Getting ready for the 2012/13 school year!

I am so thankful we've had time to prepare for homeschooling this summer.  Last year, we had two days (more or less) to prepare for homeschooling.  This year, we have had the entire summer.

After much time spent looking (and drooling . . . ) over various curriculums and resources, we have made our final selections.



This isn't all of them, and yes, this is mostly for the fall.  Some things will trickle over into the spring semester.

 Last year, this was our main homeschooling place - the counter in the family room.  Or the kitchen table.  Or the picnic table on the deck.  Or the island in the kitchen.  Or . . . wherever.

Organized, I was not.  Poor Viggo.  Although it was usually me that hauled books and supplies all over the place.

This year, we have a new plan.  We not only have an official third grader, but an official kindergartner and an unofficial preschooler.  So we are turning the craft room into a school room.  I still get to keep my desk with the sewing machine, though.  But we are turning this side of the room into a huge desk unit, maps will be put up, and other changes.  In general, it won't look like this for much longer.

We are using the workbox system to organize everyone's daily work.  We thought we would buy some more trofast organizing systems from Ikea (the girls have some in their closet to store all their little doodads and toys).  However, Nate went out to his shop, realized he had some lumber the exact size he needed, and made them himself.  I love our knockoff trofast units, which are actually improved from Ikea's - there's an extra space on the bottom of each unit to store extra paper, supplies, etc.

Thank you, Nate!

We still needed to get the bins though.  We didn't have any way of replicating those.

Svea has been helping me find school supplies.  Here's a few.

And here is what we are doing:  this is Viggo's math.  He uses Singapore Math, and Svea will also be doing that (Nate started her on Singapore Math last year).  Her books are not pictured; these are all Viggo's.

I am so glad Nate teaches.  A math book labeled "Intensive Practice" is not something I'd like to identify myself with.

Neither is "Challenging Word Problems."  I am so glad Nate teaches math.

I get everything else though.  And since I am in charge, we are doing D'Nealian handwriting this year, which I love!  Svea started looking through her book when it came in the mail the other day, and I had to pry it out of her hands.  She can't wait to start.

This is everything Viggo is doing for language arts.  We used Evan-Moore books last year as well and liked them a lot.

The Mystery of History is something we'll be continuing from last year.  Both Viggo and I love this.

 Land Animals of the Sixth Day continues a zoology series Viggo started last year.

And finally, we are reading The Hobbit and delving into it deeper with questions, activities, etc. from this comprehension book.

Svea's workload is considerably smaller, but just as important.  Mudpies to Magnets is an old-school, but very cool, science book full of fun activities and experiments.  There is a lot for Elin to do in here too!

 Nursery Rhymes Literature Pockets is something that both Svea and Elin will do.  And Drawing with Children will be for everyone.

 We will be reading several different Bible materials; Little Visits With God is one of my favorites.  It is pretty dated, but the themes it covers are not.  It is full of short vignettes, each one providing a character lesson based on biblical principals and backed with scripture.

And we are also doing "Road Trip USA" for geography for both Svea and Viggo, and Elin is doing "Letter of the Week" preschool curriculum, both from Confessions Of A Homeschooler.

I will post some pics of the school room once it is ready to go!