Curriculum for next year

I'm at that glorious point in the school year where we are just about wrapped up with our current grade AND I've already chosen the curriculum for next year.  YES.  Deciding is always hard, but the longer I do this, the better I feel because not only do I know what works for both Kara and for me (all of that can change though!), I know I can change it up whenever I need to.  I no longer feel committed to stick with a book I already purchased.  And because of that, I almost never buy new books.  Always used.

This week Michael is gone fishing, then next week my mom comes, then my mom takes Kara to Florida with her.  (I already had a trip to Florida planned for a week and a half after my mom leaves here, so it was a no-brainer to let Kara hang with them for a while.)  So, while Michael is gone, Kara and I are going to finish up her textbooks (we already finished Writing and this week we'll be done with Math and Science).  While my mom is here, we are going to do a field trip or two, only.  When Kara is in Florida without me, she is going to do a little health, some spelling words, some reading, and some worksheets.  I'm hoping they feel like half days to her and that it doesn't take away from the fun stuff they have planned for her to do.  Everything I'll send with her can be ignored if it interferes.

While Kara is gone, I'll start setting up 6th grade so that when we get back, we can get started.

Except.

I'm me.

I can't wait!  I'm already looking at my books and getting ready.  :-)  It's just so much fun!  All the planning.  It's heaven.

Here is what I have chosen (but I reserve the right to change things any time I want if it's not working):

Science:
We have used BJU science two years in a row and we still love it.  It's intense, but it's taught Kara how to look up answers using bold words, Kara really likes the worksheets that go along with it (have I mentioned she used to hate worksheets?), and she likes how all the information is presented in general.  Next year we are going to add in tests.  And homework.  In baby steps, of course.  But this is middle school, which means she needs to be used to this stuff for high school.  Since 6th grade is our first year of middle school, I will hold her hand as much as she needs me to.  In 6th grade BJU science, we will learn:
Earthquakes and Volcanoes, Weathering and Erosion, Natural Resources
Cells and Classification, Animal Classification, Plant Classification
Atoms and Molecules, Electricity and Magnetism, Motion and Machines
Stars, Solar System
Plant and Animal Reproduction, Heredity and Genetics
Nervous System, Immune System
I'm already excited.  :-)  (P.S.  I know you saw the word reproduction in there - this means learning the words zygote, gestation, that sort of thing.  We are not talking "the birds and the bees."  We will discuss this when I think it's appropriate.)

English:
I started with Science because I wanted to tell you how much we were liking BJU's way of teaching.  We like they way information is laid out and they way they reinforce it and it's working.  SO, I am going to try BJU Reading and BJU English.
Reading:
I already have the teacher's book I found at a thrift store long ago in case I wanted to use it one day.  Well, we are going to try it.  Reading consists of reading (shock!) short stories chosen by BJU and includes reading comprehension, vocabulary, studying the authors, and of course everything else that goes along with reading (stories teach you how other people live, history, sports, anything else the stories are about).  I like the super reinforcement of Biblical themes.
I am going to add to this - we will read more literature too.  Kara and I had a talk about reading - books that are 500+ pages intimidate her, even if it's easy reading.  She also said she wants to do like half of the books via audio book and half via plain reading on her own.  I think those are all perfectly appropriate ways to learn and it makes sense for her to feel that way at age 9.  My goal is to foster a love of reading.  My job is to present her with books that make her think about not just herself - to open up her world.  And I think presenting books to her in different ways is totally appropriate.  (Note:  last year we used Rod and Staff Reading and Kara loved it - we may switch over to that if BJU doesn't work for us.)
English:
English is it's own subject, apart from Reading.  I decided to switch away from Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing that we have used for a couple of years because we both groan when it's time to do them.  Kara is a wonderful writer and it's easy for her, but she hates doing outlines.  She just want's to look at a blank piece of paper and GO.  Winning with Writing taught her how to structure her writing, which was it's purpose.  Since it was the first year, I didn't push outlines super hard, but I did push structure.  Since she is good at writing, I also expected a lot from her and pushed her.  Honestly, she is probably as good of a writer as I am already.  Maybe better - especially at creative writing.  Grammar was always informative, but DRY.
So, enter BJU English.  I really liked how it's laid out to do two weeks of grammar, then two weeks of writing.  I think the break from each will be nice for us.
In 6th grade BJU English, we will learn:
G - Sentences
W - Personal Narrative
G - Nouns
W - Newspaper Editorial
G - Verbs
W - Instructions
G - Study & Reference Skills
W - Research Report (Michael was thrilled to see this - he wants her to be a good report writer)
G - Pronouns
W - Historical Fiction
G - More Verbs
W - Compare-Contrast Essay
G - Adjectives, Adverbs & Prepositions
W - Limerick & Free Verse
G - Sentences, Phrases, & Clauses
W - Cover Letter
Oh my.  Deep breath.  One day at a time.
Spelling:
We have used Abeka spelling from the get go because it's HARD.  I do not know how to spell the Abeka words she had to spell this year, so I know we're doing the right thing.  It took Kara two years to do Spelling 4, so we are using Spelling 5 this year.  Abeka's spelling has poetry in there too.  We read one poem every day for a month, then get a new one next month.  Kara loves being read to.  And she really loves being read poetry.  By the end of the month, she practically has it memorized, which she loves.
Reading, Writing, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary, ALL will have tests.  This is all new for us.  We will introduce them slowly and I will hold her hand a lot at first.  Somehow I have to take away from all those instructional days and make them test days.  Should be interesting....

