Our Curriculum

Since this is our first year homeschooling, we really had no idea where to begin!  Its so overwhelming once you begin to dig into all of the options!  Because Big E had been in public school for 2 years I really wasn't sure where I was going to need to pick up, and what he had already covered and mastered.  I know I should have known this, but I really couldn't tell from the work he brought home from school.  Reason #156 why we are homeschooling!  

When we decided to homeschool last March, it was already after Spring Break and we chose to keep him in the public school until the end of the year.  So that gave us plenty of time to come up with the curriculum we wanted to use.  So after spending HOURS and HOURS perusing the internet, talking with friends (who by the way, each one uses something different and had great reasons why they use it!), we narrowed it down to two choices.  Both of them were going to be at our local Homeschooling Conference that was in April.  So we went to the conference thinking we knew what we were going to choose, mostly because it was a boxed curriculum and it was super affordable.  BUT of course we had to muddy the waters and browse around at the other choices.  That began us to re think our choice, we really liked the second choice (which was My Fathers World) but the price tag was a little more than we could spend, especially since we would still have to add Language Arts and Math to it.  Anyway long story short... we chose to go with Christian Liberty Press, which was our first choice by the way. Its a workbook based program and everything is in it that we needed for the year.  So here is a run down of what we will be using this year.  

Curriculum for 2012-2013 School Year:

Big E- 2nd Grade:

Bible- Studying God's Word Book C

Math- Liberty Math

Phonics- Adventures in Phonics, Phonics games on iPad

Language Arts- Language 2 from Abeka

History- Our Nation Under God

Science- God's Wonderful Works, Christian Liberty Nature Reader

Handwriting- Handwriting with Prayer, Handwriting without Tears 

Poetry/ Vocabulary- Beautiful Stories for Children

Reading- Robinson Crusoe Reader

Art- Art for the Very Young

Music- Stories of the Great Composers Book 1,  Piano lesson beginning January

P.E. - Soccer in the Fall, Archery in the winter/spring

Little N- PreK 4:

Bible- Studying God's Word Book C (done along side big brother)

Math- Manipulative's, counting, shapes

Handwriting- Kumon workbook Alphabet Games, Jump Start Preschool book, practicing tracing and writing first and last name

Fine Motor- Kumon workbooks:  Book of Pasting, Book of Cutting

Science- God's Wonderful Works (along side big brother)

Reading- Read aloud time with Mom, may begin "Teach your Child to Read In 100 Easy Lessons"

ABC Jesus Loves Me- this we purchased but not quite sure I have the time for it, so some components may be thrown in from time to time.   

Art- Art for the Very Young

Music- Stories of the Great Composers Book 1

P.E. - Soccer in the Fall, Outside play