Time to start thinking about curriculum for next year

I feel somewhat lost thinking ahead to next year...How easy it would be just to throw the towel in and sign B up for a brick and mortar school but right now I still believe that homeschooling is the best option and we have been successful with it, so why change it.

Math--I don't even know where to begin.  It's always a struggle.  There are days and even weeks when everything goes so smoothly it seems surreal and then the bottom falls out...

We love the Life of Fred series and whether we continue to use them or not I will go ahead and purchase the Algebra II and Geometry books because I have an insane need to have this complete set.  Yes, I know he has a whole Elementary series now...P will be in Kindergarten before I know it!!!

people who drew this picture

Science--This has been our first year to get away a religious science course(Bio I).  Bryan has really enjoyed learning Science.  I always thought Science should be taught as Science and Bible and Religion should be taught in a Bible and/or History class.  We will continue to use the Reece/Campbell AP Biology I/II textbook.  A youtube series(Bozeman Biology)  has been a great help with Biology this year, too.

History--we will be finishing up U.S. History from The Great Courses.  I haven't decided if we will continue on with their World History DVD program or take a year and study World Geography and then pick up World History the following year.

Writing--I am very interested in Peace Hill Press's The Creative Writer Level Three: Building Your Craft by Boris Fishman.  It is supposed to be published sometime this year--hopefully before we start the next school year!  Bryan has loved the One Year Adventure Novel series but I feel that it is time to move on to the next step if he is serious about being a writer.

Spanish--we'll continue on with Arriba.  It's my textbook from College.  I have nothing good or bad to say about the series other than it was already bought and paid for.  Saving money is always a good thing!

Literature--Ahh my favorite part of putting together a homeschool curriculum and would you believe that I have not even looked at my notes or booklists for next year?!?  I know I want to go back and pick up C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy.  We have already read Out of the Silent Planet.  I want to do a concentrated unit on Poetry.  I really need to sit down and get working on this one.  Of course, we will have to do a Shakespeare play.  I'm going to ask B which one he would like to do.  As you can see I still have a lot of work to do for Literature--but I enjoy it--just need to find the time!

This year we have read  The Red Badge of Courage, Sherlock Holmes and something else that escapes my memory at the moment.  I still have Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, and The Hiding Place on this year's list.  If we have time I would like to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  If we don't get to it we will definitely read it next year.

We will  include SAT/ACT test-taking strategies to school this year and will continue with a Vocabulary program.  B will have finished all the Word Roots Series this year.  I am going to look into Vocabulary From Classical Roots to use next year.

Electives are always up in the air...interests, costs, classes offered all come into play and those aren't usually known until the last minute...well at least a month or so before school starts.

Ok so once again I have joined the 52 books in a year challenge...

I haven't read 52 books in a year since I was in Elementary school.  I just do not have the time but this year I really want to try and read more than a handful of books.  This week...ok since Christmas day I have been reading  Marva Collins' Way by Marva Collins and Civia Tamarkin.  After 14 years as a public school teacher Marva Collins grew disenchanted with the public school system in  Garfield Park.  She went on to open her own private school(1975) Westside Preparatory School where she began teaching 4 students--most of which had been written off by other teachers as learning disabled and unable to learn.


I love Marva's common sense approach to education and holding to the ideal that all children can learn and not only learn but they can succeed.  I'm about half way through it and hope to finish it this weekend.

Here is a link to the book on Amazon:

Marva Collins' Way

Here are some links to a couple of  60 Minutes Interviews with Marva Collins in 1979 and again in 1995  with some of her very first students.

Marva Collins 1979 pt 1
Marva Collins 1979 pt 2

Marva Collins 1995 pt 1
Marva Collins 1995 pt 2

More information on Marva Collins

Well I haven't been here in awhile...grocery prices, dinner menu

Things are trucking along as well as they usually are. Thought I might get back to talking about the price of groceries, the insanity of having a 2 year old and a teenager and some of our little adventures in homeschooling.

Anyone else tired of paying about triple for groceries these days?

I went to the grocery store this morning and spent just under $200.  It was insane.  Let's take a little looksy at the receipt...

peanut butter
jelly
2 cans black olives
sesame seeds--for a recipe this week--almost $3!
cashews--again for a recipe this week
oatmeal
4 cans tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans enchilada sauce
1 can of white beans
1 can of black beans
2 cans of chicken
cream of mushroom
cream of chicken
lays slightly salted chips--because I like them
mac&cheese-one of B's favorite
raisins
oatmeal bars
penne
radiatorre
soy sauce
syrup
fried rice--yeah I should make it myself but sometimes I need the convenience of a package
spaghetti
chicken broth--I have some homemade in the freezer...
milk
apple juice--made in the USA, not from concentrate--why is the majority of our apple juice coming from China???
cran-grape
cereal--generic, big bag
deli ham
chicken breast--ok so I have to admit that I am stuck on organic chicken now...sigh...only $1/lb more but the taste is so worth it!
shrimp
bulk sausage
butter
weiners--because my kids like them
limes
coleslaw
carrots
spinach
flour and corn tortillas
sour cream
yogurt
almonds
clementines
green onion
purple onion
mushrooms
apples
sweet potatoes
celery
avocados
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes--one of P's favorite snacks
bell pepper
blueberries
bananas
eggs
bread
hamburger/hotdog buns
shampoo

lotion for my husband--vaseline healing generic .97

Menu this week

Lunch was sandwiches

Dinner was soup--my favorite soup
4 c. chicken stock
8 c. water
2 stalks celery
4 gloves of garlic
diced purple onion
1 lb. bulk sausage
8 oz. radiatorre pasta
1/2 bag of fresh spinach
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can great northern or cannelinni beans
shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Add celery to water and stock and bring to a boil.  Cook sausage w/onion and garlic.  Add pasta to boiling stock.  Once the pasta is done add the sausage mixture, spinach, tomatoes and beans.  Simmer for a bit, serve and top w/parmesan or shredded mozzarella cheese.

Other items on the menu this week are:

Crockpot Cashew Chicken.  This will be my first time to try this recipe.  I got it off Pinterest.  Here is the link:  Crockpot Cashew Chicken

Steak, cauliflower and a salad.  Thankfully I was able to stock up on meat that was on sale recently.

Chef Salad--one of Rory's favorite meals

Shrimp Po' Boys and Mexican Slaw.

Shrimp Po' Boys is basically battered and fried shrimp and put in a hoagie bun w/mayo, lettuce(we use spinach) and tomato.  The slaw is another new recipe that I found on Pinterest.  The link is broken but here is the recipe:

Mexican Coleslaw: 1 package Slaw Mix 1 can corn {drained} 1 can black beans {drained} 1/3 cup diced green onions 1 cup diced tomatoes 1/2 cup diced black olives 1/4 cup diced cilantro 1 avocado chopped 3/4 cup Jalapeno Ranch Dressing Garnish with cilantro.

We'll have hamburgers and sweet potato fries one night because that is one of B's favorite meals.  I wish he was not so picky!

Spaghetti or Penne w/marinara sauce will be on the menu for one of those busy nights.

I also have chicken enchiladas and chicken 'n dumplings in mind or if we have no leftovers :D

Hopefully this $200 will last a couple of weeks...