2014 Curriculum

The South African school year follows the calendar year, starting in January and finishing by December. We chose this schedule for our homeschool, which allows more time off during our summer season (your winter—seasons are opposite in the southern hemisphere), usually a busy time for our ministry.

Caleb, 2nd grade:

• ABeka 2nd grade phonics with accompanying readers reviews all the concepts introduced in K and 1st grade. I hope to begin a transition sometime during the year into actual literature, rather than using traditional reading textbooks. (Edited to add: We are using real literature now!)
• ABeka 2nd grade cursive handwriting
• All About Spelling Levels 2 and 3–We have already completed the first ten “steps” in level two, thanks to a great foundation from ABeka’s phonics, so I expect to begin level three this year.
• First Language Lessons Level 2 and Writing with Ease Level 2. (We will start with the workbook but may transition to the teacher’s guide alone later in the year. Edited: I am making my own copywork now to connect writing and history. You can download it here. Once a week I use the instructor’s text for narration from reading or history; once a week we use the WWE2 workbook for narration and dictation.)
• Math U See Beta level–Last year, he flew through the Alpha level, so we had time to thoroughly review with Singapore’s Primary Math. Edited: I hope to do the same this year with Singapore’s level 2A and some of 2B. We just moved on to MUS’s Gamma level.
• *Story of the World Volume 2: The Middle Ages–We also have the audiobook read by Jim Weiss and the Activity Guide, a large manual with hands-on activities, review questions, literature suggestions to accompany history, narration prompts, maps, coloring pages, and memory work.
• My husband Seth is teaching the children Bible this year. He will base his teaching off of the catechism he wrote in Tsonga and English, based on some of the historic catechisms. He will also help me instruct the children in Tsonga (foreign language).*
• *Apologia Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day–I had another plan for science this year, but my son requested to learn about sea creatures. He so rarely requests to study a certain topic that I was happy to help him follow this interest. We will also make this lapbook to accompany our studies.
• *Say Hello to Classical Music is an introduction to music appreciation. We will also review the different instruments of the orchestra (which we learned last year) with Picture Book of Musical Instruments. Caleb will begin piano lessons (with me) using Alfred’s Premier Piano Course this year, probably around May or June.
• *Come Look With Me takes care of picture study this year, and I Can Do All Things will cover drawing, painting, and other beginning art concepts. (I had planned to use My Father’s World‘s curriculum package Adventures in U.S. History this year, which includes this art curriculum; but I’ve decided to wait one more year before doing so. I Can Do All Things is supposed to be spread over two or three years, however; so we will begin now, spreading it out and going more slowly with it.) Edited: I am unhappy with Come Look With Me, so after finishing the book we were on, we are moving on to using a picture study portfolio from Simply Charlotte Mason, and then we will use some of the Grade 2 Medieval e-book from Harmony Fine Arts for picture study and music appreciation to finish out our year.
• Living Memory helps me organize the memory segment of classical education. I’m using its suggestions for a memory system as well as certain lists to memorize.

Colin, Kindergarten:

My first year with two “official” homeschoolers! We will use ABeka’s Kindergarten phonics, reading, manuscript handwriting, math, and numbers writing materials. He may join us on the asterisked material above whenever he wishes.

Callie, 3-year old (turning three this year):

Later on this year, she will be introduced to letters and numbers with hands-on activities from Letter of the Week.

Carson, turning two this year, will play with toddler toys and be cute and in the way. I hope to remember to cuddle him and give him time somewhere in the middle of all of the above!

Extras, as we have time:

Nature Study–once a week.

Poetry Teatime–once a week, or at least once per month. I like this idea from the Bravewriter lifestyle.

Shakespeare–once a week. I may combine this with Poetry Teatime, which usually ends with a read-aloud (or read his sonnets). Or I may just read Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare.  Charlotte Mason methodology recommends reading Shakespeare once a week. Sometime this year, I want to read through this children’s version of Shakespeare with my children; and it should dovetail beautifully with our Middle Ages study in history.

Read-Alouds–I don’t have a list made yet for this year, but I usually read to the children at least five days a week. I know I would like to read some of The Book of Virtues this year.

God’s News for Kids–There are only 4 or 6 issues per year for Caleb’s level from the publishers of World magazine. I’d like him to read them and also do… Edited: We’re not doing this. No time!

Friday Freewrites–It doesn’t have to be on Friday, but I thought I’d try this aspect of the Bravewriter lifestyle maybe twice a month. God’s World News for Kids gives a few prompts in each issue. Edited: We also have no time for this, but I find that Caleb is doing freewriting on his own anyway! So I don’t have to plan it in the schedule.

Map Blobbing–We usually take four days for history–three to read and one to do an activity. I will see if it’s too much to practice this method of teaching geography by Leigh Bortins (curriculum author, Classical Conversations) on the fifth day.