Our Curriculum Choices for 2013-14

I just have to say this....we're about 9 weeks into the homeschool year, but we've added a curriculum component this year that I just LOVE. It just pulls our whole school day together. I loved it from the first week really, but now, I can already see amazing results!

It's a 20 minute session together of memory work based on Classical Education. We're doing Classical Conversations Timeline and the history, Latin, geography, skip couting, grammar and science facts... I know we're not doing it the true CC way - since the closest CC group I can find is in New York state a few hours away... but we're having fun learning the songs and facts - and it just ties everything else we're doing together.

If you are curious about classical education I'd recommend this book:
The Core by Leigh Bortins

and check out her website:  http://leighbortins.com/

I would say that our homeschooling style is eclectic leaning on Neo-Classical.
   We study the trivium, but also use teaching textbooks and workbooks and lean toward a lot of reading especially living books. We do a lot of nature studies with a bit of unit studies and tactile learning thrown in.

So our typical day is...

CC Memory Work (20-30 minutes) - Cycle 2 Quite a bit of it is put to song, etc...and I thought the boys would resist, but they've actually really enjoyed it and it lightens up our morning to watch the videos and learn and laugh together.
Timeline ...each week we add about 7 points to the timeline - we started at creation in week one and just this week we've gotten up to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Geography ...so far we've memorized all the continents, oceans, European mountains, rivers, seas, western European countries/ capitals, penninsulas and the Mid Atlantic World 
History ...each week we learn a new history sentence about significant people/ events like Charlemagne, The Reformation, The 100 Years War, etc.
Math ...various skip counting songs, measurements or laws of math
Science ...Biomes, Life Cycles, Forms of Pollution, Names of Planets, etc.
English Grammar ...parts of speech and grammar laws, etc.

We've been using this Timeline video on Youtube and This One

Scripture Memory Work (5 minutes)- Psalm 91 - we've chosen to continue working on this instead of the curriculum choice.

Bible Study - (10 minutes) Promiseland by Lori Zenker

Math - Math U See (25-30 minutes) - Delta   Gamma and Primer/ Alpha

 

Language Arts - (25-30 minutes) - Learning Language Arts Through Literature

Reading - the LLATL comes with Readers, but we supplements with recommended reading from History/ Science and seasonal/ other topics of interest from library, Abeka Books, etc.

Spelling - All ABout Spelling, The Phonetic Zoo (5-10 minutes)
     Here's a review  to check out on Youtube.

Carter - Learning to Read...

  

Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Phonics - Explode the Code (10 minutes)

Tuesday, Thursday
Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears (10 minutes)

Two Afternoons a Week (usually 30 minutes each)
Science - Apologia - Astronomy

One Afternoon a Week - Activities Daily - Audio Books/Read Alouds
History - Story of the World 2 - The Middle Ages

One Afternoon a Week (15 minutes)
Geography - Canada My Country by Donna Ward        A Child's Geography by Ann Voskamp

Friday Afternoons (20-60 minutes)

Fine Arts - How to Teach Art to Children; Discovering the Great Artists; Classical Music for Dummies

Twice a month - Heartland Forest
Once a month - Mad Science

Extras
FALL- French, Soccer, Cross Country, Track & Field, Hikes/ Nature Studies, computer
WINTER - French, Guitar, Basketball, Ball Hockey, Track & Field, Hikes/ Nature Studies, computer
         
That's it in a nutshell...so far anyways!

Year 2 in Review

The Heaslip Homestead School 2012-13

One year flew by so quick. Here's a quick recap and some reflections on our 2nd year of Homeschooling.

We began our studies early last year (Mid August) because the baby was due in October and I foresaw some vacation days for the boys. Conveniently the boys began soccer at the same time.

 

Another significant part of August was the arrival of 2 Korean Students who were with us for 7 weeks. Kate and Emma. We enjoyed learning more about Korea from these 2 very interesting girls.

 

"GRADES"

  

Carter was in Senior Kindergarten - he mastered his numbers and alphabet, colours, basic skills like cutting, pasting, matching, the months of the year and days of the week, he excelled in gym (track & field, basketball, soccer & ball hockey) He was also an avid participant in the Mad Science classes.

