Confessions of a Curriculum Addict

Okay...the first step to an addiction is admitting a problem...well I confess, I am a Curriculum Junkie! I love browsing through various curriculum to do our lesson plans. I like having various books to use to plan our week. Maybe that is why I cannot go by just 1 single curriculum...

Anywho...I went to the worst place for a curriculum junkie today-The Homeschool Gathering Place. They have tons of new and used curriculum. I love the place!

I spent hours in there just browsing. I went specifically to buy our Math Curriculum for next year. I decided to combine Making Math Meaningful(which they had used) and Singapore Math. Yes, I chose 2 math curriculum... I told you I was a junky. I only bought 1A of Singapore to see if we will actually use it. Figured I could split up the activities in the workboxes. I just couldn't decide between the 2 curriculum. I like different things about each of them.

My favorite find today was Language Lessons for the Very Young by Sandi Queen. It has beautiful full color art work and poems. It uses various methods of Charlotte Mason. I am so excited about this! I went to their website and they have a book for 3 year olds as well. I can't wait to get that book to do with Ryan. I honestly was not taught a lot about "quality" art, poetry and literature growing up therefore I don't know much about what is "quality" in these areas. These books consolidate a lot of it into one book and will hopefully teach me to recognize what is "quality" and perhaps teach my children what I have yet to learn.

I also found a really cool Cuisanaire Alphabet Book for $2. I thought these would be great to use in the workboxes.

The good thing is that I am using much more of my "curriculum" books since we now do the workboxes.

Nature Study

We are trying to implement more of Charlotte Mason's ideas. We have always gone on lots of nature walks and love to explore nature. Today I tried a new activity where Arianna found something and journal/drew a picture of it. She found a shell,closely observed it and then drew a picture of it. We also had a great time playing with friends, finding cool insects, wading in the lake and catching tadpoles to try to raise. I hope to read A Charlotte Mason Companion if I ever get through with Educating the Whole Hearted Child. I went to a Charlotte Mason discussion group on Tuesday which was interesting. I enjoy listening to the thoughts and ideas of others! I don't think I will do Charlotte Mason's Curriculum completely but I am certainly intrigued by many of her ideas! Usually when I complete a questionnaire on our homeschooling ideals and family's values, the results point us to Charlotte Mason and unit studies. I also love Educating the Wholehearted Child by Sally Clarkson (see previous post) Sally Clarkson often recommends Charlotte Mason in her book. Anywho...enjoy pictures of our time at the park...