Back to School!

It's our first week back to school, and so far, so good! JK is in 3rd grade, LB is in 2nd, and AA is in Kindergarten.

EG just sits at the table and colors and listens in during read-aloud time and participates in science. She's learning too!

I often get questions about our curriculum. I have tried several different things in the 3 years since we started. I have liked some aspects of some aproaches over others.

This year we are going full-on Charlotte Mason style. Just google her name and you will find out more info than you ever could want! Our main source for info and planning for this year is simplycharlottemason.com. This site has a curriculum guide for grades 1-12. I love the simplicity of Charlotte's approach to learning and I think our girls will too.

Here's our curriculum line-up:

For JK and LB:

Math: A Beka
Science: 730 Easy Science Experiments (we are spending the year doing nothing but hands on learning with this and keeping a science/nature journal)
Handwriting: Picked up 2 cursive books from Walmart
Copywork: A phrase, part of a hymn, or a Proverb to copy for work on spelling, punctuation and sentence structure
Histoy, Geograpy, Bible: All go together with Simply Charlotte Mason HGB Module 1; will be reading Genesis and Exodus this year and will be able to correctly label the continent of Africa on a blank map.
Read-Aloud Time: Currently reading an American Girl book, but will start Mr. Popper's Penguins soon
English/Grammar: English for the Thoughtful Child 2 (This is a wonderful book that teaches kids to get their thoughts organized, speak them correctly, and then write them correctly. So far I'm very pleased with this book.)
Quiet Reading Time: JK and LB have time each day that they read a chapter in a book of their choice. LB is reading American Girl and JK is reading a Magic Attic book, though she will be starting The Chronicles of Narnia soon.

For AA:

Math: A Beka
Science: Same as the older two
Phonics/Reading: Word Mastery and then will move to McGuffey's Eclectic Primer
Handwriting: Printed off some sheets from LearningPages
History/Geography/Bible: Same as the older two
English: 5 In A Row Vol. 1 and 2. This is similar to Sonlight, as it is literature based, and so far, it's a hit!

So there you have it. A very full day (well, morning and a little after lunch at times).

Here's our first day of school pics!


And the note welcoming all 3 to school!


And here's a pic of mommy's "get the school day started off right" medicine!