My book order for next year is due to the charter by the second week in June. Usually, this deadline produces a crazy flurry of activity from me because I research each part of the boys' curriculum independently. Once I find what I feel is best suited to each boy in each area, I attempt to make cross-curricular connections on my own.
This year, however, I am relaxing. A friend of mine brought Moving Beyond the Page to my attention. According to the website, MBtP is an all-in-one curriculum designed for creative and gifted learners. It meets state and federal standards and is concept based. Honestly, it sounds a bit too good to be true. However, my Education Specialist and I pored over the website and concluded that it deserves a closer look. Relying on the 30-day money-back guarantee, I ordered a 7-9 curriculum pack and a 8-10 curriculum pack this morning. It should arrive in one to three weeks.
I am hopeful that MBtP will provide a solid, well-coordinated core to our curriculum. Still, I suspect that it will not be enough. It is simply too much to expect that one curriculum could provide the boys enough to keep them happily challenged. For that reason, I'm putting together some resources with which to supplement their studies. Here are my thoughts thus far, in no particular order:
(1) math - MBtP does not include mathematics at Kipp's and Landry's levels. This is done to allow students to work at their appropriate level. We have used Math Steps for the past three years. Although both Kipp and Landry have a solid understanding of math, Landry grows tired of the repetitive exercises in his text, and I fear Kipp will follow suit. For that reason, I am taking a closer look at Singapore Math, which reportedly requires less repetition.
(2) world history - MBtP does not appear to emphasize world history. This would make sense since this curriculum meets state and federal standards, neither of which emphasize world history in the grades my sons have completed. I continue to believe that this is a terrible shortcoming. We are increasingly becoming part of a global economy. We need to understand the history and cultures of other countries with which we must interact. Furthermore, I believe the cliche that those who do not understand history are destined to repeat it. For these reasons, I want to continue with Story of the World. While I am not fond of the biblical stories presented occasionally as fact and I suspect it simplifies some history, SotW provides an amazing overview of history. I find the literature suggestions in each chapter especially effective for making history come alive to my six- and seven-year-old boys.
(3) science - While MBtP includes a science component, we cannot get enough science in this house. We will continue with Young Scientist Club kits, GEM unit studies and an Engineering is Elementary unit study .
(4) art - I would like to continue with projects created by my watercolor instructor. I've also got a couple of good art resources I want explore further: Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters and How to Teach Art to Children
(5) foreign language - I would like to see Landry continue learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone and let Kipp experiment with different languages on Rosetta Stone until he finds one he would like to pursue.
(6) piano - The boys enjoy piano so we will continue lessons when school starts in August.
(7) bok fu - The boys also enjoy their martial arts class and just received their yellow belts, so we will continue when school resumes.
Of course, all of this hinges on Moving Beyond the Page withstanding our scrutiny when it arrives. I have high hopes that it will. However, if it does not, you can assume the blog will be on hiatus for the remaining weeks of school while I scramble madly to cobble my curriculum.
This year, however, I am relaxing. A friend of mine brought Moving Beyond the Page to my attention. According to the website, MBtP is an all-in-one curriculum designed for creative and gifted learners. It meets state and federal standards and is concept based. Honestly, it sounds a bit too good to be true. However, my Education Specialist and I pored over the website and concluded that it deserves a closer look. Relying on the 30-day money-back guarantee, I ordered a 7-9 curriculum pack and a 8-10 curriculum pack this morning. It should arrive in one to three weeks.
I am hopeful that MBtP will provide a solid, well-coordinated core to our curriculum. Still, I suspect that it will not be enough. It is simply too much to expect that one curriculum could provide the boys enough to keep them happily challenged. For that reason, I'm putting together some resources with which to supplement their studies. Here are my thoughts thus far, in no particular order:
(1) math - MBtP does not include mathematics at Kipp's and Landry's levels. This is done to allow students to work at their appropriate level. We have used Math Steps for the past three years. Although both Kipp and Landry have a solid understanding of math, Landry grows tired of the repetitive exercises in his text, and I fear Kipp will follow suit. For that reason, I am taking a closer look at Singapore Math, which reportedly requires less repetition.
(2) world history - MBtP does not appear to emphasize world history. This would make sense since this curriculum meets state and federal standards, neither of which emphasize world history in the grades my sons have completed. I continue to believe that this is a terrible shortcoming. We are increasingly becoming part of a global economy. We need to understand the history and cultures of other countries with which we must interact. Furthermore, I believe the cliche that those who do not understand history are destined to repeat it. For these reasons, I want to continue with Story of the World. While I am not fond of the biblical stories presented occasionally as fact and I suspect it simplifies some history, SotW provides an amazing overview of history. I find the literature suggestions in each chapter especially effective for making history come alive to my six- and seven-year-old boys.
(3) science - While MBtP includes a science component, we cannot get enough science in this house. We will continue with Young Scientist Club kits, GEM unit studies and an Engineering is Elementary unit study .
(4) art - I would like to continue with projects created by my watercolor instructor. I've also got a couple of good art resources I want explore further: Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters and How to Teach Art to Children
(5) foreign language - I would like to see Landry continue learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone and let Kipp experiment with different languages on Rosetta Stone until he finds one he would like to pursue.
(6) piano - The boys enjoy piano so we will continue lessons when school starts in August.
(7) bok fu - The boys also enjoy their martial arts class and just received their yellow belts, so we will continue when school resumes.
Of course, all of this hinges on Moving Beyond the Page withstanding our scrutiny when it arrives. I have high hopes that it will. However, if it does not, you can assume the blog will be on hiatus for the remaining weeks of school while I scramble madly to cobble my curriculum.
In some ways I am glad our school offers only 2 options, one that is definitely not appropriate, so I don't need to agonize over the choice!
I did take a look at the MBtP website and it makes me wish our school would change companies. Maybe I could persuade them!
As far as Singapore Math goes, I have some of the 2nd grade materials that a friend shared with me. I do like the way the lessons are put together. There definitely is much less repetition and they are geared more towards visual learners.
I hope your material turns out to be all you hope it will be!