Curee Schoolhouse Opening for the 2020-2021 School Year
Written by Bethany Curee, God’s Daughter – Freckled & Free
With one hand holding onto summer via recess, the other is dipping fully back into fall with the start of school. It seems as though summer happened as fast as it came. Our first week of the 2020-2021 school year officially began September 1st, 2020 at the Curee Schoolhouse.
Things are sure to intensify this year for us with the addition of our third full-time student, and technically a fourth, tag-along part-time preschooler. This year we have a 5th grader, 2nd grader, kindergartner and a preschooler — that, let me add, is currently in a cast with a broken leg due to a trampoline incident this summer.
For us, we’ve been homeschooling now for 6 years, starting in 2015 when my first born Nakoda (pictured below at age 6), was first starting kindergarten. It’s been a journey of learning for all. There are so many things we’re getting better at and as much as it is crazy sometimes, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The amount of deep conversations I get to have with my kids is irreplaceable. I pray I am sowing a firm foundation in their walk with Christ and their love to pour into others. And of course, you know…how to read, write, add and those types of things.
From the beginning we chose Sonlight Curriculum based off a recommendation from a sweet friend and fellow homeschooling momma who thankfully took the time to walk me through the whole homeschooling process. Sonlight is a christian based curriculum that I believe is very rich in all it offers. We have absolutely loved that curriculum, however, in 2018, when my second child, Judah (pictured below at age 6), began kindergarten, I realized that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with Sonlight with multiple students in class. Each child would have had a completely different curriculum that I would have had to teach. I think my head would have literally rolled off trying to keep up with that.
Thankfully, another good friend introduced me to My Father’s World, which allows you to have multiple students at various ages follow the same curriculum except for their age specific subjects – math, reading and language arts. Together different ages can do Bible, geography, history, art and science. You just break it down or do less for the students in lower grades. My Father’s World is much simpler and easier to follow, I believe it’s great for families with multiple children per household in school. It’s also very manageable for someone like me who also works from home on occasion and has a fully loaded schedule serving my household and working for the church.
But…due to the fact that I have invested in Sonlight Curriculum from kindergarten to 2nd grade, all of my children will use Sonlight from K to 2nd grade for math, language arts, and reading only and will join in on My Father’s World for Bible, geography, history, art and science. I prefer to make good on the investments I’ve already made and use the resources we already have available, plus I know that curriculum worked to teach Nakoda how to read and Judah has flourished in reading from it. I love that we can reuse the base of all the materials we’ve invested in besides needing to purchase any workbooks for each student. Once they are all past 2nd grade I will have them all moved over to My Father’s World. That is unless I happen to come across a curriculum I like better by then for multiple students. For now that is the plan for us and so far it’s working. Having said that, here is a useful list of our current curriculum with links, followed by our student line up for the 2020-2021 school year.
OUR CURRENT CURRICULUM BREAK DOWN & STUDENT LINEUP
SHARED SUBJECTS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
- Bible, Geography, History, Science & Art Curriculum & Book List:
- My Father’s World – Creation to the Greeks
- Celebrating Biblical Feast in Your Home or Church
- Illustrated Family Bible
- Ancient Egypt
- Streams of Civilization Volume One
- Usborne Encyclopedia World History from Ancient to Modern Times
- Science in the Beginning
- Dinosaurs of Eden
- Pyramids
- The Tanglewoods Secret
- Treasures in the Snow
- Star of Light
- Aesop’s Fables for Children
- The Children’s Homer
- The Trojan Horse
- English from the Roots Up
- God & the History of Art I
- Music
- The Best of Bach
- The Story of Bach
- The Best of Handel
- The Story of Handel
- The Best of Vivaldi
- The Story of Vivaldi & Corelli
- Book Basket
- Series of books picked up from the library either regarding the subjects we are studying that week or various interesting books for them to spend time exploring.
- My Father’s World – Creation to the Greeks
STUDENT #1: NAKODA TAYLOR
5TH GRADE MATH, LANGUAGE ARTS & READING CURRICULUM
Nakoda is using mainly My Father’s World, however she prefers the math program we used with Sonlight which is Math-U-See. It comes with a DVD of a teacher who teaches each lesson. She finds that very helpful and is currently on the Delta program.
- Math:
- Language Arts:
- Reading:
- Nakoda’s additional reading on her own is of our choosing which honestly, I prefer. She plans so far for this year’s reading the following and we have a whole list saved if she gets through it all.
