hodgepodge

This is our fourth week of the new school year in our home school. Caleb is a junior; Grace a freshman; and Alina is in 7th grade. They are together in almost everything, which is a huge blessing to me! Here's what we're using:

Bible/History/Geography
Tapestry of Grace - Ancient History
This curriculum is very rich! It includes literature and philosophy as well.

Literature
I'm adding to TOG literature with Greenleaf's ancient literature course. I'm also using IEW's "Teaching the Classics" to learn about literary analysis.

Composition
IEW has a book of ancient history-based writing assignments. It takes the teacher and students step by step through the writing process. Everyone is also doing daily writing assignments from the reading assignments for history and Bible. In doing so, they will each make their own book of ancient history that I will get bound for them at the end of the year.

Grammar
There's a free online curriculum called "KISS Grammar" that we're trying this year. It was written by a college professor.

Copywork and Dictation
I purchased "Spelling Wisdom" from www.simplycharlottemason.com to use for dictation. It's so nice to have the whole year's worth already planned out. For copywork, I've been collecting quotes and poems for a long time, so I've compiled them in a notebook to draw from for copywork. I have already gotten positive feedback from Grace on my choices.

Shakespeare
Our two Shakespeare plays for this year are "Hamlet" and "Twelfth Night."

Science
We're doing earth & space science this year, starting with space. Right now we're going through the book "Signs & Seasons" on classical astronomy. I have a BJU text to use as a "spine" to guide us through the rest of the year. This is the first year ever that all the children are combined for science, which makes it much easier for the teacher.

Nature Study
We've been observing the night sky some with our study of science. There's also a website with "Nature Challenges" that I want to use.

Art and Music Appreciation
I'm using the book "Adventures in Art" and finding the art pieces online and printing out my own copies on photo paper. I'm just compiling them in a notebook as we go. For music, I'm using a CD called "Classical Music Start-Up Kit" and the booklet that comes with it.

Math
Caleb and Grace are using Jacob's Geometry with me as their teacher. Alina is doing the last book of Singapore math and will then go on to algebra.

Foreign Language
Grace is using "Breaking the Spanish Barrier," a curriculum I discovered online. It's a book and CD set with a strong focus on grammar. She will be practicing twice a week with another student and her mom who can speak some Spanish. Alina is continuing her study of French using "Ecoutez, Parlez" along with a free online program through our library called "Mango Languages."

Band
Caleb is leading the percussion section this year. Grace is playing flute, and Alina is playing her very own trumpet. They are all excited to be in home school band again this year.

Art/Drama/Choir
Grace and Alina are both participating in art and drama with our CFE home school group. And we joined Cornerstone Co-op this year for them to be in choir there. I was assigned to be the parent volunteer in a class during the same hour. I got the human anatomy and physiology class, which I'm loving!

Horses
Alina is doing the second half of Beautiful Feet's "History of the Horse" unit study. She's doing it just because she wants to.