2011-2012 Curriculum

We’re returning this year to more of the Charlotte Mason style of schooling that has worked so well for us in the past. My plan is based on Ambleside Online‘s Year 5 free online homeschool curriculum, with my own tweaks, additions, and subtractions.

ARTS:
Art and Art Appreciation
– Work on drawing skills in nature journal, plus art/painting projects.
– Multi-media art enrichment class (1st semester only)

Music Appreciation/Composer Study
– Homeschool in the Woods
lapbook projects

Piano – weekly lessons (I hope; still trying to work out details.)

BIBLE:
– Scripture memorization
– Character studies using Beautiful Girlhood
– Lamp & Quill
daily Bible study

SOCIAL STUDIES:
History 1800-1914 up to WWI
– This Country of Ours
by H.E. Marshall
– Abraham Lincoln’s World
by Genevieve Foster
– Story of the World Volume 4: Modern Age
by Susan Wise Bauer

Additional enrichment class: “American Girl” Addy (Civil War time period)

History Biographies
– Of Courage Undaunted: Across the Continent with Lewis and Clark
by James Daugherty
– Teddy Roosevelt: An American Original
by Janet & Geoff Benge
– The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt
by Cheryl Harness

Timeline Book Homeschool in the Woods

Geography
– Kids Learn America
and state maps from Homeschool in the Woods
A Child’s Geography: Explore His Earth by Ann VosKamp

Current EventsGod’s World News

SCIENCE:
Nature Study
– The Handbook of Nature Study
by Anna Botsford Comstock

Science Biographies
– Story of Inventions

– Inventor, Scientist, and Teacher: Isaac Newton
by John Hudson Tiner
– Always Inventing (Alexander Graham Bell)
by Tom Matthews
– The Ground-breaking, Chance-Taking Life of George Washington Carver
by Cheryl Harness
– George Washington Carver: From Slave to Scientist
by Janet and Geoff Benge

Life Skills – house and garden work, crafts, sewing, cooking, first aid, manners and etiquette

MATHEMATICS:
– Teaching Textbooks – Grade 5

LANGUAGE ARTS:
Spelling & Vocabulary Wordly Wise 3000 Grade 5

Copywork or Dictation – from poems/verses we’re studying

Composition/Writing/Grammar
– Oral narration; begin occasional written narrations
– Language Lessons for the Elementary Child
by Sandi Queen
– Typing Instruction for Kids
(computer program)
Daily Paragraph Editing – Grade 5

Poetry
– miscellaneous poets, as interested

Literature
– King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
by Roger Lancelyn Green
– Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens
– Kim
by Rudyard Kipling

Shakespeare – (Lamb’s versions)
– Midsummer Night’s Dream

– The Tempest
– Two Gentlemen of Verona
– Much Ado About Nothing
– Merchant of Venice

– Romeo and Juliet

** Most of the books above can be found on my Homeschool Curriculum booklist (contains Amazon affiliate links).

23 responses to “2011-2012 Curriculum”

  1. Theresa Avatar
    Theresa

    Wow! Looks great!!

    Can you tell me more about the American Girl enrichment class? I am a part-time children’s librarian and part of my job is programming and this is something we did in the past, then I gave up and now am looking at doing an AG program again. Thanks!

  2. Shawntele Avatar
    Shawntele

    Sounds like it will be a fun year! I am just starting our school planning now…

  3. Sally {with eager hands} Avatar

    Jamie, I’m smiling, because my list for my 10 year old is the same, or nearly! We are (mostly) using AO 5 for her, and then AO 2 for my 7 year old. And, it comes as no surprise, that the moment my eyes hit the new-to-me title, Lamp&Quill, I had it Googled 🙂
    Thank you for sharing!

  4. Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers Avatar

    Sounds like a great, literature-rich year. I love enjoying great books with my kids.

  5. Jeanne Avatar

    I’m so glad you’re heading back to AO. We’re only a term behind you, so I’ll be watching with interest to see what works and what doesn’t.

  6. Jen Avatar

    Looks like a great year for you and your daughter!

  7. Sally {with eager hands} Avatar

    ….and here I am again! Sigh……i love ambleside! I look forward to our children moving through Year 5 “together!” Enjoy the HOTM hop!

  8. Stef - Layton Family Joy Avatar

    Art Appreciation – what a fun idea!!

  9. Angie @ Many Little Blessings Avatar

    Life Skills! I totally need to work on life skills. We’ve been trying to push them more on that. Thanks for the reminder to keep working on it.

    Love your list — it looks like a fabulous year!

  10. Jamie :) Avatar

    Loved reading your Curriculum choices for the upcoming year. I was scrolling through the “Not” Back To School Blog Hop and noticed your button. I “pinned” it on Pinterest about a week ago! 🙂 I grabbed your button too, had to share on my wall since it was so neat…..and I <3 your name 😉 Newest follower via email. Love your blog!

  11. Mary Avatar

    I love your Shakespeare-rich curriculum. We draw a lot of things from Ambleside Online and those things always seem to be my children’s favorites.

    Enjoy your year!

  12. Alicia Avatar

    I love AO – what an amazing resource for a Charlotte Mason style homeschool!! We really like “Homeschool in the Woods” timelines!

    Praying for a wonderful homeschool year for you!!

  13. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    I have looked over the AO program and considered it for this year. I wasn’t sure if I was confident enough to not do a boxed program! It’s great to see others have been successful at it!

  14. Tristan Avatar

    Love CM inspired learning! It looks like a wonderful year of adventures – we did the Civil War last year and had tons of fun.

  15. MissMOE Avatar

    Looks like a great year, Jamie!

  16. Eclectic Education Avatar
    Eclectic Education

    Sounds like it’s going to be a great year! Good luck.

    ~Lynn

  17. Kim Avatar

    I hope y’all have a wonderful year!! It sounds delightful!

    I have a question for you…..did you pick Year 5 based on age/grade or based on the historical time period you wanted to study—-or for some other reason? 🙂 I’m asking because I am an AO wannabe at some point in the future (have used parts in the past, and I just can’t decide “when” to use it fully)……thanks for any insight you might share!

  18. Jamie Avatar

    Kim,
    Good question! AO is not based on grade; it depends much more on what they have done in regards to the other years of AO. Since we have previously done Years 1 & 2, and incorporated many of the other books into our non-Ambleside years, I knew I would do either Year 4 or 5. Then it was a matter of getting down to specifics of what each year covered, and I decided Year 5 was a better fit for us.

    If you scroll about halfway down on this page they have a more detailed explanation on how to choose a year/level for your child: Ambleside FAQ

    I hope that helps!

  19. Jamie Avatar

    Thanks! We Jamies have to stick together. 🙂

  20. Kim Avatar

    Yes, thank you, Jamie!

  21. Sharla Avatar

    Sounds like a year full of rich learning opportunities. We love Story of the World and many of the Ambleside resources as well. Wishing you a fantastic year!

  22. Kristin Avatar

    Sounds like a great year! My favorite part of homeschooler’s yearly plans is the literature–I love reading those lists! 🙂 Happy reading… ~K

  23. Kerry Avatar

    Thanks for sharing your curriculum and going back to Charlotte Mason. Although our youngest graduated last year, I started reading For The Children’s Sake this weekend. I love that book. I’m sharing it with many young moms trying to decide on education for their kids.