2014 - 2015 Curriculum

I'm ready to share our curriculum choices for the 2014-15 school year. I'm not going to explain or expand much on my choices right now, and they are subject to change. Our homeschool is changing. I have three homeschooled students now, instead of six. I'm not sure yet, if that will be harder or easier, but I'm hoping easier! Affiliate links are used in this post (Thank you for your support!).

 All ~ Bible:



These wonderful books will be used throughout the years to come.

Bo ~ Preschool: 



Eliana ~ 2nd Grade



Malachi ~ 4th Grade



*With me ~ all other subjects are independent.

My Older Boys

As I mentioned, I did enroll the older two boys at our local high school. Nathan and Dylan started their first day on 9/11.



Jordan was on his way out the door to go to class when their good friend Gabbie dropped by to pick them up, so I snapped a pic of all four. And yes, that is SNOW! In September! Our first snow of the year. If I wasn't so excited for low carb pumpkin cheesecakes and pumpkin spice unlattes, I wouldn't be so excited for fall! It is supposed to warm up again this week, so bring on the fall weather! :)

I'll share what I had planned, and then share their current class schedule.

Dylan ~ 9th Grade



Planned:

  • Cover Story

  • Life of Fred LA / IEW Fit It! Grammar

  • Grammar of Poetry (See my review here).

  • Life of Fred Algebra 1

  • North Star Geography

  • Apologia Biology w/lab w/audio w/notebook

  • Rosetta Stone Spanish 1 Homeschool Edition


9th Grade:

  • Foods & Nutrition/Health and Safety

  • Individual & Team Sports/Woodworking 1

  • Spanish 1

  • English 9

  • World History 9

  • Algebra 1

  • Biology

Nathan

Planned:




10th grade:

  • AP U.S. History

  • Biology

  • Health and Safety/Weight Training

  • English 10

  • Algebra 1

  • Geometry

  • Spanish 1

(Not all books are pictured ~ just the ones I could find up in their room today).

Jordan ~ Home High School Grad off to College!

Jordan is entering the Diesel Technology program at Sheridan College. This is a two year program ending with an Associate of Applied Science degree.

20 comments

  1. I'd love to hear more about your experience with the bible curriculum. What a great line up of things for the year!

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  2. I didn't know you used Doorposts books! I would love to look through them! Been wanting them for years, but never have made the purchase!

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  3. How exciting that you have one off to college! I have graduated one of my kids, but she chose not to further her education (at least as of yet). I'm actually looking forward to the proud feeling that I'm sure I will have once my next one goes off to school. Do you have a really proud feeling?

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  4. I have really strong feelings of relief! Jordan has never liked school, so I'm just so happy and relieved that he made it through and into his program of study. If he had chosen to apprentice, I would have been just as proud as long as he was working hard and working towards a goal. :)

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  5. Thank you, Megan! I'd love to share sometime. I am in the middle of a unit with Eliana, so I will share when we are done. :)

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  6. I was sold after I had a chance to look through them and talk with another homeschool mom, Jenny! I will show them to you next time I see you. :)

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  7. Michelle, I had no idea that the older boys were venturing into high school! How exciting and yet nerve wracking! Did they ask to do it?

    And i love that you are continuing to do FIAR. It's such a lovely program. Now that things with my aunt are settled i"m hoping to get back to *normal* days again so Justin and I can continue his row. He's loving what we've done so far.

    Looks like a great year! And quite a change go from 6 to 3! Maybe you will have more YOU time to do mom stuff!?!

    Blessings for a great school year!

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  8. Looks like a good year - even with the changes! (Ahem...do you happen to want to sell some of those books your older boys won't be using.... Life of Fred, One Year Adventure Novel, Cover Story, Grammar of Poetry...) I love that you're taking the brave step to keep your relationship with the boys a priority, and your health (adrenal fatigue is miserable!), even if it means they are not homeschooling this year. Praying you are all blessed this year!

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  9. Looks like some good choices for the year! I have a couple questions for you-- do you follow a certain history cycle for Malachi and Eliana? I know he is currently using Veritas but what about her? I've tried to look thru past posts to find out your method and I see that you started with World History with them both thru Sonlight. You also have continued with FIAR.
    I have a 4th grader (and a Kinder and pre-schooler) this year and I am trying to decide if I should start world history or do another year of American history. Just curious how you make your choices. I only have one year of homeschooling under my belt and there are so many which ways I can go...it's a daunting task! Thanks for any tips or suggestions you can provide. :)

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  10. Tristan, thank you. I think a break will be good for us all. :) I'd like to wait a bit to make sure this will all work out, first, but I might be interested. Malachi is only a couple years away from using Cover Story, but it will be a good amount of time before we could use OYAN and the LOF. I have two sets of Beg Algebra so I'd be willing to part with one for sure. Are you wanting them for this year? Feel free to email or message me on FB letting me know what you are thinking. :)

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  11. I usually follow the classical history cycle with a year off for Geography. After 3 years with Sonlight, however, I am ready to take a break and just do FIAR before we start American History. I have my eye on Prairie Primer - If I use Heroes and Heroines of American History as a supplement to PP, she will get two years of American History before starting the cycle again when she is in the 5th grade, and she can get another full cycle in before high school. So we will have cycled through 3 times when we are all done (which is what I did with my older boys). I feel like I am on rinse and repeat with all these cycles, haha! So, I'm ready to do something different. I will probably just do two cycles with Bo. (They remember so little when they are young, I think it is more important to instill a love of learning).

    What did you do for American History this past year? I'd love to help you think through this!

