Curriculum

Curriculum for the 2011-2012 School Year

Duncan - 5th Grade Curriculum

Language Arts

Reading:
***I am only using some of the DVD material with this course.  Duncan and I will watch the beginning of the video together for the introduction to the story and the creative ways in which the vocabulary is presented.  Then, I will teach the rest of the lesson myself so that we can talk about what he is reading.  On skill station days in which a story is not read and discussed, Duncan will watch those lessons independently.

Reading Comprehension:

Spelling & Vocabulary

Handwriting

History
Sonlight History Core D with Regular Readers – Introduction to American History
·         The Story of the USA, Book 1
·         North American Indians
·         Pedro’s Journal
·         Incans, Aztecs, & Mayans
·         The Landmark History of the American People Volume 1
·         What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?
·         Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George?
·         And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
·         The Winter at Valley Forge
·         The Story of the USA, Book 2
·         If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution
·         American Adventures I
·         The Story of Eli Whitney
·         The Lewis and Clark Expedition
·         Imprisoned in the Golden City
·         The Erie Canal
·         A Lion to Guard Us
·         Pocahontas and the Strangers
·         Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims
·         The Thanksgiving Story
·         The Courage of Sarah Noble
·         The Matchlock Gun
·         The Skippack School
·         Meet George Washington
·         Phoebe the Spy
·         The Cabin Faced West
·         The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
·         Om-kas-toe
·         Meet Thomas Jefferson
·         Sarah Whitcher’s Story
·         Robert Fulton, Boy Craftsman
·         Sarah, Plain and Tall
R
Read Alouds
Walk the World's Rim
A Child's Introduction to Poetry
Secret of the Andes
Toliver's Secret
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
Paddle-to-the-Sea
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
Calico Bush
The Journeyman
Swift Rivers
Farmer Boy
***We will be watching Johnny Tremain and The Sign of the Beaver rather than reading the books.  I also removed The Witch of Blackbird Pond from the read-aloud list for my boys and added it to my daughter's high school reading list for history.

I am still working on choosing all of the videos I want my boys to watch as part of their History program.  I know for sure that we'll be watching the following videos:
Mathematics

Science

My plan is to watch the DVD lessons with Duncan so I am available to talk with him about the science lesson and complete the many, many hands-on activities included in this curriculum.  Using the DVDs will allow me to cut down on my preparation time for this course immensely and enjoy it right alongside Duncan.  The DVDs are wonderful and I'm really looking forward to watching them with him.

In addition, Duncan will participate in selected homeschool science/nature classes at local nature centers.  As well, we will take field trips to science centers and zoos throughout the school year. 

Physical Education
Swim team practice - After a wonderful experience with a recreational team over the summer, Duncan will be getting back to USA Swimming and joining the same team as Amber and Mason.  We are not sure which group he will be placed in but we anticipate swim team practice for Duncan at least three times a week. 

Fine Arts
Atelier Video-Based Art Lessons – Art Projects from Level 5 and Level 6 - My goal is to complete one art project per week but we will need to skip art some weeks for field trips.

***If you would like to read my detailed review of this curriculum, please visit my review at The Curriculum Choice.

Bible

Typing
Typing – Typing Instructor Platinum - Duncan will be working through this wonderful program three times per week. 

Books on Tape
In addition to the aforementioned curriculum, Duncan will be required to listen to a chapter each day of a book on tape.  Duncan does not regularly choose to read in his spare time, therefore, by including a book listening time in his school day, I am increasing the amount of books to which he is exposed.  

Ideally, I would like Duncan to read along with the book while it is being read to him but, so far, Duncan has not enjoyed doing that and has found it frustrating.  Therefore, his only requirement will be to listen to the books on tape.  I am still working on his reading list but I know he will be listening to the following books as part of his school work for the 2011-2012 school year. 

