So, what have we been using this year for our homeschool journey?

Bible and Devotions (with the oldest 3 kids)

  1. Listening to the Bible on CD using the Word and Song Bible
  2. Worship songs - from Chris Tomlin CD’s to Cedermont Kids to breaking out in our own songs periodically
  3. AWANA Bible Memory - We currently have a Puggle, Cubbie, and a Spark!
  4. ABC Bible Memory Verses: Hiding God’s Word in Little Hearts by Susan Hunt - one a week, in ABC order
  5. Learning the Ten Commandments using the Bible and Hand Commands
  6. Learning the catechism and how to apply it using Susan and Richie Hunt’s book Big Truths for Little Kids: Teaching Your Children to Live for God

 

Reading and Language Arts

our first grader…

Readers
Sonlight Readers 1  (with additional leveled readers from Abeka which we are borrowing from a friend, Pathway readers which use a lot of sight words and have very sweet stories that my daughter enjoys, and any other readers we find that are appropriate for her =) )

  1. Explode the Code book 3 for phonics (currently)
  2. Spelling from Sonlight Language Arts 1
  3. Reading and spelling words from a high frequency word list
  4. Copywork - the ABC Bible memory verse for each week
  5. Draw Write Now book 1
  6. Handwriting Skills Simplified for Grade 1
  7. Grammar - Daily Language Review
  8. Writing Folder

our Pre Kindergartner…
I’m using parts of my 4’s curriculum with my 4 year old for LA.   She already knows all of her letters and sounds and has started reading some of the BOB books, predictable readers, and decodable words.  She is learning her sight words, word families, rhyme, letter formations, etc.  She can also work on activities in the literacy tubs. She also loves to write in her writing notebook and comes up with some cute 1-2 sentence stories!

our toddler…
For my 2 1/2 year old, I am trying to set time aside to read aloud just to
him. I have Before Five in a Row for him, but so far I am just reading the
stories to him as he chooses them.   I also have a special  ’school bin’
with hands on activities just for him during school time.  This poor little guy is missing out on most of the 2’s curriculum that his sisters used, but he is still getting some one on one with mommy and is learning God’s Word through his Joyful Heart Memory Verses!

Math

  1. Horizons 1 Math (We used BJU last year and she did well with it.  However, it didn’t focus as much on math facts and skip counting by 3’s. 4’s. etc. at the K level, so when we switched to Horizons, we were a little behind in those areas.  She is on par with everything else so far =) )
  2. Math flashcards and hands on activities for practicing addition facts.  Here is a link to several easy ideas we have been implementing.  (Counting and Simple Addition)
  3. BJU math workbook 1 (on her own for fun and to coordinate with the math homeschool class that she is taking)
  4. Calendar Binders (We’ve added tally marks and money for our first grader.)
  5. Mind Benders
  6. Math tubs
     

Science

Sonlight K Science (The kids LOVE the Discover and Do DVD!)

History and Read Alouds

  1. Sonlight Core K (ages 5-7)  We have been using the Core K history selections and read alouds.  The girls have loved the read aloud choices so far.  They have especially enjoyed The Boxcar Children and My Father’s Dragon.  We did a lapbook to coordinate with My Father’s Dragon and it went really well.  They liked it so much that we are going to try to do another one with our Johnny Appleseed book this week. www.homeschoolshare.com .has tons of free printable lapbooks which makes this so much easier to attempt!
  2. YWAM publications - The girls also enjoy listening to us read aloud the YWAM Christian Heroes Then and Now books and often listen on their own to the YWAM Heroes for Young Readers CD.

 

Art

  1. From time to time, painting just for fun!
  2. Crafts related to the seasons or holidays
  3. Art Appreciation - Come Look With Me series

Extracurricular Activities

  1. AWANA (oldest 3 kids)
  2. Gymnastics (oldest two girls)
  3. Homeschool group (one day a week for our first grader)  She has a full day of classes!  She is taking ballet, math, physical education, art, music, science, and storybook cooking!