HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM FAMILY SUBJECTS | History, Nature Study, Music, Bible, Read Alouds & more!

[@PursuingPeace]

What are you using for family subjects this year? ❤️

[@katiacleroux7376]

After much prayer about this busy school year ahead of us, with 3 littles doing lower elementary/kinder/preschool, and a baby joining in January, we found the tree of life curriculum, and it was truly a blessing! We're doing first language lessons, using a Holling book for geography, an Arabella Buckley book for science, a french world exploring book, and then children's history of the world! We also found the free website making music fun which is amazing (we're doing the recorder).

[@melissacardona1747]

Hi Dina, we just joined RAR Premium and are super excited for our first month of read alouds & activities! My question is, how do you schedule the activities in the Family Guide? Do you read the chapter book all the way through first and then do the activities after you’re finished with the book? Or do you work through the family guide as you’re reading? I would love a video on how you schedule this out throughout the month.

[@PursuingPeace]

Hi Melissa! How are you liking the family book club? I read the book first. But lately it's been picture books so it's easy. We read the Family novel but don't do any of the activities for that one because it's too much for us. I usually just pick what works for us and do them when we can. I'm just now getting a rhythm with it but nothing set in stone.

[@melissacardona1747]

@@PursuingPeace we are loving it thus far! I think I was thinking too much into it and making it more complicated than what it needed to be. 🤪 it’s very flexible. I do have one more question for you: A watched one of your videos a while back (a pretty long time ago) and you mentioned that you use a website for book suggestions per grade level. Can you share the name of the website? (If you even remember or know what I’m talking about 😅)

[@PursuingPeace]

@@melissacardona1747 Hmmm.... I'm not sure if I remember....but I know RAR has it by grade level if you filter it. But also mensa.org has a book list by grade. It's called Excellence in Reading. Hope this helps. ❤️

[@melissacardona1747]

@@PursuingPeace that's the one! thank you so much!

[@denisessecretgarden800]

Notgrass history ❤

[@tamijoysisemore659]

Try looking at Learning American history through literature by Common Sense Media

[@PursuingPeace]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check that out!

[@tamijoysisemore659]

Love the music curriculum!

[@PursuingPeace]

Thank you! It looks so fun!

[@laurenperrine4481]

📕

[@marinagates3488]

Yes interested!!🎉

[@PursuingPeace]

👍❤️

[@amandasokoff9539]

Praying you come to Maryland next!!! 😆

[@PursuingPeace]

LOL! It's possible. We almost went there instead of AZ...to Ft. Mead. Only the Lord knows! :)

[@amandasokoff9539]

@@PursuingPeace STOP THATS WHERE WE ARE! Fingers even more crossed! 😂😂

[@PursuingPeace]

@@amandasokoff9539 Oh that would be fun! ❤️

[@TheSimpleLifeofHomeschooling]

I have a question for you! This is my four year olds first year to homeschool! I noticed that the preschool curriculum for the good and the beautiful is a little challenging for him. What helped your kids learn to read? Going from A-Z? Or starting with vowels? Thanks for your help

[@PursuingPeace]

Hi! We actually use the Letter of the week program from Confessions of a Homeschooler for the first year of preschool. Then we start with TGTB. She starts with vowels first. I also do letter flashcards once a day to solidify the letter sounds in their little minds. 😁 Check out my preschool playlist. I go through how we do all that. ❤️

[@rolandabradley6193]

Can you get the memory work by itself? I would love to just do that. and can you pick the cycle that you want to do? Thanks

[@juliequates9529]

Really curious to see how you do CC at home. I love the memory work but don't want to deal with a co-op.

[@Catherine-y2o]

Would you be able to do a video on supplementing for cycle 3? I know you already did one, but it would so helpful. We are using BFB too but books you use past civil war to supplement for cycle 3. Supplements for each cycle of CC would be so helpful each year! helped me so much!!! thank you for all you do!!

[@PursuingPeace]

I will try to get a supplement video out in September. ❤️

[@katiacleroux7376]

I would love to learn about your extra ressources you plug in to do CC at home. It is of interest to us but can't justify the cost of a group!

[@PursuingPeace]

Will do! I'll put it on my list. ❤️

[@ashleywagner1741]

Yes, agreed! Would love to see the supplements that you're using for cycle 3!

[@Thebergnest]

I too would love to see the supplements!! ❤

[@rochellemeers7925]

My 5 year old (nearly 6) really wants to learn about the human body so I'm planning to focus on that next year for school. Do you think the TGATB Human Body course is too old for her age? I know it's dependent on individual children but I see it's recommended for year 3 and up. Do you think this is because of the appropriateness of the content or the difficulty level?

