Hi everyone, it’s that time of year again! And I’ve been getting tons of emails asking what we’ll be using for our 2014-2015 school year!
So without further ado, here are our curriculum choices for the 2014-2015 school year.
Teeny Tot: Kindergarten
- Daily Learning Notebook: I’m mixing pages from my elementary and preschool notebook this year so she can write her own calendar numbers.
- Art: World’s Greatest Artists 2 and See the Light Art DVDs
- Phonics/Reading: K4 Curriculum, Abeka K5 Letters & Sounds, Phonics Road Level 1 (A new product we’re reviewing!)
- Logical Thinking: Abeka K5 Think and Learn
- Math: Math U See Primer & Spielgaben
- Bible: Picture Smart Bible (Trying new this year), Grapevine Traceable Units
- P.E.: Family Time Fitness
- Other: We will be doing The Middle Ages by Homeschool in the Woods this year, and the Teeny Tot will be participating in the fun crafts and activities that go along with that, though she won’t be expected to do any of the other work.
Tinkerbell: 3rd Grade
- Daily Learning Notebook: She’ll be doing the Cursive Notebook this year.
- Art: World’s Greatest Artists 2 and See the Light Art DVDs
- Bible: Picture Smart Bible & Grapevine Studies
- Spelling: All About Spelling Levels 2 & 3
- Phonics: Abeka Language 3
- Reading: Abeka Reading 3 & Read & Think Skill Sheets 3
- Math: Math U See Gamma
- Handwriting: BJU Handwriting 3
- History: The Middle Ages – Time Traveler Unit & my Colorado State Study
- Literature: Classical Literature Units
- Science: Abeka Science 5 (We do this as a group) & one of my scientist units if we can fit it in!
- P.E.: Family Time Fitness
- Typing: Typing Instructor Platinum (CD Version)
- Vocabulary: Vocabulary Workshop (This is our first year trying this so our thoughts on it are TBD.)
- Robotics: LEGO Education We’re continuing with our co-op group and the Simple Mechanisms set this year.
Turbo: 5th Grade
- Daily Learning Notebook: He’ll be doing the Cursive Notebook this year.
- Art: World’s Greatest Artists 2 and See the Light Art DVDs
- Bible: Picture Smart Bible & Grapevine Studies
- English/Grammar: BJU English 5
- Handwriting: BJU Handwriting 5
- History: The Middle Ages – Time Traveler Unit & my Colorado State Study
- Literature: Classical Literature Units
- Math: Math U See Epsilon
- P.E.: Family Time Fitness
- Photography: The Foto Finch Composition & Photojournalism (Review coming soon!)
- Reading: Abeka Reading 5 & Read & Comprehend Skill Sheets 5
- Robotics: LEGO Education We’re continuing with our co-op group and the Simple Mechanisms set this year.
- Science: Abeka Science 5 & one of my scientist units if we can fit it in!
- Spelling: All About Spelling Level 4 & 5, & Spelling You See C
- Typing: Typing Instructor Platinum (CD Version)
- Vocabulary: Vocabulary Workshop (This is our first year trying this per a friend’s suggestion.)
- Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing
Strawberry Shortcake: 6th grade
- Art: World’s Greatest Artists 2 and See the Light Art DVDs
- Bible: Picture Smart Bible & Grapevine Studies
- English/Grammar: BJU English 6
- History: The Middle Ages – Time Traveler Unit & my Colorado State Study
- Literature: Classical Literature Units
- Math: Math U See Zeta
- P.E.: Family Time Fitness
- Photography: The Foto Finch Composition & Photojournalism (Review coming soon!)
- Reading: Abeka Reading 6 & Read & Comprehend Skill Sheets 5
- Robotics: LEGO Education We’re continuing with our co-op group and the Simple Mechanisms set this year.
- Science: Abeka Science 5 & one of my scientist units if we can fit it in!
