The school year saunters along nicely around here, until it's time for curriculum decisions. I thought this would be a once-a-year endeavor, but I'm finding that Sonlight, our curriculum of choice, doesn't include enough books for a full year--especially not a 10.5-month school year. Children and families who don't love to read find there are way too many Sonlight selections, while avid readers find there are far too few.
You buy all the novels and other non-fiction resources and Sonlight provides you with tips and support materials, and a daily schedule of readings. If you follow their schedule you have enough for a school year. But when a child loves a book and wants to continue reading, it goes against everything I believe to say, "No, the schedule says to stop here."
I boss the curriculum...it doesn't boss me. I'm teaching a child, not a program. So Peter, an avid reader, has one and a half books left and it's April. (We school until the first week of August.) Paul, who reads slower and goes ahead less, has four books left, still leaving us with a big gap.
So for three days I've been perusing Homeschool Classifieds and e-Bay, hoping for reasonable deals. Homeschooling, if you do it with multiple children, is expensive. And the more children you're working with, the more you need a complete curriculum that doesn't involve frequent library trips for the books you need. The boys and I use the library to supplement our spine program, such as checking out sequels or more titles from a much-beloved author.
I've always schooled the boys together, adjusting as necessary, and now I've begun schooling the girls together using a K-1 combo kit...the Sing, Spell, Read, Write program. This reading program has been around a long time, receiving outstanding reviews from reading experts over the years. The girls and I love it and the boys enjoy watching the fun.
The phonics song included in this program is more effective than the Leap Frog fridge phonics, though I still recommend that purchase, especially since Sing, Spell, Read, Write is over $200 new, though you might be able to buy the CD of songs and letter place mat separately. My Beth has picked up multiple sounds in just a few weeks, previously knowing only about 5. And she's had a blast with the song!
This program includes reading, phonics, spelling and writing, but must be supplemented with read-aloud literature and more easy readers, which we have on hand. I'm also searching for titles from Honey for a Child's Heart to enrich the girls language and love for books, and I'm looking at history titles from Sonlight for young learners.
Both my boys enjoy teaching and at this point, they teach math to the girls and read aloud to them intermittently, and sometimes lead their phonics games.
Whenever Peter tags along at a church or nursery class with me, he always mentions that maybe he'll be a Children's Pastor someday, because he really likes working with kids. Other times, he just says he'll have as many children as God allows.
He's definitely on to something...his heart going in the direction God's leading.
I hadn't intended on formally schooling Beth at age 4, but she just couldn't stay away as I taught her sister, preferring to sit on my lap and participate instead of entertaining herself elsewhere. It took me awhile, but I caught on eventually to God's plan. He wanted another schooling duo to make my life easier and the children's schooling more fun.
I've found through Sonlight and other resources, 8 books so far to supplement the boys' year of history: 1850's to approx. 1960's. These first six books I'm featuring are from newer Sonlight curriculum lists from the same period, though these books aren't new. We especially love Marguerite de Angeli's novels, so I can't wait to read Thee, Hannah!
I'm taking the time to list these here because they seem like wonderful literature to read together as family, or to give to your children for nighttime or weekend reading. I haven't chosen these to fit a particular grade level, but more for their period content (most fall into a 9-13 age range).
I know the books Sarita, Sonlight's founder, chooses, so I already know you'll love these. Her picks pull on your heartstrings without being sentimental or sappy. They say something profound about the human condition, about childhood and character building, or about God. They're timeless and in a selection of over 40, there are usually only two I don't care for.
Understood Betsy is a book I've been meaning to have the children read for awhile now, and the Corrie ten Boom as well. They happen to match the time periods we're learning about this year.
You can never know enough about literature, I say.