Mason - 7th Grade Curriculum



Language Arts

Reading:
Reading Comprehension:
Focus Strategies – Understanding Sequence Level F
Focus Strategies – Recognizing Cause and Effect Level F 
Focus Strategies – Comparing and Contrasting Level F
Focus Strategies – Making Predictions Level F
Focus Strategies – Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences Level F

Spelling & Vocabulary

Handwriting

History
Sonlight History Core D with Advanced Readers – Introduction to American History

The Story of the USA, Book 1
North American Indians
Pedro's Journal
Incans, Aztecs, & Mayans
The Landmark History of the American People Volume 1
What's the Big Idea, Ben Frankline?
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
The Winter at Valley Forge
Te Story of the USA, Book 2
If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution
American Adventures 1
The Story of Eli Whitney
The Lewis & Clark Expedition
Imprisoned in the Golden City
The Erie Canal
The Corn Grows Ripe
Vostaas:  White Buffalo's Story
A Lion to Guard Us
Pocahontas and the Strangers
Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims
The Thanksgiving Story
The Courage of Sarah Noble
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
The Skippack School
The Matchlock Gun
Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia
Mr. Revere and I
Meet George Washington
Phoebe the Spy
George Washington:  Our First Leader
Martha Washington
The Cabin Faced West
Om-kas-toe
Meet Thomas Jefferson
Sarach Whitcher's Story
Naya Nuki
Robert Fulton, Boy Craftsman
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Takta'liktak
Stone Fox

Read Alouds
Walk the World's Rim
A Child's Introduction to Poetry
Secret of the Andes
Toliver's Secret
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
Paddle-to-the-Sea
Justin Morgan Had a Horse
Calico Bush
The Journeyman
Swift Rivers
Farmer Boy
***We will be watching Johnny Tremain and The Sign of the Beaver rather than reading the books.  I also removed The Witch of Blackbird Pond from the read-aloud list for my boys and added it to my daughter's high school reading list for history.

I am still working on choosing all of the videos I want my boys to watch as part of their History program.  I know for sure that we'll be watching the following videos:

Mathematics

Science

Physical Education
Swim team practice - Mason practices 5 times a week with his USA swimming team.  The practices include dry -land exercises which encompass weight-training and a wide variety of aerobic exercises.  Mason is in the Gold group and his practice schedule is included below:
Monday:  4:45pm - 7:30pm
Tuesday:  5:30pm - 7:30pm 
Wednesday:  Mason attends Youth Group at church on Wednesday evenings.
Thursday:  5:30pm - 7:30pm 
Friday:  4:45pm - 7:30pm 
Saturday:  No Practice
Sunday:  11:30am - 1:00pm

Mason regularly attends USA swim meets.

Fine Arts
Atelier Video-Based Art Lessons – Art Projects from Level 5 and Level 6 - My goal is to complete one art project per week but we will need to skip art some weeks for field trips.

***If you would like to read my detailed review of this curriculum, please visit my review at The Curriculum Choice.

Bible

Typing
Typing – Typing Instructor Platinum - Duncan will be working through this wonderful program three times per week. 

Books on Tape
In addition to the aforementioned curriculum, Mason will be required to listen to a chapter each day of a book on tape.  By including a book listening time in his school day, I am increasing the amount of books to which he is exposed.  Mason reads along with the book while listening to the book on tape. 
Music
Mason is learning to play the electric guitar.  He takes a weekly lesson at a local music shop and practices daily.

Amber - 9th Grade Curriculum



Writing and Grammar 9 (1/2 credit)

Bob Jones Writing and Grammar 9 
Bob Jones Writing and Grammar 9 Instructional DVDs
The Phonetic Zoo:  A Self-Teaching Spelling Program, Finishing Level B, Level C


Fundamentals of Literature (1 credit)

Bob Jones Elements of Literature
Bob Jones Fundamentals of Literature Instructional DVDs
Cyrano de Bergerac
My Antonia by Willa Cather
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare
  • Attendance at a local production of "The Taming of the Shrew"
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
  • Attendance at a local production of "The Crucible"
A Treasury of Poetry for Young People (1/2 the book will be covered during the 2011-2012 school year)
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Emma by Jane Austen
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • Little House on the Prairie - The Pilot - 1974
·       Early American History (1 credit)


