OLD HOMESCHOOLERS NEVER DIE . . . THEY JUST WRITE CURRICULUM


"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants."

Deuteronomy 32:2

Courses of Study

To view the Course of Study for each grade level, you can click on the "Course of Study" label
or "Search This Blog" for the specific grade level you wish to see.
To date, I have courses of study completed for kindergarten through fourth grades.

Newsletter Articles

In 2013 the Lord started me producing a newsletter for the homeschool group we are a part of. Every other month I write an article on a topic the Lord has put on my heart. I've decided to add these articles to this blog. I hope you will find encouragement through some of my ramblings. You can click on the label "Newsletter" to find the articles.

Kindergarten

In the chapter 'Freedom from Guilt' in Seasons of a Mother's Heart, the Lord really spoke to me about not "depending on formulas to know if we are 'doing it right,' but on Christ, and the Holy Spirit of God in our hearts." I started asking the Lord what He wanted me to do for kindergarten. He impressed starting at the beginning with creation.

You will find the specifics covered in the weekly posts for Kindergarten.
BIBLE
  • Main Ideas
    • I am God's creation
      • Memorize Psalm 139
    • God loves me and takes care of me
      • Memorize Psalm 23
    • I can trust God
      • Memorize Psalm 62:5-8
      • Learn about Christians who have trusted God through biographies, etc.
        • George Mueller
  • Books to use:
    • My Picture Story Bible by Dena Korfker
    • Because I Love You by Max Lucado
    • You Are Special by Max Lucado
    • Just In Case You Ever Wonder by Max Lucado
    • The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Bishop
    • Mrs. Rosey-Posey and the Chocolate Cherry Treat by Robin Jones Gunn
    • Mrs. Rosey-Posey and the Treasure Hunt by Robin Jones Gunn
    • Mrs. Rosey-Posey and the Empty Nest by Robin Jones Gunn
    • The Tale of Tuppence and Tiffany retold by Pat Wynnejones
    • The Tale of Geronimo Grub retold by Pat Wynnejones
    • Muffy and the Mystery of the Stolen Eggs by Ethel Barrett
    • Sylvester the Three-spined Stickleback by Ethel Barrett
    • Gregory the Grub by Ethel Barrett
    • God and a Boy Named Joe by Ethel Barrett
    • Stories from Other Lands for Boys and Girls edited by Al Bryant
    • Missionary Adventures by Carol Allison
    • Missionary Stories with the Millers by Mildred A. Martin
    • Wisdom and the Millers by Mildred A. Martin
    • Storytime with the Millers by Mildren A. Martin
    • My Heart -- Christ's Home Retold for Children by Robert Boyd Munger
    • Short & Sweet: Short Stories with a Message Volume 2 by Katherine Loop
    • Does Money Grow on Trees? by Catherine Mackenzie
      • The story of George Muller; theme is 'We can trust God'
  • Hymns to Learn:
    • Tell Me the Stories of Jesus
    • This is My Father's World
    • How Great Thou Art
    • America the Beautiful
    • Happiness is
    • What a Wonderful Thing
    • Faith is Just Believing
    • Safe Am I
  • Memory Work:
    • Psalm 23
    • Psalm 62:5-8
    • Psalm 139
    • Bob Jones Catechism #1 - 8 and 20 - 28
    • Days of Creation
SCIENCE - God's Creation; I'll use books we have and books from the library, videos, and experiments. Here are listed the main ideas I want K. to learn and discover.

