Sunday, February 27, 2011

Year 2 Booklist - updated


This is the revised Year 2 booklist for Maple Hill Academy.


This booklist is based on the Ambleside Online program, and the Milestones Academy program, with adjustments.



Follow the Ambleside Online Year 2 with the following changes:


Scriptures:
Penny Gardner Storied Scriptures

Scripture Memorizations (your choice)
Optional:
Reading from Church Magazines
Singing Primary Song (Select 1 per month. Can also sing in Foreign Language or ASL)


History:
Remove This Country of Ours
Add in Family History (Genealogy) - Learn about Grandparents


History Tales and/or Biography:
We do not do Trial and Triumph - your choice


Canadian History:
See Canadian History Plan


Geography:
no changes


Natural History/Science:
(Add in "Wild Days" - Karen Radcliffe as a reference for parent)
(Add in "Pocket Full of Pinecones" - Karen Andreola as a reference/inspiration for parent)
Add in (for reading practice as well as science) Christian Nature Reader Book 2 (or appropriate level) WHEN child is ready to read it.


Phonics: (Reading Instruction)
See Maple Hill posts on teaching reading
(Christian Nature Reader Book 2 (or appropriate level) WHEN child is ready to read it - for science as well as reading practice)


Math:
We strongly recommend the Mathmatics Enhancement Programme
Another free choice is Khan Academy which is nice for a little change, but can also be a stand-alone online program.


Foreign Language: (We are doing German, but it is your choice)

(See Year 1 if just starting)

Find 3 German story books with Audio CD's (1 per term)
Do copywork from the German books
Translate small passages into English orally
Find more German songs

Optional: Practice Primary song of the month in German
Optional: Primsleur German


Poetry:
no change.



Writing/Copywork:
Peterson Directed Handwriting (Cursive Step 3) (if moving from print, might want to start with Step 2 instead, but can start with Step 3 - it will move faster) If you have already done Step 2, still do Step 3 - it teaches a more adult proportion to the letters)

Selected copywork from readings/scriptures/etc.


Literature:
no changes

Canadian Literature:
See Canadian Literature Plan


Free Reading:
Remove "Abraham Lincoln"
Remove "Brighty of the Grand Canyon" (to make room for Canadian Literature)
Add "Levi's Life" - Kathryn Louis


Sketching/Painting
Basic Observation Drawing - some resources


Picture Study:
some info
Family Rotation


Music(read how-to) [note this How-to is on Milestones Academy]

Recommended - Violin, Piano OR Recorder (inexpensive) OR other similar instruments


Do NOT start more than one instrument at once! Wait until a student is very comfortable with 1 instrument before starting another.


Violin
- Suzuki Violin [we do this with an instructor ] - Recommended Resource "Step-by-Step" series by Kerstin Wartberg


Piano
- Suzuki Piano [we do this without an instructor] Recommended Resource "Studying Suzuki Piano: More than Music" by Bigler and Lloyd-Watts
- another option is Piano Adventures - Information and Video Lesson Guide here!


Recorder option for a very inexpensive music alternative, or for the parent that is too uncomfortable trying to teach something else on their own...

Nine-Note Recorder method (there is a "Beyond Nine-Note" book too, if you get to this point.) [note, we haven't tried this yet]


Other
Similar instruction in another instrument. (ie, Suzuki Cello)


Scouting:
Scouting Plan for their age

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Year 1 Booklist - Revision 3


This is the revised Year 1 booklist for Maple Hill Academy. It is recommended for a child at or close to age 7, or older children just starting a Charlotte Mason style of education (up to about age 9 or 10)

The older booklists are still available.

This booklist is based on the Ambleside Online program, and the Milestones Academy program, with adjustments.

Follow the Ambleside Online Year 1 with the following changes:

Scriptures:
Penny Gardner Storied Scriptures
Scripture Memorizations (your choice)
Optional:
Reading from Church Magazines
Singing Primary Song (Select 1 per month. Can also sing in Foreign Language or ASL)

History:
We do not do Trial and Triumph - your choice
Skip all the Americn History Biography books
Add in Family History (Genealogy) - Learn about Mom and Dad

Canadian History:
See Canadian History Plan

Natural History/Science:
(Add in "Wild Days" - Karen Radcliffe as a reference for parent)
(Add in "Pocket Full of Pinecones" - Karen Andreola as a reference/inspiration for parent)
Add in (for reading practice as well as science) Christian Nature Reader Book 1 WHEN child is ready to read it.

