Our homeschooling approach is mostly classical which has a strong emphasis on the study of history. Well, I like to be thorough in everything I do so I thought we should start at the beginning. One of the coolest things that we have been able to do as a result of homeschooling is studying prehistory. Initially, I thought we would do this quickly in the course of three months or so, but it was more like a school year's worth. Of course, there is no curriculum for primary level on this subject so I made up our own. Using the Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of World History, the Walking With ... series on Netflix, additional read-aloud books, crossword puzzles and the construction of a time line. I wasn't sure how much of this a six-year old would get, but like everything else, they get a lot if one just gives them the opportunity to be exposed to the information.
So now, we are finally at the end of our studies and have begun the classical curriculum, The Story of the World, for Ancient History which is already lots of fun. I'm relieved to not have to come up with my own crossword puzzles and collage pictures anymore. Now it's all about hands-on-projects like making a caveman game bag, constructing a replica of the Nile River, and coloring history pockets. (I think we'll skip the mummifying a chicken this time around. We'll revisit Ancient History in more depths in four years). I don't know why they don't do this stuff in public schools (in Utah). It's so much fun, it's chronological, history makes sense, and kids really get it. In short, I'm so glad to have made the trepidatious decision to homeschool (homeschool is a verb now, right?) a little over a year ago. We've learned so much and the way of learning has been the most enjoyable. Everyone gets something out of it, even the little brothers and dad.
On a side note, I can't wait to see Sofia's 9-week report card from regular school. Yesterday, she told me she wrote all her answers
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