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 Events – God’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).
Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »
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!
Sounds like it will be a fun year! I am just starting our school planning now…
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!
Sounds like a great, literature-rich year. I love enjoying great books with my kids.
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.
Looks like a great year for you and your daughter!
Art Appreciation – what a fun idea!!
….and here I am again! Sigh……i love ambleside! I look forward to our children moving through Year 5 “together!” Enjoy the HOTM hop!
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!
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!
Thanks! We Jamies have to stick together. 🙂
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!
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!!
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!
Love CM inspired learning! It looks like a wonderful year of adventures – we did the Civil War last year and had tons of fun.
Looks like a great year, Jamie!
Sounds like it’s going to be a great year! Good luck.
~Lynn
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!
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… Read more »
Yes, thank you, Jamie!
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!
Sounds like a great year! My favorite part of homeschooler’s yearly plans is the literature–I love reading those lists! 🙂 Happy reading… ~K
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.