A 12th Grade Homeschool Plan

 This is Bee's final year of homeschooling.  We are focusing on his strengths and unique gifts and emphasizing learning and personal development.  We are encouraging him to get more life experience next year and consider college at a later time.  

Math:  For the first time, we are trying out Teaching Textbooks.  Bee is in Precalculus, and his dad can help him with any questions.  

English:  Bee (and his brother) are taking a Shakespeare class through Outschool this semester, and we are watching a play as a family each week.  He is also taking a writing class and a general humanities class.  We are working through a Glencoe grammar workbook.  

Spanish:  Private lessons twice a week through Homeschool Spanish Academy, emphasizing listening and speaking skills, at our request.   

Science:  Bee will take a review course through Outschool on Chemistry, a subject he started in public school.  I'm looking into physics options for the spring.  

Social Studies:  Bee has a lot of history credits already.  We plan to do US History with an emphasis on the western US.  This will incorporate a family road trip that we plan to take.  He will also have a weekly art history course, which I'm not sure how to incorporate as a credit but it's a great thing to take.  

PE:  Taekwondo classes.  

The Arts:  Planning to sign him up for guitar lessons.  

Kiwi Crate Reviewed: Our First Month

 I decided to use Kiwi Crate as part of Dot's science program.   [Dot is a 6-year-old kindergartener.] The idea was that it would provide a good hands-on experience each month.  My goal with elementary science is to provide interesting books and experiences that support a love for learning about the world.  

The first month's kit went really well.  The materials were good quality, and Dot and I managed to follow the instructions and put together a claw toy grabber.  I often have very poor success with "science" kits, so this was great!  There was a lot of optional art and decorating included, which appealed to Dot.  I will say that it was fairly parent-intensive, at Dot's age and ability level.  But Dot was able to do most of it with my guidance (except for the optional box cutting).  

I am happy and looking forward to next month's kit.  

A Kindergarten Plan (by a Long-Time Homeschooler)

Dot is 6 with a late spring birthday and entering homeschool kindergarten.   She is probably going to be doing the level of work that my parents would have done in first grade.  She is my third child, and any reading, writing, or math we have done has been FUN, never pushed.  I feel very confident about our approach.  I have selected things that work and that we can actually get done and that are foundational for skills she will use all her life, such as a phonetic approach to reading and a conceptual approach to math.   Reading aloud is the best way to build vocabulary.  

Also, LESS IS MORE with little kids and academics.  A consistent approach of short, quality, developmentally appropriate lessons is ideal.  

• Reading:  
• We are finishing up All About Reading pre-reading and then plan to switch to Level 1.  As we went through the pre-reading program, I watched her develop the skills needed to read.  The program helped in this process, but a lot of it was just her brain developing readiness.  
• Lots of being read to--the foundation for every child under the age of 9-10 or so!  My husband or I read chapter books to her every night.  We will also have a reading time during the day with 10+ books picked out for month.  
• She is taking a weekly kindergarten class where they use Five in a Row and read a book every week.  
• She is taking a weekly storybook club class.  
• Writing:  She will be taking a weekly handwriting course at a local co-op!  Hurray!  Mommy doesn't like teaching handwriting.  
• Math:  Schiller Math modified by me to include activities learned in a Montessori classroom.  
• Science:  She will be getting some science 2 days a week at her co-ops (science in her kindergarten class plus a nature club at her other co-op).  We will also read science books (5 or so a month) and will try out a Kiwicrate subscription.  
• Social Studies:  Field trips to national parks coming up this fall!  She will be taking a geography club class once a week, and we will read books (5 or so each month) on social studies (geography or history).  
• Spanish:  weekly 25-minute classes through Homeschool Spanish Academy and at-home instruction.  It appears she will require Skittles as a reward for the class.
• PE:  outdoor play, homeschool soccer and running, and hopefully gymnastics
• Arts:  She is signed up for an art class at one co-op.  I would love to find something musical for her to do as well.   

I think this is a simple, do-able program that has all that is needed for kindergarten.  If the co-op classes were not available, I would simply add more read-alouds and attempt a handwriting program.  Notice that there is basically NO lesson planning prep for me other than picking out books to read to her each month.  No grading because it's kind of silly for kindergarten anyway.