Phonics: (Reading Instruction)
See Maple Hill posts on teaching reading
(Christian Nature Reader Book 1 WHEN child is ready to read it - for science as well as reading practice)


Math:
We strongly recommend the Mathmatics Enhancement Programme
Another free choice is Khan Academy which is nice for a little change, but can also be a stand-alone online program.

Foreign Language:
We are doing German, but do what makes sense for you. There are free lessons here for Spanish, French, and German. Also recommend getting a few fairy-tales with Audio CD to read over and over.
My Very First Little German Book

Poetry:
Remove the 3rd term poetry options. (to make room for Dennis Lee)
Add Dennis Lee (Canadian Poet) - do in first term - move other poets back 1 term


Writing/Copywork:
Peterson Directed Handwriting (Cursive Step 2) Note that Cursive Step 1 can be helpful to have for finger-tracing practice.
Selected copywork from readings/scriptures/etc.

Literature:
Remove "The Blue Fairy Book" - stories just seemed long and uninteresting.
Add "Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know" - edited by Hamilton Wright Mabie (Selections below)

  • Beauty & the Beast
  • Hansel & Grethle
  • One eye, Two eyes, Three eyes
  • Cinderella
  • The Magic Mirror
  • Alladin
  • Fair One with the Golden Locks
  • Jack & the Beanstock
  • Sleeping Beauty


Canadian Literature:

see Canadian Literature Plan

Free Reading:
Remove "The Red Fairy Book"
Remove "Pocahontas"
Add "Follow My Leader" by James Garfield

Sketching/Painting
Draw Write Now 4-8 (or 1-4 if you haven't done them)
OR
1-2-3 Draw books by Freddie Levin - pick 3 or 4,
OR
Drawing with Children
OR
Basic Observation Drawing - some resources

Picture Study:
some info
Family Rotation

Music(read how-to) [note this How-to is on Milestones Academy]

Recommended - Violin, Piano OR Recorder (inexpensive) OR other similar instruments
Do NOT start more than one instrument at once! We have been doing Suzuki Violin for three or four years before getting to year 1!

Violin
- Suzuki Violin [we do this with an instructor ] Recommended Resource "Step-by-Step" series by Kerstin Wartberg

Piano
- Suzuki Piano [we do this without an instructor] Recommended Resource "Studying Suzuki Piano: More than Music" by Bigler and Lloyd-Watts
another option is My First Piano Adventures - Information and Video Lesson Guide here!

Recorder
option for a very inexpensive music alternative, or for the parent that is too uncomfortable trying to teach something else on their own...
Nine-Note Recorder method [note, we haven't tried this yet]

Other
Similar instruction in another instrument. (ie, Suzuki Cello)

Scouting
Scouting Plan for their age

Friday, February 25, 2011

Canadian History Plan - Updated!


Note - this is now out of date, but is still useful for Canadians using AO. Also, many of these resources will be being used with the new rotation system.
See new plan
II have decided to make things line up more with the AO History timeline. I am keeping the original plan on the blog, but this is an alternative.

Depending on the resources available to you, I am providing two options.
Option 1:
The main resource is "Great Canadian Lives - Portraits in History to 1867" (hereafter called GCL) - Unfortunately this book is out of print and can be expensive. (My library has several copies.) There is a copy online here. I'm not sure what would be up with the copyright, but this seems to be an educational site.

The other resource is "My First History of Canada" by Donalda Dickie & Rudiger Krause (Hereafter called MFH)
I generally read the time period in "My First History of Canada" as an overview, then read "Great Canadian Lives" for the short biographies.
Option 2:
The resource for this option is "The Story of Canada" by Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore. (Hereafter called SOC)
For Both Options:
One other good resource is the Canadian Minutes - the little ads from TV. They can be found here. I think that new ones are being added still - But am putting suggestions in the plan.

