Homeschool Update - September
We have been homeschooling for many years, and I sometimes forget that what we do isn't the same for others. So, I am writing a monthly homeschool recap 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.
Of note, I am currently homeschooling a high school senior and a preschooler (and many in between) so this book list can be a bit extensive.
Here are some items that we have read, listened to or watched during the month of September:
*The Holy Bible
The Story of Painting by HW Janson
The Usborne Book of Famous Artists
A Child's Introduction to Art by Heather Alexander
First Studies of Plant Life by George Francis Atkinson
Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey
Watch The Meaning of: Hansel & Gretel - Jordan B Peterson on YouTube
The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
Watch 20 Reasons why the USA is still the king of the world - The Geography Bible on YouTube
How the Heather Looks by Joan Bodger
My Travels with Clara by Mary Holmes
Poor Richard by James Daugherty
Watch How Amish Clean their Homes without Store-Bought Products - Frugal Solutions on YouTube
Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
The Great Farmapalooza by Jill Roman Lord
The Butterfly Alphabet by Kjell Sandved
The Lamb and the Butterfly by Arnold Sundgaard
Listened to various folk songs and hymns
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
Gregor Mendel by Cheryl Bardoe
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
The Plutarch Project Vol 1, by Anne E. White - Titus Flamininus
Listen Hide 'em in Your Heart CD
The Book on Writing by Paula LaRocque
The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre
Adventures with a Microscope by Richard Headstrom and watch YouTube videos associated with each activity
Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif
The Storybook of Science by Jean Henri Fabre
The Universe Next Door by James Sire
A Walk Through the Heavens Milton Heifetz
7 Men Who Rule the World from the Grave by Dave Breese
The Tuttle Twins Guide to Modern Villains by Connor Boyack
Eric Sloane's Weather Book by Eric Sloane
The Great Astronomers by Robert Ball
Chaucer for Children: A Golden Key by Hugh Reginald Haweis
The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher
The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories by William J. Bennett
The Innocence of Father Brown by GK Chesterton
The Great Explorers by Robin Hansberry-Tennison
The Great Democracies by Winston Churchill
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Bulfinch's Mythology
The Once and Future King by TH White
What Everyone Should Know about the 20th Century by Alan Axelrod
Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History by Richard Hannula
Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley
Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution by Natalie S. Bober
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
The Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley
The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
In Freedom's Cause: A Story of Wallace and Bruce by G.A. Henty
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
Watch various Wild Kratz episodes
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Secrets of the Woods by William J. Long
Marco Polo: His Travels and Adventures by George Makepeace Towle
This Country of Ours by HE Marshall - we use a different version, but this link is similar
Bright Valley of Love by Edna Hong
The Wonder Book of Chemistry by Jean Henri Fabre
Watch WW2 Veteran vs HOA - Van T. Barfoot - The Fat Electrician (contains adult language)
The Tuttle Twins Guide to Courageous Heroes by Connor Boyack
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriett Beecher Stowe
Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling
The Housing Boom and Bust by Thomas Sowell
Rich Dad's Guide to Investing by Robert Kiyosaki
Listen The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson
Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell
Watch World's Biggest Unregulated Bank - Starbucks - The Fat Files on YouTube (may contain adult languate)
Arguing About Slavery by William Lee Miller
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster
English Literature for Boys and Girls by HE Marshall
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
The Boy Scientist by John Lewellen
The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin
A Patriot's History of the United States by Larry Schweikart
The Royal Road to Romance by Richard Halliburton
On Liberty by John Stuart Mill
Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney
The Book of Melchizedek by Lumier Publishing
Then There Were Five by Elizabeth Enright
Parables from Nature by Margaret Scott Gatty
How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
Water Babies by Charles Kinglsey
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Eeyore Has a Birthday by AA Milne
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Essay: A Piece of Chalk by GK Chesterton
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Paul Brand
The Birth of Britain by Winston Churchil
History's Most Magnificent Rulers by Hywel Williams
500 Nations by Alvin Josephy Jr
Here's a list of more "formal" curriculum products that we have used during the month of September:
Life of Fred: Advanced Algebra
Renior Picture Study by A Humble Place
A Year of Discovery by Science Through Nature
Beautiful Feet Books - Teaching Character through Literature
Exploring Economics by Ray Notgrass
Various Activities from Letter of the Week Curriculum
Maintain a Nature Journal
Various copywork activities
Various writing activities
Sailors and Seababies: The Fairy Tales of Charles Kingsley by Anne E. White
Fallacy Detective by Nathaniel and Hans Bluedorn
Life of Fred - Fractions by Stanley Schmidt
Asgard to Athens by Anne E. White
Beautiful Feet Books - US Geography
Exploring Creation with Physical Science by Jay Wile
Life of Fred - Edgewood by Stanley Schmidt
Life of Fred - Honey by Stanley Schmidt
Life of Fred - Ice Cream by Stanley Schmidt
Getting Started with Latin by William Linney
Keep Going with Latin by William Linney
Mind Benders by The Critical Thinking Co.
Building Thinking Skills by The Critical Thinking Co.
Here are some online classes/resources that we have used:
All In One Homeschool - Drawing Professionally Course
Khan Academy High School Statistics
All In One Homeschool Online Spanish Course
All In One High School - Biblical Hebrew I Course
*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 September:
- P. assisted with a sawmill job.
- They assisted with the booths at various famers markets.
- The kids assisted with farm chores.
- The kids participated in the local co-op.
- E. attends classes for Kentucky History, Geography and Bible.
- M. attends classes for US Constitution, IEW Writing and Bible.
- G. attends classes for PE, Science, Music/Lit and Bible.
- P., E., and M. attended an FFA Meeting and class focused on landscape design.
- M. worked on her SAE photography project for FFA.
- P. and M. attended the Scott Co Farm Bureau Farm Safety event.
- P. worked on his SAE sheep project for FFA.
- P., E., and M. attended an FFA Site visit at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Ag Safety Daty at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds.
- P. and E. played on the Bluegrass United Soccer team.
- P. and E. participated in a soccer tournament at the Mountain Mission School. This is a favorite event each year.
- P. participated in his soccer senior night. It was bittersweet for us.
- M. and G. worked with a neighbor on sewing projects.
- E. continued driving lessons.
- E. attended a science lab class.
- We picked apples at Stepping Stone Farm.
- E. worked on his SAE vermiculture project for FFA.
- P. and E. assisted with the children's ministry at church.
Our lives are not what is considered normal, but we are loving it this way!
*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 link