Our Plan for Third Grade + Kindergarten

We've been working to finish this school year in March, so we can have a nice break when baby #4 comes the beginning of April. So far we're on track. I've also been working on getting my plan and supplies ready for next school year  so I can just pick it up and go with it next summer/fall. So, even though it's 7-9 months early, here's my plan for next school year! 

Family Study...

Bible Reading:

We'll stay on pace with their bible class lessons, which is usually reading about a chapter a day. My third grader is also stick figuring through the bible to make his first bible timeline as we go. My kindergartener will begin his timeline when we cycle back to Genesis again.

For My Third Grader...

Language Arts: 

In addition to copywork and narration in other subjects, we'll be starting Simply Charlotte Mason's Using Language Well and Spelling Wisdom. These two books go together for teaching language arts skills through great literature. For handwriting he will continue using Presidential Penmanship, which utilizes quotes from our presidents and founding fathers. This year also includes the preamble to the constitution. 

History:

We'll be studying the early church and middle ages using Mystery of History, Volume 2,  supplemented with living books from this list, some of which I'm buying and the rest we'll borrow from the library.

For hands-on history we'll do lap booking using the Bright Ideas Press folder books (which we used and liked for volume 1), the cookbook, and Draw & Write Through History: Vikings, Middle Ages & the Renaissance. I'd also like to get some sort of castle building set for them for Christmas. 

Math:

He'll be doing Teaching Textbooks, which is a computer-based math program, supplemented with Life of Fred. 

Literature:

We're using the book recommendations from Simply Charlotte Mason, Book Group 3 for Younger Students. They include:

• Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
• Heidi by Johanna Spyri
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
• At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
• The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

Reading:

We read aloud from living books every day. This includes history, science and literature. He also has an independent reading time, usually using library books which vary between his current nature study topic or historical fiction or leisure reading. I might also use the third grade Pathway Readers with him, or let him use them for independent reading since he likes them so much. 

Enrichment: 

We're doing Nature Study as our main science for the year, which also encompasses art, classification and research skills. He also takes piano lessons from Hoffman Academy (which I highly recommend, by the way). 
Update: I added in some independent work: Art for Kids Hub for drawing lessons, EP Health, and Typing. 

For My Kindergartener...

Discovery Letter Units: 

I sort of wrote my own Kindergarten curriculum, but it's based on the letter unit themes in My Father's World Kindergarten. It encompasses science, social studies, art, and some supplemental math and phonics. We study a new theme for each  unit, read a L-O-T of books about it and do hands-on activities and experiments. I'll tack on a couple higher-level library books for big brother in the each theme for his nature study. 

Math: 

We'll be using Right Start Math, Level A. He's actually started it casually already and does well with it. 

Reading: 

I'll probably stick with what worked last time around teaching big brother to read. That is mainly Learning to Read with Bob Books with introductory phonics, then graduating to easy readers from the library.