2017-2018 Curriculum Choices

Wow, hard to believe another school year is in the works! We usually homeschool through the summer, but this year we've taken more breaks than ever. We just started back today after a 3 week break, so I thought it would be a good time to share our curriculum choices. They are all over the board this year, people!

Mikaela: 9th grader (eek!)

MATH: Abeka Consumer Math (1 Credit). Algebra is not her strong suit, so we have decided to make her 9th grade year an easier math year. She really loved math today - she even said, "This math is fun!" Next year, we will complete Algebra 1, then Geometry, and then Algebra 2. (Bought new from Ebay for $24.59)

LANGUAGE ARTS: Holt Elements of Language (1 Credit). This book will take her through a semester of grammar and mechanics and a semester of writing. It's a public school textbook, but it looks fabulous. (Bought new from Ebay for $11.08)

READING: I have a book list for her to read this year. She will also be required to complete two literature guides. The first is "The Hobbit", which she started today. Some of the books she will be reading are "Frankenstein", "Fahrenheit 451", "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", and "To Kill a Mockingbird'. I'm including this in her language arts credit.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Glencoe World Geography (1 Credit). Graduation requirements in Louisiana list "Social Studies" instead of "History". This year, she will do World Geography. She is (hopefully) going to be able to list every country on every continent. (Bought new from Ebay for $15.57)

SCIENCE: Apologia Exploring Creation with General Science (1 Credit). Most of the textbooks we chose this year were secular, but I really insist upon a Christian science book with a young earth view. Apologia does not disappoint! I didn't get the Notebook Journal, but I am creating worksheets and lab report sheets in Power Point for her. (Bought used from Ebay for $14.52)

ART: Artistic Pursuits: High School Book 1, The Elements of Art and Composition (1/2 credit). She will use this book several times a week for 1/2 credit of art. (Bought used from Ebay for $21.12) I also bought her a nice pencil and charcoal set to use with it.

MUSIC: She plays piano and will continue with that for 1/2 credit of music.

BIBLE: She and Eli will be going through a Bible study by James McDonald called, "Think Differently". We also have nightly family Bible reading and morning devotions before school.


Eli: 7th grader

MATH: Scott Foresman Exploring Mathematics (bought from Ebay for $11.99). He really liked this math book today, as he was using football statistics as part of the example problems!

LANGUAGE ARTS: Glencoe Grammar and Writing (bought from Ebay for $11.90). This book will take him through half a year of writing and then half a year of grammar.

READING: He will have a booklist to read this year, and he will complete two literature guides. He is reading and completing a guide for "Johnny Tremain" right now. A few books on his booklist are "Wonder", "Treasure Island", "Sherlock Holmes" and "Number the Stars".

SOCIAL STUDIES: Glencoe Human Heritage World History (bought from Ebay for $8.55). He will learn world history this year, as he has not done this in a while. He's been stuck on American history for a few years!

SCIENCE: Apologia Exploring Astronomy (bought from Ebay for $18.00). He has been wanting to study astronomy, and I love Apologia so we decided on this book. I am also creating his worksheets and lab sheets on Power Point instead of buying the Notebook Journal.

ART: Art Lab for Kids (bought from Amazon for $12.26). There are 52 art labs in this book that he can do independently.

BIBLE: "Think Differently" by James McDonald, plus nightly family Bible reading and morning devotions before school.

Mercie: 4th grader

MATH: Macmillan McGraw-Hill Math Connects 4 (bought from Ebay for $10.09). She loves this math book so far! There are hands-on activities and plenty of practice problems.

LANGUAGE ARTS: McGraw-Hill Language Arts (bought from Ebay for $14.99). This language arts book covers grammar, usage, mechanics and writing in short simple lessons.

READING: She will be reading lots of books this year, as well as completing two literature guides. She is reading "Little House on the Prairie" right now. Some others on her list are "Farmer Boy", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "James and the Giant Peach", and "The Glass Elevator".

SOCIAL STUDIES: Macmillan Mc-Graw Hill Regions History (bought from Ebay for $8.55). She will be learning about the regions of the United States, as well as memorizing the states and capitals, landmarks and presidents.

SCIENCE: Scott Foresman Discover Science (bought from Goodwill store for $2.99). I have created worksheets and activities to go along with this awesome science book that I used in school! The copyright date is 1986, and both my husband and I both remember using this book in school!

ART: I will be doing twice-weekly art lessons with her, Silas and Titus. Some will be based on a famous artist, some will be just fun, fluffy art projects.

BIBLE: She will be reading through Genesis and Exodus this year. I am making her some Bible study worksheets in Power Point to complete when she finishes her daily reading. She will also have nightly family Bible reading and morning devotions before school.

Silas: 1st grader

He is using My Father's World Learning God's Story for 1st graders. We started this earlier this year and we love it! He is on week 15 this week. He is reading so well, loving the hands-on math (today we graphed a package of M&Ms), and really thriving with this curriculum. We are definitely going to stick with this!

Titus: Kindergartner

He is also using My Father's World God's Creation. He is doing so well in this! We are on Week 15 this week. He is sounding out and reading simple CVC words. He also loves the hands-on aspects of this curriculum. I do add some fun projects each week and a math book, but overall it's a great program that we are going to finish! I'll move him on the Learning God's Story when he finishes the kindergarten program.

All in all, I spent quite a bit less than I usually do on curriculum! The kids love the public school textbooks (why, I'm not sure, but they do). We had a great first day back today, and I hope everyday forward is as smooth as today was!

100 Days of Art: Day 5 - Kandinsky Insipired Concentric Circle Art

*I'm back here at My Full Heart, because it feels more like 'home' to me.*

We've done quite a bit of art projects since I've last posted. It's been nice having a break from posting, but I have missed blogging and hope to be regular again since our school started by today!

Mercie, Silas, Titus, and I completed a really neat art project today inspired by Kandinsky's Concentric Circles. We first watched a short video biography of his life, and then we looked at some of his artwork. The process was simple and quite fun. Here is the piece of art that we replicated in our own way!

(Wassily Kandinsky)

I opened a pack of construction paper and handed each child a sheet of white cardstock. Then, we started cutting and gluing circles. I tried to have them make 12 squares in a 4 x 3 grid like Kandinsky's, but Mercie and Titus's circles were too large for that, so I just asked them to make it a grid.

They had lots of fun with color patterns and sizing their circles. I had lots of fun, too! It was a relaxed and open-ended project. We didn't draw our circles first or trace them - Kandinsky's circles were all lopsided and uneven, so I told the kids not to make them perfect. They seemed surprised at the freedom to cut out ragged-edged and funky looking circles!

Here is our finished product. (Top left is Mercie - age 9, top right is Silas - age 7. Bottom left is Titus - age 5, bottom right is me - age 32.)

Here are our first four days of 100 Days of Art project!
Day 1: Learning to Draw
Day 2: Pyramids
Day 3: String Art
Day 4: Optical Illusion Art