I am overdue in sharing this. My apologies. Every year I share the curriculum choices we have made for each school year for a few reasons:
- It helps me remember when I look back later
- It may spark some research for others
- It could provide an answer someone is looking for in their own homeschool
- It may provide exposure for curric that doesn’t get much otherwise
Morning Star Academy (aka: The Brouse House) Curric for the 2014-2015 School Year:
All students
History, Literature, Geography, and some Bible: We are all doing BiblioPlan for our history, literature, some Bible, and geography this year. I’ve shared my review of it here. We are doing Year 3: Medieval. I’m loving it and so are the kids.
Latin: We all use Visual Latin. Kiddos are in different levels, but all still use the same fun video curriculum. Paul Louis is the only one not taking Latin this year. I really need to write up a review. I am an affiliate, so if you ever order, I’d sure appreciate you using my link.
Bible: We also all study the Bible via the same “curric”. Right now, we are simply reading Psalms. We are about to start BSF (Life of Moses) and then in a month or so will stop that and will start a Disciplers study together (Judges and Ruth) with a group of families.
Math: Everyone except Paul Louis is also using Teaching Textbooks. I love it. He is using RightStart Math.
Science: We use Apologia for all levels. I’m a huge fan. We supplement with labs by Landry Academy.
More details under the specific child.
Here is our list, per kiddo:
Noah: 10th grade
Math: Teaching Textbooks Geometry
History: BiblioPlan Year 3
Geography: BiblioPlan Year 3 some Visual World Geography too.
Literature: BiblioPlan Year 3 with these selections chosen
Latin: He is on Year 2 of Visual Latin
Grammar and Writing: He is doing this in a co-op taught by a fantastic set of teachers. They are using Analysis of Effective Communication (Book 3) by Christian Liberty Press.
Logic: Again, in the co-op, he is doing Introductory Logic by James Nance
Chemistry: Apologia Chemistry. Half on his own and half at the c0-op. This means that every two weeks, the students meet to discuss and review the material and then they take their tests. He will participate in the Landry Academy Lab Intensives.
Sign Language: I am teaching a sign language class to some 8th graders and high school students.
Electives: He is participating in the local homeschool drama group.
Chloe: 8th grade
Math: Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
History: BiblioPlan Year 3
Geography: BiblioPlan Year 3 some Visual World Geography too.
Literature: BiblioPlan Year 3 with these selections chosen
Latin: She is on Year 1 of Visual Latin
Grammar and Writing: She is doing this in a co-op taught by a fantastic set of teachers with Noah. They are using Analysis of Effective Communication (Book 3) by Christian Liberty Press. The class is geared towards 10th graders, but three eighth graders were invited and the teachers are altering a bit for them.
Logic: Again, in the co-op, she is doing Introductory Logic by James Nance
Chemistry: Apologia Elementary Physics and Chemistry. She will doing this via the “older kids” track.
Sign Language: I am teaching a sign language class to some 8th graders and high school students.
Electives: She is participating in the local homeschool drama group.
Phoebe: 5th/6th grade
Math: Teaching Textbooks 5 and then 6
History: BiblioPlan Year 3
Geography: Visual World Geography.
Literature: BiblioPlan Year 3 with these selections chosen
Latin: She is just starting on Year 1 of Visual Latin
Grammar: First Language Lessons Level 4 and then Rod & Staff 5
Vocabulary: Wordly Wise Book 5
Handwriting: A Reason for Writing, cursive
Writing: We are just starting WriteShop Elementary E. {I can’t wait to review it for you!}
Spelling: All About Spelling
Science: Apologia Elementary Science Physics & Chemistry
Elective: She is participating in the local homeschool drama group.
Esther: 4th grade
Math: Teaching Textbooks 4 and 5
History: BiblioPlan Year 3
Geography: Visual World Geography.