[@PursuingPeace]

I think they should be able to write well. Not creative writing...just able to write sentences easily. If that's not where she's at next year, then I would wait on it. Maybe do some Usborne books and watch videos. The Dr. Suess book "Inside Your Outside" is very good! :)

[@rochellemeers7925]

@@PursuingPeace Thank you!

[@RachaelXO]

Thank you for your recommendations, they are appreciated! I got the MY BODY BOOK & also so in your store MORE THAN WORDS, and we got that too. Just started the More Than Words Yesterday, and we really enjoyed having a time to get into the Word and that open conversation. Will start the Body Book in a month or so, I need to order a wider roll of paper than the one I already have. Also going to get the Safety Book too.

[@PursuingPeace]

Oh I'm happy you're liking More Than Words! It's wonderful to have good conversations about Jesus with our children. :)

[@kapow46]

Hello from England. I am wondering for history and the ages of your children, have you considered local amd family history? We started from our towns town's history. Found local people who made an impact. Spread to our County then area. Also interviewed grandparents about school, home life, holidays etc. Compared beach holidays from their childhood to know. It was the most engaging method. Best wishes

[@PursuingPeace]

That sounds amazing!!! ❤️

[@TheHouseofHillman]

Hi👋! Have you looked Modern Times, by Simply Charlotte Mason. It’s similar to Beautiful Feet books.

[@PursuingPeace]

I haven't! I'll check that out. Thanks! ❤️

[@priscillaramos3033]

I love all your picks.. i love tgtb .. my daughter uses la and math level one and my son uses kindergarten prep:) and we did just finished little hearts and hands:) so when in the day do you family subjects?? I would love to see how you incorporate your family subjects:) for our family subjects, we are doing space, spanish, character, Bible, and Geography

[@jeanab3840]

Thank you for the review on RAR. I’ve been considering joining this week! Love wonderful.

[@PursuingPeace]

Yes! She actually just did a preview video today. She previewed what we are going to read for the year. So cool!

[@sarapayne9445]

We’re doing Abeka readers for health and safety, science, and my America. We are doing hymns, character building, Bible for our mornings.

[@PursuingPeace]

Sounds like a great plan! ❤️

[@cherylgorzkowski4119]

Same exact thing for us too!!

[@Brigsgirl22]

I'm really interested in the Hymn study! Thank you for sharing!📕

[@PursuingPeace]

Isn't it great?! Not Consumed has a few great things in their shop!

[@rosalindreloj7928]

How are things going? Your school year?

[@PursuingPeace]

Hi! Things are going pretty good! It makes a big difference now that one of my kids is independent. ❤️ How is yours going?

[@gbcflower]

Looks like some wonderful resources! Were you able to complete BFB Seasons Afield?

[@PursuingPeace]

No. It was just too much for us in this season of having lots of kiddos.... including little ones. I hoping we can get back to it in a couple of years.

[@faithfullyinfertile]

We just started CC Cycle 1 today! My oldest is in Challenge B at our community but I am doing Cycle 3 memory work with my three younger kids at home. I keep it simple. :) We go over the memory work daily, read books that go with the week's memory work and then each child has a blank notebook to draw/notebook in if we want something "extra" to do. I am planning to do the human body with them this year because that is so much fun. Have a wonderful year, Dina!

[@PursuingPeace]

Oh how fun! Yes! Keep it simple! That sounds like a great plan! ❤️

[@Thebergnest]

How does one buy the spine? It doesn't seem they offer it on their website but I would love to buy it 😬

[@amyfernow3447]

How long is your family time each day? Love your videos! My kids are 5,3,2, and newborn so love seeing how you do it with all your kiddos close in age

[@PursuingPeace]

It's about 30 min to an hour, depending on what we're doing and the attention span of my kids. But kids your age might only be able to do it for about 30 min. I have a few videos of when my kids were that age. They are my older videos. :)

[@lizrodriguez466]

Thanks for the video, you can find a map of the states in dollars tree that’s are similar.There’s two that come in the package. Blessings

[@PursuingPeace]

Oh cool! Thanks! So many great school supplies at the Dollar Tree!

[@acozyview]

📕 We did CC for four years, but don’t now. But I still have my foundations book and wondered if I should try and supplement with it. For our family subjects we are doing ecology study with good and the beautiful, American history 1 with master books, living art with master books, and I’m currently creating a literature guide for Harry Potter 1 that we’ll be doing.

[@PursuingPeace]

Oh great! That sounds like a wonderful plan!

[@DayToDayMom]

oh gracious! I can't wait to see the 5 bodies, lol! how fun for ya'll!

[@PursuingPeace]

LOL!!! Me too! HA!