Maxwell was in grade 2. Some days were a struggle to finish his Language Arts program, and reading was like pulling teeth. He did very well in Math (focusing on adding and subtracting multi-digit factors), Bible and Handwriting. He also enjoyed anything that involved social interaction like our field trips, athletics, science, co-op days, etc)

Lucas was in grade 3. He excelled in most subjects. He mastered multiplication in math especially involving finance. He also did very well in Language Arts and has become an avid reader, finishing novels in record time. He does not particularly excel in group endeavors, preferring to be "in charge", then one of the team. He did very well in Basketball however.

Our typical day started with breakfast and cartoons. The TV was off by 8:30/ 9 am and we eventually started our sea twork. Math U See Math was daily (Primer, Beta and Gamma), Language Arts and Bible were also daily. Phonics, Handwriting and Spelling were alternating days. We were usually done seat work by noon and History, Geography, Science and Unit Studies were weekly in the afternoons. (Actually sometimes history was daily - thanks to Story of the World Audio CD's played in the van). We participated in weekly hikes/ field trips especially in the fall, and of course athletics, gym/ craft days, etc.

The day after our first field trip to pick apples, I went into the hospital and came home with the sweetest thing. Elaina Grace has been our main subject of study this past year.

A Year in Pics... 

Typical Afternoon, boys in the sandbox, mom and baby in the garden.

 Autumn...Fall is fast and furious. A flurry of activities and all the programs starting at once. Lot's of company, lot's of fun to do. Lot's of beauty to see and definitely lots to learn.

Hiking, Hiking and More Hiking. Love Niagara's trails.

 

 The boys waited all summer to go on the ropes course at Safari Niagara. 

We finally squeezed it in on Closing Day.

Our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch.

A trip to the Welland Canal Center 

A trip to the Jordan Beaver Pond 

Celebrating Christmas with Our Little Co-Op

 

 

Area Homeschool Network Christmas Celebration (Gym and Craft Day) 

WINTER...definitely slower than the previous months. Sometimes it seems to stretch out forever. Fortunately we can do our best to get as much school work done during these quiet months so when late spring and summer come...we're ready to PLAY!

Planning our Family Trip South for March Break

Lot's of suggles, especially when daddy takes a day off.

Lot's of time for Baking...

 

 

 Winter fun with Friends...

Lucas perfected his oatmeal recipe.

 

Basketball

Hosting Superbowl PartyThe boys helped plan, pick out the decorations and set up for this. 

 

Valentine's Day Lunch

Learning Javelin 

Family Vacation - South Carolina

Children's Museum

 

 

BMW Museum

Go Carts!!! 

Winter still wasn't slow enough for Elaina.

One thing we did regularly was the homeschoolers nature studies at Heartland Forest. I have no idea why I have no pictures. It was awesome.

SPRING...when we got home it was definitely starting to look like spring. We started Easter weekend with a hike.

Another international guest arrived, this time Dayanne from Columbia.

Learning to jump hurdles.

Earth Day at Ball's Falls

 Ball Hockey indoors and out.

Picking cherries on the roof of the shed.

The year ended in late June for us and we'll probably not be able to begin again until September the way the calendar falls for us this year. It was a great year for us. We didn't set unrealistic goals knowing that with a new baby there were too many "unknowns". We enjoyed life, and we enjoyed each other. We did our best to honour God in our home and lives and we're looking forward to another great year.

Some thoughts while looking ahead. Carter will be firmly in his learning to read program. Max will be tackling multiplication and Lucas needs to develop more of his writing skills. I'm hoping to have them all enrolled in Jubal Cottage this year as well as Science again - both start in October. They start soccer next week, Basketball in December and Cross Country this month. Indoor Track starts in November. Hopefully Heartland Forest will have a program in September too.

I'm considering French, Music Lessons (Guitar) and of course our small and large group activities. The Curriculum Outline will get posted in the next week or so. Having done this LONG year in review, I'll have to give some thought on how I'd like to utilize this blog this year :)