Our Curriculum Selections for 2014-2015

Hello, friends! This fall we are entering our 16th year of homeschooling! Our eldest daughter graduated in 2011 and is currently an education major in college. Our youngest daughter (12) is homeschooling at the 7th/8th grade level and taking a few dual-credit high school courses. I serve as an education tutor for my two nephews (7 and 4) and niece (3). Our family is classically eclectic with a heavy Charlotte Mason influence.

Here are a few books that influence my educational philosophies:

The Well-Trained Mind (3rd edition) by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise
Teaching the Trivium by Laurie and Harvey Bluedorn
The Core by Leigh Bortins
Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Douglas Wilson
Beyond Survival by Diana Waring
Reaping the Harvest by Diana Waring
Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Maculay

Organization

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner by Debra Bell

Inspiration

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Hip Homeschool Moms

Conventions We're Attending

March 27-28, 2015
IAHE - Indiana Association of Home Educators

Bible / Religious Studies / Philosophy

Elementary/Middle School:
Pilgrim's Progress All-In-One-Curriculum
Hymns for a Kid's Heart, Volume One
Bible Road Trip - Books of the Law (Year One)
Bible Road Trip - Books of History (Year One)
Egermeier's Fun Family Devotions
Egermeier's Bible Story Book

Early Learning

Five in a Row, Volume One (Fall)
Five in a Row, Volume Two (Spring)
Five in a Row Cookbook

Math

Elementary:
Math-U-See Alpha (finishing up)
Math-U-See Beta

Middle School:
Saxon Algebra 1/2

World History and Geography

Middle School:
We are studying the era AD 1800 to 1950 for our studies in history and geography. Our core curriculum is World Empires, World Missions, World Wars in the History Revealed series by Diana Waring. This curriculum is multi-disciplinary and we explore many subjects in an interconnected way. Some of these subjects include:

• Bible
• History
• Geography
• Literature
• Music
• Art
• Architecture
• Science

This curriculum supports the eight intelligences, varied learning styles, and is geared towards researching topics of study and expressing learning through various student projects. Some of the projects we work on include:

• investigating/reporting
• mapping
• creative writing
• charting/compiling
• poetry
• graphic design
• art
• dramas
• kits
• cooking
• musical performances
• Lego building

We are creating a Binder-Builder (A Journey Through Learning) of our learning activities in World Empires, World Mission, World Wars.

American Studies

Elementary:
Explorers to 1815 Veritas Press Online Course
1815 to Present Veritas Press Online Course
Lapbooks with A Journey Through Learning

Middle School:
Freedom: A History of Us
The Story of America
Constitutional Literacy
Words Aptly Spoken: American Documents 

Here are some additional history resources that we love and use every year with our overall studies:
Heritage History
Homeschool in the Woods Timeline Figures
The Story of the World series of readers
Map Trek by Knowledge Quest 

We use several core reference resources to compile notebooks, timeline studies, and for general reading:
The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia
Usborne Encyclopedia of World History
Streams of Civilization
The Usborne Book of World History Dates
DK Smithsonian Timelines of History

English Grammar

Elementary:
Serl's Primary Language Lessons

Middle School:

Winston Grammar

Writing

Elementary: 
Copywork
Narration

Middle School:
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style (IEW)

Literature

Elementary:
We read many fiction and non-fiction books!

Middle School:
Our daughter reads classic works that correspond with her studies in the World and American History periods we are exploring. She also chooses from a wide selection of classic works, vintage books, and historical readers that interest her through the year.

Two resources we rely on as literature guides:
Teaching the Classics
How to Read a Book

Shakespeare

Middle School:
We study a tragedy in the fall and comedy in the spring. This year our daughter selected Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Science / Nature Study

Elementary:
Science in the Beginning by Dr. Jay Wile
Science in the Beginning Binder-Builder by A Journey Through Learning

Middle School:
Exploring Creation with General Science
 
A few of the hands-on projects we do throughout the year:

• Notebooking/lapbooking with A Journey Through Learning
• Experiments 
• Field trips

Reference Works: 
Wonders of Creation series by New Leaf Publishing

Nature Study:
Handbook of Nature Study (900+ page e-Book)
Handbook of Nature Study blog
The Outdoor Hour challenge

 
A few of the hands-on projects we do throughout the year:

• Nature Field journal/notebook
• Field trips to area nature preserves/habitats
• Outdoor classroom in the backyard
• Gardening

Latin

Elementary:
Headventure Land from Classical Academic Press

Middle School:
First Form Latin by Memoria Press (finishing up)
Second Form Latin by Memoria Press

Fine Arts

Porridge White River Co-op Junior Players Drama Troupe
A Christmas Carol at Madison Park Church 

A few of the hands-on projects we plan to do throughout the year:

• Fine Arts notebooking (Composers and Artists)
• Fine Arts lapbooking
• Field trips to area Art museums
• Field trips to area symphony performances
• Field trips to area theatre performances

Logic

Middle School:
Introductory Logic
The Art of Argument: An Introduction to the Informal Fallacies
The Fallacy Detective

Other Electives

Middle School:
LEGO Robotics
Yearbook

Extra-curricular

Anderson University Science
4-H

Fitness/Health

Anderson University Gym
Biking

How Do We Do It All?

Do any of you wonder how we get all of these subjects accomplished? We could not possibly endeavor to tutor and facilitate all of these subjects on our own. Our family believes in the strength of community. We link arms with mentors, friends, and fellow tutors to draw from our collective strengths.

Two days a week, we have full-day community programs. One day we attend a large homeschooling co-op and another day we attend the Freedom Scholars Academy tutorial program directed by a friend and I. Additionally, we have supplemental courses on two partial days held at the library and Anderson University.

Classes at co-op:

• Preschool 
• Elementary:
• Breakfast and Books
• Money and Time
• Lego Club
• Science
• Gym
• Mini-Drama
• Middle School:
• General Science
• Winston Grammar
• Yearbook
• Drama
• Lego Robotics

Classes at Freedom Scholars Academy:

• American History
• Constitutional Literacy
• American Literature
• Modern World History and Geography
• Writing and Composition

Classes at Anderson University:

• Gym 
• Music
• Science
• Reading Tutorial

Our schedule keeps us busy but it also provides our crew a wide variety of excellent tutors, friends, and social experiences. Our community experiences help us stay motivated and inspired for our homeschooling journey! 

If you are blogging about your curriculum plans please send me your link! I would love to visit and see your plans for the year. I pray you and your families are blessed with a joyous year of homeschooling!

Be sure to check out my friends' (and fellow IAHE Bloggers) posts on their curriculum choices. They will be linked below.

Be sure to visit the other IAHE Bloggers posts:

Our Homeschool Studio

The Homeschool Marm

Wonderfully Chaotic

Thou Shall Not Whine

Simply Vicki

In All You Do: 4th grade 

In All You Do: Kindergarten

In All You Do: PreSchool

Best Homeschool Academy

Adventures in Homeschooling 

Are you homeschooling in Indiana?  We'd love to connect with you!

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