Our Course of Study for 2011-2012

Calvin's not the only one who's been jumping for joy around here.

I am so excited to announce that Monk (12), Twinkle Toes (10), and I will be studying Sonlight Core F Eastern Hemisphere this year!  The Lord has been preparing our hearts for this course since we began praying through Operation World back in January.  We've become so much more sensitive to the church around the world as we've begun praying for believers in every nation.  We're on schedule to finish Operation World in May (taking 17 months instead of 12 months).  For those of you who don't know, Sonlight's Core F is a study of the countries and cultures of the Eastern Hemisphere where most of the world's unreached (with the gospel, that is) people live.

Measle Bug (8) and I will study Sonlight Core B World History Part 1 together.  This will be my first year to attempt two cores.  I would love some advice from any of you multi-core veterans! 

We'll begin each morning in the Bible together and we'll also study science (human anatomy, physiology, and medicine) all together this year.  I'll read history and literature with the kids daily from their respective Cores.


Monk's 7th grade course of study also includes:

Bible-  Remembering God's Awesome Acts (Sonlight's Core F Bible program), C.B.S. Hebrews and Deuteronomy, and a bi-weekly study with his dad and other men of the church on various topics, Sonlight's Scripture memory schedule, and Truth and Grace book memorization including the Westminster shorter catechism.  I know this seems like a lot of Bible, but we really want to emphasize training in the Scriptures with our kids.  When I ask myself what my son's course of study would look like if I knew he had one year to live, it would be heavy in the Word of God and light in other subjects.  As far as I know he has more than a year to live, so he will have to continue with Algebra and Grammar this year, but I'm always reminding myself those subjects are secondary.

Math- Teaching Textbooks Algebra II  (Monk is our resident math whiz, well besides me :)

LA- Sonlight's Writing program in LA F, Sequential Spelling, Wordly Wise 7, Keys to Good Language 5

Greek- Hey Andrew... book 4  (Anyone else going through these books?  I'm wondering if our progress is too slow?)

Computer Science- Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python 2nd edition by Al Sweigart  (We're trying to channel Monk's video game interests into a marketable skill.)

Mandarin- various resources-  Because when I first told my husband we were going to learn Mandarin he made some comment like, "Seriously?  Sheesh, I'm glad you're not my mom," I've been taking a fun, easy approach.  That may change as we get into the school year.  And for the record, my husband recently recanted.  He said his life would sure be a lot easier if he'd learned Greek as a kid.  He said he wished his mom had made him learn all sorts of stuff she didn't.  Anyway, I think learning Mandarin is fun.  Lots more fun than watching Star Trek, but maybe that's just me.

Music- piano  (I asked Monk recently if he would like to switch to the guitar.  He said maybe after he's mastered the piano.)

Typing- Mavis Beacon  (He's at 23 wpm and I'd like to see him get to 60 or so.)

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Twinkle Toes 5th grade course of study also includes:

Bible- Remembering God's Awesome Acts (Sonlight's Core F Bible program), C.B.S. Hebrews and Deuteronomy, and a bi-weekly Bible study in our home with me and other women of the church on various topics, Sonlight's Scripture memory schedule and Truth and Grace Bible and catechism memorization.

Math- Second half of Saxon 6/5 then first half of Saxon 7/6  (We left Saxon last year only to come running back mid-year.)

LA- Sonlight's Writing program in LA F, A Reason for Handwriting D, Sequential Spelling, Wordly Wise 5, Keys to Good Language 5

Greek- Hey Andrew... book 4

Mandarin- various resources

Music- piano

Typing- Mavis Beacon

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Measle's 3rd Grade course of study also includes:

Bible- C.B.S. Hebrews and Deuteronomy, Sonlight's Bible memorization schedule for Core B, Leading Little Ones to God (included in Sonlight's Core B Bible program), Scripture and catechism memory work from TAG books.

Math- Saxon 3, Times Tales, Multiplication flashcards, Singapore 3A and 3B workbooks.  (I'm not purchasing anything new for Measle's math this year.  These are all bits and pieces I have from previous years.)

LA- Sonlight's LA (for 3rd grade readers) including copy work and writing, Wordly Wise B, MCP Phonics C, A Reason for Handwriting T (both printing and cursive)

Greek- Hey Andrew... book 2 (She's moving quickly.  I made the mistake of starting Measle in Greek in the first grade and expecting her to do it independently.  She made it through book 3, but needed LOTS of help from me.  So, toward the end of last year I started her over again in book 1 and she's progressing rapidly on her own.  Note to self:  Don't start your kids in Greek til 3rd grade, if you expect them to do it on their own!)

Mandarin- various resources

Music- Violin  (My mom took Measle to a summer Suzuki music institute and she's really turned a corner in her violin playing.  She was the only one of our kids to earn an O for outstanding at the Greater Southwest Music festival.  As soon as my mom gets her digital recorder working, I'll add some of Measle's music to my playlist.)

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Prince (5) will go to Kindergarten this year, as all of his older siblings have gone before him.  Our local elementary school still has half-day Kindergarten and we've had great experiences with the teachers thus far.  Remember that book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten?  Well, let's just say that I could NOT have written that book.  He will join Measle in Sonlight Core C next year for his 1st grade and her 4th grade year.  (I love that they can do the same Core with different readers!)  Prince and I will continue reading through his Five in a Row books whenever time permits.  I bet he'll be the only Kindergartener in his class who can locate Sri Lanka on a world map!  And his Nana says he gets to start violin in January!  (And his mommy says he "gets" to start swim team in the Spring!)  What a busy boy he will be!

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Queen (2) even has her own "curriculum" for the 2011-2012 academic year.  She will be learning her letters and learning to serve compliments of Heavenly Homemakers.  I'm so excited about this and can't wait to involve the whole family in some "letter-themed" service projects.  Hopefully this will not only be fun, but provide the accountability I so desperately need during this busy phase of life!  When Measle and Twinkle Toes looked over the Learn your Letters and Learn to Serve book and recipes the other day, they asked if we could go ahead and start early!  Queen will also attend a local Christian pre-school two mornings a week, and of course go to Community Bible Study with us each week.


How's your course of study shaping up?