Curriculum Choices 2013-2014

What a boring title. However, It will have to do since I don't have any creativity left tonight!

For the first time this year, I have three students! Gator is in 5th grade, Bull is in 2nd grade, and Monkey is in Pre-K.

I have no idea how I'm going to schedule our time this year. I'm still working on that! Fortunately, we won't start until after Labor Day, so I have a bit of time to figure that out!

I use this planner to help me get organized. It's especially helpful because it's geared toward homeschoolers. I don't have wasted pages like seating charts and whole-class attendance records. Because it's digital, I can pick and choose which pages/forms I actually need. Bonus: It matches my Erin Condren life planner (without the hefty price tag), too!


Here are our choices!

Gator (5th grade):
Bible: Abraham, Joseph, Jonah (Kay Arthur's Family Discipleship Plan)
Math/Logic: Right Start Mathematics Level E; Logic Links; Mind Benders
Grammar: Rod and Staff Level 5
Literature/Poetry: this reading list and our library
Spelling: Spelling Power
Vocabulary: Vocabulary Ladders; Caesar's English 1
Composition: Writing With Ease Level 4; Writing With Skill Level 1
Handwriting: AWANA verses
History: Story of the World Volume 4; add-a-century timeline
Science: Science Wiz Kit Physics
Art/Music Appreciation: World's Greatest Artists & World's Greatest Composers
PE: TaeKwonDo


Bull (2nd grade):

Bible: Abraham, Joseph, Jonah (Kay Arthur's Family Discipleship Plan)
Math/Logic: Right Start Mathematics Levels B & C
Grammar: First Language Lessons Level 2
Literature/Poetry: reading list (see above) and our library
Spelling: All About Spelling Level 1
Phonics: All About Reading Level 1 & 2
Composition: First Language Lessons copywork
Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears My Printing Book & Printing Power
History: Story of the World Volume 4; add-a-century timeline
Science: Science Wiz Kit Physics
Art/Music Appreciation: World's Greatest Artists/Composers
PE: TaeKwonDo


Monkey (Pre-K):
Bible: Abraham, Joseph, Jonah (Kay Arthur's Family Discipleship Plan)
Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears My First School Book
Phonics/Math: Letter of the Week Pre-K Curriculum
Literature/Poetry: reading list (see above) and our library
History: Story of the World Volume 4; add-a-century timeline
Science: Science Wiz Kit Physics
Art/Music Appreciation: World's Greatest Artists/Composers

So long....

I've come to the realization that I don't blog anymore. I really miss writing, but I have other things that need my attention more than the blog. I hope to come back to this place in the future.
For this season though, farewell!

Busy Bags

It was a moment of crisis. Gator and Bull were barely getting their schoolwork done. I was flustered. My "I'm-giving-up-my-afternoon-nap-and-you-can't-make-me-go-to-sleep-but-I'm-still-really-tired" 2.5 year old was bored. So, I scrounged up something for him to do, but realized that I was woefully unprepared for a school year with a non-napping toddler.

What does a girl do? Say it with me: Pinterest! I knew that other moms must deal with this, too. I typed "toddler busy bags" in the search bar. My sanity was restored! I pinned several ideas, made a list of supplies, and started crafting.

Then! An epiphany! I have three nieces and one nephew in the preschool/toddler age range. I immediately knew what they were getting for Christmas. I made an awesome assembly line and knocked out their gifts in a few days. The bags seem to be a hit with all the kiddos. They're easy to grab and put in your purse or diaper bag when going to appointments or errands. They are helpful during long car trips, too!

Here is the result:

The contents of the busy bags:
I Spy (poly beads, various novelty buttons and wooden letters from Hobby Lobby)
Duplo Counting/Matching (Duplos from our large stash)
Fabric Roads (denim stash, small cars)
Butterfly Symmetry (felt stash)
Block Puzzles  (3/4" wooden blocks)
Popsicle Puzzles (jumbo craft sticks, internet images)
Popsicle Color Matching (felt stash, jumbo craft sticks)
Pom-pom Transfer (pom-poms, artist palette, jumbo tweezers)
Button Snake (felt stash, notions stash)
Doodles Stickers & Stamps (note pad, pipsqueak markers, stamps, stickers)
Clothespin Color Matching (paint chips from a store, clothespins)
Marble Maze (felt stash, extra marbles)
I used these zip bags to hold each activity.