2009-2010 Curriculum Plans

Tis the season...for curriculum planning? Well, not really, but since I tend to use some Christmas money towards this expense, it becomes the time for looking forward to the next year.

Here are my plans for the basics:

Grammar/writing: A blend of Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serl and Shurley English.

Spelling: Spelling Workout

Reading: We will continue with the Rod and Staff Bible Nurture and Reader Series which covers vocabulary acquisition as well as reading comprehension. We will move into level 3 after completing level 2, which we began late this year. I plan to add the Sonlight 2 Scheduled Advanced Readers for independent reading time.

Latin: Lively Latin

Math: We will be continuing with Bob Jones University Math, and move into level 3.

Science: Rod and Staff 3: God's Protected World

Bible: This will also be covered in Rod and Staff Bible Nurture and Reader.

My big question is regarding history. I am having great difficulties deciding what to purchase for next year's history. Here are my options and my thoughts on each.

Sonlight Introduction to World History 2--Pros: Inexpensive. Not generally, but for me this would be the inexpensive route because I already have the spines used--A Child's History of the World by Hilyer and Usborne's Encyclopedia of World History. My sister-in-law has the Instructor's Guide, and I could probably borrow it for the year. I also have a few of the extra books, and would only need to purchase a couple more. Sonlight is laid out in a daily schedule, which is very appealing to me. Also, I love the read-alouds that Sonlight schedules out for the year. I'm already planning to use Sonlight for her independent reading. Cons: I really can't wrap my mind around exactly what history this program studies. I have been least excited about this one, but that could change after I see the material and get a better feel for it.

My Father's World Rome to the Reformation--Pros: Using MFW 1st grade for Bible was the highlight of our 2007-2008 year. It was a great program. So, I will always have a fond view of this company. I like that the history emphasis is clear cut. MFW R2R uses Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World 2 as a spine, and I know many people love her books. I like the way that the author of the MFW curriculum weaves the Bible into all aspects of the curriculum. The Teacher Guide is scheduled on a daily basis, which again appeals to me. The material is very Charlotte Mason inspired. Cons: I do not currently possess any of the required books, so purchasing these books as well as the teacher's guide will be a rather big expense. Also, even if I do choose this route, I will not be using the full curriculum, so I may not be getting my money's worth completely.

Tapestry of Grace--Pros: This is an incredibly rich, full, in-depth history program. It expands out of history to also provide literature study, geography writing and more. This program is a wonderful self-education option. It is complete for all twelve years, in four separate units to be rotated three times. The materials provided are separated into specific age groups, so the same information could be tweaked to be easier for youngers and intensive for olders. Cons: Having tons of material is both a pro and a con for this curriculum. I like it in theory, but in practice it might overwhelm me to have so much choice. Instead of being scheduled daily, it is scheduled weekly which would call for more planning on my part. That is not necessarily a negative, but I'm not certain that it wouldn't be. TOG would be a fantastic option for schooling multiples or if you were certain you would use it for more than one rotation through history. Then there is the cost. This program would be the most expensive of them all. As they say, you get what you pay for. However, I have to really count the cost to see if this option is worth the investment for our family.