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Leocea
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| Posted: Aug 03 2007 at 8:30am | IP Logged
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I posted this on the email list too, I hope this is okay! I need all the help I can get.
We are currently trying to plan our school-year, and I am having trouble!
This year, I will have a ninth grader, fourth grader and a kindergartener. Also a toddler. :-)
With my five-year-old, I am using Get Ready for the Code, and Jumpstart Kindergarten. She will also listen in when we are reading.
My fourth grader is going to use Explode the Code, Saxon 54, Rosetta Stone Spanish , The Treasure of my Catholic Faith 4, and a Queen copywork book.
My ninth grader has a textbook for Physical Science (used at a yard sale!), Rosetta Stone Japanese (his choice!), and this is where I am drawing a blank!
We are joining a 1/2 day co-op that fits very well into our weekly schedule, and allows time for them to see their friends. It is through Summit Academy. It will have mass, a professional art lesson, a writing class (Andrew P.'s curriculum) and a unit study. Every month will have a different theme. One month is Medieval Times, for instance, and they give you the read-aloud, the art will go with it, and the writing assignments will be with it too.
My five-year-old will be using Five in a Row and Catholic Mosaics.
Writing it like this seems like so much!
I guess my question is, this has gotten so big, where is the CM is all of this? The co-op is taking up one day. The rest of the time, we will have a suggestion sheet for activities/projects that go along witt the unit. I was thinking of having one day per week that we do these. The rest of the time, I wanted to do something else.
Am I completely crazy to want to do a year-long course (mostly reading with narration) on Greek Mythology, or on Shakespeare? Would this confuse them, with all of the different units going on?
We have studied American History so many times, because we really like it, lol. I was hoping to give my son some World History/Ancient History this year.
I am wondering if I should combine his World History and Church History for a credit, and have him read about that. What books would I use for his level though? He will have confirmation classes this year. He has to attend classes in our diocese, so should I go along with that and teach apologetics, mostly?
I guess my emphasis is on my son, because this is his first year of high school, and I really want him to enjoy this year. My younger ones are very artsy girls, and will gladly go make a project while I work with him.
When I look on the site for the curriculum guides, we are already using other things, so I don't want to confuse them!
EEEK! How much is too much, and how can I do CM if I am doing all of these other things?
I will post this on the message boards too, if that is okay.
Thank you so much for reading this far!
In Christ,
Leocea
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: Aug 07 2007 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
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Leocea,
I have been reading over your post trying to come up with some helpful input. I am kind of drawing a blank. But one thing I thought of is the books "A Charlotte Mason Education" and "More Charlotte Mason Education". These come to mind because Catherine Levison gives sample schedules of a CM education, including high school. I think this is probably the most helpful high school CM reference.
I get overwhelmed when I try to go in too many directions, but that is me. It seems like you have a lot of options for the younger kids which is great! Many folks here like to follow "Rabbit Trails", covering many different time periods and topics throughout the year. So I don't think you have to worry about confusing them.
As far as what books to use for your oldest, it might be helpful to check out Kolbe Academy and MODG to see what they use. I had High School of Your Dreams but felt like it was too packed with information and I wasn't able to get a clear plan from it.
Good luck to you. I am sure other folks can give you more specific advice. I am only a CM "wannabe"  , so take my advice with a grain of salt. 
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Aug 07 2007 at 6:51pm | IP Logged
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Also kind of drawing a blank.
It does seem like you are running in a lot of directions at once, with a coop, unit-studies, textbooks, FIAR, computer work, workbooks, and CM.
Is there any way you can focus a bit and try to streamline?
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Aug 07 2007 at 9:38pm | IP Logged
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You're doing Get Ready for the Code, Jumpstart Kindergarten, FIAR and Catholic Mosaic with the 5 year old?
Are all of the kids involved in the co-op?
I might drop FIAR and use the co-op monthly plan to Rabbit Trail with all of the kids -OR- maybe drop FIAR and have the kindergartener follow along (with simpler books) in whatever you decide to do with your 9th grader. If your 9th grader is your concern, I would think of what you want to do with him first and then work the others into the mix.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Erin
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 1:56am | IP Logged
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Leocea
What about RC History they will give you that basis of a structure and yet lots of reading, writing and hands on activities to suit your arty girls. Mmm you do have a few balls in the air at once, how independent are your ninth and fouth grader?
