(sara:) Well, I know you aren't all planning on home schooling or even necessarily interested, but because of some circumstances going on in our life, I decided to go ahead and write down my "curriculum" plans for home schooling the next 3 years. (Go ahead, call me crazy!) I've been researching & thinking about our options for a long time, I just hadn't actually sat down, made some decisions, written it out, and looked at prices. Mostly so I'll have all the links in one place (for myself), I'll post my plans here. Need I say, we'll tweak as we go! [I'll asterisk the books I've already bought or read.] Because C. has already learned what they teach in kindergarten (except for how to tie his shoes,) I have decided to begin "First grade" in January and spend 1 1/2 years on the material, and follow that with 1 1/2 years of "second grade". I think our home schooling will follow the calendar year, rather than the school year.
My educational goals fall under 6 categories, and that's how I'm lesson planning. I'm listing several books below, but will be supplementing with a ton of library books and supplemental materials as needed.
1. Theology. Long term goals for the children: to hear about & experience God's love, to grow in faith, to experience communal worship & the liturgical seasons.
First grade - family prayer & Mass attendance, liturgical season activities, visits to church outside of Mass, CGS presentations, *St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism no. 0, *Faith & Life grade 1, daily quiet time.
Second grade - same except Faith & Life grade 2 and I'll consider Moira's CGS album for ages 6-9.
2. Character. Long term goals for the children: to form character, improve self-control, gain self awareness, and understand the virtues.
First grade: complete the sensorial album (which means - do as much as we want!) & read books about the saints and other heroes.
Second grade: continue saint and virtue study, in particular with these 3 books: *Devotional Stories for Little Folks, Once Upon a Time Saints, and *Little Acts of Grace.
3. Practical Life. Long term goals for the children: to learn what is needed for survival & independence, to learn to contribute to the good of our family and society. (everything from hunting to construction to investing!)
First grade: complete the practical life album
Second grade: follow interests and let dh plan the year.
4. Community. Long term goals: to learn to interact peaceably with others, to communicate well, and to understand other cultures both past & present.
First grade: Complete the Montessori language album, continue with *Phonics Pathways, memorize poetry, explore all 7 *continent kits and map puzzles, read many "living books" together and narrate 1/month. Listen to books on tape. Begin *Prima Latina together. Begin a history timeline and notebook and cover the years 5000BC - 400 AD using the Usbourne Book of History and supplemental library books following his interests.
Second grade: same, except cover years 400-1600 AD, read CHC Map skills Level B, narrate literature twice a month, and instead of Phonics Pathways use CHC Speller Grade A.
5. Creation. Long term goals: to appreciate and understand God's creation.
First grade: complete Montessori math album and begin using Right Start math program. Spend as much time outside as possible. Begin a nature binder and write once a month. Begin a science binder and spend 6 months reading each of these books: Usbourne Encyclopedia of the Natural World, the Human Body Discovery Book, and Extraordinary Plants.
Second grade: Same, except write in nature journal once/week and for science spend 9 months each on planet earth and outer space. (books still to be determined.)
6. Art and PE. Long term goals: to experience the beauty of art & music, to grow in physical strength and health, to learn good sportsmanship and healthy past times.
First & Second grades: Continue listening to classical music daily, study violin, piano, recorder & percussion, learn to swim & play soccer, lots of free outdoor play, use *Child-size Masterpieces and the *Catholic How-to-Draw.
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8 comments:
The happymama post definitely piqued my curiosity, so I am delighted to see this post! I am completely impressed by your vision and organization.
Tell me about the "daily quiet time" you have listed in 1st grade theology. Would this be working with CGS materials? Time spent at a home altar on his own initiative? Scheduled time in his room?
How did you choose your secular sources (mostly under Creation and the history book)?
Prima Latina...recommended by someone? Definitely interested in learning this with my children (dh?).
I do want the kids to be comfortable in silence. I remember giving up my car radio for Lent when I was in college and it was plain misery! Yet quiet is most conducive to contemplation. It's in the quiet time that the child can really think clearly and listen to God's inspiration. We have mandatory rest time each day, about 20 minutes, when C. rests alone somewhere. He can have books with him, but not brothers! I set a timer so he knows when he's done, but often he's caught up in his book and doesn't come out right away.
I chose secular science books mainly due to a lack of alternatives. They aren't perfect. These are the ones recommended in the Well Trained Mind book I've read about the "classical" structure of schooling. The Usbourne books have nice 2-page spreads with interesting pictures. So, we sit down together and look at a spread, read & discuss it, then write down in our binders what we learned, and then next time we're at the library we find books about the same subject.
Prima Latina is recommended by CHC. I bought it last year, because I want to learn Latin along with the kids. This one comes with a CD to listen to and is very Catholic and simple for beginners. I'm excited about it!
Gotta run. Dh is out visiting WHW this weekend & I'm keeping down the fort!
You inspire me!
Angie, I know you will likely not be using specifically Catholic materials, but I know as time goes on you'll be able to recommend some good Christian alternatives to the secular resources out there!
I have a lot to think about! I don't even know where I would begin to develop a plan like this. any thoughts?
I guess I need a plan, because that's my personality, and because C. is turning 5 soon. There are SO many options available for home schooling, I needed to decide what NOT to do, as well as what I really want to do. Like I said, this "plan" has been forming in the back of my head for 2 years, and your plan will take shape, too. It might look completely different from mine! I'd say, just give it time. Focus on your little baby in January, and by the time he/she turns 1, then hammer out the details for C's education. You've got time.
If you're homeschooling, a neat place to find reviews (although they're subjective, they do list aspects of the programs) is homeschoolreviews.com. For example, Right Start Math is on there. If you're interested in all Montessori, it might be a bit different.
FIRST UPDATE: Changes so far in what we've been doing...
(math) the Montessori math album is continuing to serve us longer than I had anticipated, and so I haven't needed anything else yet. I anticipate ordering our first math program in a few months, and instead of RightStart, I'm now leaning towards one called Miquon.
(language) we are narrating once a week instead of once a month. He'd happily do it every day if I had the time. :)
(creation) we have not started a nature binder yet, mainly because this winter was so harsh!
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