HISTORY - We actually started Winter Promise (WP) on Monday. So far, we are really enjoying it. I went ahead and bought the whole package, which is pretty expensive. But, it saves me a lot of time in traveling back & forth to the library and making sure I have the books when I need them. 
We are doing AS1 (American Story 1) and actually started at week 14 as we'd already studied the earlier chapters this year. This week is about the pre-Revolutionary War time. We are really enjoying The Fighting Ground and adding to our Book of Time. There are also a lot of paper crafts like "A Town Meeting in Boston." There are a lot of hands-on native American crafts, but I think we're skipping the Native American focus, at least for now.
MATH: This is always the hardest subject. Alexandra catches on so quickly and I have to keep hopping to keep ahead of her. We will probably be doing a combination of ALEKS and Teaching Textbooks, though I continue to search for things that will let her go at her pace.
LANGUAGE ARTS: I'll continue to do more & more CM style - narration, dictation, and copywork. I think I'll start the year with Learning Language Arts Through Literature which seems to go very fast. Then, possibly use some Rod & Staff for the 2nd semester. I might go back to Sequential Spelling for some spelling - we haven't been using anything since November. And, she might be taking a LA class at her enrichment school - we're still deciding.
SCIENCE: I'm looking at both NOEO and Real Science 4 Kids. If I did RS4K, I'd do Level 1 Chemistry (Alexandra did pre-level 1 this year at her enrichment school). They have just come out with some KOG books that go with this curriculum and they look GREAT!!! (See sample chapters here.)
LANGUAGES: I'm torn between Spanish (possibly Rosetta Stone or finding a local class) and/or Latin. If I did Latin, I'd probably use LOGOS Latin Primer I with the DVD. I'd like to do both, but I think it might be too much.
OTHER: Alexandra will probably continue gymnastics and piano. And, she wants to start another instrument and cheerleading. We'll see! And, she is planning on taking 4 or 5 classes at her enrichment school again. She'll probably take a whole day off for classes, but we're still in the planning stage. And, we'll probably join the book club at the library and start learning chess at home and then playing it weekly at the library. But, I'm still very unsure!
Please let me know if you've used any of the curriculum choices I'm considering. It's so hard to plan! But, fun, too!
We are going to be switching to Teaching Textbooks for Math next year, at least for my daughter, maybe son too (depends on if they get 4th grade done in time).
ReplyDeleteWe used Learning LA through Literature one year, and liked it, but ended up using an even more Charlotte Mason type approach by just using the current literature we are reading to do dictation, narration, and copywork. We also use Intermediate Language Lessons and Primary Language Lessons; not all the time, just maybe three times a week.
Good Luck with your planning!
Melissa
Seems like a nice schedule to me. I can't give you any input on the curriculum you will be using. Sorry. We use A Beka here for all of our subjects and I add in extras very often. A Beka is a lot of text book work and can get a little boring if you ask me. So I kind of tweak it as I see fit. The Kindergarten curriculum is excellent though. I will have a high schooler in the fall, so I will be planning a curriculum for her over the summer. She won't be going back with A Beka. She is bored with it. Which means it is time for something new. :0) I'll let you know if I decide on something that I think Alexandra might enjoy when she is a bit older.
ReplyDeleteI tried to go on the RS4K web site, but I couldn't find any real information on those KOGS books. Have you been able to see any sample chapters? GB wanted to move on to the Biology in Level 1, but I had decided to go back to our Switched on Schoolhouse CD's for Science. We usually finish very early for the year, so if you end up liking these KOGS you'll have to let me know and I'll set him up with the Biology as an in-between 5th and 6th grade program.
ReplyDeleteI'm also very curious to watch your progression through the WP curriculum. You'll have to keep us updated.
I LOVE your Book of Time! It is so colorful and neat! Great job. And thanks for the nice comments on my blog.
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