Synopsis: Discover pre-Civil War Quaker life with 9-year-old Hannah and her family. Hannah finds it hard to wear a plain bonnet that pinches her ears and a plain dress with no lace! Will she ever understand the value of plain dress and learn to be content as a Friend? The answer may come when Hannah gets to live out her Quaker heritage and help some runaway slaves. (synopsis found on Sonlight product-page , by clicking on the book)
Synopsis: Life in Sassafras Springs has always been predictable, boring. But that all changes when Eben McAllister's pa challenges him to find Seven Wonders in Sassafras that rival the real Seven Wonders of the World.
Eben doesn't think he'll have any luck, but little does he know that the Wonders he'll discover among his neighbors and family will give him the adventure of a lifetime ... without ever leaving home.
Synopsis: A lighthearted adventure that explores how siblings can learn to work together and play together. Four siblings stumble upon a magic coin one boring summer and discover they get half of whatever they wish for. Between rescuing Sir Lancelot, exploring the Arabian desert, and learning how to love each other, the children are in for one wild ride!
Synopsis: Tells the dramatic story of our nation's struggle with slavery and human rights in the pre-Civil War years. These were the days of Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln and Dred Scott--figures God used to change the course of human history. Watch John Quincy Adams fight for the rights of the rebellious slaves on the Amistad, and see how abolitionist movements gained momentum. Learn about the events that led up to the Civil War, including the Mexican War, the Gold Rush, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the emergence of Abraham Lincoln.
The "Discovering God's Plan for America" series offers a different perspective and covers different key events than most other American history books. A helpful tool for considering views and looking at the same story through different perspectives.
Classic tales of American folk heroes. Adventure alongside Paul Bunyan and his giant ox, that coyote cowboy Pecos Bill, sailing Stormalong, riverman Mike Fink, frontier hero Davy Crockett, the legendary Johnny Appleseed, hammering John Henry, and made-of-steel Joe Magarac.
Synopsis: Corrie ten Boom's ordered life was lost in the insanity of war. With bravery and compassion, her family and countless other Dutch citizens risked everything to extend God's hand to those innocents marked for certain execution in a world gone mad. Corrie ten boom's life of determination, faith, and forgiveness in the face of unimaginable brutality and hardship is a stunning testimony to the sustaining power of God. (publisher synopsis)
Synopsis: A warm and charming portrayal of life in the early 1900s. Sheltered 9-year-old Elizabeth Ann has always heard her Aunt Frances talk about "those horrid Vermont cousins." Now she is terrified. Aunt Frances can no longer take care of her, and she has been sent to stay with her New England relatives. "Betsy" gradually comes to enjoy the challenge of living with her country cousins, and she has a difficult choice to make. A delightful book. (synopsis from good reads)
If you like the idea of homeschooling, or just enriching their childhood and their hearts through literature, you can also peruse other literature-based homeschool companies. I don't have time to include the links, but Tapestry of Grace is out there, offering good wholesome literature that is tamer and lighter than Sonlight's, and Heart of Dakota, and My Father's World. Sonlight makes you think and feel, sometimes outside your comfort zone. The other Christian-based, literature-based companies stay on the safe side, not wanting to offend anyone with the occasional cuss word or premature kiss (though I should say that the majority of Sonlight's are very wholesome). You have to pre-read Sonlight's selections, whereas I doubt it would matter spiritually if you didn't pre-read those from these other companies. It's just that reading all of them enhances your teaching/discussions.
Okay, friends. I wish you a day curled up with a good book, after you finish those breakfast dishes and dress all those babies. And switch that laundry and wipe down that toilet.
And, oh my. Where did the day go?
I started my day with beautiful Psalm 84. Enjoy
1How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
You buy all the novels and other non-fiction resources and Sonlight provides you with tips and support materials, and a daily schedule of readings. If you follow their schedule you have enough for a school year. But when a child loves a book and wants to continue reading, it goes against everything I believe to say, "No, the schedule says to stop here."
I boss the curriculum...it doesn't boss me. I'm teaching a child, not a program. So Peter, an avid reader, has one and a half books left and it's April. (We school until the first week of August.) Paul, who reads slower and goes ahead less, has four books left, still leaving us with a big gap.
