Our Homeschool

We are in our 8th year of home educating.  We instruct utilizing a Charlotte Mason style with our 3 remaining children at home, they are 10, 15 and 15 years old.  We also attend a 3-day per week Christian Classical cooperative where the kids take a minimal amount of classes, and I help with instruction.  This can provide us with a big juggling act for time during the school, which I suppose makes us no different than any other home educating family, really.

Our new school year actually begins in September this year, although we will be back at homeschool cooperative before then.  We are trying a different calendar to compliment our year-round school schedule.  We will not be taking "traditional" school breaks, but instead we will be attempting a 3 months on, 1 month off-type schedule.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Our Homeschool Curriculum -  I have highlighted our basic curriculum below.  We have been utilizing Ambleside Online for over 3 years now for our base curriculum.  I will post later this week discussing reading selections for Literature and History this year, as we will not be strictly following the regular Ambleside schedule.  I have included links to the curriculum we use (some affiliate), other links are free downloads, PDF's and eBooks.

GRADE 6

The Bug is in Grade 6 & she is 10 years old.

                                                                     

Grammar: Daily - Book recommendations from Ambleside Online Year 7
Language Lessons for Secondary Student, Volume 1 and Editor In Chief A

     

Spelling: Daily - All About Spelling Level 2
Bi-Weekly -  Spelling Journals (I think I should post how we use these soon.)

Latin: Visual Latin 1

French: Bi-Weekly - Middlebury French I (review coming is September 2014)

  

Math: Daily - Teaching Textbooks 6, Life of Fred: Kidneys, Liver, Mine Shaft

Bible, Science, History: Book selections from Ambleside Online Year 7; 

***Mystery of History: Volume 2 at Homeschool Cooperative

Geography: North Star Geography 

GRADE 10

The Scout & the Squeaker are both entering Grade 10 and both 15 years old.

Grammar:  Language Lessons for the High School Student; Editor in Chief, High School;Writers Inc.

Latin:Visual Latin 2

Spanish: *** Spanish 1 at Homeschool Cooperative

Math: Saxon Algebra I 

Bible: Book selections from Ambleside Online Year 10

History & Literature:

     

Science: Apologia - *** Exploring Creation with Biology at Homeschool Cooperative

Geography: Ambleside Online Year 10, North Star Geography 

FAMILY STUDIES

Here is what we will be studying together as a family.  Some family studies take place in the evening, specifically so that dad can take part or lead discussion.  Other family studies are covered during the day with multi-level instruction.

• HISTORY: (evening) Yes, we need more history lessons, or maybe just dad and mom! ---> History of America, A Christian Study Course (DVD series)
• WRITING: (evening) Right Words, I am loving this family writing curriculum that we purchased at the Heritage Homestead last November.
• Plutarch's Lives: (evening) Ambleside Online Schedule
• Handicrafts: We rotate every term for each child - Term 1: The Bug - Sewing, The Squeaker - Paper Mache, The Scout - Woodworking

• Life-skills: Each of the children our focusing on their own small business ventures.  (Should blog about this later.  It has been fun to help them with this interest-led learning.)

• Nature Study: Ambleside Online Schedule, Outdoor Hour Challenge, andNaturExplores e-books
• Shakespeare Study: Ambleside Online Schedule
• Artist/Composer Study:*Notebooking using Harmony Fine Arts* I recently not so recently purchased the Harmony Fine Arts Medieval and Renaissance - Middle School which we will use in conjunction with the Mark Kisler's Draw Squad book.  We attempted to complete this last year, but only finished 12 weeks on the curriculum . . . Ack!  Let's try this again, shall we?