The Noah Plan Curriculum: Tell Me More!

There is an increasing amount of interest in The Noah Plan Curriculum! Some folks have been asking me to share more about my opinions on it, so I thought I'd address them in a blog post. 

What subjects do you teach daily and which one do you choose to teach once weekly?  

The daily subjects are the 3 R's- reading, writing and arithmetic. The Bible is a part of the reading program (BAR- Bible As a Reader).

Spelling is included in the reading and writing. This is easily done with Spell to Write and Read. However, I am currently reviewing a new spelling curriculum with our son, Explorer, as Spell to Write and Read is not something that seems to work the best for him (you can read the review for that soon).

The Bible is used in each subject which The Noah Plan Curriculum focuses on: Bible, Reading, Geography, Science, History, Literature, etc. So technically children are learning the Bible daily, too. I take the other subjects and divide them up to one per day (with review during the week).

We also incorporate spelling, writing, and English in letters to family and pen pals. When book reports are due, they incorporate these things into their writings.
 

What is the weekly prep time for The Noah Plan curriculum?

  
The thing that I found most time consuming in the beginning was trying to learn how to use the curriculum! And this is because I didn't have anyone to show me how. 

Other than that:

1. Preparation time for added content varies. It really depends on how you operate as an individual and how much you want to teach your children (which will depend on their abilities which only you know). Some people like to practically inhale what is on their plate and read a ton and then break it down for their kids. Others like to take little bites, chew on it, let it digest a bit, and go for more.

But remember that you don't have to necessarily use the extra books in Kindergarten (the big Red books, etc.). I do recommend reading them on your own to enhance your own education as they are excellent resources.  

2. Preparation time for materials: Unfortunately, we don't learn what these are until we have the curriculum in our hands. I gather that this is because FACE doesn't sell all of the supplies and books needed for the lessons (maps, some literature, some books for science, etc.). However, it has been on my mind for quite a while to create the list so people can download it for free. Since there is increasing interest in this curriculum, I am willing to sit down and put it together for folks. :-) 


Update: Essentials list for Kindergarten; Essentials list for Second Grade; Essentials list for Third Grade.

3. Preparation for notebook pages can be time consuming. While ruled paper can be used, some preparation is still needed (a heading for early writers to trace, for example). I have Kindergarten notebook pages I'm compiling into one PDF format to help eliminate that step for parents. My goal is to have that all ready to go by the beginning of summer this year.

4. Preparation for 4th through 12th Grades: Honestly, this is a whole other ball park. For some reason a curriculum for these grades was not compiled. But overviews are given for 5th-12th grade and these do help. :-)

At first I was frightened at the thought of this! What do they mean I'll be writing my own curriculum?!! Are they crazy?!!

But seriously, it isn't hard to do when using the 4R Method. FACE has overviews for these grade levels to guide parents with a scope and sequence for the school year. And I feel like I have more flexibility writing my own curriculum. I like being lead by the Holy Spirit to teach my children what they need to learn- and to be teachable myself. 

There are times when I have wished for a curriculum for the upper grades to be available. Hey, I'm human! Sometimes I am tired from a long night with Super Busy or I'm coming down with a cold or I haven't gotten to bed early enough like I should have and I'm dragging the next day... or week.  

It's a lot like parenting...

Yea! You are expecting! It's all so new and exciting! And then as time goes on, while you await for your biological or adopted child, you pour over books to learn as much as you can about parenting; you are taking on your own education. These books give you overviews of childhood... a scope and sequence of sorts. But each child is unique and you will follow the Holy Spirit's leading in your parenting regardless of what all those informative books offer (which you may continually refer to throughout child rearing).

This is much like the overviews which are offered by FACE for grades 4th-12th. They are there to offer suggestions... to be your guide for your child's school year. But you get to fill in all the details according to the Holy Spirit's leading. It really is exciting! 

Every parent knows that having children takes up your time. Is it worth it? Yes!! Because these are people you are blessed to care for, nurture, raise, love, and enjoy. Is it ever challenging? Yes!! But you wouldn't trade it for the world! Do you ever break down and cry and feel defeated? Maybe sometimes... but you never throw in the towel. You can't. Because it's not within you!

It's like this with writing your own lesson plans. It may take up some time. It may be challenging. You may break down and cry and feel defeated. But you never throw in the towel. You can't. Because you know the richness of the Hebraic method and it pushes you to keep going. 

There are two opposing world-views contending for your child's heart. This is a battle you devote your life to fighting... and arming your family's hearts and minds with Bible Principles will help you to stand fast in the Word of God.
  

How long are the lessons?

Regardless of what curriculum one chooses to use, it is up to the parents' discretion for how long lessons will be. Things to factor in are the child's learning style, learning pace, level of interest, how much content the parent chooses to teach. 

Is it fairly easily adapted to teaching different ages at the same time? 

Yes! It took me a while to learn how to do this because I didn't have anyone to show me. So, it will take a bit of practice for some. But here is a blog post about how this works:

The Principle Approach: Delicious Classical Education!

How much learning/teaching time is in your day?    

This varies greatly for each family regardless of the curriculum. The number of children one has, learning/teaching styles, life, etc.  Whatever curriculum one has, it should always be adaptable to the parents and children (this is completely up to the parents).

Learning isn't boxed into time increments because it takes place during all of our waking hours; this is very western thinking.

The Hebraic method is: "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:7 KJV. So, again, it takes place throughout the day with the practice of going to the Word of God to see what It teaches us about ideas, philosophies, attitudes, etc. The world around us is an example all on its own.

The NP curriculum lessons are guides for us in how to practice doing this. I like to incorporate some of Charlotte Mason... she recommended 15 minutes per lesson for children up until a certain age/ability and then to gradually increase it from there.

Why did you choose NP over everything else? 

In my personal K- High experience, I used secular and Christian curriculum. Many other Christian curriculum are not very different from secular. There are Bible verses sprinkled here and there- but they don't teach how to go to the Bible for answers in the subjects... to see God's Providential Hand... to learn how to reason from Scripture.

The Noah Plan goes to the Word of God Itself to learn the Bible Principles. It teaches us how to reason from the Scriptures (like the Bereans did in the New Testament).

Other things I appreciate about it:

• I appreciate the love of our country being taught as based on the Bible Principles our nation was founded on.

• It teaches cause to effect.

• Learning to be self-governed under Jesus Christ is addressed.

• We learn to reflect.

• It helps to become and raise thinkers.

• The curriculum and overviews are guides. I can use other resources to add to or be in place of content if I choose to.

Consider...

If you think about it... how much do you recall from your Kindergarten lessons? Or from all the grades you went through? 

See, the Greek (western) method so many of us are accustomed to shoves information at us... which most of us end up forgetting a great deal of anyway. 

The Hebraic method focuses on Bible Principles. When those things are learned, they stick with us for life. It also focuses on relationship and the heart. (The blog post On Western Thinking compares and contrasts the Hebraic Method and the Greek Method of teaching.) 

In addition, as I have learned how to use The Noah Plan Curriculum, I have learned to apply the 4R method on my own. So, I don't always use the NP for lesson content. It's flexible like that because I choose to let it be. :-)

So, there ya'll have it. Do you have any questions? Please feel free to ask in the comments below or contact me.

Blessings!