So for three days I've been perusing Homeschool Classifieds and e-Bay, hoping for reasonable deals. Homeschooling, if you do it with multiple children, is expensive. And the more children you're working with, the more you need a complete curriculum that doesn't involve frequent library trips for the books you need. The boys and I use the library to supplement our spine program, such as checking out sequels or more titles from a much-beloved author.
I've always schooled the boys together, adjusting as necessary, and now I've begun schooling the girls together using a K-1 combo kit...the Sing, Spell, Read, Write program. This reading program has been around a long time, receiving outstanding reviews from reading experts over the years. The girls and I love it and the boys enjoy watching the fun.
The phonics song included in this program is more effective than the Leap Frog fridge phonics, though I still recommend that purchase, especially since Sing, Spell, Read, Write is over $200 new, though you might be able to buy the CD of songs and letter place mat separately. My Beth has picked up multiple sounds in just a few weeks, previously knowing only about 5. And she's had a blast with the song!
This program includes reading, phonics, spelling and writing, but must be supplemented with read-aloud literature and more easy readers, which we have on hand. I'm also searching for titles from Honey for a Child's Heart to enrich the girls language and love for books, and I'm looking at history titles from Sonlight for young learners.
Both my boys enjoy teaching and at this point, they teach math to the girls and read aloud to them intermittently, and sometimes lead their phonics games.
Whenever Peter tags along at a church or nursery class with me, he always mentions that maybe he'll be a Children's Pastor someday, because he really likes working with kids. Other times, he just says he'll have as many children as God allows.
He's definitely on to something...his heart going in the direction God's leading.
I hadn't intended on formally schooling Beth at age 4, but she just couldn't stay away as I taught her sister, preferring to sit on my lap and participate instead of entertaining herself elsewhere. It took me awhile, but I caught on eventually to God's plan. He wanted another schooling duo to make my life easier and the children's schooling more fun.
I've found through Sonlight and other resources, 8 books so far to supplement the boys' year of history: 1850's to approx. 1960's. These first six books I'm featuring are from newer Sonlight curriculum lists from the same period, though these books aren't new. We especially love Marguerite de Angeli's novels, so I can't wait to read Thee, Hannah!
I'm taking the time to list these here because they seem like wonderful literature to read together as family, or to give to your children for nighttime or weekend reading. I haven't chosen these to fit a particular grade level, but more for their period content (most fall into a 9-13 age range).
I know the books Sarita, Sonlight's founder, chooses, so I already know you'll love these. Her picks pull on your heartstrings without being sentimental or sappy. They say something profound about the human condition, about childhood and character building, or about God. They're timeless and in a selection of over 40, there are usually only two I don't care for.
Understood Betsy is a book I've been meaning to have the children read for awhile now, and the Corrie ten Boom as well. They happen to match the time periods we're learning about this year.
You can never know enough about literature, I say.
Synopsis: Discover pre-Civil War Quaker life with 9-year-old Hannah and her family. Hannah finds it hard to wear a plain bonnet that pinches her ears and a plain dress with no lace! Will she ever understand the value of plain dress and learn to be content as a Friend? The answer may come when Hannah gets to live out her Quaker heritage and help some runaway slaves. (synopsis found on Sonlight product-page , by clicking on the book)
Synopsis: Life in Sassafras Springs has always been predictable, boring. But that all changes when Eben McAllister's pa challenges him to find Seven Wonders in Sassafras that rival the real Seven Wonders of the World.
Eben doesn't think he'll have any luck, but little does he know that the Wonders he'll discover among his neighbors and family will give him the adventure of a lifetime ... without ever leaving home.
Synopsis: Quiet, 9-year-old Gregory is searching
modern London with his precocious sister Janet in tow. His quest? To
find a Ukrainian icon of the Madonna and Child for Marta, the family's
hired help from Polish Ukraine.
Instead of retreating into his usual silence, each difficulty helps Gregory draw from the well of faith and resourcefulness within him. Master storyteller Rumer Godden brings to life a portrait of a lonely boy discovering the creative power of love.