Resource books:
  1. Science Experiences for the Early Childhood Years 7th edition by J. Harlan and M. Rivkin
  2. 365 More Simple Science Experiments by R. Churchill, L. Loeschnig, and M. Mandell
  3. The Creation retold by Pamela Broughton
Topics:
  •  Planets (Gen 1:1)
    • God made them
    • Number of planets
    • Where they are
    • What they orbit
  • Rocks and Minerals (Gen 1:1)
    • God made them
    • There are many kinds of rocks
    • Rocks slowly change by wearing away
    • Crumbled rocks and dead plants make soil
    • Old plants and animals left prints in rocks
    • Minerals form crystals
  • Light (Day 1)
    • God made it
    • Nothing can be seen without light
    • Light appears to travel in a straight line
    • Shadows are made when light beams are blocked
    • Night is earth's shadow
    • Everything we see reflects some light
    • Light contains many colors
    • Bending light beams make things look different
  • Air (Day 2)
    • God made it
    • Air is almost everywhere
    • Air is real; it takes up space
    • Air presses on everything on all sides
    • Air slows moving objects
    • Warm air rises
  • Water (Day 2)
    • God made it
      • Science Experiences has a very good chapter on Water and this is what you will learn if you use it. We had already gone through this chapter when K. was 4, so I used the section on Water from 365 More.
    • Water has weight
    • Water's weight and upthrust help things float
    • Water goes into thin air
    • Water can change forms reversibly
    • Water is a solvent for many materials
    • Water clings to itself
    • Water clings to other materials
    • Water moves into other materials
      • Here are the topics from 365 More
    • Water Pressure
    • Solutions vs. Suspensions
    • Cohesion
    • What water molecules do when they get cold, freeze, or are heated
    • Water Power
  • Plants/Trees (Day 3)
    • Books:
      • From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer
      • A Tree is a Plant by Clyde Robert Bulla
    • God made them
    • The parts of a plant
      • Roots
      • Tuber
      • Stem
      • Leaf
      • Flower
        • stamen
        • anther
        • pistil
        • pollen
      • Seed
      • Fruit
      • Fungi
    • What plants need
      • air
      • water
      • temperature
      • sunlight
      • soil
    • Identify trees and plants around our home
  • Sun, Moon, Stars (Day 4)
    • Books/Videos:
      • The True Book of Moon, Sun, and Stars by John Lewellen published in 1954
      • Space Science for Children: All About Stars (video)
      • Why Do The Seasons Change? by Melissa Steward
      • I Can Read About Seasons by Robyn Supraner
    • God made them
    • The moon is smaller than a star
    • The moon orbits the earth
    • The moon is made of rock
    • The moon reflects the sun
    • Moon's phases
    • The sun is a star
    • Stars are always there, even if we can't see them
    • The sun makes day and night
    • Does the sun really set?
    • Earth orbits the sun
    • Earth is a planet
    • Constellations
    • Seasons
  • Oceans and Lakes and their Inhabitants (Day 5) -- at first I thought of what knowledge I could teach her, but as time drew near, I decided that appreciation, curiosity, and joy of discovering what God made was better.
    • Ocean Books/Videos
      • A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
      • Across the Big Blue Sea by Jakki Wood
      • Nature Hide & Seek: Oceans by John Norris Wood
      • Starfish by Edith Thacher Hurd
      • Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter and Connie Roop
      • The Ocean Alphabet Board Book by Jerry Pallotta
      • What Lives in a Shell? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
      • Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean by Arthur Dorros
      • Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
      • Where the Waves Break: Life at the Edge of the Sea by Anita Malnig
      • Sea and Seashore by Terry Jennings
      • What If There Were No Sea Otters? by Suzanne Slade
      • Look Inside the Ocean by Laura Crema
      • Growing Up Wild (Disc 2)
    • Pond Books
      • Life in a Pond by Fowler
      • Pond Life by Stewart and
      • Would You Rather Be a Polliwog? by Worth
      • The True Book of Animals of Small Pond by Erickson
      • From Tadpole to Frog by Pfeffer
      • Box Turtle at Long Pond by George
      • Pond by Morrison
    • God made them
    • Frog life cycle
    • Tide pools
    • Mammals vs Fish
  • Birds/Flying Animals (Day 5)
    • God made them
    • There are many different kinds
    • Not all birds fly
    • What they eat / kinds of beaks
    • Kinds of nests
    • Birds hatch from eggs
  • Land Animals/Insects (Day 6)
    • God made them
    • There are many kinds of animals
    • Animals move in different ways
    • Each animal needs its own kind of food
    • Many animals make shelters to rear their young
    • Vertebrate classes: Mammals and reptiles
    • Carnivore, herbivore, omnivore
  • Humans (Day 6)
    • God made us
    • Each person is unique
    • We learn through our senses
    • Bones help support our bodies
    • Muscles keep us moving, living, and breathing
    • We help ourselves stay healthy and grow strong
    • Strong, growing bodies need nourishing food
  • Weather
    • The sun warms the earth
    • Changing air temperatures make the wind
    • Evaporation and condensation cause precipitation
    • Raindrops can break up sunlight
    • Weather can be measured
    • Lightning is static electricity
    • Charged electrons make sparks when they jum
HISTORY (dates are approximate)
          A Child's History of the World by Hillyer
         Usborne World History: Ancient World by Fiona Chandler
  • Creation through Abraham (5000 BC - 2000 BC)
    • Child's History pgs 20 - 33
    • Ancient World pgs 4-13, 16-17
  • Isaac through Red Sea (2000 BC 0 1400 BC)
    • Child's History pgs 34 - 54
    • Ancient World pgs 14-15, 18-35
    • The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War by Emily Little
    • Usborne Greek Myths for Young Children retold by Heather Amery
    • Weave a basket
  • Wilderness Wanderings through Samuel (1400 BC - 1000 BC)
    • Child's History pgs 55 - 62
    • Ancient World pgs 36 - 39, 60, 61, 66, 68, 72 - 74
    • Silkworms by Martha E.H. Rustad
    • Red Butterfly by Deborah Noyes
    • Llamas by Emilie U. Lepthien
    • Harley by Star Livingstone
    • Ox, House, Stick: The History of Our Alphbet by Don Robb
  • King Saul to Babylonian Captivity (1000 BC - 500 BC)
    • Child's History pgs 63 - 94
    • Ancient World pgs 40 - 47, 50 - 51
    • The Book of Jonah retold by Peter Spier
    • The Aesop for Children with pictures by Milo Winter
    • Androcles and the Lion, and other Aesop Fables by Paxton
    • DVD: What's Up in Space: Stars from The Solar System for Kids series
    • Video: Space Science for Children: All About Stars by Schlessinger
  • Captivity to Birth of Jesus (500 BC - AD 4)
    • Babylon
    • Persia
    • China
    • Rome
    • Greece
      • Over 2,000 Years Ago in Ancient Greece by Sauvain
      • The Great Alexander the Great by Lasker
  • Birth of Jesus through John on Patmos (AD 4 - AD 100)
    • Rome
      • City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by Macaulay
    • Greece
    • China
  • AD 100 - AD 500
    • Rome
    • Greece
    • India #3
MATH
  • NUMERATION
    • Identify 0 to 100 – sheet with numbers on it; say numbers and cover them with green disk
    • Write 0 to 100

