With three children at three vastly different grade levels (one high school, one middle school, one elementary school), I try to streamline my curriculum as much as possible. I combine some subjects and at least try to keep everyone on the same general theme. I usually let my high schooler’s subject dictate what my other two will be studying, especially for history and science.
Summertime is my time for planning, perusing catalogs, and seeking guidance in making curriculum choices. Learning from other homeschool moms, talking with curriculum providers, and reading product reviews help immensely, as well as requesting samples to try before I buy. Some companies will allow you to download several weeks worth of instructor’s guide samples for free.
Homeschool conventions are also a valuable investment in planning, getting to see and touch products, talk directly to vendors, and attend sessions to learn how to implement strategies. All in all, a little time spent on research usually saves both money and frustration later on.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed
For the upcoming school year, here is a peek inside our curriculum box. I still have some more planning to do, but it’s a start:
History
- Sonlight Core 300, Modern World History for high school
- Sonlight Core F, Eastern Hemisphere with modifications for my younger two
Science
- Apologia Biology for high school
- Sonlight Science D, Biology, Taxonomy, and Human Anatomy combined with Apologia Human Anatomy for my younger two
- Edison Project classes from Quick Study Labs (my younger 2 boys)
- Nature study
Language Arts
- Sonlight Literature 300, 20th Century Literature for high school
- Wordly Wise Vocabulary for middle and high school
- Teen literature discussion group
- Lightning Literature 7 and The Phonetic Zoo B for spelling
- Undecided for my youngest, but will include phonics, All About Spelling, and handwriting
Math
- Teaching Textbooks Algebra for high school
- Teaching Textbooks Math 7
- Teaching Textbooks Math 3
Fine Arts
- Compass Cinema Filmmaking From the First Directors for my oldest
- Homeschool Art Classes at our Cultural Arts center for all three
- Private guitar lessons (oldest) and private drum lessons (middle)
Foreign Language
- Spanish, curriculum undecided. I have Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day, which is good for beginning conversation. We have all been learning along with the CDs in the car. I also have the Jr. and regular versions of the old Power-Glide curriculum.
Like you, I try to streamline as much as possible, and mine are only two grades apart! It’s something I will need to continue to do as much as possible as they get older, but I can see that it won’t work as well when my older daughter enters middle/high school as it does now—until my younger daughter catches up a bit.
I homeschool an only, so I don’t have to coordinate the activities of other children with my daughter. She is in different grades for different subjects however. I’m grateful that our core curriculum (www.Time4Learning)added high school this year. That meant we could skirt back and forth between middle school courses and high school courses to meet my daughter’s needs. I also wanted to mention that we are using Duolingo online for Spanish. It is free and each of your students could have their own account and progress at their own pace. I hope this helps. Happy homeschooling!