It's Back to School week!

One of the great things about homeschooling is that I get to decide when the first day of school will be. :) I never started school AFTER Labor Day. At least for this year, it's perfect. James is starting to get an itch to do science! But let me back up a bit and start at the beginning.

I set a budget for myself of $400 for curriculum this year. And I was very confident about the math, handwriting and science programs I wanted to used. But deciding on a reading program was proving quite difficult. I mentioned in a previous post that I was going to go down to the Homeschool Gathering Place, look for a person working there, get them to hold my hand and help me find what I needed. And it happened just like that!!!!! I met Victoria and she was wonderful! She saw me wandering around store, I guess, and as she passed me helping another mom she says to me, "You're new. I'll be with you in a minute.". Just like that! She came to my aid armed with information that all beginners need to know like when to register your homeschool and helpful websites. I told her what I was looking for. Here's what I bought:

1. Math U See Primer Teachers Manual- $15 on consignment (normally sold for $30)
2. Backyard Scientist the Original-  .90 on consignment
3. Backyard Scientist Series 1- $1.80 on consignment
4. All About Reading- $79.95 brand new

                                        Grand Total: $ 104.24 including tax

I had to order the Math U See student manual and manipulative block set which was $72.26 and that includes shipping ($12.69).  I had purchased the handwriting program during the NC homeschool conference back in May which was $20.

So, overall I have invested $196.50 on curriculum. I have also spent $50 to join a local homeschool group and enroll James in the co-op where he will be taking classes. And with just spending about 1/2 of my budget on curriculum, I still have money left over for field trips, supplies to keep at home, etc.

Now, back to the reading curriculum. The lovely and talented Victoria at the Homeschool Gathering Place was very helpful in showing me several choices. It's so great knowing my student so intimately because I was able to tell her that James is not quite ready to read. He still gets the lower case "L" confused with the upper case "I". He is ready for pre-reading work and this, to me, was the best fit. It's called All About Reading. I considered buying the "Five in a Row" since James will be using that in the co-op but the structure of that program requires that you read one story a week. James (nor I) would have the patience for that. We like new stories every day. But the story books for that program are wonderful. Charlotte Mason would be proud. She would not call them "twaddle". :)

All About Reading

So we start this week. And James has asked me everyday for the past several days if we can do a science 'sperment. LOL. He's even tried to get sneaky and ask his Dad!!! I love his eagerness. So here we go! Another year of adventure!!!!