Hymn study, and how much is too much?

[orcamallmom]

Hello! New to the COAH community… been silently searching and reading the posts for over a month. You all have been so helpful in my homeschooling journey! And you’ve been a great influence in my curriculum planning!

I have a bright 6, almost 7, -year old son going into 2nd grade, and a just turned 5-year old TK daughter who will be in Kinder. This was our first year homeschooling. I’m planning to keep them together for most subjects, but adjusting for my daughter’s age/abilities to keep her interested.

We’ve been doing Sonlight Core A this year. I need to take a gap year because my kids aren’t ready for Core B. But now that I’ve discovered so many other amazing curriculums, I may not go back to Sonlight.

First - tell me about hymn studies! I’m SO interested in adding this to our morning basket routine (MB Elementary Basket) which we will start in the fall. What site or plans do you follow for hymn studies? I’m looking for simple and straightforward with the music, please! Thanks so much!

I’m not planning a specific Bible subject, like with Sonlight. We will read the Word every morning from a variety of devotionals I already have, and the MB basket. Will add hymn study and scripture memorization to it… once I figure it out!

Second - how much is too much for bright, school loving kids? I had already ordered curriculum for next fall through our charter before I discovered Master Books, Beautiful Feet and Grammar Galaxy. Both of my kids love workbooks, so I’m trying to give them workbooks without too much busywork, and have been working on CM style narration of what they’re learning.

For 2nd grade LA, I have on hand Explode the Code (books 4-8), Handwriting Without Tears Grade 2 (cursive, and Building Writers), Spelling You See level C: Wild Tales, Grammar Galaxy Nebula, and I’m really considering buying Master Books Language Lessons for a Living Education LLFLE 2 or 3.

Kinder daughter has HWOT Kinder and SYS A: Read and Write. I am still very interested in adding MB LLFLE 1 or Foundations Phonics, depending on where she’s at with learning to read over the summer.

Is this too much? What about looping the LA materials over a week? Using LLFLE and cursive handwriting every day, and alternating the GG, SYS, and ETC? Should I just forsake some of the curricula?

For math, my son will continue Singapore Math, Dimensions Math 2A/2B, and 3A/3B for now. He’s loving it and math has never been a source of tears. My daughter will finish the KA level of Dimensions Math before I will move her either into Math Lessons for a Living Education (MLFLE 1) or the new Master Books math K level which hasn’t been released yet.

For Social Studies/History/Geography, I already ordered the Evan Moor Skill Sharpeners Geography for Grade 2/K for map work. I have the Beautiful Feet Early American History Primary Instructors Guide with all the books, and at least part of the MFW Adventures curriculum (a few books, patriotic cd, ect). I’m planning to use Master Books My Story 1 for both kids and supplement with the BF living books.

For Science, I’m leaning heavily on scrapping my original plans and just using the Master Books God’s Design Beginners or the not yet released Adventures in Creation.

Am I crazy for trying to do this much? Is it too much? I value your feedback! Thanks again

[GC123]

Hi and welcome @orcamallmom!

I can see why you are thinking about making these changes and it’s good to consider, as you are, if it’s even doable, or too much.

You will know as you go how much you are able to do with your children, considering what they actually can accomplish each day and how much time available you have for school work. One thing to remember is that a curriculum usually lasts nine months and that can get pretty old if you have to work on too many every day, especially of the same subject. However, when something is especially interesting to one of your children, you will find that you can actually give them more to do with that specific subject and they’ll be thrilled you did!

I like your idea of adding things, such as from BFB books, that way there is something new that is not necessarily required work, as it may not get done depending on how much else you have going on and you won’t feel like you’re behind schedule.

If something is working, like Math for your son seems to be, I usually don’t try to change it. I have found that my children do really well with me keeping things the same and expected, with an occasional vatiation or addition to make things fun. But they don’t necessarily need a lot of different curriculum as they would like to spend some of their daytime on other things of interest, not just required school time most of the day. They love school work but too much is just too much.

As you explore new curriculum and your children’s interests you will likely want to try out different materials and that’s what I have done. It takes time to find what really works and what you like to use as well. I do recommend settling eventually on something and not switching it up. I do believe that stability from using the same curriculum/materials over a long period of time, in this case years, is good for the children. Also, try to keep subjects of most importance the priority, such as Bible. You won’t regret doing so!

You mentioned humn study. We have used Hymns for a Kid’s Heart. I don’t know if they are in print anymore but you may be able to find some used if so. It comes with a CD. We also do a morning basket like you, and it’s mostly all Scriptural and character related. It’s a good way to start the day.

One last note is that I have come to see the value of keeping the main things simple and somewhat short, that way you get to add a unit study or some other thing such as a craft or even a field trip, or lessons in cleaning, whenever you feel like it would be good to do so, or God has led you to work on something specific, such as character training, or you just want to enjoy free time with them. If we don’t have time for some spontaneous things we might be doing too much.

These were just some thoughts I had, I hope they help in some way. Let me know if I could help or if you have any questions. I hope you will enjoy your little ones and the specialness of homeschooling!
Blessings.