Curriculum decisions can be so difficult! There is so much curriculum out there to choose from. I know when I am spending my money I want it to be on something that works and that the children and I enjoy. That doesn't always happen though and then you have to decide if you need to stick with what you have, or make some changes.
Our biggest change this year is math. That can be the hardest subject to make a change in because every math curriculum teaches differently and too many changes can end up causing more problems then when you started. I say that if you find something that works well, you need to stick with it. But you also have to recognize when something does not work well and try and figure out what might work better. Last year, math was a nightmare in this house. Too many children with too much frustration all at the same time. The math curriculum we had been using for years that worked so well for the first few children was not going well for the others so it was time for a change,
2nd Grade Curriculum Choices
Math: Lily will be using Math Lessons for a Living Education Level 2. This a new curriculum from MasterBooks.com. The curriculum has been around for a little while, but it has been updated and revised. I reviewed Level One and I think this will be a good change for us.
Reading: She will be continuing with All About Reading Level 2. Last year she completed Level One and half of Level 2. We will pick up where we left off.
Bible/Art/Geography/Science: My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures. After I purchased the MFW K two years ago and loved it so much, we did Adventures from MFW last year. We enjoyed that one too so I decided to try the Exploring Countries and Cultures this year. Now I have to tell you that I am not a check every box kind of person. I am fine with adapting the curriculum to meet our needs and leaving things off or adding things on as needed, but I kind of like having a tentative lesson plan written out for me, Where we live our library is super small and hard to get books from inter-library loan so buying everything in one box is very convenient. I have been planning and getting things ready and have already seen things that I will be changing as the year goes on, but I am hoping that we will enjoy this curriculum as much as we have the others we have used from MFW.
Science: The one thing I decided after using MFW last year was that the science was too light (in Adventures.) If I had been teaching 1-3rd graders that had not every had a lot of science it probably would have been fine. But my children love science and have done a lot already tagging on with older siblings so in addition to MFW Ecc science assignments we are going to be using Apologia Astronomy.
Language Arts: We have just started a review of Jolly Grammar, and so far Lily likes it so we will continue on with that.
Music: Now here is where I need to be realistic. I would like us to continue in or composer study from Zeezok Music Appreciation Book 1 for the Elementary Grades. We finished two composers last year. There is a lot to this curriculum. I would like to get through 2-3 composers this year.
I am looking forward to the start of our new year!
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