[@suellenrodrigues3919]

We just did a lesson today from TGB science and it led to soooo many questions and a good time! My girls loved it

[@PursuingPeace]

Oh wonderful!!! ❤️

[@karenmorales1558]

Beautiful Feet sells the second part as well of American History. I’m doing this year the same history and might pick up the 2nd part for next year but also looking forward to the release of the good and the beautiful history coming summer 2024

[@Mare00711]

We are trying beautiful feet books this year! Us. History and around the world. Even considering the character books for bedtime. For Bible we are trying Foundations for kids New Testament by Gallaty.

[@jenna7072]

I ordered the preschool curriculum from TGTB and afterwards I found out it is written by a Mormon/LDS- is there a lot of religious stuff in TGTB? My mom was raised LDS and praise Jesus left that and found the real Jesus, but I have heard wonderful things about TGTB but now that has been bothering me

[@PursuingPeace]

I have used levels PreK to Level 3 and haven't seen anything that is specific to the LDS church. Praise God about your mom! ❤️

[@jenna7072]

@@PursuingPeace that gives me a lot more peace, as I didn't want to allow anything into my home or children that could have been false gospel. Thank you!! (I was also going to be more sad if I had to toss it out after it getting here, especially since I have been on a shopping spree after your supply haul videos 🤣)

[@de5889]

@@jenna7072I’ve used a lot of their stuff, I’m not LDS, and I’ve never been disappointed (well except for math 6 😂). It’s just superficial Biblical principles and good morals. There’s no doctrine. I’ve heard one of the history courses has quotes from their elders, but I think it is in the context of lessons pertaining to that belief system in American history. But I have no first hand knowledge of that. They are changing their history, and I don’t know what that will be like.

[@jenna7072]

@@de5889 thank you!! Once I found this out it's been bugging me. Obviously I haven't been able to look through all their curriculum but I really appreciate the input and experience. I haven't looked at any of their history curriculum at all though. The same homeschool group that I learned this from also said the same thing about Tuttle twins so we aren't allowed to talk about that one either. I am like good grief...! Because I have heard great things about their stuff!

[@de5889]

@@jenna7072 We have every Tuttle Twins book except the new history books they’ve just done. There’s nothing sketchy or questionable in them. For the most part, they are non-religious…maybe a general reference to following God but I can’t remember. I follow a lot of KZbinrs who have used the history books, who are not Mormon, and they love them. I don’t understand the rejection of something just because of the creator’s belief. So long as they don’t present their doctrine, I don’t see the issue.

[@simplysantacruz963]

Beautiful feet books does have modern history! It's just not until the 4-8, and the 9-12 sections.

[@PursuingPeace]

Right! It's too advanced for my kiddos. So maybe next time we go through Cycle 3. 😁

[@hollygriffin4083]

Love these videos, the flip throughs help out so much with picking out curriculum! I've been going back and forth with purchasing little hearts and hands wind and waves (for my 4 year old) however I also have my 9 year old that will be in the 4th grade 🤔 do you think this course will pair well with the good and the beautiful science unit weather and water? Also this year we are changing things up a bit and will be trying out NotGrass our 50 states, the last two years we have done American history so I figured we can switch things up, I also would like to try Gather Round American government mini unit. Thanks again Dina for these wonderful videos, I very much look forward to the school room tour and also would LOVE to see what you are using for a planner these days, are you still using plum paper? We mainly use the good and the beautiful for curriculum. There's not much planning over here 😅 but I to somehow keep track!

[@PursuingPeace]

Hi! I haven't done Weather and Water but I would think it would pair well together. I've heard good things about Nothgrass! 😁 I am still using Plum Paper. I use it alfor reverse planning. 😉

[@kiras7874]

The no sweat nature looks amazing and I really like the look of the hymn study. I use Foundations reading plan for Bible, Notgrass for history, Science Shepherd for science, for art we’re reading through A Child’s Introduction to Art by Heather Alexander, and for U.S. geography I compiled my own thing from a few different resources, and we also on Fridays read science and history living books sometimes according to what we’re currently learning about or sometimes just random things.

[@PursuingPeace]

That sounds amazing! Keep up the good work mama! :)

[@graceabounding7]

We're doing the same Beautiful Feet History and Geography this year! I'm so excited 😂❤

[@mil8903]

❤❤❤

[@tamijoysisemore659]

I’d give my i teeth to be able to swing that beautiful feet curriculum!

[@PursuingPeace]

I can be very in expensive if your library has a lot of the books included in the set. :)

[@kaitlync15]

We have done the good and beautiful science with my 6 and even 3 year old was interested’they absorb it still 😅

[@PursuingPeace]

Yes! I forgot I got some Human Body Busy books....so I'll probably have my little ones stay and play with those so they can still hear the info. 😁❤️