The Curriculum Junkie Teachers Lounge 5-22-2017

[scrapbookbuzz]

Happy Monday, all! Welcome to the Lounge!

 

Today's theme is brought to you by this: https://www.buildyourbundle.net/?ref=1ep

The Build Your Own Bundle sale. Now, I don't really NEED any more curriculum, as far as I know. But I also like a good GREAT deal,

and I see some in this year's sale. TOO MANY, in fact! I have set myself a budget and now need to figure out if I'm going to allow myself 

to use the max budget or stick to my minimum, or somewhere in between. Oi!  I will, I think, most definitely get the Mystery Bundle, because 

I don't like to NOT know things! If I believed in past lives I could probably be persuaded that I was a cat once, as my curiosity can be insatiable 

at times. Anyone else feel like this? :w00t:

 

Anyway . . . 

 

What's on your schedule for today? Here: other than spending too many minutes reading about the Bundles and contemplating which of them I'll actually buy, today is our recovery day from Tech Week last week. Granted, my son doesn't really need to recover from anything but Mom and sis do, so he gets a pass, as well. The ONLY thing scheduled for us today is the Cast Party this afternoon.

 

Memorial Day weekend is THIS coming weekend. Plans? Here: Friday night is graduation for one of my daughter's friends, so she and I will be going to that. DH is contemplating going camping but has not decided 100% yet. If he goes, he will most likely take ds with him. I hope they do go. It's good for them to get out and about together (a rarity) and dd and I enjoy the quiet for a bit. ;)

 

Has anyone started planning for schooling in the fall yet? Here: we typically school through the summer. However, we're planning on starting a mini-coop in the fall, focusing on American History. AFTER I send out some reminders to folks about swim team starting in two weeks, and scheduling pictures and t-shirts, I may then look at our intended curriculum for the co-op. I might even purchase something from the BYOB (Build Your Own Bundle) sale to use in it!  :patriot:

 

Talk to me! :bigear:

[mom31257]

I'm such a junkie, but having ds going into 9th grade has squelched my desire quite a bit. His credits will mostly be dictated by the state and colleges as well as our co-op. That leaves little to get to choose. 

 

Today is schoolwork, picking up our car (YEA!!!), and tutoring one of my GED students. 

 

We still don't have plans for Memorial Day weekend. Dd has to work Saturday afternoon and evening. So far she has worked every Sunday afternoon and evening, too, and has had Mondays off. If next week is the same, maybe we'll plan something as a family that day. She won't know her schedule until Friday or Saturday.

 

By planning, do you mean just picking curricula and subjects, or do you mean actual lesson planning? I've got most of the subject, curricula planning done, but I am still researching options on world geography, literature selections, and a possible world religions study. I won't start the actual lesson planning until summer. 

 

 

 

 

[scrapbookbuzz]

I think I meant lesson planning, but picking curricula fits in there, too!

 

For me, I just need to look over the curriculum (most likely using SL's Core 100, which is upper level grades)

and see which literature we'll use in the co-op, and which books I'll just have my own kids read. For dd, it will mostly

be review, anyway. I want her to finish up what she already had going and do a gentle introduction to CC (one class).

[Butter]

Schedule: School.  Cameron works this afternoon.  Fritz has swim team.  I'm just trying to get healthy.  I'm on antibiotics now for ear, sinus, and throat infections and bronchitis.  I didn't sleep much last night from all the coughing.  Ani's got a sinus infection, too.  It started as an upper respiratory infection (doctor thinks flu, but no point in testing for it at this point).

 

Memorial Day Weekend: No clue.  Maybe we'll finally celebrate Mother's Day.  If I am healthy.

 

Planning: I always start planning in March.

[maize]

I was happy to see an entire Ellen McHenry bundle :)

[Murphy101]

I'm a reformed junkie. Earlier in my home schooling I bought a ton of stuff simply bc that was the only way to evaluate things for what would work for us. Though each year there's something new to the mix bc a kids being individuals, I've settled on what works for us for the most part. I have my set list of things I use, and a subset list of things to consider if I think those won't work for a kid and then I have a very very small list of things that are new concerns. We tend to school year around, though not as much as we used to bc when the college kids can come home, everyone tends to want to drop everything to visit while we can. And summer opportunities come up for the older kids too. I used to have a book buying compulsion that's nearly entirely been exchanged for knitting. I still have books everywhere, but I'm far more selective about adding to my collection.

 

No Memorial Day plans. Most of the adults in my house will be working that day, so it's just another weekend for us.

 

I'm slowly planning for next fall. I've trying to power through the blahs about it, but otherwise it's mostly settled and all good.

Two will be all or mostly at CC for their classes. So I only need to plan for five this year.

[mommyoffive]

Well now I am looking at this bundle sale!  Wow.  Amazing prices.  

[Garga]

Usually do the curric planning by April, but not this year. This year was HARD for me. I was barely keeping my nose above water.

 

Will plan over the summer.

 

This week: SAT subject tests prep. My student is getting increasingly discouraged. The tests are in 2 weeks and he doesn't feel prepared, yet isn't mature enough to have the willpower to buckle down and review. So he's just feeling anxious and unfocused and gets whiny about reviewing. Yuck!

 

It's so much easier when it's something I can do for myself. If I was taking the test, I'd just do what it took to get the review done. It's this whole inspiring someone else to buckle down that's so hard about homeschool (and parenting in general.)

 

All I can think about, besides SAT II tests, is how much I'm looking forward to decluttering the house this summer. Can't wait!

Edited May 22, 2017 by Garga

[MotherGoose]

Yall are a bad influence!!!!

