Curriculum Picks

So here we are on week 3 and attempting to ease our way into this year's curriculum picks.  There are some that we absolutely LOVE....some that I'm questioning.  If you are a new homeschool mom and find a month or so in that something just isn't working, don't be afraid to tweak your curriculum picks.  Believe me, there is nothing worse than trudging through a curriculum all year long just because it's the one you started with.  The beauty of homeschooling is that you are the teacher and you get to choose what you teach.

Here is G11 with his individual studies.  Language Arts 6 and Reading 6 from Christian Light Publications (CLP).  Teaching Textbooks 6.

A10: Language Arts 5 and Reading 5 (CLP).  Teaching Textbooks 5.  A Reason For Handwriting.

E8: Language Arts 4 and Reading 4 (CLP). Teaching Textbooks 4.  A Reason For Handwriting.

H7:  A10: Language Arts 2 and Reading 2 and Math 2 (CLP).  I Can Write Cursive.

E5: Mathematical Reasoning and Building Thinking Skills (Critical Thinking Co.)  Learning to Read (CLP).

L4: ABC Readiness Series (CLP).

As a family we are working through Who Am I (Apologia Worldview Series), Mystery of History Vol. 1, and God's Design for the Physical World (AIG Science).  We are very much enjoying each of these series!

We are using YWAM's Christian Heroes Series for our family read alouds this year.  In honor of the Olympic season we have started with the Eric Liddell book.  SO good!

In addition to all this, our students our required to read other books (some that we choose and some that they choose), complete writing projects, and are working on lots of fun review products.


Check out what other curriculum Back to Homeschool Blog Hop bloggers are using and join me tomorrow to discuss Homeschool Planning! Pin It Now!

Weekly Wrap Up - Week 1

Week 1

Wow!  Week 1 of the 2012-13 Integritas Academy School year has been a whirlwind of activity!  If this week is any indication of how the rest of the year is going to be then we are in for one wild ride.

As usual, we have once again started our school year in July because the blazing hot temperatures have run all my little ones indoors. Our early start gives us something to do and will allow for lots of breaks throughout the year when the temperature outside is milder and more pleasant.  As seen above, H6 is working on her Christian Light Publication 2nd grade curriculum.  L4 is excited to have completed the first page of her Alphabet Lap-Note (free from HomeSchoolShare).  And G11 is working on writing paragraphs with our Create Better Writers program that I am reviewing with the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Our most exciting adventure this year is that we have teamed up with two other homeschool families to do school together two days a week.  Our focus on these days is on history and science.  Our kids couldn't be more thrilled to get to visit with their friends so often and we moms are enjoying the combined efforts and accountability in teaching....okay, we like the fellowship too!

My school room finally got a much needed update this week when I worked to add a few colorful touches.  I'll be posting details and instructions for these projects next week!

Our kiddos completed their Summer Reading program from the local public library and were rewarded with these cool baseball hats and tons of free tickets to local events.

Then we finished our week with our first field trip of the school year!  We met our friends at the Falls of the Ohio to explore the awesome fossil beds there.

A field trip isn't complete without lunch...and in this case lunch was free!  Why's that?  Because it just so happened to be Cow Appreciation Day.  To celebrate, we all dressed as cows and received free meals complimentary of Chick-Fil-A!

Linking up this week to the Weekly Wrap Up at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers and to Big Family Friday Link Up at Holy Spirit-Led Homeschooling. Pin It Now!

Curriculum Picks

After admitting my failures and anxieties in yesterday's post, I thought I'd try a more positive approach today and share with you the curriculum we've chosen this year.

E3 is enjoying Rod and Staff's simple ABC pre-k set. There are actually seven books total in this curriculum including a Bible story book that I read aloud to him. He colors in the coloring book that accompanies the story book and then does a page from Adventures with Books and Counting with Numbers. We'll start the other books later in the year. As you can see, he la-la-loves to color. It is not uncommon for him to spend the entire 3 hours we spend in the schoolroom each day coloring in his books.

H5 is in Kindergarten/first grade this year. She's halfway through Math K which she will continue, and at the rate she flies through it, I'm expecting her to be finished way before Christmas at which point I will probably start her on Math Mammoth's 1st grade. We're using the Italic series for Handwriting, and Language Arts 1 from Christian Light Education. She's also working her way through Explode the Code 1 & 2. This child is the Workbook Queen. I'm not kidding, I can not give her enough worksheets, so these are all perfect curriculum for her.

E6's independent work is not as extensive. He's my hands-on man and does not do quite as well with a lot of workbooks. He's using Math Mammoth 2nd grade and Explode the Code 3 and 4. His entire English program is based around Explode the Code as I'm using the Teacher's Guide to add in related Language Arts activities. I've also got Beyond the Code to use with him this year.

A8 is using Math Mammoth 3rd grade, Rod and Staff Beginning Wisely, Explode the Code Books 5 & 6, Phonetic Zoo for spelling. She's required to keep a History and Science Notebook, and to read 2 books independently a month. Book reports are due on the 2nd and 4th Fridays.

Silly-faced G9 is using Saxon 5/4, Rod and Staff Beginning Wisely, Explode the Code Books 7 & 8, Phonetic Zoo for spelling. He's also required to keep a History and Science Notebook, and to read 2 books independently a month. Book reports are due on the 2nd and 4th Fridays.

L2 plays in the toy area of the schoolroom during lessons, but also has a desk set up with her own crayons and coloring books. She also frequently plays with our Preschool Activities in a Bag (shown above).


The whole family is enjoying Who is God? published by Apologia, Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day (Jeannie Fulbright also by Apologia), and Story of the World Volume 1.

And even though we didn't get to it last week, our plan is to make Friday our Art and Music Day. We'll be learning to play the xylophone, using a curriculum I bought at the Midwest Homeschool Conference and focusing on an artist and composer of the month.

I'm also hoping to add in a curriculum that I've been wanting to use for a couple of years...both are from Pearables:

Lessons in Responsibility for Boys (for the big boys)

Home Ec (for the big girls)

But I really think the only time we could fit these in would be on Saturday mornings when Daddy could lead the boys and I could teach the girls...oh, to Saturday school or not to Saturday school? Should it really be a question?

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