SAA Plans for 2010-11: for one and all ...

Well, here are the plans for the 2010-11 school year ... this is for Lego Maniac (6th grade), String Bean (5th grade), and Bam-bam (2nd grade); if there is no name after a text/note than that applies to all three:

Reading:  read-alouds keyed to history/science/whatever strikes our fancy.  I don't like to pre-plan read-alouds as I find that the good ones "find" us ...

Writing: 

• Hillside's Primary Language Lessons -- Bam-bam
• Hillside's Intermediate Language Lessons -- String Bean
• Hillside's Intermediate Language Lessons - grade 6th supplement (which is at the end of ILL that String Bean will use) -- Lego Maniac

Mathematics:

• Saxon Math 2 -- Bam-bam
• Saxon Math 54 -- String Bean
• Saxon 65 -- Lego Maniac

Religion:

• First Sacrament prep -- Bam-bam (separate resource listing) -- his study will include extensive usage of the Faith Folders from Lapbooks for Catholics -- as well as creating his own missal and other activities similar to his sibligns' work)
• bi-weekly Saint reports using Amy Welborn's books:
• Loyola Kids Book of Saints-- String Bean
• Loyola Kids Book of Heroes-- Lego Maniac

History:

• All Ye Lands (world history/geography)
• Knowledge Quest's Map Trek (the Complete Collection) -- atlas and outline maps of World History (with lesson plans, too!).
• CHC Middle School lesson plans (includes plans for using All Ye Lands)

Science:

• History of Science (Beautiful Feet study)
• The New Way Things Work
• nature study (once per week botany)

Art:

• icons: the art and meaning behind these works of art using: A Brush With God: An Icon Workbook and Another Brush with God: Further Conversations About Icons both by Peter Pearson.

Foreign Language

• First Start French

Well, that should hold us for now!  Most of the links above go to Amazon pages -- so you can at least look at what we're using.  If you purchase through those links, I do get a small commission (which is always VERY appreciated).  Another great spot for getting many of these items, a place that has prices just about as good as Amazon, that is Catholic and a worthwhile spot to support is Sacred Heart Books and Gifts.  Linda has wonderful customer service, has great prices and free shipping for orders over $25 (to the lower 48) .... what more could you want?  Let her know I sent you ... she's a real peach!

AMAZING resource for Catholic homeschoolers ...

... is just a subscription away.

The Spring 2010 issue is arriving in mailboxes as I write.  This issue includes a great unit study on learning about world geography with little kids (altho the unit would work with older siblings, too!) while the articles carry-through the theme of picture books and the wonder within childhood. 

Of special note, is a wonderful review of my book, In His Image.  Check it out and let me know what you think ... and if you haven't subscribed yet, what are you thinking?  mater-et-magistra is the ONLY Catholic homeschool magazine published and is well-worth the subscription price.   I write the quarterly column on handcrafts ... but there are always great articles with teaching tips, resource suggestions, and supportive stories to "educate the heart and the mind of the Catholic home".  There is always a pull-out unit study as well as reviews of wonderful books for young and old.

 

Online Resources: Listography ... how cool is this?

This is so cool ... and I have a dear fellow homeschooler/Catholic and former Coloradan native to thank for this.

Listography is a spot where you can create and keep and REMEMBER listings of whatever ... Lissa's link above goes to her resource-list for Middle Ages studies.

I can see using this for all those bits and pieces where I start a unit on one thing and then go off on a tangent ... or I bookmark some great sites and then forget where they are ... watch for my links to my own unit study lists as I delve deeper into this amazing resource.

Let me know if you think it's cool ... or if you find a better, similar resource.