We have been homeschooling for many years and I sometimes forget that what we do isn't the same for others. So, I decided to try adding a monthly homeschool recap to this blog to demonstrate one way (there are so many methods out there!) that homeschooling can work.
We use an eclectic method of homeschooling that leans very heavily towards the Charlotte Mason method of teaching. Without going into too much detail about this method, it can be described as very literature-heavy. We read and discuss A LOT of books. We don't spend a lot of time on workbooks, worksheets, etc., We have gravitated toward this method over the years and found that it works very well for our learners and family lifestyle.
In the state of Kentucky, the school year must be completed between July 1st and June 30th of the school year. We have used various schedules over the years and have discovered that we enjoy starting in July with the goal of ending early in the spring. This schedule works for us in many ways. We love the warmer weather of the spring and are less focused on schoolwork (teacher included). The farm life gets very busy in the spring, and it is difficult to balance the school life and the farm. Finally, starting our school year in July gives us a buffer for anytime that life may smack us around. This buffer allows us to be flexible for any life events that may interfere with our educational time.
Here are some items that we have read, listened to or watched during the month of July:
*The Holy Bible
Backyard Homestead Planner by Ann Larkin Hansen
The New Answers Book 1 by Ken Ham
VeggieTales - The Penniless Princess DVD
*Kirby McCook and the Jesus Chronicles by Stephen Arterburn
*The Tuttle Twins and the Golden Rule by Connor Boyack
*The Tuttle Twins Podcast
Geography for Primary Grades by CC Long
*Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C Holling
Richard Hallibuton's Book of Marvels - Orient
Where on Earth is Carmen SanDiego DVD
*Paddle to the Sea by Holling C Holling
The Ultimate Guys' Body Book by Walt Larimore
*This Country of Ours by HE Marshall
*Answering the Cry for Freedom by Gretchen Woelfle
*George Washington's World by JoAnna Foster
*Augustus Ceasars World by Genevieve Foster
The Story of the Greeks by HA Guerber
Abigail Adams by Natalie Bober
Learn Our History DVD - National Parks and Monuments
*Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula
We Were There at the Battle of Gettysburg by AS Malkus
Our Island Story by HE Marshall
Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff
Age of Fable by T. Bullfinch
*Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
Variety of Sandburg poems
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
*Aesop's Fables
*Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
Equal Shmequal by Virginia Kroll
Reba - My Story by Reba McEntire
Hymns and Folksongs on YouTube
YouTube videos on photography
Peterkin Papers by Lucretia Hale
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DeCamillo
Peter Pan by JM Barrie audiobook
Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi audiobook
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
*All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot
The Storybook of Science by Jean Henri Fabre
Watch Discovering Many Types of Hummingbirds on YouTube
Watch Uncovering the Secrets of the Great White Shark on YouTube
*Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley
The Lay of the Land by Dallas Lore Sharp
Watch Inside a Cell on YouTube
*The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess
The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
It Couldn't Just Happen by Lawrence Richards
Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick
James Herriot's Treasury for Children
Watch Apex Predators of Australia on YouTube
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
The Ocean of Truth by Joyce McPherson
Merry Go Round a Book about Nouns by Ruth Heller
Here's a list of more "formal" curriculum products that we have used during the month of July:
Beautiful Feet Books - Around the World with Picture Books
Beginning Geography Workbook - Evan Moor
Geography for All Seasons by Brenda McGee
Story of the World 3 by Susan Wise Bauer
Song School Latin
Creative Problem Solving by The Critical Thinking Co.
Right Start Math
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Apologia Anatomy and Physiology
Here are some online classes that we have used:
Learn to Type | Type Better | Type Faster - Typing.com - Typing.com
Here are a few games/activities that we have enjoyed:
Geoboard
*Items marked with an asterisk are my personal favorites and highly recommended.
Here are a few field trips/activities that we have participated in during the month of July:
- We started our official first day of school for the new year.
- The kids worked with their friends to set up a lemonade stand at a yard sale.
- We took a field trip to the Cynthiana History Museum. I had my hands full with the baby, so I failed to take any pictures. They have a lot of interesting items in this local museum.
- Our daughter worked on her elective class - cooking/baking.
- Our son continued to participate in the farmer's market. He runs his own booth at the Harrison County Farmer's Market where he sells worm tea, rabbit pellets, produce and eggs.
- We enjoyed nature walks around our property.
- The girls participated in VBS.
- The girls helped to rebuild their playset. The one that they were gifted for Christmas was destroyed in a bad spring storm.
- We continued to enjoy our time swimming at the pool.
- We went bowling with friends.
- The kids went to Ohio to spend time with their cousins and grandparents for "Cousins Week".
- We spent some time playing at the playground at Stepping Stone Farm.
- Our oldest started his soccer season with Bluegrass United. He is playing JV and some varsity. The team seems to be a great fit for him!
- We picked apples and blueberries at Stepping Stone Farm.
- After picking the apples, the girls helped to make and can applesauce.
- We had a litter of kittens, and the girls are helping to train them ..... or spoil them rotten. I'm not sure which one!
Baby Updates:
She turned one-year old! We had a small gathering of family to celebrate.
- She has an indoor pool that she enjoys more than any other playpen that we have purchased.
In case you are interested, here are some links to the places/items mentioned above:
Home | Harrison Co Farmers (hcfmky.com)
Leesburg Christian Church - Home
Cynthiana Harrison County Museum (harricynmuseum.org)
RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc. - (rightstartmath.com)
Oakbrook Swim Club (oakbrookswimandtennisclub.com)
Bowling Alley | Galactic Alley | Cynthiana
Pumpkin Patch | Stepping Stone Farm | Paris (steppingstonefarmky.com)
Home | bluegrass-united (bluegrassunited.com)
*For those that enjoy the booklists, I have attached links to my Amazon affiliate account. As an Amazon associate, I will earn money from any qualifying purchases made by using these links.