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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vmalott
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 6:39am | IP Logged
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Are the units that are done at co-op history-based, or do they vary in their theme (e.g. history, science, art)? If they are primarily history-based units, tying it together with a timeline or Book of Centuries will help things from getting confusing.
You could add in ancient/world history for your oldest, assigning him more independent work (additional readings of living books) since he hasn't had much exposure in the past.
Erin mentioned RC History, which we are using this year. If you're only interested in having your 9th grader be exposed to ancient history, take a look at the living history reading lists (rhetoric level). The program follows a multi-level approach, so it may not be a worthwhile purchase for only one student. However, it does use living books, which, at this level, are the "Great Books". 
Valerie
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Valerie
Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
Seven Times the Fun
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Leocea
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 9:08am | IP Logged
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Thank you to everyone who responded. I can see that in my long post, I confused some things. FIAR and Catholic Mosaics will be done in the co-op. They will give us additional activities to take home, but they aren't required. We have a Lego robotics team practice on the same day, five minutes away, so this co-op fits in with our gas bill/one day out plan. The other four days, we will be home. I'm trying to figure out what to do on *those* days.
As far as the unit studies, they will be done in the co-op also. About forty-five minutes per week.We will have other activities to take home, also, but they are for our own use, not required.
The unit studies include Medieval Times, World War II, Horses, Planets,etc. Mostly history and science. There will be a living book read-aloud to go with each month's unit. They will have a literary discussion for 1/2 hour per week. That may be my job (yay!).
<<<To put it in a nutshell, I am wondering if I should just continue with the co-op themes on the other four days, or add in ancient history too. I'm sorry my other post wasn't clear about that.>>>
So, my K is only really doing one 1/2 day of co-op, and then Get Ready for the Code at home. The Jumpstart K CD is for when I need some one-on-one with my ninth grader. My fourth grader works very independently, but I know I will need to spend more time with my ninth grader this year, with Algebra and harder writing assignments.
Is this more clear?
I also have the Greek Myth book everyone recommends, and haven't used it in the four years I have owned it. This is one reason I would like to do it.
Maybe I should just read one story per week from that book, and see if they are interested in doing more.
I'm sorry for my rambling earlier post. I am interrupted so many times, I tend to lose my train of thought while typing.
In Christ,
Leocea
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 9:36am | IP Logged
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Ok... I think I get it now. 
In answer to your nutshell question: You could go either way. Have you asked your son which he'd prefer? If the two of you have enjoyed American History, then I imagine that you'll like ancient and world history as well. So that would be a good route to go if he seems more enthusiastic about that than about FIAR type unit studies. I wouldn't spend the whole year on Greece, though. Has he studied the other ancients (Mesopotamian area, Isreal, Egypt, Rome)? If not, you could spend the year working through the Ancients.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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TracyQ
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 6:30pm | IP Logged
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Leocea,
Are you trying to teach them history all together? RC History is a way to do that, and I have heard many great things about it.
If you want your son to do history on his own, you can take a look at Trisms History. We're using that with our second son who will be in 10th grade this year. He decided he wanted to use Trisms for high school. Our oldest son didn't use it. They're all so different, aren't they? Trisms is unit/research based, and really covers history very well. My son loves Ancient History, and wow, has he learned a lot through researching and making his own history book (with using Trisms). You can look into it at Trisms website
You could even use it as a guide to study on a much lower level the same history your oldest is doing, with the youngest kids, so you're all tied together. You have LOTS of options.
Planning high school is a bit frustrating sometimes. I found the HSLDA site to be helpful to know what colleges are expecting them to have when it comes to applying in four years, something you need to think about now in their 9th grade year, so you're not surprised when he gets to 11th and 12th grade, not realizing he needed to take this or that. You can see their invaluable high school section here: HSLDA Homeschooling Through High School
I hope this helps some anyway.
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Need help planning for this year!