Math:
I am a super math lover.  We all know this by now.  I am a math nerd who looked forward to it every day in school and I still look forward to it now.  I love how concrete math is.  I love how there is only one right answer and it can be found by doing a series of steps, following the rules.  All of this lines right up with my personality.  Not to mention the perfection and cool things that are in geometry and numbers themselves that point me right to God.  Mock me if you want, but it's just a perfect system that only a divine Creator could come up with!
That being said, we have used Teaching Textbooks for two years already and we are going to stick with it.  I feel comfortable with it, Kara likes it, and she has been doing their quizzes this whole time. (I just grade them now.)  After using the same thing two years in a row, I felt like they didn't introduce a whole lot new this year compared to what she learned last year.  I know that is kinda the point.  But as I was picking out the next book for this upcoming year, it looked even slower and more repetitive.  So, we are going to try to skip it and go to Pre Algebra.  I really think Kara is ready for this, and I'm fine taking our time and going slowly if we need to.  (OR, I could keep the book if it's too advanced and buy the one we skipped.  Look how flexible.)

History:
History is boring.  Like really, really boring.  Like, I just can't stand history textbooks.  Dates and names and blah blah blah.  Until you take away the history textbooks, take away the dates and names, and make it a story, keeping the chronological order, of course.  So, even though we are in middle school, we are going to stick with reading books about history that are fun and interesting so the story of history sticks in her brain.  We are both having a lot more fun that way.  And we are retaining it more.  Dates and names and history textbooks will be a bigger deal to me in high school.  Right now we are taking American History very slowly, but it is teaching us geography and capitals and what life was like back then and how God worked through it all.  So, I'm giving us a break on history.  These things matter more to me.  I plan to use high school to get her ready for college history.  (By the way, I only took two history courses in college and did just fine.)
Geography:
I have always loved geography and so has Michael.  Reading maps is like reading graphs in math - and I love it.  For some reason Kara doesn't like it.  I found some educational games and she is liking it a bit more these days.  We are going to stick with the Geography workbook I found a year or so ago for general map reading skills, we are going to continue with states and capitals, and we will move onto world geography eventually (past continents and oceans).

Those are the big four subjects.  The "small" four subjects are Art, Music, Health, and PE.