I expect to change some of the AO biographies from Americans to Canadians....


Year 1 - AO timeline is "early history, focusing on people"

Details for this year are pending as I pre-read my selections. I am also open to good suggestions for books on Native Americans or Canadian Heros.
  • SOC - Ch. 1 "A Hundred Centuries" [skip evolutionary info as desired for family]
  • Minutes - Inukshuk (1931) - but done for centuries
Biographies (not necessarily in chronological position for Year 1)
  • "Child's History of United States" - Morris - Ch 1 NOTE: Used as a biography of Columbus. This is the only chapter used of this book, so use the free version here.
  • "John Cabot: The Ongoing search for a Westward Passage to Asia" - Marian Rengel OR
  • "Henry Hudson: English Explorer of the Northwest Passage" - Josepha Sherman
Year 2 - AO timeline is 1000 AD - 1550
Canadian Timeline - early/vikings/discovery
  • SOC - Ch 2. "Strangers on the Coast" OR
  • MFH - Chapter 1-2
  • GCL - The Mists of Time (Section 1 of Chapter 1, plus "Across the High Seas" and "John Cabot")
Year 3 - AO timeline is 1500-1600
Canadian Timeline - 1500-1700
  • SOC - Chapter 3 "Habitants and Voyageurs" up to but not including "Voyageurs" OR
  • MFH - Chapter 2 - 9
  • GCL - Rest of Chapter 1 - Chapter 3 "The Days of Frontenac"
Year 4 - AO timeline is 1700's to ~1800
Canadian Timeline - 1700-1812
  • SOC - Rest of Chapter 3, Chapter 4 "The Colonists" up to but not including "The War of 1812" OR
  • MFH - Chapter 10-13
  • GCL - Rest of Chapter 3 - Chapter 4
Year 5 - 1800-1920
Canadian Timeline - 1812-1910
  • SOC - Rest of Chapter 4 - Chapter 8 OR
  • MFH - Chapter 14-20
  • GCL - Chapter 5 - end
  • another resource TBD (from 1867+)
  • The Battles of the War of 1812 - Pierre Berton
  • Exploring the Frozen North - Pierre Berton
  • "A Pioneer Story" - Barbara Greenwood. (also called "A Pioneer Sampler"?)
  • "The Last Safe House: A Story of the Underground Railroad" - Barbara Greenwood
  • "Gold Rush Fever: A Story of the Klondike" - Barbara Greenwood
  • The Great Klondike Gold Rush - Pierre Berton
  • Full Steam to Canada
topics to include RCMP, Goldrush
Year 6 - 1920 to Present day (then a term in ancient history)
Canadian Timeline - 1910-Present
  • SOC - Chapter 9 - end OR
  • MFH - Chapter 20-21
  • another resource TBD
Later Years:
The later Years are still very much in draft mode, with gaps in resources at this stage. All resources mentioned are just being considered.
Year 7 - 800-1400's (Middle Ages)
Canadian Timeline - Pre-1496
Year 8 - 1400-1600's (Reniassance to Reformation)
Canadian Timeline - 1492-~1700
Year 9 - 1688-1815
Canadian Timeline - ~1700-1815
  • The Invasion of Canada (1812-1813) - Pierre Berton
  • Flames Across the Boarders (1813-1814) - Pierre Berton
Year 10 - 1815-1901
Canadian Timeline - 1815-~1900
  • The Arctic Grail: The Quest for the North West Passage and the North Pole (1818-1909) - Pierre Berton
  • The National Dream: The Great Railway (1871-1881) - Pierre Berton
  • The Last Spike: The Great Railway (1881-1885) - Pierre Berton
  • Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush (1896-1899) - Pierre Berton
  • The Klondike Quest: A Photographic Essay (1897-1899) - Pierre Berton
  • The Promised Land:Settling the West (1896-1914) - Pierre Berton
Year 11 - 20th Century
Canadian Timeline - 20th Century
  • Marching As To War (1899-1953) - Pierre Berton
  • Vimy - [WWI] - Pierre Berton
  • The Great Depression (1829-1839) - Pierre Berton