Curriculum for 2012-2013

Ok, I have been waiting for this week for almost a year.  It is time for the "not" Back to School Blog hop!  So exciting right?  This week the topic is curriculum.  Now this is something I've been working out since January.  I LOVE planning new curriculum.  I feel very excited and confident in our choices for the fast approaching school year.

Kayden - 2nd grade (HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???)
Math U See Beta
All About spelling level 2 and maybe move into level 3 - we just do it at his pace which has been fairly fast thus far so we'll see where we get.  No pressure from me.
Scott Foresman free grammar - he will finish up the last three units of grade 1 and work through all of grade 2.  I really like this and it works well for us.  It is available for 1st through 6th grade.


Colton - kindergarten
K4 program from Confessions of a Homeschooler - I love this so much.  It's got sight words, number recognition - both written and numerical, beginning math addition and subtraction problems, reading practice, etc.  I really do feel like it covers everything he needs to learn for phonics and beginning math at a kindergarten level and what's more is there are lots of hands on games not just worksheets to it.  Given that Colton is my kinestethic learner this is great for him.  The way I'm using this curriculum will make it completely re-usable for Sawyer and Sierra in the years to come too.

Colton's K-4 - all the worksheets in page protectors can be done with dry erase markers, erased and filed again for kindy with Sawyer next year.  All the games will be laminated for re-use.

Kayden and Colton together:
Science - Usborne Science activities books - I will be spending 4-6wks on each chapter in all three books that will be a basic intro to different areas of science for the boys.  It is entirely likely that Sawyer will join us during this time but the lessons are primarily for the older two boys.  *the link to the Usborne books goes directly to my own Usborne consultant site and sales will result in a commission for me.

Social Studies -  We are taking a trip around the world.  During our trip we will discuss the culture, religions, geography, and history of each country we study.  Each country unit will end with a fun country themed dinner that the kids will help prepare.  We will also be classifying animals using the Expedition Earth animals from Confessions of a Homeschooler.  We are using Usborne lift the flap atlas, and Then and Now,  along with other resources. *the link to the Usborne books goes directly to my own Usborne consultant site and sales will result in a commission for me.

Other - in addition I plan to do read alouds from classic literature throughout the year.  Books such as Mr. Popper's Penguins, Charlotte's Web, and James and the Giant Peach are on our list.  This will be quiet time that all three boys will participate in.  I am considering investing in these literature studies again from Confessions of a Homeschooler to go along with some of our read alouds - doing one book a month with a study and a 2nd book a month without a study.

Art - I plan to work through these artist and composer studies this year as well, four artists and four composers this school year and the other four of each the following school year.

Sawyer - preschool
Letter of the week program from Confessions of a homeschooler - again I love this, lots of hands on stuff, a few worksheets so they feel like the bigger kids and lots of work with recognizing letters and learning their sounds in fun ways.

Sierra - tot school
No formal program here.  She'll have tot trays each day that I'll put together and swap out every week.  She also enjoys worksheets so I'll include her with Sawyer for those but with fewer expectations.

Sawyer and Sierra together:

I plan to do two book units a month with the two little ones.  We'll use books from Before Five in a Row and Five in A Row as well as some books that we just enjoy that might go with seasonal themes or letters of the week.

And that is my plan.  Some days it seems like a lot and other days it seems like just enough.  I think really it's the idea of putting together school for four children that seems like a lot.  Not the amount of curriculum itself.

Please do go check out all the other great links at the blog hop this week!