Hi everyone! It’s that time of the year again! You know the one…when you realize that summer’s almost over and you barely remember it starting.
The one where you think “Yikes! I better order my curriculum so it’s here in time!”
Yep…that one.
I’ve had lots of emails asking about our curriculum choices for this year already, so I know you all are planning away out there too! Of course I’m happy to share our choices with you, but I also want you to stand firm in your own choices and not beat yourself up thinking you should’ve done something else just because I or any other blogger recommends it! Each family is different, and I know you’ve prayed over your choices, just as I have, so we can take comfort in knowing that we’re being obedient to our calling!
So here it is, our choices for the 2011-2012 school year! (Wow, I had a hard time typing 2012…I remember back when even the thought of the year 2000 was like back to the future hover-cars and stuff. But I digress…
Anyway, we’re starting something new this year. I’m tired of referring to my children as “my 2nd grader”, “my preschooler” blah blah, so I’ve come up with some fun names for them! Plus it just seems more personal while at the same time protecting their anonymity somewhat!
We’re branching out and trying some new things this year, I’m a little nervous, but I have the flexibility to change if need be, so I’m keeping an open mind.
So I’ll now introduce the players: BTW, they all (with the exception of The Teeny Tot), picked their own aliases. Teeny Tot was kind of already locked in.
First up we have “The Teeny Tot”. 
(Tot School)
You all know and love her already. She’s the only one with a pre-existing alias, which incidentally has become a nickname around here too. I know she’ll eventually out grow it, but I still love it!
The Teeny Tot is going to be doing some official Tot School Stuff this year. More to come on that ;o)….
Next in line is “Tinker Bell”: 
(Kindergarten)
You know her previously as the sweet little preschooler who modeled all of my Letter of the Week and K4 Curriculum for you! This year she’ll be your tour guide through Kindergarten!
- Art: World’s Greatest Artist Study Vol. 1
- Bible: Grapevine Studies
- Phonics/Spelling: All About Spelling Level 1 and up
- Math:
Saxon Level 1switched to: Math U See Primer - Core: Abeka Kindergarten
- Geo/Hist: Road Trip USA!
- Science: Young Scientist Club Kits
- P.E.: Family Time Fitness
Then we have “Turbo”: 
(2nd Grade)
He’s the sole boy in this crowd of girls poor dude, but he is all guy. I find his choice of aliases ironic considering he’s rarely in a hurry to do anything! He’s going to lead you through 2nd grade this year.
- Art: World’s Greatest Artist Study Vol. 1
- Bible: Grapevine Studies; Kay Arthur Jesus In The Spotlight (and others in the series)
- Phonics/Spelling: All About Spelling Level 3 and up
- Math: Saxon Level 3
- English/Grammar/Reading: BJU Press Level 2
- Geo/Hist: Road Trip USA!
- Science: Young Scientist Club Kits
- P.E.: Family Time Fitness
- Typing: Typing Instructor
- Spanish: Speekee TV
- Writing: Write Shop Primary Book B
Finally is my firstborn, “Strawberry Shortcake”: 
(3rd Grade)
(She’s very tall for her age, but Strawberry Tall-cake just didn’t sound as good.) She’s a mini-me for the most part, very helpful and leader of the pack. She’s going to be your host for 3rd grade this year.
- Art: World’s Greatest Artist Study Vol. 1
- Bible: Grapevine Studies; Kay Arthur Jesus In The Spotlight (and others in the series)
- Phonics/Spelling: All About Spelling Level 4 and up
- Math: Saxon Level 3
- English/Grammar/Reading: BJU Press Level 3
- Geo/Hist: Road Trip USA!
- Science: Young Scientist Club Kits
- P.E.: Family Time Fitness
- Typing: Typing Instructor
- Spanish: PowerSpeak Spanish
- Writing: Write Shop Primary Book B
More awesome curriculum available on my website:
Expedition Earth World Geography:
Expedition Earth World Animals:
World’s Greatest Artists Vol. 1
What is your curriculum line-up for next year? I’d love to hear what others are doing! And I hope you all have a wonderful homeschooling journey!
Hi Erica,
Thank you so much for posting your curriculum plans for next year. I was looking for a “cool” science program that included experiments…and was affordable. I linked to the YSC website directly from your list, loved what I saw, & signed up for the bi-monthly plan. WOOHOO! We are so excited to receive our first kit. Hopefully you get an incentive for this 😉
We also found Family Time Fitness when Currclick had a sale a few weeks ago. Looks like a lot of fun! I love how they carefully planned out the lessons so all of the motor skills are covered.
I think you will like the spiral concept behind Saxon math especially since your kids had the solid “mastery” concept behind MUS. My daughter struggled with Abeka so I switched her to MUS for a stronger foundation. We will switch back to Abeka once she becomes more confident with the basics.
Be blessed! Alycia
Hi there!
I am still wading through the curriculum options out there for my first year of homeschooling this fall! My daughter is a K/5. The one program I am having the hardest time deciding on is a Reading/Phonics program. I have never seen All About Spelling in person, but it looks to me as if it could be a Reading/Phonics program as well as Spelling. Since you have a history with this program, do you think that it is possible to double up with All About Spelling?