Instead of retreating into his usual silence, each difficulty helps Gregory draw from the well of faith and resourcefulness within him. Master storyteller Rumer Godden brings to life a portrait of a lonely boy discovering the creative power of love.
Synopsis: A lighthearted adventure that explores how siblings can learn to work together and play together. Four siblings stumble upon a magic coin one boring summer and discover they get half of whatever they wish for. Between rescuing Sir Lancelot, exploring the Arabian desert, and learning how to love each other, the children are in for one wild ride!
Synopsis: Tells the dramatic story of our nation's struggle with slavery and human rights in the pre-Civil War years. These were the days of Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln and Dred Scott--figures God used to change the course of human history. Watch John Quincy Adams fight for the rights of the rebellious slaves on the Amistad, and see how abolitionist movements gained momentum. Learn about the events that led up to the Civil War, including the Mexican War, the Gold Rush, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the emergence of Abraham Lincoln.
The "Discovering God's Plan for America" series offers a different perspective and covers different key events than most other American history books. A helpful tool for considering views and looking at the same story through different perspectives.
Classic tales of American folk heroes. Adventure alongside Paul Bunyan and his giant ox, that coyote cowboy Pecos Bill, sailing Stormalong, riverman Mike Fink, frontier hero Davy Crockett, the legendary Johnny Appleseed, hammering John Henry, and made-of-steel Joe Magarac.
Synopsis: Corrie ten Boom's ordered life was lost in the insanity of war. With bravery and compassion, her family and countless other Dutch citizens risked everything to extend God's hand to those innocents marked for certain execution in a world gone mad. Corrie ten boom's life of determination, faith, and forgiveness in the face of unimaginable brutality and hardship is a stunning testimony to the sustaining power of God. (publisher synopsis)
Synopsis: A warm and charming portrayal of life in the early 1900s. Sheltered 9-year-old Elizabeth Ann has always heard her Aunt Frances talk about "those horrid Vermont cousins." Now she is terrified. Aunt Frances can no longer take care of her, and she has been sent to stay with her New England relatives. "Betsy" gradually comes to enjoy the challenge of living with her country cousins, and she has a difficult choice to make. A delightful book. (synopsis from good reads)
If you like the idea of homeschooling, or just enriching their childhood and their hearts through literature, you can also peruse other literature-based homeschool companies. I don't have time to include the links, but Tapestry of Grace is out there, offering good wholesome literature that is tamer and lighter than Sonlight's, and Heart of Dakota, and My Father's World. Sonlight makes you think and feel, sometimes outside your comfort zone. The other Christian-based, literature-based companies stay on the safe side, not wanting to offend anyone with the occasional cuss word or premature kiss (though I should say that the majority of Sonlight's are very wholesome). You have to pre-read Sonlight's selections, whereas I doubt it would matter spiritually if you didn't pre-read those from these other companies. It's just that reading all of them enhances your teaching/discussions.
Okay, friends. I wish you a day curled up with a good book, after you finish those breakfast dishes and dress all those babies. And switch that laundry and wipe down that toilet.
And, oh my. Where did the day go?
I started my day with beautiful Psalm 84. Enjoy
1How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
10 comments:
OH there are so many wonderful resources here. thank you!!! I have to say as our school year draws to a close I get caught up on just finishing and lack pursuing great quality learning. Jimmy being in high school has really change our days that now it seems so much about getting finished instead of enjoying learning. Reading is such a gift and a wonderful way to learn any subject we need to do more! Kelly's Korner is having a link up on this Friday I believe for favorite books, you should link one or more of your excellent post on book!!! I know other mommies would be so blessed by your resourcefulness. DO you mind telling my what that book about pushy girls is called again? I wanted to order that today. Also you really should add an Amazon button because if anyone wants to buy a book you recommended then you get a % of the money if they click from your blog! Hope you are feeling better!!!
Hi Tesha. Hope you had a blessed Easter! That book is called Aggressive Girls, Clueless Boys by Dennis Rainey.
