Advice on Curriculum

I run a small neighborhood homeschool in my home. After many years of experimenting with science curriculums we finally found a way that the students love! First I divide my school year up into semesters or months however you like it. Then, you choose some fun science subjects,things you or your children are REALLY interested in. Things like animals, planets,insects, plants, energy, machines, magnets etc...Then take one subject per month(or semester depending on the detail you want to go into) and get fun books at the library, printouts online, hands on experiments etc... spend time going over your science theme and intregrate your teaching all the time throughout the day.Expample: if you chose ocean life you would pin posters of sea animals all around the room,read books from the library,color ocean animals,sea corrals etc,make ocean cratfts,write about sea creatures when you are writing sentences, and visit a local aquarium for a hands on experience!! We have been doing science like this for a couple years now and it seems to work so much better. Anyway, I hope that made sense. Good luck and remember if you are bored.. your children were bored a long time ago!

lds family resources has good curriculum.

Why not try a secular text? You are the teacher, you set the curriculum & if you want to add a Christian flavor, if you will, to the secular text, do so! Keep the creation story portion of science with your beliefs, but find a secular text you like for subject matter.

I like the literature idea. I guess I do that anyway. For "official" schooling, we use Bob Jones videos. www.bjupress.com My boys love the classes! My daughter (16 months) even watches them. My 3 yo does school with the 2nd grader all the time and loves it. Of course, I don't require anything, he just thinks it's fun to be with his big brother. Isn't homeschooling fun?!

We have used The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer for history and found that it is wonderful when you are teaching different ages! We got the supplemental book for coordinating activity ideas also, and they were super easy to adapt for different ages (we had K, 1, 2, and 3 when we started). As for Science, we didn't use a set curriculum, just kind of unschooled that area....we picked something we were interested in learning more about for a week, two weeks, month-whatever fit the subject matter best-and then just dove in with activities, experiments, field trips, and whatever subject appropriate material we could get our hands on.

Hi A.,
Have you considered a literature-based curriculum? We have used Sonlight for the last 2 years and are going into our 3rd year in January. I also have a 2nd and K'r and they do WONDERFULLY together! Literature-based is reading stories about the things you're teaching, not learning a bunch of facts in a textbook. Soooooo much fun! My kids love it! And so do I! I feel like I'm learning it for the first time myself! www.sonlight.com (referral code: BM20216790)

Here's another place I've found for homeschool resources. The company is a family-owned (not my family) one, and they sell all sorts of homeschooling materials.

http://www.lovetolearn.net/

I would go to your public library to find colorful and interesting books for them that are on the subjects that you are trying to teach them. Plus, I would say to teach them both the same things in science and history. You will be surprised how much easier it is and how much the younger one will learn and understand. Just make it a little easier for the younger one.

In addition to Sonlight Curriculum,another popular Christian literature based program is Tapestry of Grace http://www.tapestryofgrace.com.

Go to the library and ask for help finding picture books on these subjects. There's lots of book that you can read to get them thinking about the world around them.

As a former Early Childhood Educator, I can tell you that a specific history curriculum isn't really great for primary grades. They can learn basics, like the Pilgrims, Columbus, and state history (in Utah we talk about the Pioneers coming across the plains) but don't expect them to grasp any of the finer details. They need to focus more on the world around them as it is now. Social studies at this age focuses on getting along with others, with making good choices, understanding feelings, etc.
For science, the big task for them should be to gain a love and understanding of the scientific method (although you don't teach it formally). Basically, make an observation, ask questions, try to find answers (can include experimentation), come up with an idea of why/how. They can learn basics like plants vs animals, life cycle of a butterfly, what the different kind of animals are - mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird, fish - and weahter and water cycle (those are some of the things we did in Kindergarten). For 2nd grade, it would be more details of these ideas, and I remember we did rocks (the different types) and insects (again different types). They will learn best by experiencing things. Go on nature walks often, in all weathers. When its cold, bundle up and watch how you can see your breath and how frost forms. Catch snow on a piece of black paper and look at the flakes. Watch the trees change with the seasons and draw them each season. Scoop the seeds out of pumpkins and talk about all the stuff that comes out. Look for bugs in the dirt. Those kind of activities will get kids interested in science, and later on they can start learning the details.
Also, look up Kitchen Science (try googling it). There's tons of 'expirements' you can do at home, like baking powder & vinegar. Be ready for a bit of a mess, but watch your kids eyes light up as they experience these amazing wonders.

We use The Four Year Plan with the T.J. Ed. idea. You can find The Four Year Plan at http://www.kindredlearning.com/ and information about T.J. Ed. at http://www.tjed.org/. We have had great success with our children by using these two together. Our children are quite far apart in years but we find it to be easy to educate them all with The Four Year Plan and T.J. Ed.

Hi A.,

My husband is military, I have 3 kiddos (1,3, and 6; although not all girls) and I am homeschooling as well...lots in common. I would look into Winter Promise and Sonlight curriculum, both are fully of great literature. I used Sonlight for preschool with my 6 year old. This year we are "Galloping the Globe" and studying a country from each continent, about 1 per month. I decided to do this for this year as I plan to put my older two on the same core curriculum next year so I needed a bridge year so we wouldn't out pace my younger one. Plus we have had a ton of fun learning about other cultures, trying new foods, and doing art projects! My plan is to use Winter Promise History Hideaways next year. Not that you need to know my plan, but I always love hearing what others are doing. You could certainly have all three of your girls on the same core, they are so close in age and I am sure they would love to learn together. Just give the older one higher level projects as you see fit. I include my 1 and 3 year old in everything we do, but at times they walk away to play or they have toys they get interested in. I hope this helps...