Homeschool: Our Curriculum

Here is a partial list of my favorite resources for homeschooling. We have not purchased a currciulum package, but my first choice would have been Sonlight, a literature-intensive and worldview-based program. I like the freedom to choose topics that are relevant to our lives and are of special interest to Max and Mitchell, and though it is time-consuming, I like being able to create my own lesson plans. The Sonlight package would have been about $700 - $1000 per chid, and I prefer to use some of those funds to buy books, purchase educational toys, sign the boys up for classes, and take field trips.

If you are interested in this list of resources for your homeschool program, please check this post again as I list additional resources in the future. I wish I had time to post the links for these favorites, but I have lesson plans to write! In addition to the titles listed below, we also utilize resources within our community, including a local homeschool co-op, a field trip club, the public library, local parks, community education classes, church activities, and field trips to local and state museums. Even if you are not a homeschooler, you may find items of interest on this list of what I consider to be the best resources I have encountered on my search to find top-notch additions to our at-home library. My can't-live-without selections are highlighted in bold text. Future items added to the list will be highlighted in another color.

Reading:
Explode the Code workbook series
Reading Activities by Marilee Robin Burton, et al

Poetry:
The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Peter, Peter, Pizza-Eater And Other Silly Rhymes by Bruce Lansky
Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky

Writing:
The Ultimate Shape Book: Shape Patterns for 50 Story Books for Grades K - 2, published by Evan-Moor

Math:
Singapore Math, textbooks and workbooks
Multilevel Math Fun: Instant Games and Activities for the Multilevel Classroom for Grades 1 and 2, published by Creative Teaching Press
Math-Made-Easy series, published by Dorling Kindersley
Moving with Math
40 Easy-to-Make Math Manipulatives, by Carol Reesink
The Complete Book of Math Timed Tests for Grades 3 - 5, published by American Education Publishing

Language Arts:
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise

Spelling:
Sequential Spelling series

Music:
Music Together Songbook Collections and CDs
Menagerie Songbook
The Story of the Orchestra book and CD
The Usborne First Book of the Recorder Kid Kit

Science:
Real Science-4-Kids Chemistry, Pre-Level I
Christian Kids Explore Chemistry
The Usborne Book of Science Activities, Volumes One and Two
730 Easy Science Experiments With Everyday Materials by E. Richard Churchill, et al
Janice Van Cleave's For Every Kid series
Science Teacher's Almanac by Julia Spencer Moutran
More Mudpies to Magnets: Science for Young Children by Elizabeth A. Sherwood, et al
The Ultimate How-It-Works Encyclopedia, published by Horus Editions

Spanish:
Usborne First Thousand Words in Spanish
Usborne First Thousand Words in Spanish Sticker Book

Social Studies:
Value Tales biography series
The Children's Book of Heroes, edited by William J. Bennett
The Usborne Internet-Linked First Encyclopedia of History
If You Lived ... series, published by Scholastic

Art:
The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book: Creative Fun for 2-to-6-Year-Olds by Judy Pres
Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters, by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga

Physical Education:
The Ultimate Homeschool Physical Education Game Book by Guy Bailey

Handwriting:
The Getty-Dubay Handwriting Series

Magazine Subscriptions for Kids:
Family Fun magazine
Martha Stewart Kids
Kids Discover
Your Big Backyard
Sesame Street magazine
Highlights for Kids

Early Childhood Education:
Slow and Steady Get Me Ready by June Oberlander
Mazes workbook for ages 4 - 6, published by School Zone
Carson-Dellosa's File Folder Games for Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade
Do-a-Dot Activity series
Mister Rogers' Play Time by Fred Rogers
My First Book of Mazes for ages 3, 4, 5, published by Kumon Publishing

Bible Stories:
The Children's Bible in 365 Stories by Mary Batchelor
The Usborne Family Bible, retold by Heather Amery
One Hundred Bible Stories, published by Concordia Publishing House
Read and Learn Bible, published by the American Bible Society
My First Bible by Pat Alexander

Bible Devotions, Prayers, and Hymns:
Sword Fighting by Karyn Henley
Lutheran Worship Hymnal, prepared by The Commission on Worship of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
Father, We Thank You by Ralph Waldo Emerson
100 Ways to Tell God's Great Story by Phyllis Vos Wezeman
The Fun and Active Book of Devotions for Kids
Heritage Builders Simple Science Family Nights Tool Chest

Favorite Books we use weekly:
Pots and Pans by Patricia Hubbell
The Big Book for Peace, edited by Ann Durrell and Marilyn Sachs
Graham Oakley's Magical Changes
The Dangerous Book for Boys by Hal Iggulden
Treasury of Virtures: Twenty Stories to Grow On
Mistakes that Worked: 40 Familiar Invetions and How They Came to Be by Charlotte Foltz Jones
Emily's First Hundred Days of School book, sticker chart, and activity cards by Rosemary Wells
The Great Big Book of Children's Games: Over 450 Indoor and Outdoor Games for Kids by Debra Wise
What to do with the Kids on a Rainy Day by Adrienne Katz
Building Thinking Skills: Critical Thinking Skills for Reading, Writing, Math, and Science, published by The Critical Thinking Company