[luuknam]

Took Celery to speech today, and at 3 we're supposed to sign the lease to rent a house. Other than that, probably some more packing.

 

The kids have a parents' night out at the Y this coming weekend. Other than that, last minute moving stuff.

 

I don't really plan school. I'm more "do the next thing". I do have a list of curricula I want to do next year though.

[2_girls_mommy]

I look at the bundles every year. I don't anything about Ellen McHenry or most of the programs for sale at all. But I still look. I think oh look, I could buy that one and it is everything but math...even though I have everything except math for the most part planned and purchased already, lol. I was planning on doing math through SchoolHouseTeachers this year anyway, and it is on sale in the classes and subscriptions section, so that is good. That should satisfy me, because there is lots on there to go through and pick from included too. 

 

We are recovering from everything last week and weekend today too. We need to get some school done, plus piano lesson today. I made my to do list of all of the stuff I have been putting off just trying to get through last week. I need to just start tackling some of it. 

 

And like others, I can't wait until summer to start decluttering the house. My first one goes to camp in two weeks. That will be my official get back to FlyLady day! 

[mom31257]

I think I meant lesson planning, but picking curricula fits in there, too!

 

For me, I just need to look over the curriculum (most likely using SL's Core 100, which is upper level grades)

and see which literature we'll use in the co-op, and which books I'll just have my own kids read. For dd, it will mostly

be review, anyway. I want her to finish up what she already had going and do a gentle introduction to CC (one class).

 

Ah, lesson planning is another thing! I've got quite a bit to do this summer.

 

Earth Science: Co-op is using DIVE Earth for a group of 7th-10th graders. It doesn't include a textbook, but ds will retain more if he's also reading. I'm going to go through the program and make a reading syllabus using A Beka's textbook. I'll try to use some of their quizzes and tests as well.

 

Geography: Once I decided what resources I'm using, I'm going to come up with a syllabus for the year.

 

Co-Op writing classes: I'm creating my own classes this year. I'm teaching a writing class for 3rd-4th graders, and the whole year will be designed around writing letters. I'm teaching an introduction to writing class with 1st-2nd graders. I plan to begin with good sentences and move to paragraphs. 

 

Math: I'm going to be teaching math classes in my home, so I'm going to do a syllabus for each of those classes. I'm going to supplement ds' Geometry with more advanced algebra concepts, statistics, and probability. I'll plan that out, too. 

[scrapbookbuzz]

Amy, can I just send my kids to your house for school? It sounds so much more organized and structured than I ever am!  :cool:

 

Luuknam! Welcome back, stranger!  :D

[2_girls_mommy]

Yes, I have sort of started lesson planning. I pretty much have all curriculum picked out, almost all purchased. I made a rough schedule for my co-op class already too. I am teaching latin, which is just do the next lesson each week, plus a medieval history class, so I needed to sketch the plan out for it before the end of this year. 

 

What I really have to start planning is VBS. It is in 2 weeks. I haven't opened the curriculum packet yet, sigh. I have volunteers and decorations set up. I just need to read through it and get a feel for it and assign parts. I have been putting it off, overwhelmed. But the time is up. I will open it today and start reading. That is all. Usually once I start that, there isn't that much to it but sending out emails. 

 

Lesson planning next year. I am ready to start, but I need to declutter the house first. So summer cleaning and decluttering, then detailed lesson plans.

[mom31257]

Scrap, I think flying to GA would get expensive, but send them on! We already think our youngest are kindred spirits anyway.

 

I really like planning, so that part is easy for me. Sometimes I think I like the planning more than the actual implementation of it, though. LOL!

 

I wish I liked organizing things in my house as much as lessons, schedules, and events. 

 

 

 

[scrapbookbuzz]

Oh, this is NOT acceptable - we were on PAGE TWO!

 

You must all be drooling over the Build Your Own Bundle sale like I have been most of the day,

minus the three and a half hours at the Cast Party. :coolgleamA:

[maize]

I spent a couple of hours yesterday on lesson planning for next year--entering plans into Homeschool Planet, which I have had a subscription to all year and not used. I give myself a pass on that though because pregnancy pretty much knocked me on my rear end and we've just been in survival mode. Thank heavens for Prodigy math for the younger kids and grandma skype tutoring for my oldest, as well as reading tutoring for my dyslexic 9 year old. I feel like the most important skills have actually been covered and other stuff we can start playing catch up on over the summer.

 

I want to do integrated science with my 14 year old next year--I've ordered Spectrum Chemistry, have REAL Science Odyssey Biology 2 (that was supposed to happen this year but didn't) on hand, and Novare's Accelerated Studies in Physics and Chemistry. I figure if we start during the summer we can take things slowly and get through most of it in a calendar year.

[FaithManor]

Today we had a family birthday to celebrate. I grocery shopped, then made a big celebratory lunch, followed by chocolate a teacher chip cookies and chocolate pie. Boys are at the movies while Dh and I rest at home.

 

Fall planning is done.

 

No Memorial Weekend plans. Michigan has insane traffic on national holidays during good weather so we like to stay close to home. We will do a back yard bonfire and hot dog roast, get out the telescope if the sky is clear, play board games, and maybe take a hike on local state land.

[kbutton]

I was happy to see an entire Ellen McHenry bundle :)

 

Me too, but it's more happy for other people since I have purchased most of it in previous bundles. We love her stuff!

 

As for planning for next year, I have started, though it's more choosing curriculum than total lesson plans. I do a lot of things that I can make "work out in the end" without having to make specific lessons plans.

[scrapbookbuzz]

It's almost 2100 (9pm) here.

The Lounge is now CLOSED.

See you all tomorrow.