    NUMBER THEORY
    • Ordinals: First through Sixth
    • First, Next, Last
    • Before, After, Between
    • Patterns
    • Place Value: tens/ones

    COUNTING
    • Count to 150 by 1's
    • Count to 100 by 10's – dimes
    • Count to 50 by 5's – nickels
    • Count on

    ADDITION
    • Sums to 10
    • Equations: horizontal and vertical form
    • Money
    • Oral word problems

    SUBTRACTION
    • Differences to 10
    • Equations: horizontal and vertical form
    • Money
    • Oral word problems
    • Take-away
    • Comparison

    FRACTIONS
    • Equal Parts, halves, thirds, fourths
    • Halves of a set

    GEOMETRY
    • Flat Shapes: circle, square, rectangle, triangle, symmetry, same shape – shape lotto
    • Solid Shapes: sphere, cylinder, rectangle solid, cube, cone – shape lotto?
    • Top, middle, bottom
    • Left, right
    • Over, under
    • Inside, outside
    • On, off
    • Front, back
    • Patterns

    ESTIMATION
    • Number of objects
    • Length (centimeters)
    • Weight (more/less)
    • Capacity (more/less)

    MEASUREMENT
    • Size: larger/smaller
    • Length/height
    • Longer/shorter
    • Measure length with non-standard units, inches, centimeters
    • Weight: more/less; pound
    • Capacity: hold more/holds less; cup, quart, gallon, liter
    • Temperature: Hot/Cold
    • Use: ruler, scale, thermometer, cup
    • Time: hour
    • Calendar: days, weeks, months, year
    • Money: penny, nickel, dime, quarter

    PROBLEM SOLVING
    • Oral word problems
    • Graphs
    • Probability

    STATISTICS AND GRAPHS
    • Pictographs
    • Bar graphs
    • Tallies

    CALCULATOR
    • Digital numbers
    • Make numbers
    • Count up, count back
    • Addition, subtraction
READING
K. wanted to learn to read and then took off reading while I was still teaching her phonics before she was five years old. If your child isn't reading yet, see the phonics and reading posts for 4 year olds.
  • Books
    • We will be using the first grade Bob Jones (published 1989) texts
    • Blaze and the Forest Fire by C.W. Anderson
    • Marty's Monster by Nancy Ellen Hird
    • The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford
    • Games for Reading by Peggy Kaye
  • COMPREHENSION (read this post)
    • Picture reading
    • Literal, interpretive, critical, appreciative levels of questioning
    • Predict text, make inferences, draw conclusions, predict outcomes
    • Compare, sequence events
  • VOCABULARY
    • Meaning from content
    • Looking up new words in the dictionary
  • LITERATURE
    • Read a variety of genres; family stories, informational articles, fanciful animal stories, poetry, Bible accounts, realistic fiction
    • Distinguish reality from fantasy
  • SILENT READING
    • Read for specific information and author's message
  • ORAL READING
    • Communicate message of the author
    • Communicate in a natural manner
    • Portray a character
    • Respond to punctuation: period, exclamation point, question mark
WRITING
  • Games for Writing by Peggy Kaye
  • Capital Letter Stories published by Mead
  • I made my own practice pages for numbers and lower case letters
FINE ARTS
In my posts I didn't specify when we did these things. We did Swan Lake during the winter, Sousa during June/July, etc. We watch the ballet in short segments, and didn't watch the whole thing. This is more for exposure.
  • Peter and the Wolf
  • John Philip Sousa, Sousa Marches, and Patriotic Songs
    • Lives and Times: John Philip Sousa by Jennifer Blizin Gillis
    • If you don't have any, borrow CDs from the library of Sousa's marches. K. loves to march around the house waving a flag.
  • Swan Lake
    • Listen to the music (tape or cd)
    • Watch the ballet (video)
    • Read Swan Lake by Zwerger
  • Grand Canyon Suite
  • The Moldau
  • Hansel and Gretel (Opera)
  • The Orchestra
  • Come Look With Me: Enjoying Art with Children by Gladys S. Blizzard
    • I checked this book out of the library and set it on our coffee table. Every so often when K. and I were sitting there I'd pick it up and we'd look at and discuss a picture/painting.
    • I renewed this book as many times as I could, so we ended up having it a long time.
SKILLS
I've picked skills I want K. to learn or get better at and will concentrate on a couple during each month of school.