Homeschool Curriculum Choices 2013-2014

With curriculum shopping list firmly in hand, I scoured the shelves of my state homeschool convention determined to find great books at great prices!  I'm fairly certain that I lugged home my body weight in GOOD READS...but that's between me and my chiropractor.  

I'm so excited to be able to share my picks for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year with you.  If you've been a regular reader around these parts, you'll notice that several of my choices have remained the same from last year.  But, you'll ALSO notice, that I'm mixin' it up a bit with a few new additions and replacements.  I have highlighted all of those changes in pretty pink...but don't tell my boys.  They haaaaaate pink! 

Today, I'll be sharing only the subjects that we do together as a group and will be sharing subjects by each grade level (5th, 2nd, 1st, and K-4) in the next few weeks.  I hope you'll swing back again to check those out.

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Family Bible Time

Like last year, we will do most of our family Bible time at the dinner table.  But, I do hope to incorporate a short missionary moment at the beginning of each day.  

• God's Promises- This is the sequel to God's Names, the book we read last year and loved! (7x a week)
• Well-Versed Kids verse packs (4x a week)
• You Can Change the World Vol. 1 and maybe Vol. 2- The Hubs and I have a passion for foreign missions and would love to see our children grow to love it as much as we do.  This is a book that details the spiritual needs of certain people groups around the world and will be a great home companion to our Co-op Geography Club as we study different countries and their cultures. (4x a week)

Science

You might remember my son's desire to learn chemistry {gulp}.  After researching different elementary-level chemistry curriculums, I have chosen one that was suggested by one of my lovely Facebook readers a few months back during an open science curriculum forum.  (2x a week)

• Noeo Science Chemistry I
• continue to add to our science journals

History

• TruthQuest History- With the exception of our State History study two years ago, we have used TruthQuest History since the very beginning of our homeschooling journey.  It is the perfect curriculum for a living literature-style look at history!  My kids and I absolutely loooove this program.  It has fostered a passion for history within each of us.  We will complete our study of Ancient Greece and begin the first part of Ancient Rome. (2x a week)
• continue our Ancient Greece notebook with additions from Notebooking Pages (whenever applicable)

Geography

I hope to continue our world-wide study in our twice-a-month Co-op Geography Club. (2x a month)

• Galloping the Globe
• Eat Your Way Around the World

Vocabulary

Last year, my children began to recognize that certain words had similar spellings and consequently similar meanings as other words.  I hope to do a very gentle introduction to Latin and Greek roots in order that they can begin to better comprehend the meanings of unfamiliar words.  (1 root per week...I think)

• English From the Roots Up
• create/illustrate a vocabulary pack for reviewing roots

Life Skills

In addition to reading our family devotional book together at dinner, I hope we can also read a short excerpt from the following book in order to begin learning the HOWs and WHYs of manners. (5x a week)

• Manners Made Easy for Families

Phy. Ed.

Admittedly, we do most of our Phy. Ed. requirements in the summer when we sign up for local community-sponsored sport's programs.  But, with below freezing temps for nearly six months out of the year making it difficult for my kids to play outside, I also have to add in little bursts of indoor energy-burning activity throughout the week. (whenever needed...usually once or twice a week)

• Denise Austin's Fit Kids
• Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home

Art

• The Complete Book of Art Ideas (1x a week)
• random art projects from my art project Pinterest board

Creative Writing

• Creative Thinking Journal Topics- We will use these as story starters. (1x a week)
• continue using our homemade creative writing journals

Additional curriculum by grade level

5th Grade

2nd Grade

1st Grade

K-4 (pre-k)
Tweaks to the Curriculum
Mid-Year Curriculum Evaluation {with small changes}

Here's a look at what we've explored in the past

2012-2013 (4th, 1st, K, Pre-K)

2011-2012 (3rd, K, Pre-K)

Want to know what other homeschooling mommas have planned for their upcoming curriculum, be sure to check out the hundreds of lists at the 5th Annual Not Back-to-School Blog Hop from iHomeschool Network.