What We Use
Well we are preparing to start our second official year of homeschooling!! We are VERY excited!! Our first year was touch and go, learning as we went along! I did end up buying a "boxed" curriculum, but actually found it to not be what I expected and had us doing what seemed to be too much like "school". I know there are alot of people who LOVE that approach but it just wasn't what we wanted. This year I have scouted out the used curriculum boards and bought a variety of materials to use!
We do not really adhere to a scrict shedule, or anything of that nature. Basically, we UNschool. In a way that just means we believe in child led learning. It means we let the kids decide in things they are interested in and learn about that. We open ourselves up to learning opportunities in every day things. We do have some structure, so we don't COMPLETELY unschool, but more that than anything. We allow Brandon to do things as he is ready and we do not push him to do things he isn't quite ready for. It is amazing what you can learn about your child when you just stop to listen and observe! =o)
This is what we are currently using as our patchwork curriculum. The computer programs and things will continue to be used through out the next few years as most have a setting for the difficultly levels which make it exciting and challenging up to 2nd grade.
Books & Curriculums |
We have a large variety of real books, abeka readers, and other programs we will be using for reading/english/ect. For a complete list please visit the Individualized Eduational Plan For Brandon.
A quick overview of our curriculum is as follows:
Reading: Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons, Victory Drill Book
Writing: A reason for writing: God made my world
writing letters and thank you notes
story starters - creative writing skills
Frank Schaffer book reports for beginners (gr 1-2)
I'm an Author kit
ongoing journal
Mathmatics: Cuisenaire Rods, Miquon Math, practical experience (ie. real math)
Bible: Bible Explorer 52 week bible study for grades 1,2, and 3
History: History for Little Pilgrims, tons of other books!
Geography: Stuck on USA
A Picture Book of the USA
Science: The complete book of science 1-2
Magic Schoolbus explorations A, B, & C
Simple and fun science (learn by doing series)
Foriegn Language: Berlitz Spanish (adventures with Nicholas)
Signs for me (basic sign vocabulary for children)
Art: Draw*Write*Now Program
The Ultimate Bible Workbook
Several Basic Skills Workbooks in the Honey Bear Book Series
Lots of the fun workbooks we pick up and friends and family give
us to do additional work on writing skills, math, and alphabet...
sometimes Brandon really enjoys working in out of these
and seems to get alot of gratification for doing
the work this way. Often you
can find him working out of one of them on his own or coloring
page after page!
He's VERY creative!
We also give Rayanna workbooks to use which are for her age
range while we are working =o) Although we do the bulk of Brandon's
schooling while she is down for a nap or while Rob or I take care of her,
sometimes she really loves being involved
 | Computer Programs |
| General | JumpStart Kindergarten (he still loves this one!) JumpStart First Grade Thinking Things Collection One and Three Knowledge Munchers ABC & 123 with Hickory |
| Reading, Phonics, Alphabet | Muppet Reading Software Reader Rabbit's Interactive Reading Journey 1 Reader Rabbit's Reading Development Library 1 Reader Rabbit's Reading 1 |
| Math & Science | Counting On Frank (A math adventure) Welcome To Bodyland Trudy's Time & Place House MathQuest with Aladdin Magic School Bus Explores Inside The Earth Magic School Bus Explores The Age Of Dinosaurs Treasure Cove James Discovers Math Imagination Express Destination: Ocean Imagination Express Destination: Rain Forest Wide World of Animals |
| Bible | The Story of Creation Daniel & the Lion's Den |
| History & Geography | Crayola First Ladies Costume Maker (lots of cool history!!) Crayola Paper Dolls (tons of cool period dress and educational stuff!) Compton's Interactive World Atlas Travel the World With Timmy |
| Art & others | Crayola Magic 3D Crayola Print Factory Crayola's 3D Castle Maker Crayola's Dazzling Decorations Disney's Magic Artist Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia Disney Activity Centers (Toy Story, 101 Dalmations, & Aladdin) |
| Rayanna's Fun Stuffs | Ray is only just now becoming interested in the computer: Sesame Street Toddlers Deluxe Learning Series Blues Clues Birthday Suprise |
Other Goodies |
We have a huge supply of arts and crafts supplies gathered over the last five or so years which we use often in fun projects and things we make to go along with our studies, nearly always Rayanna can be involved in alot of these activities as well, in her very own special way. Of course an endless supply of paper and crayons, stencils, markers, paints of all types, and dough in many forms and colors.
We also have lots of different writing surfaces to encourage writing letters and numbers such as a dry erase board with neon markers, chalk boards, very neat "goo" boards that are black and when you write on them different colors show up, and of course the ever loved write and wipe mats Grandma bought him.
 | Must Have Supplies |
Things we have found absolutely wonderful and we could not live without include our atlas, pencil sharpener (HA), First Dictionary, First Encyclopedia, Children's Bible, and our child safe sissors and glue. ~wink~