It doesn’t seem like much has changed this year since we are still finishing some books and are continuing to use a lot of the same curriculum, just the next book. But I’m going to share what we’re using as a record here and maybe it will help someone who is looking for what might be right for their kids.

Even though one daughter is entering 9th grade and transcripts, I’m still trying to keep history and science something we do all together. Doing 3 different histories and sciences doesn’t appeal to me at all. It’s just easier to work together on those things. We alternate days, 2 of history, 2 of science and this works so well for us.

Science: Big Bag of Science for experiments and Exploring the World of Chemistry by John Hudson Tiner.

On chemistry day I read aloud from the Tiner book then we either make a notebook page on what we read or do an experiment. My kids have LOVED these experiments and we are about 2 lessons from being done with them. I’m probably going to move on with another chemistry book with experiments. This by far, has been the most excited I’ve ever seen them about science.

History: All American History + workbook.

On history day I read aloud from the history text and they work a workbook page. We used to do  a history notebook and I kind of miss that. I will probably start doing that again soon, especially with my 2nd grader. He has always been resistant to the notebook, not like my girls who loved it, because he doesn’t love to draw.

Bible: We are in Joshua right now. I read a chapter aloud a day.

Writing/Copywork: Right now we (including me) are all writing a verse a day from a chapter in the Bible. Right below our verse we journal a bit.

Handwriting: (2nd grader only) Italic Handwriting Series.

Phonics: (2nd grader only) Explode the Code

Spelling: (2nd grader only) Spelling Workout (MCP).

Math: They all use Math-U-See

English: older girls use Growing With Grammar. I’ll begin Shurley English this year with 2nd grader.

Reading/Literature: I try to keep a read aloud going all the time. We just finished The Penderwicks and loved it. I’m on the search for our next book. Every day Milo picks an easy reader to read aloud and the girls have books they read. Right now we are using Total Language Plus and they are doing The Bronze Bow.

For art on Fridays, we use Artistic Pursuits.

And that’s it.

Our school year is quickly coming to an end and we are all twitchy with anticipation. Twitchy and snotty and grumpy. We all have head colds and it feels like it would be so much easier to just call this last week off and end school a week earlier than planned. But we press on.

The toddler wakes up ready to go. Ready to paint, ready to open Play Doh, ready to pull ornaments off the tree, all with one finger deep in her nostril. I am easily exasperated. My son reminds her of paci days gone by and sends her into a tailspin. Time out is required for both of us. But we press on.

Everybody  needs help! Including the almost 3 year old who doesn’t even have school work to do, but insists she get her books out anyway and I haven’t even had breakfast. The cat has been missing for over 24 hours, the rooster’s cage if flooded. There seem to be half-eaten Pop Tarts everywhere. The history page I assigned is frustratingly difficult, even for me. But we press on.

I eat breakfast, we find the cat locked in the storage building, we decide on a new history assignment. Then my morning glass of Coke slips out of my hand and crashes onto the tile. Glass, ice and Coke everywhere and no one to blame but me. The three year old has to run in to see what happens and skates across ice, glass, and Coke on bare feet with no injuries.

I wonder once again what’s the harm in cutting out of school one week early. But I clean up the mess, sweeping ice, Coke, and glass into the trash and refilling a fresh glass with my morning Coke, even though it is now well past morning. We press on.

Bed sheets are washing, history is finished, math done. My son reads without complaints, a whole story, a major accomplishment.

We can do this. Only a few more days to go.