Hi friends! I have spent the last few months plotting and planning out our 2024-2025 homeschool year. Before purchasing new items, I love to watch YouTube videos with flip-through videos and lessons to get an idea if it is something we will truly love using. I know that we won’t always get it right, but doing this helps me minimize the chances of that. Plus, I really love this research part of it. I know that makes me sound like a nerd but hey, what can I say… I think most homeschool moms are like this and would wholeheartedly agree. Haha! The planning is a blast… it is the executing of the plan that usually trips me up. Anyone else like this?
Anyways, curriculum arriving feels like Christmas in spring and I am here for it and now I am here to share it with you guys. My girls will be a rising 7 and 5 by the time we start these. We focus on our core subjects mostly (reading/writing/math) and the extras get sprinkled into our weeks/terms. We may try to focus on science during the first time and social studies in the second or vice versa. Still trying to find our groove with the extras we add in. But these are definitely the fun things and we don’t want to skip out on them. I’ll include even the smaller extras I grabbed to throw in here and there if we need a break in routine. I like having these on hand for those days or even weeks when we are bored and need something new and exciting to push through.
I am breaking this out by their ages. If they were in their assigned grade level, it would be 1st grade and pre-k. However, my oldest is ahead and more of a 1st and 2nd grade blend. My youngest is also going to be starting kindergarten work though she is technically considered pre-k. I am still trying to break the idea of grades that is ingrained in me… it’s a hard one to let go of!
But enough rambling. Here’s what I have lined up…
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6/7 YO:
– Still loving All About Reading – she’s in the middle of level 3, so we will keep going with that and move onto level 4 when done.
– Adding in All About Spelling level 1.
Just a note on AAR and AAS – I love this Facebook group!! I buy everything used and then sell on here, as well. This is such a great way to save money on an incredible and robust curriculum.
– Working through First Grade Math with Confidence now and will break for summer and pick up where we left off come August. I also have the Kindergarten IXL Workbook to keep us sharp and to avoid a summer slide.
– For LA, we will continue using a copywork journal for handwriting practice as well as Building Writers. I also pulled out Draw Write Now which I scored for $2 at a curriculum sale. It’s great for copywork and drawing.
– I grabbed her first School Nest notebook to serve as a catch-all. I plan to have her notebook more this year as we work through topics in social studies/history, geography, science, literature, etc.
4/5 YO:
– We will start with TGATB Kindergarten Prep before moving onto All About Reading level 1 (if I feel she is ready).
– A slow start with Kindergarten Math with Confidence – maybe 2 lessons a week.
– HWT My First School Book to practice letters formation.
– Focus on writing her name, learning important numbers and address, seasonal topics through picture books. Definitely will be pulling ideas from this pre-k plan post I wrote a few years ago.
Family subjects
Science – we chose to focus on weather, water, and the human body units. I grabbed TGATB Wind and Waves and will be purchasing Me and My Amazing Body from Little School of Smiths. I’m sure we will also be leaning into interests as they come up and some seasonal topics, as well. With my youngest in particular, I am going to be pulling book ideas from this past nature study post.
Social Studies – I pulled together my own plan, focusing on important figures, topics, and symbols/monuments – see details here. Also using Evan Moor geography level 1 as a supplement.
Extras for fun:
- Scholastics word ladders
- Subscription to Kiwi Co
- Card and board games galore – you can find some of our favorites under subjects here
- Magic School Bus science kits – human body, weather, and chemistry
- And of course, plenty of picture and chapter books. Would you like to see our read aloud choices? I will try to post them once I finalize.
Does that seem like a lot? It feels like a lot writing it out. But we won’t be doing all this all the time. I just like to have everything ready to roll. But mostly, our days will look like reading/spelling, math, handwriting, read aloud, and 1 extra. I like to do experiments and kits on Fridays (fun Fridays is a thing for us). Now that Fiona is joining in on some curriculum, it’ll be an adjustment for me in terms of time management and splitting myself in two, but I am sure I will find my groove! I’m excited!