Art:
Kara is an insanely amazing artist.  She has a natural talent and honestly I can't teach her anything - she is so above me.  She is very self motivated and seeks out learning art on her own.  I am letting her.  I am looking into getting her into an art class here, but I'm nervous it will be below her current abilities - and it's pricey and far away as it is.  But I totally don't want to be that mom that's like, my daughter is better than any artist ever and I will only do this class if it's not beneath her.  lol!  We'll see.  This year I plan to start introducing her to famous artists and see if she can start recognizing it.  This will tie a lot in with history.  Ooo!  Maybe we should read books on the artists to see what their lives were like and why they painted what they did....  Now I'm getting ideas.

Music:
I already have been using you tube videos to teach Kara to read music, play the piano (aka keyboard), how to tell what instruments are what just from listening, also from looking, also what group they are in.  We also have been going through a list of composers and listening to their stuff.

Health:
We have always used Abeka health, but I am skipping it this year.  So much of middle school level health is included in our science books.  We are also reading our "body books."  Lots of stuff about her body - before, middle, and end/adulthood.  It's hilarious to watch her reactions.  Some things she takes matter of factly and nods and goes about her day.  Other stuff she is grossed out about.  I'm sure you can guess which stuff is which!  lol.  Anyway, these books are written by American Girl - one is for younger girls and one is for older girls.  She fits in the younger girl category and we are taking this as she grows.  Also, right now it's appropriate for Kara to learn about her own body, and we will get into male anatomy and human reproduction when the time is right.  As a mom, I get to decide when she is ready and needs/wants to know.  This is different for every kid and there is no right or wrong time.

PE:
Kara has her horse lessons every week, which is huge.  She also plays still - at our house on the gravel and dirt piles, at the playground on swings and slides, etc.  We are toying with the idea of teaching her to ride a bike - the balance will help with her horse lessons.  In general, I want her to have structured and unstructured PE in her life.

Now.  I have a few more things up my sleeve.  I guess you'd call these electives.

Bible:
We are going to try the free online Bible curriculum done by Easy Peasy.  Feel free to check it out!  http://allinonehomeschool.com/bible-year-1-2/  We are starting with the old testament and going to see how it goes.  Kara has been going through a book I bought her called something like 13 principles about God every kid should know.  I wanted to be double and triple sure she knows the fundamentals about who God is, who Jesus is, and who the Holy Spirit is.  Straight from scripture.  Now we can move on to going deeper.  The Easy Peasy curriculum (written by a mom for her many homeschooled kids) stars with the book of Matthew, then goes back to Genesis.
Wouldn't you know, whenever we start our day without our Bible lesson, homeschooling goes terribly.  When we start with our Bible lesson first thing, what a difference.  Imagine that.  ;-)

Spanish:
And the last trick up my sleeve is Spanish.  I LOVED Spanish in school.  I started learning at 13 in 8th grade and stuck with it for five years - three years past what was required.  My love of another language trickled over into loving programming languages.  Anyway, five years of studying Spanish had me full on fluent.  (I didn't have to translate back to english in my head when I was listening/reading/speaking, so I considered that fluent.)  Unfortunately, I haven't used it in almost 20 years so I'm not so fluent anymore!  It's still in the back of my brain somewhere, and I'm hoping teaching it brings it back.
The cool thing is, my parents are going to sit in on our classes.  They want to learn too, and living in Florida, I think it's a great idea.  We'll see how that goes!  I plan to do Spanish every day.  We'll see how they stick with it.  (And, I'm saying that knowing they will read this!  Ha!)

It's going to be a big load, but I think 6th grade is a big deal.  I know it seems like we are skipping a lot and I'm really pushing Kara, but I am constantly reading everything I can get my hands on to make sure nothing gets skipped or overlooked.  Also, I felt so held back in school growing up, I would have loved to just move on when I was ready.  Michael says the same thing.  I'm trying to give that to Kara.  I know she is a smart girl and can handle it, and I don't push her past what she can do.  I am not trying to win any race, I'm just trying to keep up with her.  I think if she is always encouraged to live life at HER pace, all the while being challenged, she will be set up for her career and life in general.  And I'm a mom - I'm making this up as I go, all the while checking in with someone who loves Kara even more than I do - her Savior.