The curriculum search for 2010 has begun

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I have started researching the curriculum we will be using for Grade 2 come January 2010. At this point, I’m not sure if I’m going to carry on with Clonard again next year.

I have already decided that we will be going with Mathematics Enhancement Programme (MEP) for mathematics as this seems to be Noo’s strong point. I want to foster the love for maths he already has.

I’m currently researching Ambleside Online for penmanship, phonics, weekly nature study, art, music, bible and handicrafts.

For history I’m looking at Footprints On Our Land, South Africa’s Heritage, which will be done over a 2 year period and I’m in the process of researching geography for Grade 2.

Here is basic information on the curricula I’ve researched and considering:

Mathematics Enhancement Programme (MEP)

The primary material includes a full Mathematics scheme of work for pupils in years 1 to 6 (ages 5-11). For each year there are practice books, detailed lesson plans, and copy masters to be used in lessons, as well as general information about the Primary MEP project.

Ambleside Online

A free homeschool curriculum designed to be as close as possible to the curriculum that Charlotte Mason used in her own private and correspondence schools. Our goal is to be true to Charlotte Mason’s high literary standards. Ambleside Online uses the highest quality books and costs no more than the cost of texts. The curriculum uses as many free online books as possible.

Ambleside Online is a curriculum guide and booklist designed to follow Charlotte Mason’s method of homeschooling. Each year/grade has a list of books to lay out what resources will need to be collected or purchased, and an optional weekly schedule based on a 36-week school year to break the resources into smaller increments to help with pacing the books throughout the year. There is no fee to use the curriculum or website. Parents may use as much or as little of the booklists and schedules as they like. Some families follow it exactly as laid out, most tweak it a little here and there to use books they already have, or because they prefer another resource over the one listed. And some use just the Picture Study, Composer Study, and other similar components.

Footprints On Our Land, South Africa’s Heritage

This literature based curriculum is based on South African historical fiction, aimed at children aged 7-12.
It begins in 1488 when Bartholomeu Dias rounded the Cape, which was inhabited by the Khoi-san people, and continues through time, ending in the early 1900’s just after the South African War.

By reading the story books included in this programme, your children will get to know historical characters like Van Riebeeck, Van der Stel, Mzilikazi, Shaka, Rhodes, Kruger and others who played a role in shaping South Africa’s colourful past. Instead of reading facts and dates so typical of history text books, they will discover the facts about our country’s history through the eyes of the characters in the readers.

Footprints On Our Land – South Africa’s Heritage is NOT just a history curriculum, however. Being a unit study, the lesson plans are built around the children’s literature which is included and in this way other subjects are also covered namely: Geography, Biology / Nature Study, Science, Charlotte Mason-style Language Arts, Grammar, Cooking, Art and Art Appreciation, Crafts, Technology, Bible Study and more!