I got the best package in the mail yeterday….the homeschool curriculum for EA and MC that I ordered just a couple of weeks ago!!
I am beyond excited about this school year!
I couldn’t wait to open up the huge box of books. Not just books though. High-quality, educational, enriching books that we’ll be devouring over the next year.
I have decided to go with Sonlight for our homeschool curriculum again this year.
Last year I ordered Sonlight’s Core P3/4 and we have enjoyed immensely! I have seen my girls, and Will too, truly develop a love for reading and for books.
This year we are moving on to the Core 4/5 program. After looking over all of the books and studying the instructor’s guide yesterday, I am convinced that this was the right decision and I cannot wait to get started!
The theme for the curriculum is “Explore God’s World”. In that, it includes stories from different world cultures that four-year olds wouldn’t ordinarily be exposed to. This is just one thing that has really endeared me to the Sonlight curriculum.
The curriculum includes Social Studies books in world cultures such as The Gods Must be Angry, Stories from Africa, Things People Do, and New Toes for Tia. I am excited that they will read missionary stories and begin to develop a world view based on having a heart for others in God’s world.
The Science books will help them discover the way many things work in God’s world. They include great books such as The Berenstain Bears’ Big Book of Science and Nature, Is a Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is?, How do you Lift a Lion, Why do Tigers Have Stripes?, and many more.
The read-aloud books are full of classics such as American Tall Tales, A Treasury of Mother Goose Rhymes, Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit, and The Children’s Book of Virtues. It also includes A Child’s Book of Art, which Keith is especially excited about looking at with the girls.
The Bible program includes Family-Time Bible in Pictures by Ken Taylor. It has 128 stories from scripture and the questions to teach solid Bible principles. The instructor’s guide also has a weekly memory verse that we will be using and a character trait to focus on each week.
In Language Arts we will be focusing on a letter each week and learning it’s sound with the help of Dr. Seuss’s ABC and First Thousand Words by Amery and Cartwright. I am excited about working through these and centering some craft and snack activities around these themes.
The curriculum also included four workbooks for developing learning skills in the areas of motor, visual, auditory and comprehension. These look like excellent books that I am looking forward to working though with the girls. As a former special educational teacher, they really appeal to me.
I am convinced that Sonlight works for our family! In their catalog, they have listed 27 Reasons Families Love Sonlight. From those, here are my top five:
1. Sonlight’s literature base makes history “come alive”.
2. Sonlight’s biblical base provides children with a solid intellectual and spiritual foundation.
3. Sonlight gives your children a broad and godly view of the world.
4. Sonlight maximizes economy and efficiency by helping you teach two of more students with the same curriculum. (I will of course be teaching the girls together with one curriculum. I just ordered an extra set of the workbooks. But Will will also listen in to the stories as he did last year.)
5. Sonlight’s four and five day schedules are easy to follow and modify as your family requires.
There are many, many more reasons…I could relate to all twenty-seven that were listed in the catalog.
If you want to learn more about Sonlight, visit their site or the Sonlight Blog and look around, if you want to know some tips and tricks that work for other families, visit Works for Me Wedneday at We Are THAT Family.
Stephanie says
I LOVE getting new curriculum! This year we are leaning on My Fathers World with some changes here and there. Have fun exploring your new package. I think we will be starting back up in September or so. When do you start school?
Lori-HomeschoolReviewsandMore says
We used Sonlight many years ago and have decided to go with them again this year as well! We’ll be doing SL6 and Core 300. I think it’s going to be a great year. 🙂
And yes, it’s so exciting when that big box of yummy books arrives!
LifeAtTheCircus says
This was a great review. I’ve heard good things about the curriculum before. Thanks for sharing!
Jordan says
Interesting material! I applaud you for being such a wonderful mom who has dedicated herself COMPLETELY to Jesus Christ and her family. You’re awesome!
Stephanie says
I so admire your ability to consistently follow a curriculum. I could do it when I was in my classroom, but just cannot seem to stay focused now that I am “on my own.” I am very happy for you that you found a curriculum that works for you. I understand from other folks who homeschool that that can be a daunting task. Enjoy!
Kelly @ Fruit of the Womb says
Soo glad you found a curriculum your family likes and that you wholeheartedly agree with and enjoy using!! It’s crazy how much material is out there for homeschoolers:)
Thanks for the intro to Sonlight! I recognized a lot of the books that we have also used and have in our library!!
Sounds like you have a fun year a head of you:)
Luke Holzmann says
Woo-hoo! Happy Box Day!
And may this year be even better than last year. [smile]
~Luke