"Intellectual distinction is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for election to a Rhodes Scholarship. Selection committees are charged to seek excellence in qualities of mind and in qualities of person which, in combination, offer the promise of effective service to the world in the decades ahead. The Rhodes Scholarships, in short, are investments in individuals rather than in project proposals..."

Thursday, July 23, 2009

School Planning

It's that time of year again. Time to buy things for school next school year (although we are semi schooling this summer). I thought I'd update with what I am planning on using so far, along with what I'm still looking at to purchase. Please comment if you have any suggestions or questions.

One of the things I'm struggling with is whether to offer book clubs for my kids again. I love the curriculum development part of it. I love the actual get together. I don't love the panic I put my children into to get the house clean. I know that the boys don't care. However, I do have parents dropping them off, coming in, assisting, etc. So, it probably should be "clean enough for company". However, I need to weigh the cost of getting the house ready with the benefits my kids receive (and other kids, too). I'll be asking HOtF (Head of the Family) what his opinion is as he suffers when I'm in that mode, too. He's super supportive, but I don't want him to be without clean underwear or dinner because I've over committed.

We're sticking with the A2 curriculum for our backbone. We'll be reading plenty of classics, doing projects and adding curriculum where I feel we either need more work or where the A2 doesn't satisfy our family's needs.

What I have so far:
Reading/Phonics:
A2 - Classics list for 5/6th Grades:

Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates

Tarzan of The Apes

Return of Tarzan

The Beasts of Tarzan

Jungle Tales of Tarzan

The Song of Hiawatha

Franks Campaign

Joe The Hotel Boy

Paul Prescott's Charge

Paul The Peddler

Phil The Fiddler

Struggling Upward

The Cash Boy

The Errand Boy


A Christmas Carol

Mysterious Island

A Girl of The Limber Lost

At The Foot Of The Rainbow

Freckles

Lincolns Yarns and Stories

Little Men

Little Women

Paul Reveres Ride

The Raven

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

The Jabberwocky

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Uncle Remus

The Hobbit


A2 Classics list from Grade 1:

Aesops Fables

Just So Stories

Jungle Book

Alice in Wonderland


McGuffey's Readers (Grades 1, 5 & 6)

EPS Primary Phonics (Books 1-4)

Spelling: Spelling program from A2

Grammar: Grammar program from A2

World History: _The Old World and America _ & Story of the World Volume 1

Religion: Great Adventures Time Line for Kids, Faith & Life 5/6 and Grade 1, Catechism

Math: Singapore Math 1A&1B, Teaching Textbooks 5

Science: Exploring Science 5 by W. Thurber

Art: Barry Stebbings - How Great Thou ART and The History of the World through Art

Foreign Language: Rosetta Stone Spanish, Prima Latina (we're starting over...)

Music: Musicmasters CDs

OTHER: Teach Your Daughters to be Keepers of the Home, Boy Scouts Merit Badges,

PE: Undecided yet...possible options: Sword Club, Gymnastics, Y-Gym & Swim, Irish Step Dance