WWYD? Pretend you are me. :)

[dawnofmotherhood]

I am at a point that I need some input. I have been pouring over WTM for days - trying to decide what will work for our family. My considerations:

*2 beginning logic stage boys (11 and 12)

*2 grammar stage kids (7g and 8b)

*history and science must include all 4 kids - maybe the younger two part of the time, then extend for the older two?

*must pick a period of history to study together and use many of the same materials (We've already read through all 4 SOTW)

*same with science (we did and REALLY enjoyed Apologia Elementary Botany and Space books)

*We live in Hawaii and want to take advantage of the opportunities here (Pearl Harbor, ocean stuff, different culture)

 

This is what I have thus far:

I have Language Arts covered. FLL for the younger two (2nd and 3rd grade levels); Rod and Staff English for the older two. Phonics Zoo for spelling (we like this a lot - from IEW). Vocabulary workbooks we like.

 

I am looking into math curricula. For my older two I am considering Art of Problem Solving, which would be right up their ally. My younger two, they are fine doing games still, interspersed with some drill/memorization of math facts.

 

History... not sure what period to do. We are in Hawaii, and I would like to take advantage of being near Pearl Harbor - because we will only be here for another year and a half or so. If I do modern history, which we breezed past because it was too deep, we could do some real living history stuff here. Seems silly to not take advantage of having this available and not do a certain time period simply because it wasn't the right time for that period (kwim?).

 

Science... again, not sure. We have so many ocean opportunities here. There are sea animals, the ocean itself, etc. I would need to find a way to incorporate all 4 of the kids.

 

Anyone have any bright ideas for me? :D

 

Heather Mitchell

[Lovedtodeath]

Adventures in the Sea & Sky from Winterpromise covers History and Science. It is perfect for 5th-6th grade. I know people on th WP forums that have adapted it for 2nd - 10th, so it shouldn't be too hard to get all of your kiddos on board (esp mostly boys). There is also a Young Learners Guide.

 

Just do a unit study on Pearl Harbor and related events. I don't see planning your whole year around it.

 

If I were you... that was my turn. ;)

[dawnofmotherhood]

Adventures in the Sea & Sky from Winterpromise covers History and Science. It is perfect for 5th-6th grade. I know people on th WP forums that have adapted it for 2nd - 10th, so it shouldn't be too hard to get all of your kiddos on board (esp mostly boys). There is also a Young Learners Guide.

 

Just do a unit study on Pearl Harbor and related events. I don't see planning your whole year around it.

 

If I were you... that was my turn. ;)

 

um, we did that last year. ;)

[Lovedtodeath]

LOL!! Well you already covered a lot of the ocean stuff then didn't you?

 

In that case, I would get AA2 from the new catalog in the spring.

Edited December 11, 2008 by Lovedtodeath

[Melissa B]

Apologia has an elementary zoology book that focuses on animals of the seas and oceans (Zoology 2 maybe) and I think it includes additional writing assignments or activities for older students.

[coffeefreak]

Apologia has an elementary zoology book that focuses on animals of the seas and oceans (Zoology 2 maybe) and I think it includes additional writing assignments or activities for older students.

 

This is exactly what I was going to recommend. :iagree:

 

Also, for History, just make your own! Since you're going to be there for just a short time, do "Hawaiian history." One of the years I loved history the most was when I was in 4th grade and we did California history. My parents kept laughing because we literally lived there 10 months and that was my Social Studies that year. But let me tell you, every weekend excursion we took was fabulous because I was so knowledgeable, and it was so much more meaningful.

 

Blessings!