Monday, October 26, 2015

Our Principle Approach®-based Homeschool Co-op

Well this school year is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ones for us yet. In previous years, I was able to share how to use the 4-R Method in Art when I wrote and taught Art lessons. This year, I find that I'm serving others in English, History, and Botany.

“Creative Commons Classroom” by William Creswell is Licensed under "Attribution 2.0 Generic."
Text and overlay are added by Principled Academy.


This is allowing me to put the curriculum I'm writing to the test with grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. We are, for the most part, in a one-room class. We meet with K-12th in one room for English, History, and Spanish. For Science we divide into two groups: Chemistry is taught by a very dear and sweet friend to grades K-7th and I'm teaching Botany to 8th-12th grades.

In English class, we're covering The Foundations of Language and spelling rules along with phonograms in support of the Spell to Write and Read program. We'll be using games for spelling and for English grammar to help reinforce what is being taught at home.

In History, we're covering some of Ancient History to the Protestant Reformation- as directed by The Noah Plan's sixth grade overviews. So far, it's working out well, I think, when teaching the Bible Principles and explaining things in a story-type manner. 


Then we take a 15 minute break-- stretch, get the wiggles out, go potty.


Once break is over, the kids divide into the two groups for Science. In Botany, we're studying the systems and functions of plants. Labs are included, 4-R Method studies are applied, and we are also learning about one of America's first botanists, William Bartram. The students will be writing a paper based on what they learn. In addition to High School credit for science, they are able to get High School credit for a literary study based on Bartram's writings.

Afterward, we all meet in a one-room class again for Beginning Spanish. Vocabulary is sent home so that we may practice conversations in class.

I'm sending the kids home with some notebook pages to do during the week (for subjects other than Spanish)... increasing the challenge of research, thought, and study as the grade levels increase.


It's so lovely how the Bible Principles of each subject are not "grade-based," allowing for children in all grades... all ages... all learning abilities to understand what Scripture teaches regarding the various subjects.

At this point, things are going really well. I'm very impressed with how self-governed and respectful all of the kids are. Teaching them is an honor and I feel very blessed to be able to share with them and their parents the richness of the 4-R Method. My prayer is that they will draw closer to our Lord and Savior as they dig into the Scriptures to learn truth.

So, there are two gifts coming up for you. Yes you! Please be sure to check back soon! :-)


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