What We Say We’re Doing
Here’s what we’re using as main texts and resources for the 2012/2013 school year. Much about the second semester is unknown. What’s new this year is how much my older will be taking away from home. He’s certainly growing up.
A.D. (age 15) — second semester schedule incomplete
- Calculus I and II (local university)
- Sign Language Studies, first two semesters (local university)
- Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, the Modern World (Coursera)
- Foundations in Personal Finance (Dave Ramsey) — high school homeschoolers group
- CPO Foundations of Physics (Group of homeschoolers, taught by Mom. Syllabus and more information at Don’t Touch the Photons.)
- Piano, year 8
A.M. (age 11)
- NaNoWriMo (November 2012) (reviews here)
- MCT Essay Voyage (review here)
- Singapore’s Discovering Mathematics 1A, 1B
- CPO Physical Science (physics portion, with supplements to be named later) — 2 person class
- Word Within the Word II (MCT) with Online G3 (review of Online G3 here)
- Magic Lens II (MCT) with Online G3 (review of Online G3 here)
- A History of the World Since 1300 (Coursera)
- History of US, Books 6,7,8 with Online G3
- Steck-Vauhn Spelling Level 6
- Latin with The Pericles Group (Jan. or Feb. start)
- Additional Online G3 classes in the spring, most likely American Lit. and Government
- Piano
From 2011/2012:
A.D (age 14)
- ALEKS Precalculus (abandoned Oct. 2012 – review here)
- Odds and ends of Precalc via Khan lectures, Precalculus Demystified, and Algebra II Workbook for Dummies
- Michael Clay Thompson: Magic Lens II, Word Within the Word II (WWW II and ML II with Online G3) (first semester only)
- Rosetta Stone Spanish I
- Film as Literature Co-op Class
- NIH/Inquiry Science Co-op Class
- Research Writing Co-op Class
- Current Events Co-0p Class
- US History Co-op (year-long) using Teaching Co. Videos (America & the World, US & Middle East, American Ideals)
- Meteorology and Earth Science study, planning in progress. This will include A.D.’s writing, literature, and science this year. (scrapped after first semester)
- Psychology study (includes literature, writing) and CurrClick Psychology class (live online)
- Prentice Hall Earth Science
A.M. (age 10)
- Singapore Math (6B, Challenging Word Problems 6)
- Various books by Theoni Pappas
- Life of Fred Pre-Algebra 1 and 2 (stopped in 11/11)
- Michael Clay Thompson: Magic Lens I, Word Within the Word I (WWW I and ML I with Online G3), Paragraph Town(second half) and Essay Voyage
- Handwriting Without Tears: Can-Do Print
- Steck-Vauhn Spelling Level 5
- Lightening Literature 7 and 8(with Online G3)
- History of US, Books 1 – 5 with Online G3) and plenty of outside reading and video watching
- CPO Middle School Earth Science
From 2010/2011:
A.D (age 13)
- Foerster’s Precalculus and Trigonometry
- Art of Problem Solving’s Precalculus
- Michael Clay Thompson: Magic Lens I, Word Within the Word I, Academic Writing I
- Chemistry: Introductory Chemistry, 5th edition (Steven Zumdahl) and Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments (Robert Bruce Thompson). Here’s the website I’m keeping for the class: https://sites.google.com/site/letsnotburnthehousedown/ (okay, so it’s a class of two, but the site keeps me on my toes.)
- Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings (through Online 3G)
- Lingua Latina Pars I: Familia Romana (Latin 100 through Lone Pine Classical School online class)
- Discovering Music: 300 years of Interaction in Music, Arts, History, and Culture
A.M. (age 9)
- Singapore Math 5B, 6A, 6B (textbook, workbook, Challenging Word Problems)
- Keys to Algebra series (KeyPress)
- Michael Clay Thompson: Grammar Town, Practice Town, Essay Town, Caesar’s English I
- Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings (with mom)
- Real Science 4 Kids: Chemistry I
- The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way (with Teacher Guide and StudenSteck-Vauhn Spelling Level 4t Guide)
- Handwriting Without Tears: Cursive
- Steck-Spelling Level 4
- BBC Typing (online program)
- Mindful Movements (Thich Nhat Hahn)
And here is the 2009/2010 version:
A.D. (age 12)
- Jacob’s Geometry, 3rd edition
- Michael Clay Thompson: Grammar Voyage, Practice Voyage, Essay Voyage, Caesar’s English II
- Michael Clay Thompson: Free at Last: The Language of Dr. King’s Dream
- Michael Clay Thompson: Classics in the Classroom
- Biology: The Way Life Works (Mahlon Hoagland); Concepts and Connections (Campbell); Biology Inquiries (Martin Shields); The Nature of Life: Readings in Biology
- Story of the World IV (Susan Wise Bauer)
- Getting Started with Latin (William Linney)
- Critical Thinking Book 1 (Critical Thinking Press)
A.B. (age 8 )
- Spanish for Children, Primer A
- Michael Clay Thompson: Grammar Island, Practice Island, Sentence Island, Music of the Hemispheres
- Handwriting Without Tears: Cursive Handwriting
- Singapore Math (Workbook and textbooks for 4A, 4B, 5A and Challenging Word Problems 4 and 5)
- Story of the World IV (Susan Wise Bauer)
- Biology Level I (Real Science 4 Kids)
Thanks for all your info. It helps me a great deal in planning a curriculum for my daughter (9) and son (7) next year. Can you tell me if you have used the other curriculum bundle for A.B.’s biology… I think it was a chemistry bundle with critical thinking, etc in it… then the biology was separate. I was just wondering if you thought the biology would be a year long study, or would you be following up with something else from his website? Also, for A.D.. you chose a completely different set of biology books rather than the “real science 4 kids”.. so I wanted to hear your thoughts about that.
I’m glad my experiences could help! With AB (my younger- age 8), I’ve used only the Biology I book and lab manual. He tags along for some of his big brother’s labs and soaks up info like crazy, so I chose RS4K because he wanted something of his own. My older, turning 13 next month (ack!) needed much more, as my goal was a high school level bio class. The RS4K alone would be pretty light, but supplementing along the way with more labs, books, and videos is certainly doable. I’m considering the Chem I or McHenry’s Chemistry next year for my younger, without the add-ons, and I’ll be piecing together a high school chem for my older (and his buddy). They’re pretty chem oriented, so keeping up will be my biggest challenge, along with not burning down the house.
Hope that helps!
I like how you label this as “What we SAY we’re doing”! It brings to light that, like most homeschoolers, we aren’t ALWAYS following a plan. We often shake things up and modify things as we go because that’s how life is!
I’m curious if you think a 6th grader who has loved science when she did experiments and wants to learn more about chemistry would benefit from the Illustrated Guide to Home …. Is it too advanced? Thanks for your thoughts.
It depends on her chemistry knowledge, your comfort with the subject, and your interest into stocking quite a few supplies to make it happen. In my opinion, while the all lab idea is great, the book assumes a base of chemistry knowledge and some familiarity with lab work. The book has been in stock at our local Barnes and Noble, and I’d recommend a look at it first. That said, the labs are well done. My guys have had a blast. Both came into the book with some chemistry know-how but little formal education on the subject. My son had been using the Thames and Kosmos 3000 chem kit for six months, which may be a good step for your daughter. (It’s also fairly complete. I liked that!). Hope that helps!
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Do you have a pacing schedule for Magic Lens II with MCT? I would be so appreciative! Thanks so much!
Best,
Alex
I don’t. Both my guys have taken Magic Lens with Online G3, and she spreads the book over a year, including the loops.
Hi! Thanks for sharing with all of us….I appreciate your “guidance”….esp. sharing curriculum/books/sites that I’ve never heard of! I do wonder why you stopped using the LOF (Life of Fred) series after the pre-algebra 1 and 2…..and your likes and dislikes of the books/program. Thanks!
You are welcome. I reviewed the portion of Life of Fred we used here. The short version would be that it didn’t have enough math. For the long version, check out my review.