Have a great day!
This is a small blog, less than 85 readers...too small for an Amazon button. And I couldn't make money off my friends. Just not my thing.
If I ever write a book and they force me onto Facebook and Twitter and blog buttons, I'd hate it. But I do want to write a book someday...
You would be a wonderful author and You need a quote book as well!;) I have the same thing about making money off people I don't think I would ever use my blog for advertisement, just not my thing. However really you are doing a service by recommending top quality books and taking the time to tell what they are about or review them. It coast the reader no more than buying the book on Amazon anyway. Hopefully I will be buying your book there someday:) Thanks for reminding me of the name and author of that book!
We did Sonlight Science K this year and I can't wait to jump into Core B for history, Bible, geography, etc. next year. I was hesitant to do a core because their LA doesn't work for us, but now I am confident in my LA choices and will just keep on with what we are doing in that area. I have also been spending time on homeschool classifieds! I am so thankful for used resources. :)
Hi Terri, we use Sonlight's Science too. Love it! Husband does it with them but they read the books independently. He does the hands-on part with them.
We use Sonlight's dictation suggestions but we use something else for spelling and writing. (Write Source materials for writing, and Avco Sequential spelling.)
Try the dictation Sonlight suggests when he's ready. At first it may not seem beneficial, but soon you'll see tangible results. They pick especially well-written passages and passages with complicated punctuation. It really helps the kids...more so than boring worksheets that don't usually transfer skills to the kids' writing.
Have a great day and good to hear from you!
We do dictation already...it is included both in All About Spelling and in First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind. I can definitely see what it is doing for him!
Hi Terri,
Thank you for the tip. I perused the Well-Trained Mind website and looked into their writing and language items. I am intrigued because it seems to go along with Charlotte Mason and Ruth Beechick philosophies...except for Jessie's ideas about teaching babies the alphabet! Charlotte thought young children should explore and not be saddled down with formal learning, but I get that Jessie is not talking about a great deal of time spent per day.
I am not thrilled about the great emphasis on diagramming sentences in the middle years, but I am picking up an unused copy of first language lessons and writing with ease workbook level 2.
It seems that everyone who is selling these bought them and didn't use them. That could be a red flag but for $28 total I am going to check it out. I do think Susan Bauer is on to something when she says our college students can't write and traditional methods used in schools are the problem. Reading good literature is most of the battle and just ensuring that is doing right by a student. There is a lot of twaddle going around the schools for sure.
We are still in the very first level of Language Lessons, and I love how simple and thorough it is, without being just a workbook. Right now he is illustrating a couplet of a poem that he copied from the book. Tomorrow we will study the couplet for its use of adjectives. I haven't looked at writing with ease since Gabe is only six. I will be interested to hear your thoughts after you try it out!
Twaddle, indeed. Someone said the other day that the Twilight series is on the recommended reading list at their middle school. Lord help us all.
I will surely let you know about the level 2 writing.
I like the Write Source book we're using because it takes the child, using samples of other kids' writing, through the various writing traits. Then the student completes a similar assignment, using the same steps. The boys are really starting to understand "voice" now and are trying to make their writing more exciting. They are also writing better topic sentences.
They don't sell the Write Source materials to homeschoolers. You can only get them used through Amazon or Homeschool Classifieds. Did your school district use them at all for upper elementary?
I will try to fit the "writing with ease" book in without over schooling them. The first language lessons as well for the girls, without overwhelming them. The reading takes an hour and the math 20 minutes, but they get a lot of breaks. Their attention spans are growing though so I think I can do it.
Have a great day! How old is your toddler now?
We used a language arts curriculum called Four Blocks when I was teaching, so I am not familiar with Write Source.
I think you will find First Language Lessons to be really easy with your girls at first. Keep in mind, of course, that it is intended to be a first and second grade curriculum. The lessons at the beginning only took us five minutes or so to do together. We are in the second half of the book or "Second Grade" now.
My todder is two-and-a-half. How time flies...
Post a Comment