It's time for the obligatory "here's what we're doing this year" post on the blog.   I'm pretty excited about what we'll be doing, but I guess only other happy homeschoolers could possibly be interested in this sort of thing. I really enjoy planning lessons, researching curricula, spending time in prayer about what to choose,  and getting organized.   So, if lesson plans and curricula aren't your cup of tea, skip reading this one. 

We will be incorporating much more Scripture into our daily lessons, more character training, and less busy work.  We will continue to do as many subjects together as possible [Bible, read alouds, history, geography, art, and some science] .  This year we'll be using selected projects/themes from the Doorposts' books Polished Cornerstones and Plants Grown Up. Part of the appeal of these books for me is how positive character traits are teamed with great memory verses and interesting projects. I like these books so much I put copies on our church's library shelves.

We are rather brand loyal for some items [A Beka math, grammar from First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind, and Modern Curriculum Press' Spelling Workout series], so our familiarity with those products helps the kids get back into a "school routine" faster.

My usual planning problem for each year is to overplan, overbuy,  and under-schedule [not allowing enough time for projects or time off for breaks].  And then sometimes I get  a bad case of homeschool envy reading about what others are doing.  Yeah, those lapbook pictures look great, but my son would roll his eyes if I gave him a lapbook to do. He's not big on cut and paste.  Other times,  I suffer from guilt that we "aren't doing enough" and try to push too much academic "stuff" into a week's lessons.  That makes me pretty unpopular with the class of two, as well. When people ask about their school, they've been known to say, "We have the meanest teacher in the world." 

This year, I'm trying to be more realistic in what we can accomplish, not be a slave to the scope and sequence, and incorporate more real life activities into schooling.  I need to allow for time off after baby gets here, and some time off in the Spring.  I had hoped to sign up for a co-op with classes I thought the kids would enjoy, but I just don't think we'll be able to swing it, especially in the first semester.   Among other upcoming events, my husband will be going to the  John 3;16 conference in November --which I think  makes up for his missing Mayberry Days in September due to the arrival of  our little one that month---LOL.  [His favorite things are good preaching, banana pudding, and the Andy Griffith Show!]   

I also need to plan lessons for the upcoming Sunday School year which also starts in September---good things happen in ninth month, apparently.  I'm making a strong effort this year to avoid "extra" committments. It's hard to have a happy home life if my housework and basic responsibilities go undone to meet deadlines I shoudn't have imposed on myself in the first place. SIMPLIFY is our motto this year.

Right now I'm setting up my teacher's notebook.  I have a large three-ring binder with tabs for each month of the schoolyear. Behind each I put  a monthly calendar  [which I print out from our Microsoft Works program], a grade log form, and weekly lesson plans.  I usually mark attendance using the Homeschool Tracker .  Sometimes I'll get really bold and try using the assignment list option from Homeschool Tracker, but I've found that doesn't always work well for us. If I've scheduled assignments ahead of time, sick days or other life disruptions  make it difficult  to change the daily plans on the computer.  Weekly lesson plans on paper work best for us.  However, I really like the daily journal feature of the basic homeschool tracker program.

I also have a section in the teacher's book to track all the books the children read, and educational videos/dvds/websites [plus time spent on each], blank paper to make informal evaluations, and different character/school issues to pray about.  I use forms from Highland Heritage [see link in my sidebar]  and  www.organizedhome,com .  

Our curriculum looks like this:

Together:

Bible study, New Testament

Mystery of History 2

Copy work/dictation from sources I've pulled together

Alpha Omega's Thomas Kincade Art course

Geography: State notebooks from A Beka

read alouds that coordinate with MOH2

Mind Benders thinking skills books [occaisionally]

February: test prep month

Son, 5th grade;

A Beka math 5

A Beka grammar 5 [without their book reports, we'll coordinate compositions with our history course]

Spelling Workout "E"

Plants Grown Up/Contenders for the Faith

2 Bob Jones Booklinks, and other reading he chooses

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry

Daughter, 2nd grade:

A Beka math 2

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained MInd, second grade

Spelling Workout "B"

Polished Cornerstones/Keepers at Home books

1 Bob Jones Booklink plus other easy readers off our shelves

American History read alouds from the D'Aulaires

Bob Jones 2nd grade science. 

optional: Scholastic Success with 2nd grade reading comprehension worksheets, Mcgraw Hill 2nd grade reading workbook as needed

Obviously, we wont' be doing all of the above every day!   Our master schedule looks like this:

Bible, every day

Math, every day

Reading, every day

grammar/spelling//writing, Mon -Thurs

art--Fridays

science-Tuesdays/Thursdays

history-M/W/F

geopgraphy-Fridays

 The kids will set up notebooks with subject dividers later this week and decorate them.  They have stocked pencil boxes and each have their schoolbooks in separate plastic tubs to pull out at schooltime. We've not departed from a basic schedule in summertime--we get up at the same time, chores are still done by a certain time, etc.

The biggest  variable we have yet to see about is adjusting to the new baby!  Everything sounds ready to roll right now, but we'll see how well these plans work when two a.m. feedings have to be figured in to the schedule.  We may simplify a whole lot more!