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  12. Lisa, I had no idea either until it happened, haha! I gave them a choice - let Luke take over their schooling or go to public school. Luke is stricter than I am, so Nathan opted for public school. Dylan was willing to do whatever I wanted him to do, so I thought it would be easier to just send them both.

    To be honest, I am having a hard time getting just our basics in each day! I haven't started a row with Mali and Elli since school started. (We did row one in August - I'm just not sure if I can row AND do regular school. Maybe once we get into a better rhythm!). Mom stuff right now is doing dishes and cleaning up more since my boys are not here to help me! haha! They have homework and soccer and don't have time to do half the chores they did before.

    So crazy how things change! But, so far it is overall easier and better for our relationship.

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  13. Thanks for responding! :) So the classical cycle...that is Ancient, then Medieval, then U.S? Then you do a year of Geography? I am currently trying to finish up Heart of Dakota. She is doing BHFHG (Bigger). I have about 8 weeks left until we complete the program. It has been an exhausting year. I read after I was already a few weeks in that this particular year with HOD(Bigger) is the most teacher intensive so I have been a bit burnt out and looking forward to finishing. I do love HOD and especially their book choices. We have read some great books. I thought I would continue with HOD but have since decided I need to do something else. I need something not so intensive so I can also focus and have fun with my 2 youngest this year.
    I did just recently start doing Geography with my 4th grader and Kinder - going thru 2 states per week. As well, I recently bought BFIAR to do with both my littles. I was so inspired by your posts that I bought the curriculum. :) I so want my kids to have a love of learning...I understand the importance there. Now I just need to plan how to do that! Coming from a public and private school background myself, it is hard to break my mind mentally out of that mode. I have to re-think the way I think of "school" (I don't even like that word!) so I know how to instill that love. As I have read you say, letting the Lord guide my steps each day is key and I know that He will lead me. It is not by chance that I stumbled upon your site a few weeks ago. Thank you again for your time and help!!

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  14. Oh I am SO EXCITED that you are using FIAR Volume 4. :-) Your blog has been a true GEM for me this year as I have started using FIAR for the very first time. (I own volumes 1 and 2.) I have gotten so much encouragement and inspiration from what you have posted here. This is no pressure - of course! - but to the extent that you are willing and able to share, I will be so excited to see how you enjoy Volume 4 in second grade.

    This is our 15th year to homeschool, and I am thrilled to be using such fun and creative program for first grade with my youngest. My other three children are much older (college and high school), so FIAR is a precious trip through these sweet books with my "baby". We just started our sixth week (and sixth row) today, and I think these are some of my favorite weeks of our entire homeschooling career!

    We also use AAR Level 1 (almost ready for level 2) and this is by far the most enjoyable experience I have ever had teaching reading.

    Best of luck to you. Nothing like diving in to a brand new stack of books! I love it!!! And prayers to your sweet boys (and you) as they navigate high school. Sounds like you have made a great choice for them. It can be hard to trust God with our kids....and our own reputation, to be honest.....but it is such a joy to see him answer our prayers and truly bless those we love most.

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  15. I think that may be one of my issues...My oldest (who is now 19) doesn't seem to have any future plans at all, and I'm not sure what to do about that. She's content with working her little barely above minimum wage job, "partying" with her friends (I say partying, but I don't mean any bad connotations of the word; she's a great kid and doesn't drink, smoke or do drugs). She also still lives with us, which doesn't bother me, but I'm concerned that she has no answer to the question "what do you want to do with your life?" Any suggestions or thoughts?

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  16. What a great line-up. I was looking at North Star Geography and am tempted to order it. It looks really good.

    How blessed to have snow in September!!!! I'm jealous =) It's still hot here in TX but cooling some. Yay!

    I'm so tempted to write up a post of what we are using but I STILL don't have everything and our official school doesn't start until the middle of January so I'm waiting, waiting, but it's hard.

    Have a great year!

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  17. Did you see that Schoolhouse Teachers offered North Star Geography? I was a little disappointed when I learned that, but I do like having the book in print! I will be jealous of your TX weather when it is below zero here ~ promise! :) I can't wait to see your new curriculum post! I love that it is always changing as you are not afraid to change things up to meet individual needs. Can't believe you are doing so many HOD guides, though! You are amazing! What do you still need? I used to start in January and have honestly been thinking about it now that it's just the younger three.

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  18. No, I'll have to hop on over there, thanks! I much prefer print as well.

    It's been two weeks using 6 guides and I'm pooped ;) I haven't had to have my midday coffee with all the reading I'm doing.

    I still need Annette's Home Economics, Cover Story for the boys, My Student Log Books for 3 or 4 kiddos, Grammar Revolution, and some odd and end consumable workbooks. I hope/pray that I can order it all before we start.

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  19. Just curious if you have the time to suggest anything re my history dilemma. I am now considering taking this year to do Geography since you mentioned it. I had never considered that before. What exactly did you do or use when you took the year off for Geography? I will begin AAR Level 1 with my middle daughter (Kinder) in about a month and figure this will be a busy year (I also have a 3 year old). Currently I am going over states and capitals with her and my 4th grader so thinking that would count for Geography. I have thought (and read) it makes most sense to have them both on the same page as far as history is concerned (not necessarily the curriculum or books but more the era/cycle). If I did take this year off for Geography, I could start them both on the same cycle at the same time after Geography. How have you done it? What are your thoughts? Thank you!

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  20. Rachel, with my older boys we did My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures! Tara at Monarch Room has some great posts on how she organizes and also weekly reviews. This is what I am hoping to do with Malachi and Eliana as soon as Bo is old enough to do Five in a Row. Then I will row by country and tie it into MFW. That's my plan! Malachi has two years left on the cycle (American History) and then we will take a break.

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