McGraw and Hill Total series and Spectrum, spelling and reading are Abeka. Next year everything will be Abeka. We did the life pacs last year with my dd and she didn't like them. She really likes the Abeka progam, we don't use the dvd's she just don't learn like that.
