Homeschool Curriculum Combined Subjects {Grades 7, 6, 5 & 2}

Fresh start.  Sharpened pencils.  New year — bring it on!

Today I’m sharing our homeschool plan for the year.  I’ve never done this before.  Why in the world would I want to?

I think it comes down to encouragement & inspiration –> you can do this!

I can’t tell you how many homeschool blogs I visited in the early years when I just wanted a sneak peak into another family to see how they did it.  What about the toddlers?  How does first grade look?  What about when the kids enter middle school?  How do you educate multiple kids on multiple levels?

So, I’m sharing our plan, not because it’s the best plan ever, but just for plain encouragement if you’re another mom in the trenches.  Just to share ideas and curriculum choices that I think will work for us in this season at this time with these kids.

So, without further ado… our mostly classically-inspired yet eclectic homeschool curriculum for 2015-2016.

Combined Subjects

This is how I keep my sanity.  This year we will have kids in grades 7, 6, 5 & 2.  Did I also mention that we have a new adorable sister in the mix?!

Combining subjects brings more order from the potential chaos and streamlines the day.  Since we {mostly} follow a Classical Education model, I know that subjects like history and science don’t have to be taught “on grade level.”  My kids will get these subjects at least three times in their educational careers, each time at a deeper and more age-appropriate level.

For example, we all studied The Early Church & Middle Ages for history last year.  My first grader got a taste for it (grammar stage).  He will study it again in upper elementary at a deeper level (logic stage), then again in High school (rhetoric stage).  We gain more than we lose by having everyone “on the same page” in these subjects.

Looping

This is a new concept for me, but it looks like a great way to get all the little extras covered without going crazy!  Check out this helpful discussion.  Looping basically helps you navigate the frequency of subjects that don’t need to be taught daily.

So, we will be combining and looping the following group subjects this year:

{This post contains affiliate links.  Please see my disclosure policy.}

Mystery of History –>  We are studying Volume III: The Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations.  We will listen to the lessons, add information to our timelines, work on related mapping exercises, and read additionally from The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia.  My 5th, 6th & 7th graders will complete outlining and summary writing several times a week from their outside reading.  Their personal reading lists will include titles that correspond to our history study.

Science –> For several years now we have used God’s Design science curriculum. Written for use in grades 1-8, your students will have an opportunity to circle through once in lower elementary and again in upper elementary and middle school.  Great for including multiple ages together.  This year we’ll be studying “God’s Design for Chemistry & Ecology.”

French –> Since we started our homeschooling journey in the bilingual province of New Brunswick, we purchased The Easy French by Great Commission Languages and studied the Junior level several years ago.  This year all four of the boys will work through Level 1 together.  We will work on French daily (not looped).

Bible –>  Our morning loop will alternate between the following:

Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing

Herein Is Love, Volume 2: Exodus

The Westminster Shorter Catechism

Daily Life at the Time of Jesus

Daily Scripture memory review using this system.

Fine Arts –> this is the subject matter that usually slips through the cracks!

Music:  All of my kids take private music lessons, but I hope to incorporate a study of composers and music styles alongside history for context.

Art:  I have found the Deep Space Sparkle blog to be my go-to source for great art lessons.  We have gotten comfortable with many different mediums and techniques, but I do need to be more consistent with art this year.  I would love your input!  Any other great art resources that you have used?

Individual Subjects {coming soon!}

• Seventh Grade
• Sixth Grade
• Fifth Grade
• Second Grade

How do you manage multiple levels in your home school?  Share your favorite combined subjects and curriculum in the comments.