Sonlight Core 100 Instructor's Guide - Amber will be spending an entire year on Early American History so we will only be using about half of the Instructor's Guide this year.
·    The First Americans:  Prehistory-1600, A History of US Book 1 by Joy Hakim
·        Making Thirteen Colonies:  1600-1740, A History of US Book 2 by Joy Hakim
·        From Colonies to Country:  1735-1791, A History of US Book 3 by Joy Hakim
·        The New Nation:  1789-1850, A History of US Book 4 by Joy Hakim
·        Liberty for All?:  1820-1860, A History of US Book 5 by Joy Hakim
·        A History of US Assessment Book:  Books 1-10 by Joy Hakim
·        The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Henry Daughtery
·        Peace Child by Don Richardson
·        Sequoyah by Robert Cwiklik
·        Traitor:  The Case of Benedict Arnold by Jean Fritz
·        The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Ben Franklin
·        The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
·        Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
·        Bound for Oregon by Jean Van Leeuwen and James Watling
·        A Gathering of Days by Joan W. Blos
·        Indian Captive by Lois Lenski
·        Stink Alley by Jamie Gilson
·        Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann
·        Sacajawea by Joseph Bruchac
·        Shh!  We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz
·        Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
·        Guests by Michael Dorris
·        They Loved to Laugh by Kathryn Worth 

Videos:
500 Nations
The West
Lewis & Clark:  The Journey of the Corps of Discovery
Liberty!  The American Revolution
Biography:  Christopher Columbus, Explorer of the New World
America The Story of Us - Episodes 1-4
Drive Thru History American History 

We are also planning multiple Early American History related field trips such as touring a reproduction of the Santa Maria.
Algebra II (1 credit)

Teaching Textbooks – Algebra II


Marine Biology with Lab (1 credit)

Marine Biology Dissection and Slide Kit
Apologia Marine Biology


Physical Education (1 credit)

Amber is a member of a USA swim team.  Amber participated on the swim team year-round, both long and short course seasons.  She practices 8 or more times per week, which adds up to at least 20 hours per week at swim team practice.  Three or more of the practices include dry-land aerobic and strength-training exercises in addition to swimming.

Amber participates in one or more USA swim meets per month.  Amber participates in USA swim meets at the local, regional, and national level.

Fine Arts (1/2 or 1 credit hour depending on the number of hours accumulated towards the completion of the course)
Atelier Video-Based Art Lessons – Finishing Level 5 and Level 6

In addition to the hands-on portion of the Fine Arts course, we will be attending a large number of plays and musical productions presented at various playhouses in our area.  My goal is to enhance Amber's appreciation for live performances of plays, musicals, ballets, and orchestra concerts.  


We will be attending all of the Broadway plays included in the 2011-2012 subscription series for a local playhouse which include:

  • Million Dollar Quartet
  • La Cage Aux Folles
  • Hair
  • Memphis
  • The Addams Family
  • Come Fly Away
  • Sondheim on Sondheim.
We will be attending two ballets performed by a local ballet company:
  • The Nutcracker
  • Coppelia.
We will be attending all of the plays included in the 2011-2012 subscription series performed by a local community theater:
  • Early One Evening At The Rainbow Bar and Grille
  • Bingo The Musical
  • The Secret Garden.
We will be attending several orchestra concerts performed by local orchestras:
  • Bugs Bunny At The Symphony
  • An Old Fashioned Christmas
  • A Tribute to John Williams.
We will also be attending a few other plays performed at several different playhouses in the area  including but not limited to:
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • The Taming of the Shrew
  • The Crucible.

Latin (1 credit)

Latin for Americans Level 1, Glencoe
Latin for Americans Level 1 Workbook
For this class, Amber will be meeting with a private tutor who will be teaching the class.




    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)