- Little House on the Prairie Books Box Set Books 1-8,
*4-8 for her as we have already read 1-4.
- Little House on the Prairie Books Box Set Books 1-8,
- Nakoda’s additional reading on her own is of our choosing which honestly, I prefer. She plans so far for this year’s reading the following and we have a whole list saved if she gets through it all.
STUDENT #2: JUDAH MICHAEL
2ND GRADE MATH, LANGUAGE ARTS & READING CURRICULUM
Judah is using Sonlight for math, language arts and reading and is joining in on My Father’s World for all the other subjects as listed above.
- Math:
- Language Arts:
- Reading:
- Sonlights 2nd Grade Readers 5-Day
- Frog and Toad Are Friends
- Frog and Toad Together
- Owl at Home
- Hill on Fire
- Pompeii: Buried Alive!
- Titanic: Lost and Found
- Wagon Wheels
- The Big Balloon Race
- Mouse Tales
- The Beginner’s Bible
- Daniel’s Duck
- Nate the Great
- The Fire Cat
- Greg’s Microscope
- Frog and Toad All Year
- Amelia Bedelia
- Surprises
- The Sword and the Tree
- Sonlights 2nd Grade Readers 5-Day
STUDENT #3: NAOMI EZRA
KINDERGARTEN MATH, LANGUAGE ARTS & READING CURRICULUM
Naomi is using Sonlight for math, language arts and reading and is joining in on My Father’s World for all the other subjects as listed above.
- Math:
- Language Arts:
- Reading:
STUDENT #4: HARVEST DAWN
PRE-K
Harvest is tagging along with whatever she wants to join in for preschool. We’re not pressing this too hard. She will join in at her leisure and soak up any extra knowledge she can. Her current favorite is water colors, but she has no planned curriculum. We’re going to work hard to let her little leg heal so we can have our spunky little girl back.
Our first week back has actually gone quite smooth. The first day consisted of chores first, worship and prayer time, teaching the pledge of allegiance, classroom introductions and rules. Nakoda and Judah slipped in to the familiar routine and Naomi literally screamed with joy about every, single project because she was so excited about starting school. Harvest lasted about 10 mins before she was reading to return to the living room for rest time with her leg. My biggest goal was remaining patient the entire day with so many needing my attention. I think I deserve an A+ for the day, let me add, for the week.
Part of the reasons homeschooling fits our life so well was once again confirmed within 2 days of starting. On a whim we packed up and made our way down to Alabama to pick up an Airstream we were purchasing for Real Church in attempts to turn it into a Free Food Truck for our community. This is a piece of the vision God gave me from my Fishers of Men blog post coming together.
We stayed in Knoxville and then again in Gadsden, AL. Homeschool came right along and although we were in and out of it, it fit right in with our schedule. I love the additional exploration the kids are exposed to with travel being a part of our life and schooling.
In TN we met the people we were purchasing the Airstream from to exchange payment and official papers. While waiting we worked on some fun Language Arts with the game Red Robin. In gradeschool it was one of my favorites.
While Tom prepped the Airstream in AL to get it road worthy. We worked hard at the hotel starting our Timelines for the year. We planned to make use of every slither of time.
We made it home safely and as much as we like accomplishing projects we decided to cash in on taking a break for the weekend and officially close off week one of homeschool to enjoy some Labor Day free time. We planned to just go leisurely visit our chocolate lab puppy we would be picking up on 9/18, however, we were actually allowed to go ahead and take her home. So despite our best efforts to just rest, we ended up having a lot to prepare to bring little Shammah home. My husband and kiddos were quite thrilled.
I say week one went pretty well with school back in session.
Thanks for reading along our week one of the 2020-2021 year at the Curee Schoolhouse. We will be thinking of you! Let us know in the comments below what type of schooling you do? If you’re homeschooled what curriculum do you use? We would love to hear from you.
We pray for everyone, for all schools, however it may look and for the world that were living in. That freedom could remain and health could be sought for all. That our days would be blessed even in trials. That we could pour into our children to seek first the Kingdom of God and to be mighty sons and daughters of Christ. From our school house to yours, blessings for a great year.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Written by Bethany Curee, God’s Daughter – Freckled & Free
Freckled & Free 
Amazing as always!! Keep up the good work! So proud of your accomplishments on a daily basis! Love you always! Mamma
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