Well, I've been asked a couple of times about what curriculum we'll be using here at the Jimenez School.  I've been searching through catalogs since the Christmas Break in preparation for the ARCH Conference we had in April. We've pretty much got everything ready to go except for the "accessories" like the science kit, extra books for reading, etc...

Here's the plan so far:

Cameron:

LANGUAGE ARTS:  Seton English 4 , Seton Spelling 4 , Seton Handwriting 4 , Seton Phonics 4 , Seton Reading 4 for Comprehension, Seton Reading 4 for Thinking Skills, the Seton 4th Grade Readers, Wordly Wise Book 1, Various books to be read on Saints to be chosen over the summer for reports...He will also be continuing with the Book Club he is currently in.

MATH: Saxon 5/4

SCIENCE: Apologia Zoology 2 with kit from Creation Sensation, Science Museum Classes, also weekly Nature Walks

HISTORY: Story of the World Book 1, supplemented by various Unit Studies, Seton Catholic Faith Comes to the New World

GEOGRAPHY: Various Workbooks

RELIGION: Seton Religion 4, Faith and Life, Baltimore Catechism, and daily utilization of our really really cool Catholic planners/liturgical year reading and Catholic Culture website.  Cameron will also attend CCE at our parish for the "community building" aspect of his faith and we will also have have a specific home CCE date/time.  We also really celebrate the liturgical year and special feast days.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE: we will keep working on Sign Language, Spanish and Latin

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: P.E. at our local YMCA and soccer when in season, also bicycle riding, roller blading and swimming.

ART: Will be more appreciation this year-taking a break from "class"...it will be replaced with...

MUSIC: Music Appreciation and Theory and beginner piano/recorder

This year we will also be implimenting some type of service project each month except for Lent when we'll be participating in Operation Rice Bowl.

ISAAC'S CURRICULUM;

Our Mother of Divine Grace's Little Saint's Program and the Brightly Beaming program-Letter of the Week and "Mrs. Christine' s Art House

This summer we will do a Literature Study on the book SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON using Veritas Press and other resources.....and if time permits, one on the Boxcar Children from Beyond Five in a Row

Seems like a lot, but I have learned to put more emphasis on the areas where Cam needs the most work-he is an excellent reader, reading level is well beyond his 8 years but we are hitting that age where he will either begin to read for the love of reading or start to avoid it like the plague.  Tying reading into fun activities has worked with bookclub so we'll be trying that with our other reading activities here at home. 

I have found that school works better, the better I am prepared.  That is always a challenge and so I know I must step up to the plate and take that challenge.  I will really be working hard this summer to put things together and purchase supplies.  Because we take most of Advent off from regular school, we start school at the beginning of August.  We might start a bit earlier on some schoolwork-taking advantage of having to stay indoors out of the oppressing heat and humidity we have here in Houston.

I love hearing about everyone else's ideas and about how everyone else does school!