20 Oct 2009

Curriculum Planning

Gidday girls!!

I'm busy today. I started making our my booklist for AO3 last night, and because I need to 'invent' an Australianised year, this is taking a lot longer than it has taken in past years. Also, the curriculum in Year 3 gives many alternative choices, and I'm having a hard time making decisions. Decision making is always difficult when you're a procrastinator like me.

What do you reckon - should we study Da Vinci or Michelangelo? Shakespeare or Queen Elizabeth I? Should we do Squanto in addition to biographies of Burke and Wills and Ned Kelly or just study the Aussies alone? What about American Tall Tales? Worth it because of their literary usage or substitute for something Australian? We'll probably read Storm Boy, Seven Little Australians and the first Billabong book, A Little Bush Maid for Aussie lit. I'll finalise what else later. I'd like to fit in The Flyaway Highway by Norman Lindsay if we can, to capitalise on the success we've had with The Magic Pudding this year, but we'll need to check the schedule first. I have decided on Animals of Australia in Colour by Lyla Stevens for Aussie Natural History along with one or possibly two C K Thompson books, one on a mammal and one on a bird.

We're studying the Reformers next year because Australia hasn't been discovered yet - well, the Dutch will make a bit of an investigation but this will hardly fill a whole year of history, so it seems to be the ideal time to study the history of our church in depth since the timeline is right. I've already decided what we'll use for this - I'll post it shortly.

In addition to all this, it is a beautiful day. Far too beautiful to be blogging - or curriculum planning for that matter. I'm off for a walk.

Talk later, eh?

Jeanne

8 comments:

  1. I haven't given next year much thought really. Acckkk~!! I suppose I should though, because it will be here very soon.

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  2. oh my, oh my, oh my,! Sounds exciting and I love it when you tell us your curriculum, it's wonderful! xxx

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  3. Hi Jeanne,
    I loved studying the American Tall Tales, and so did our children.

    It sounds like a VERY full year!
    Blessings,
    Jillian
    <><

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  4. More of the same here? Can I get through this year first before I have to think about next year? Pretty please.

    Can you study Shakespheare without studying good Queen Bess? I'm a Michaelangelo fan ~ art forgery & all but what is Squanto? Love Mr Wiki! ☺ Interesting. Love your Aussie book choices! They are all wonderful & you are bound to really enjoy them!

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  5. Oh I am looking forward to your plans for church history Jeanne!

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  6. I feel you:) I have most ready for year 1 when we "officially" start next year and am currently trying to work on a "program" etc for the powers that be...done some research but not put pen to paper yet!
    Knowing you Jeanne, you are bound to come up with a GREAT list of books for Jemimah! All the best!

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  7. I love the way you are ahead of
    me. All I need to do is follow, with a little 'tweaking' if necessary.
    I've just about got all our books for AO1 for next year.
    Louise

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  8. I'd go Ausssie. If you want to throw in Squanto--he's ok. I prefer the Stories of the Pilgrims [link below.] The Tall tales, as others have said, are a lot of fun and worth it as are the D'aulaire books [well I didn't like Pochahontos---too, too un-p.c.for a little child to "get" what is wrong with it]



    http://www.amazon.com/Stories-Pilgrims-Margaret-B-Pumphrey/dp/1604595329/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256157332&sr=8-4

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