Sarah, YES! it is totally a phonics program, as a matter of fact they also sell readers to go with it if you need some. My kids used our Abeka readers, just because I already had them, but I noticed a marked improvement in both reading and spelling after starting AAS! Love it!
Hey everyone,
This year we are trying almost all new stuff as well…..I’m freaked out!
I have a 3rd and 4th grader and then a 2 year old terror…..lovingly meant.
We are trying the following:
Singapore Math
Growing with Grammar (did this one last year and loved it)
Growing with Spelling ( I love that it includes vocabulary)
Apologia Science
Story of Our World
Handwriting Without Tears and Four Square writing
Powerspeak Spanish (did this last year with just one child)
Draw, Write, Now and Art for All Seasons
Learning Links for our library trips
As a family in the evening after I finish eating, we all do the Roadtrip even though mine are older, but we just love doing it.
Possible candidates:
Family TIme Fitness
Typing Instructor
We are going to start next week and give it a trial run with a few of the more intense subjects to see how well we all can grasp it.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THIS YEAR!!!
I’m new to homeschooling this year and I’m very excited to get started. But one thing I can’t quite wrap my brain around is how to organize all the work the kids complete. What sort of methods do people use so the school work doesn’t take over your house once it’s completed?
Hi Dana,
I have metal stackable files from Wal-mart. As they finish their work, they put it in their file. Right now I usually look at it quickly before they file it so I can check for errors and we just address those right away. That’ll probably change once they get older and I have to actually think ;o)
Once those files get full, I hole punch everything and stick it in a 3″ 3-ring binder and store in our basement. I don’t have to keep it by law, it just makes me feel better :o)
Will you be creating curriculum kits for your teeny Tot? I LOVE everything you’ve created so far, my 3 1/2 year old does well with everything I’ve purchased from you! I have a 16 month old girl and am always looking for creative things for her. Also….any suggestions on how to organize this madness of mine called homeschool supplies? We are knee deep in it, and it is all over this house. We thought spreading it throughout the house would give them endless possibilities at learning, but I’m just overwhelmed!
Tammy, I won’t be creating anything specific for her, just some random tot packs as I go. I think I might let her play with some of the LOTW activities too, she saw her big sis doing them all last year and was dying to get her hands on some ;o)
But…if I do make anything, I’ll post for sure!
I’m such a curriculum junkie I just love reading about, looking at it, researching it and EVERYTHING it! LOL!
Thanks for sharing your plan!!!!
I have been following your website for a long time and you have been very helpful in sharing your curriculum plans, reviews, etc. I have been using A Beka Book for everything for the past 4 years but this year I purchased the All About Spelling (ABS) materials since it seemed to be used by almost everyone. However, when I received the materials I noticed that they teach different phonics sounds than A Beka. When you started using ABS did you teach your children the sounds the way they were in the ABS book or did you adapt to correspond with the A Beka special sounds ? I don’t want to confuse the kids but I really like the ABS style of teaching spelling and I don’t want to waste all the money I put into purchasing this curriculum 🙂 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Debra: I actually did both last year and it wasn’t a big deal. I found that Abeka has the same rules, they just don’t do as good a job at drilling them in as AAS does. I did the AAS Lessons, then had my kids still do the Abeka worksheets and if there was something AAS hadn’t covered yet I covered that before they did the sheet. It went fine for us, and the kids did well, but i do think they really benefited from AAS rules lessons. I flipped back through my Abeka to see if i’d missed something and I noticed that Abeka does mention the rule, but I didn’t see where they really repeat it that often so i didn’t repeat it that often. I don’t think my kids really “GOT” the rules until we started AAS.
I think combining is fine, and I didn’t notice it confusing them at all, but I now prefer AAS to Abeka.
What age does All About Spelling start? My 3 1/2 year old as read 5 “Bob Books” all by himself, so I’m thinking I better find a program, and FAST!
All About Spelling isn’t really by age or even grade level, so you could try Level 1 and see how it goes, you may have to move a little slower through the lessons just due to maturity level, but can’t hurt to try. I’m doing it this year with my kindergartner and she’s doing well. There is a link to them on my right sidebar towards the top for you! Thanks!
Erica, what is the average amount you spend on curriculum, supplies, lessons per child per school year? I’m adding all the shopping carts I have lined up for this year and I’m just wondering if I’m way off of the norm?
Hi Tammy, It really depends on the year! I typically only buy one set of curricula per year and my younger children then use that when they get to that grade level. So i just have to buy workbooks for them. I think I spent just over $300 for this year, but I bought some used BJU Press stuff for my 2nd and Kinder that I didn’t have before so that made it a little more than normal. I usually get things off of ebay or homeschoolclassifieds.com or even at local used fairs as well. I do my best not to pay full price for new stuff if at all possible!
Hi! I am new to homeschooling and I am very overwhelmed. Your site has been VERY helpful. I am interested in using your LOTW and K-4 programs. Can these two programs be used together at the same time? Thanks!