- Spelling: All About Spelling Level 7 & Spelling You See D
- Typing: Typing Instructor Platinum (CD Version)
- Vocabulary: Vocabulary Workshop (This is our first year trying this per a friend’s suggestion.)
- Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing
Extra-Curricular Activities:
- Keepers of the Faith
- Contenders of the Faith
- LEGO Education We’re continuing with our co-op group and the Simple Mechanisms set this year.
NEW!!!
We are trying out a new history program this year, the Homeschooling in the Woods Time Traveler’s units. They look like a lot of fun, and we’re excited to give them a whirl! Right off the bat I will say that they’re kind of labor intensive to prepare. It took me a solid FULL day to print everything, organize it all, then another day to add it to my lesson plans for the year. But it’s more hands on and exciting than Abeka and we’re just ready for a change. Honestly Abeka is fine and we’ll probably go back to it at some point, but I wanted to do some more fun things while my kids are still young and we’re not worried about high school credits…which is just around the corner for us…ugh!
We’re also trying a new Bible program The Picture Smart Bible. My kids have loved Grapevine, but we’ve done almost all of their units, and the Picture Smart Bible looks like it’s an excellent choice for a little older kiddos as well. So we’re really excited to try something new.
Strawberry Shortcake chose photography for her extra elective this year. My friend Ernie at Foto Finch has developed a photography curriculum for Jr. High to High School students, but I took a look at the lessons and think that she’ll do fine with the Composition & Photojournalism one. I’ll have a review coming up soon once we get more into the program. But I can tell you she’s excited to get to start photography. Maybe she can take over my blog someday ;o)
The last new to us curriculum we’re trying out is the Vocabulary Workshop. I wasn’t thrilled with Wordlywise, and so I moved to Evan-Moor Vocabulary Fundamentals which were fine for last year. But I had a friend who teaches English that suggested Vocabulary Workshop so we’re going to try it out for a year. Just a note…it is a secular curriculum.
And there’s our 2014-2015 curriculum choices!
Need HELP GETTING STARTED????? Get your copy of Homeschooling 101: A guide to getting started!
Need PLANNERS? Check out my fun homeschool lesson planners!
Need MORE IDEAS? Check out the awesome curriculum available on my website!
Aside from the preschool and kindergarten curriculum all of my units are geared towards elementary aged students from about kinder-6th grade.
Road Trip USA & Road Trip USA Animals!
Expedition Earth World Geography & Animals of the World:
World’s Greatest Artists Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
World’s Greatest Composers Vol 1 (Vol. 2 NOW AVAIL!)
Classic Literature Unit Studies (Vol. 2 & 3 NOW AVAIL!)
Scientists & Inventors Unit Studies:
THANK YOU! Love your blog and so many great ides. I’m switching to Abeka Science this year too:) ANYWAY….could you answer you answer a question for me about Math U See? We use it too. I am struggling on how to plan it out ahead of time. We have yet to finish it within a year…I am thinking maybe I need to have my kids do more pages at a time?
So….
1. How do you plan out the lessons ahead of time?
2. Do all of your kids watch their videos on the same day?
3. What do you use for math fact drills?
Thank you thank you!!!!
Hi Billie,
We don’t regularly do math fact drills because they do so much repetition in MUS they didn’t need it. But I have used http://www.math-aids.com/ for extra help from time to time.
As far as planning out our year, you can read all about how to do that in my Homeschooling 101 book, and I use http://www.homeschooltracker.com to keep it all organized.
I usually have 3 of them watch videos at one time, you can use a computer or TV DVD player, and we have enough they can do them at one time. But if you don’t you could just take turns.
Hi Erica!
First off, I LOVE your blog. Thank you for all the information and get ideas! I am interested in buying a combo pack, but am wondering if you do a combo pack discount for buying the CD? Just let me know! Thank you again for your wonderful blog!
Hi Heather,
I’m sorry, I don’t currently have any combo pack discounts for CDs. Mainly because of the cost of supplies and shipping.
