No really, what are we doing? I’m combining these grades for this post this year because so much of what I’m using is just different levels of the same thing. I still need to put together my pacing guides. I need to finalize things… it’s a mess, but a somewhat oraganized mess? Part of it is that I decided to change up some things last minute and add some other things in.

English Langauge Arts

I decided to use Logic of English Essentials with all 3. The 3rd and 4th graders will be starting at level A, and the 6th grader will start with level C. They’re all very solid – advanced even – readers. All 3, however, need some additional help with spelling. While I love Spelling Workout, I feel like this will add a layer that was missing since all 3 of them took off with reading so quickly that we wound up scrapping All About Reading for phonics. (I didn’t even use it for the hyperlexic 4th grader).

I’ll also be using Hearth and Story with the 4th and 6th graders this year. Like with everything, I will use what works and scrap what doesn’t. We’re also using Mosdos Press Literature for all 3 (Opal, Ruby, and Coral – we started this late last year so we’ll move into Pearl once Coral is finished). And I added in Voyages in English at the end of last year, so we’ll be working through that. For additional literature selections, we’ll be choosing books from Torchlight, Build Your Library, and Blossom & Root as well as Brave Writer.

I wish I could just choose one thing and open and go with it, but that’s not how I roll.

Mathematics

We’re continuing with Singapore Math – but I changed from US Standards Edition, which I’d used for my oldest, to Primary Standards Edition. I just like how it’s put together a lot more. I’m also adding in tests, as my 6th grader appeared to understand things that she did not (according to her IXL scores) so that I know that the math is sticking as we move along. Our goal for her is to finish through 6B and then go straight into algebra from there. The 4th grader’s goal is to finish 4B by the end of the year and the 3rd grader’s is to finish 3B.

World Languages

We’re still using Duolingo for modern languages, but we’re also using Japanese From Zero for the 4th grader, Mosaik 1 (at least the first half) for the 6th grader for German, and Russian in 10 Minutes a Day for the 3rd grader – who has QUITE the Duolingo streak for practicing Russian.

We’re doing Latin as well, and the 3rd grader is joining in with Introduction to Grammar School Latin. I’ll be combining that for her and the 4th grader since last year we didn’t get to it. The 6th grader will finish the last bit of Grammar School Latin and then probably start Oxford Latin Course 1 since I already have that one. I’ve thought about Henle, but I think Oxford will be a much better fit.

Critical Thinking

We’ll be using books from Critical Thinking Company’s grade packs this year to enrich our various subjects. The 6th grader will also be learning more casual informal logic this year, finishing up the Basics of Critical Thinking and going over logical fallacies then move into Critical Thinking Company’s Practical Critical Thinking. We’ll also be using Building Thinking Skills 6.

Science & Social Studies/History

This is where I’m still working on it. We combine Torchlight/Build Your Library/and Blossom & Root. Last year’s approach for science wasn’t my favorite, so I’m working on figuring out what will work best for us in this regard this year. Unlike many homeschooling families, we do each of these every day. I also bought BFSU’s Science because I guess I wasn’t undecided enough. Most likely, we’ll be moving on to Medieval and Early Modern History for the 3rd and 4th graders and we will be finishing up US history for the 6th grader. For Science… I grabbed Blossom & Root’s 6th grade science, so I may end up doing Chemistry & Physics this year and combining all 3 for science (last year I just about lost my mind trying to do 3 different science programs… and I’ll admit we didn’t finish everything because it was chaotic).

Art & Music

We do the suggestions in the various curricula we use plus we also do Glitterbombers. I’m thinking about adding SQUILT this year, if nothing else, their monthly listening calendar.

Electives

The 6th grader is going to be doing Creative Writing & Digital Art. The 3rd Grader is doing a close study of insects & arachnids and photogrphy. The 4th grader is doing a deeper dive into coding via learning Python as well as learning about electronics.

Social-Emotional Learning

I grabbed Evan Moor’s Heart and Mind, Social Skills, and Social-Emotional Learning books to use with each of them this year.

Health & PE

They’re reading books about body changes, learn about nutrition by cooking and researching recipes, and more. I’m still working on finding our spines for health this year. For PE, they’ll take classes through parks & rec.

Enrichment/Extracurricular Activities

We’re still using codespark, typing.com, code.org this year. We’re also adding in IXL and TeacherFileBox from Evan-Moor. We’re still doing Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts this year. We’re hoping to also add in more park meetups and co-op type classes as we can.

There you have it. What are you doing this year?

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Published by Ronda Bowen

Hello there, and welcome to my page! I have been working as a full-time freelance writer and editor since 2008 when I decided that while I rather enjoyed philosophy, the Ph.D. program I was in was not a good fit for my life goals. Since then, I have published many papers and articles, started two blogs, worked as a senior editor for a magazine, served on the board of a start-up non-profit organization, and walked across fire. I strongly believe that it is important to work to make the world a better place – one project at a time. I’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program to construct living quarters for those in need, written content for Stonewall Alliance, and edited the newsletter for my local natural foods cooperative. One of the blogs I founded, Activism My Way is dedicated to helping people get involved with causes they feel passionate about. Although my academic background is in philosophy and social and political theory, my heart has always been in writing fiction and poetry. I have a novel in progress, and I am working on putting together a collection of short stories to share with readers. I also worked as part of a creative team on a project with a hip hop artist that involved world-building and creating an amazing back story to a concept album. I have worked with several authors to edit their novels (as well as dissertations, children’s books, journal articles, and non-fiction projects). Non-fiction topics I have written about include pop culture and philosophy, project management, business startups and management, insurance, technology, and much more. I also have created web content for a wide variety of clients (ranging from gas station owners to hotels to lawyers), and I’ve had an opportunity to interview some amazing people (Michele May, Kevin Sorbo, Barbara Taylor Bradford, and Mark Victor Hansen to name only a few). Needless to say, I love what I do. I enjoy photography, and my subjects these days are usually my children as well as food, beverages, craft projects, and other such things for my blog, Wining Wife™. My favorite subjects are landscapes, nature (particularly clouds, flowers, and trees), and architecture.

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