Literature: BiblioPlan Year 3 with these selections chosen
Latin: She is just starting on Year 1 of Visual Latin
Grammar: First Language Lessons Level 4 and then Rod & Staff 5
Vocabulary: Wordly Wise Book 5
Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears
Writing: We are just starting WriteShop Elementary E. {I can’t wait to review it for you!}
Spelling: All About Spelling
Science: Apologia Elementary Science Physics & Chemistry
Paul Louis: 1st grade
Math: RightStart Math Books B and C
Spelling: All About Spelling
Reading: The Gift of Reading and early reader books (I start with I Can Read It books by Sonlight)
Writing: Writing With Ease
Grammar: First Language Lessons
Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears
{these next subjects are not super emphasized; they are a part of his opportunities, exposure, and language input, but they not real structured for him}
Science: Apologia Elementary Science Physics & Chemistry
History: BiblioPlan Year 3
Geography: Visual World Geography.
Literature: BiblioPlan Year 3 with picture books and chapter books read aloud to him by me and Esther
So… there ya go. Our formal curriculum for our school year. Not included on this list are the field trips, family sharing, togetherness, read alouds conversations, joke telling, wrestling on the bed, and more. Those are all tucked into our other curriculum.
{What? Where is Hannah Beth’s list? Well… she is enjoying her first year as a full time college student. And I didn’t have to plan anything. Weird.}
I’m excited about our studies this year, especially medieval studies, the chemistry and physics elementary book, and Write Shop E.
We’re going to have a GREAT year!
What curriculum are you most excited about for your year?
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I love talking curriculum! (I don’t have many people to discuss it with around here, so I love reading about other people’s choices when I can!) And for some reason, you’re going to get two years’ worth in this comment 🙂
Last year, we took A (3rd grade) and D (1st grade) out of public school after 2 months. A has jumped around to so many schools in his short life that we were finding huge holes in his learning that were making new concepts in certain subjects very frustrating for him. He would have continued to fall behind if we didn’t stop, assess what he needed, and address it! There is, of course, 1000 reasons why we choose to homeschool right now, but that was a major one. So last year, they did:
– Geography, Science, Reading: My Father’s World – Exploring Countries & Cultures.
– Bible: our own reading/study schedule (we went through different books of the Bible, but not necessarily in an organized fashion) + Awana (oh man…. these boys LOVE Awana and did so so well)
– Math: Singapore (SO good for the boys. We assessed where they were, so D started in 1B and A did portions of 1B and 2A where he needed holes filled, and then continued in 2B. He was into 3A by the end of the year.)
– English: Primary Language Lessons (we stopped this pretty early… not quite vigorous enough for us), then Rod & Staff English – A did about half of year 3, D started 2 towards the end of the school year.
– Also: Spelling Plus, A Reason for Handwriting, XtraMath for drills.
– Extra stuff: a library homeschool class weekly for about half of the year. Not necessarily aligned with our studies, but fun and crafty, and we lack crafts at home! Also, soccer teams, weekly snowboarding/skiing with dad in the winter, and weekly rock climbing at the Y.
This year, we have stayed with My Father’s World and actually took a step backwards to Adventures in US History and we’re ONLY using it for History/Reading. I wasn’t ready to commit to a 4-yr history cycle, and we were looking for a simple core so we can do our own science to get a little bit more of a challenge. So with that:
– Science: Answers in Genesis, God’s Design for Life (plants, animals, human body) – exactly what we were looking for! A good challenge for my boys.
– Bible: D is reading through the NT, A is reading through the whole Bible, + Awana
– Math: Singapore – A’s almost through 3A, D’s almost through 2A (This is a good, vigorous program. I am very comfortable with the fact that A is almost a year behind on paper, because he has filled in holes that would’ve kept him even further behind. AND he is doing it at a pace where he will theoretically catch up eventually, although I think we demand such a mastery at home where he’s actually closer to on par with peers than it may look on paper. If that makes sense.)
– English: Rod&Staff. D is in 2, A will finish 3 by Christmas and then start 4.
– Also: Spelling Plus, A Reason for Handwriting, XtraMath for drills, Draw Write Now for art (we use books 2, 3, and 5, and do lessons that match up with our History lessons – this has been very cool!).
– Extra stuff: library homeschool class weekly (again, for fun mostly), so much soccer, snowboarding/skiing in the winter. I might as well add bmx races and cross country races to this list while I’m at it.
Thanks for letting me share 🙂 🙂 I really could talk about all this stuff for hours! I have loved researching options for the past few years.