Hi Erica,
I love your blog! It helps me SO much. One question, My state requires 4 hours a day of school, even for kindergarten. Do you think that teeny tot’s work would amount to 4 hours a day? How would you supplement if you were me? I’m a little lost with filling 4 hours a day for such a young child.
Hi Leigh,
I would say the K4 is about 2.5 hours or so, you could supplement with extra reading, art projects, some PE activities, and you might even add in a more formal math like Math U See Primer for extra work.
Thank you so much!
May I ask, what part of The Institute for Excellence in Writing are you using? And how you are using it? There is so much on their website it is hard to know where to begin. Are you doing Structure and Style on your own or did you go with the Student Writing Intensive? Also, the BJU English includes writing ever other week. Are you doing all those lessons as well, or do you use BJU just for the Grammar? Thank you so much. Being new to homeschooling I’ve enjoyed getting tips about your organization and planning. thank you for your help. -Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
We’re using the The Student Writing Intensive Level A one because we just started. I know their site can be kind of confusing. http://iew.com/shop/products/student-writing-intensive-level
I remember you posted about using all about reading in the beginning, but I don’t see it being used this year. Why did you decide to continue with AAS but not AAR?? Do you prefer the abeka letter and sounds over AAR?
I am wondering the same thing! I am personally trying to decide for 1st grade: (1) abeka language arts kit (letters/sounds, spelling, language) or, (2) AAR and AAS and first language lessons by the well trained mind. I plan to include this along with My Father’s World 1st grade as bible/core. But really I hope to know what you think about abeka vs. AAR and AAS. Thanks!!!!!
I reviewed AAR, but we didn’t fully use it. We’ve just stuck with Abeka reading since we’ve used it for years and I’m familiar with it. But the AAR is great, and they are definitely more hands-on as far as activities to go with the reading than Abeka is. I like both.
For the picture smart bible curriculum are you using the K-3 version? If so how many lessons comes with it?
Hi Bev,
No we’re using the 4-adult one since our kids are older. And instead of the traceable pages for our kindergarten I printed the teacher’s pages, so she’ll just color them in instead of have to trace around the images. There is one lesson for each book in the bible.
I was looking for the Abeka Reading 3 on their website, and cannot seem to find it. Did you purchase it with the kit?
This is our first year & I have a 2/3 grade level daughter. I plan on doing AAS for spelling, but was going to follow your lead on the Abeka language and reading, while also supplementing with your Classical Literature Units.
I just don’t see that I can purchase Abeka Reading 3…
Thanks for your help!
Hi Alison,
You can find information on 3rd grade Abeka reading program here, you’ll want all of the downloads from 104426-104396, so all of the readers.
https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=139149
Then from the parent kit you’ll want the reading answer key which has answers to all of the text questions from their reading:
https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=104817
Hi Erica,
When you say “Abeka Language 3”, what do you mean? They have so many books to add on to the basic workbook. I am curious which you use and which you have decided are not necessary, etc.
Thank you!
Melanie
Hi Melanie,
I just use Abeka Language 3 student workbook and the Language 3 lesson plans. It’s basically their English/Grammar program. Here is what I’m using:
Student Workbook Language 3 & Language 3 Tests:
http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=104434
http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=104469
And the TM:
http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=104841
You always amaze me! I was feeling trapped about some of our choices and I decided to see what you have been doing and now I have learned not just one, or two, but three new choices! Thank you SO much for everything you do on your great website! <3
– Grace
Hi Erica,
I am just curious….I am ordering that typing and they also have the same program in a kids version…which do you use? My kids are 10 and 12 so I am pretty sure I will go with the adult one…just wanted to see what you use.
Thanks!
Hi Jen,
I previously used Typing Instructor for Kids which is for younger elementary kids. Since we’ve completed that this year I moved up to Typing Instructor Platinum. It’s similar, but a little more advanced. So far it’s working fine with my 3rd, 5th, and 6th graders.