Playing Around with a Weekly Schedule for Next Year

I know it is really too early to be planning this, but I really enjoy it. Also it helps me from scheduling too many subjects for the new year. Whenever I start planning I tend to want to teach too many things.

Mondays - Bible, History, Literature, Math, Science, Grammar, Written Narration, Poetry, Tone Chimes Class

Tuesdays - Bible, History, Literature, Math, Nature Study, Personal Development, Grammar, Poetry, Drama Class, Spanish Class

Wednesday - Bible, History, Literature, Math, Science, Greek, Vocabulary, Written Narration, Spelling, Picture Study

Thursdays - Bible, History, Literature, Math, Science, Greek, Vocabulary, Composer Study, Spanish Class

Fridays - Bible, History, Literature, Math, Science, Greek, Vocabulary, Written Narration, Spelling

Curriculum Thoughts For Next Year

Most homeschooling moms are planning for the next school year every Spring. I am no different. I really want to incorporate some new things for next year for multiple reasons. Grace needs some new different items to jump start a love for learning again. Most of the next thoughts are going to be jumbled because I still haven't figured it all out. In May my family will be attending the GHEA convention for three days. Hoping for lots of inspiration and more research on some of the items I am considering. What we will keep: The Story of the World - Really love this program. Grace can do it on her own, she enjoys the chapters and does well with test booklet that goes with the program. We will be moving in to Vol. 3. Spelling Through Copywork - This program from Queenhomeschool is also a keeper. This year we worked through the first 12 lessons and have 15 more for next year. I stretched it out because we do not do spelling every day. Easy Grammar - Love, love, love this program. By the way, did I mention I love this program. Worked halfway through with the remaining half for 7th grade. Again we don't do grammar every day. What I already have on hand and will be using next year: The Usborne Introduction To Art(Internet-Linked) - I have had this book for a couple of years but wasn't real sure how to incorporate it in to our schedule or how to use it. We are dropping Grace's private art lessons so I think I will have her read through this book a couple of times a week and follow some of the Internet links. Masterpieces Coloring Book - Got this at a used book store recently. For each artist there is a short bio and coloring page of a famous painting. Will also ask Grace to sketch some of the paintings. Wordly Wise Book 7 - Vocabulary Writing Poems by Remedia Publications - This will be the first year that we are diving in to poetry. This book has simplified exercises for learning how to write: rhymes, couplets, triplets, quatrains, haikus and free verse. What I want to see at the convention before buying: Science - Science is a tough one for us. Last week I had started working on putting my own science curriculum together with geology, meteorology, volcanoes, earthquakes, some physical science, and nature studies. But I think it will be alot cheaper to just purchase one of the Jeannie Fulbright books (more than likely Zoology - Marine animals) but I know Grace is also interested in the Astronomy book. Queenhomeschool also has three new nature study books that I am interested in seeing. Grace is at the top end of the age for those. History - A Living History of Our World is also from Queenhomeschool. This is a narrative spine that covers American History in two or three separate volumes. May decide to do history classically with studying World History through The Story of the World and American History through A Living History of Our World simultaneously. Bible - Obviously will continue to read the Bible but something from Doorposts also interests me. Beauty and the Pig which is a Bible study through the book of Ruth. Language Arts - I am still interested in looking at Secondary Language Lessons from Queenhomeschool. We did this program a couple of years ago and enjoyed it's very easy going manner. This particular volume has lots of study about poetry which would tie in nicely the the poetry workbook we already have. Geography - I love geography and Grace has great memorization skills for map drills. Looking at Expedition Earth from Knowledge Quest. Art - Hoping to see something that catches my eye at the convention. Maybe something dvd based to help Grace progress in her drawing skills. Math - Grace's arch nemesis. Unless I see something really great at the convention I am handing math over to the computer and teaching textbooks. So probably 3/4 of our curriculum will be changed up a bit. Looking forward to a great convention with lots of great products to look through.

Decisions About History For Next Year

I am in a real pickle about what to use for history next year. We worked through the first two volumes of The Story of the World this year and have really enjoyed them. I think Grace is getting alot from them. But we also wanted to start using the Ancient Egypt recommendations from Simply Charlotte Mason, otherwise we might night make it through the 6 year rotation. The plan was one week do a couple of chapters from The Story of the World and the next week work through our materials for Ancient Egypt. Well, now a third group of materials have entered the arena to consider. The top picture is of a series being carried by http://www.queenhomeschool.com/. A Living History of Our World looks like a perfect CM friendly study of American History. There is a student journal that can be purchased separately for narration writings, vocabulary, geography, etc. Now I am thinking maybe to use The Story of the World Volume 3 and A Living History of Our World Volume 1 (American History) one week of each for 7th grade. Then in 8th grade I can do half a year of Ancient Egypt and half a year of Ancient Greece which will keep us on the 6 year history rotation. If anyone has any thoughts about this, I would appreciate your point of view. The Story of the World photo is credited to Christianbook.com A Living History of Our World is credited to Queenhomeschool.com