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2014-15 Curriculum Choices

I am in complete denial that we start school next week.  Yikes!  More summer please!  While I will miss summer days and the ability to plow through my to do list, getting back to a routine and schedule will be nice.  We are going to keep things pretty easy for the first couple of weeks...like wading into the pool instead of jumping in.

I am becoming more and more committed to homeschooling the more research I do.  Forget the moral or spiritual reasons - the educational benefits of one on one education are pretty significant.  Not to say that it is for everyone, but I am excited about our journey.

So as we prepare for next week, here are our curriculum choices for this year

Addison

Bible -  Grapevine Studies and ABCs for Godly Children.  We will also be reading missionary biographies from YWAM publishing.  We will start with Gladys Aylward. 
We will also work on memorizing a chapter of scripture this semester. 

Phonics, Reading and Spelling - Abeka.  I will also introduce Addison to lap books.  I want to help cultivate a love of reading and want her to read more on her own.  I am going to start with a unit study and lap book for the Secret Garden. 
I am also excited about some read aloud book we got from Lamplighter Publishing. Lamplighter
We are also going to try copy work this year.  If you aren't familiar with it, it is a Charlotte Mason idea to teach grammar and spelling.  We are going to use Queen Homeschooling's Lessons in Manners.  

Math - Abeka and Reflex Math

Writing -  I realize I should probably start cursive this year.  We may start it second semester, but for now, we will do: Draw, Write, NOW - Drawing and handwriting in one. 

History and Geography - So until a week ago, I planned to do World Expedition from www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com.  We were going to read missionary biographies and history books to go along with the different countries we were studying.  However, after our trip to Boston I changed my mind.  Since we are only going to live in the Northeast for one more year, I want to focus on American History again.  I mean - we live on West Point for goodness sake.  We are going to go through the Abeka 3rd grade history book, which is biographies of Americans and we will focus on the American Revolution and do as many field trips as possible.  

Science - Through our Co-Op we will do Apologia's Elementary Science again; this time - Zoology Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day

 P.E./Health - We will do P.E. at home this year in addition to gymnastics.  Abkea for Health.

Art - Co-Op, but also a drawing curriculum at home

Piano lessons  

Typing - Typing Instructor for Kids - whenever we got around to it.  About every other week. 

 Lego League at Co-Op - She will learn about simple machines and robotics.  

Life Skills - I am excited to try this idea I read about.  We are going to do a series of baking classes, working up to her making 10 dishes all on her own.  I want to build on this idea to make it a Adult Skills class - baking, cooking, cleaning, money skills, etc... like mentioned in the blog post. 

Mya

K-4 Curriculum from Confessions of a Homeschooler

Reading - we will start working through some of the early Abeka readers

She will do History and Read alouds with us each day.    

She will be in the preschool class at Co-Op again with weekly music classes.  

Lucy

Try desperately to keep her busy and a part of our day without everything crashing down. :) 

So excited for this year and the opportunity to spend it with my daughters!  

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