2011-2012 Curriculum

at Training Children Up For Christ

It seems appropriate that I came across these blog hops the day that I decided what we are going to be doing this year.  I have been looking at different curriculum for a few months, knowing I wanted something more.  I started researching Charlotte Mason, looking at Ambleside Online, a site that a family at church uses.  I have been using, off and on, the Weaver Interlock with the girls.  I had planned on using the Weaver as the girls got older (a different family at church uses it and really likes it), but after really looking at the volume I was given and looking at reviews, I decided it wasn't for us.  We are continuing with the Interlock (the preschool/kindergarten volume) for now.  Then I looked into Sonlight, which I absolutely love the look of. Except for the price.  We can't really swing it right now, so I am going to keep it as a possible plan for the future. I also looked at Heart of Dakota, after seeing a button for it on someone's blog sidebar.  After really looking into it I decided it also wasn't for us.  While on the Sonlight forums I had questioned about supplementing books or stretching out the Cores as some seem to do.  Different book lists were mentioned to me.  One of them was Five in a Row.  After looking at the site, looking at the faq's, sample lessons, reviews and the message boards I decided not to supplement with these books, but to actually purchase Volume 1 and follow the curriculum.  

And what better way to start this school year than with not having to pay hardly anything for the curriculum.  A few weeks ago I won a giveaway over at the Smart Summer Challenge

I had linked up during the first week, never really paying attention to the fact that she was offering different giveaways each week. The next thing I knew I received an email saying I had won $100 to a local toy shop or bookstore.  Our local bookstore is a Christian Bookstore, so I wasn't sure if that would be okay.  It was.  I received the gift certificate in the mail a few days ago and I noticed on the additional information they included that they take special orders.  Hubby suggested I ask if they would be able to get the Five in a Row curriculum.  I was thrilled when the owner was willing to help me.  Needless to say, we are going with Five in a Row this year.

If you have never heard of Five in a Row before let me share some info from the site:

"Five in a Row provides students with a unit-study approach to early education based on outstanding children's literature. Together, the three volumes of Five in a Row provide 55 lesson plans covering Social Studies, Language, Art, Applied Math, and Science in a way that causes children to fall in love with learning."  It is called Five in a Row because you read the same picture book each day during the week, delving into it in the different subjects mentioned above.

I have to admit I am a little nervous because I am NOT doing our letter of the week.  At first I had planned on once again going through the alphabet, perhaps while doing the FIAR and picking books from the volume to correspond to our letter of the week.  But Tabitha and Amelia have already gone through the alphabet twice and I don't think Hannah is really ready, though she has been sitting in on our lessons this week (but that is a story for a later post).  

Our Curriculum:

Five in a Row Volume 1

Bible: Continue studying Creation through the Weaver Interlock

          Also using the Five in a Row Christian Character Supplement

Montessori Activities

Math: Continue learning through daily activities, focusing on meeting the goals in the Typical Course of Study.

Reading: Continue Early Readers and Abeka Grade 1 Readers with Tabitha

               Continue to work on blending sounds with Amelia

               Continue Word Family Activities

Home Ec (or whatever you want to call it): We will be using the FIAR Cookbook and getting the children involved in more cooking.  Right now it is usually the baking they help with.  They will also continue to help with cleaning and practical life activities.


Almost forgot we will also be using the Brain Quest workbooks to practice handwriting and lots of subjects.