I think I may start using this blog to record our homeschool journey. We are starting our sixth year homeschooling. We go year round, taking off when we need or want to. Our year "officially" begins in January. This January, Big Girl will be "officially" a ninth grader, and Little Girl fifth.
We don't actually do grade levels though, and just take things as they come. If we don't like something, or it isn't working, we change it, regardless of when it is.
Here is what we are currently doing:
BIG GIRL
Easy Grammar Plus: She is about a fourth of the way through this now. It will probably last another year and a half. Then, I am thinking we will use Our Mother Tongue and odds and ends for review until she graduates.
Life of Fred Beginning Algebra: We are loving LOF. I started her with the first two books for review, and she really liked them, so we will continue with LOF for as long as we want. I am not sure she will do much more than algebra though, and maybe some kind of consumer math later. We will take it as it comes.
Jensen's Vocabulary: I really like this program! She has to use a root list to figure out the meanings of her new list each lesson. Each lesson has several worksheets, intended for a week's worth, but we take two weeks for each lesson, and I add in a couple activities to stretch it out. She is really learning to use roots to figure out new words.
Abeka Physical Science: She is really just reading through this. I think she will do Apologia Biology next. She did Apologia General, and said she liked it much better than Abeka. She says things were explained much better.
Megawords 4: Will be finishing up this level, and not continuing.
Building Thinking Skills 3 Verbal: She really liked this, and is almost finished. I think I will get her the Critical Thinking book 1 next.
Writing: She writes something of her choice every day on the computer, and I go over it with her and help her make corrections. She really is a natural writer.
LITTLE GIRL
Rod and Staff English 4: We are really only using the grammar part of this. I really like R&S and already have books 5 and 6, which we will use as well.
Math U See Gamma: She is finishing up this level in the next couple months. She loves MUS, and we will start on Delta next. Then, when she is finished with Delta, I will move her into the LOF books her sister used.
Spelling Wisdom: I am actually starting this with her next week. We did SWR for a while, and she has learned it really well, but it was just taking too much time in our day. Then, I got Spelling Plus Dictation, which we have been using for a couple months. I like the idea, but didn't care for the simplistic sentences. I really think spelling comes more from a knowledge of the rules (which she already has) coupled with lots of writing and actually using the words. I like that Spelling Wisdom uses wonderful quotes and literature, and isn't just bland, disconnected sentences. We will use one passage per week, working with any words she doesn't know SWR-method.
Abeka Science 5: She is just reading through this because she really likes science and wanted to.
BOTH
TruthQuest History: We are currently using the Middle Ages and AHYS 3 guides. I use both guides at the same time with both girls. We love the wonderful books we are reading with this!
Poet Study: We study one poet at a time, memorizing one of their most famous poems, and reading other of their poems daily.
Composer Study: We read about one composer at a time, listening to his works for a month or so.
Artist Study: We study and read about one artist every month or so, looking at some of his paintings online daily. We are working through American artists now, and will go back to the beginning when we finish with them.
Country Study: We recently finished our 2 year study of the states, and are now starting the same kind of study of the countries of the world. We look at maps, read tons of books, look at internet sites, and will try some recipes from each country. We will take as long as we want on each country until we are finished. If we ever do finish, lol.
Bible: We have just started using CLP's Studying God's Word for the Gospels. It is a chronological study of the Gospels. After this, I am making my own chronological study of Acts thru Revelation, placing the other books where they fit into Acts.
Spanish For Children: I like the way this teaches grammar along with vocabulary. The girls also use computer discs to supplement.
Besides all this, we read tons of other books as well. I think I might do a weekly review, like I have seen on other blogs.
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