Can you believe the school year is almost done? I certainly can’t, but I am very excited! Do you know what the end of a school year means to a homeschooler? Time to plan for next year! That means I get to spend some time looking at curriculum. Yep, we are signing up for another year of this.
Those that have been following our Homeschooling path know that we only homeschool our book-ends (oldest & youngest). Tank (youngest) because I have always done a form of preschool with my boys and Tripp (oldest) because of issues that kept happening in the public school.
Anyway, I am calling out to my readers this edition… we can’t make up our minds about which program to use. Since my blog has really taken off and is just getting busier and busier, I need something that is already laid out for me. I have spent literally hours (probably weeks if you add it up) writing his plans, goals, tasks, etc. I have had to make most of the worksheets and tests that we used because we didn’t receive that. This coming year (we think) we want the whole kit and kaboodle. The only problem is since I no longer work outside the home we don’t have much extra money… we can swing a few hundred dollars, but not a few thousand.
Also, we are Christian, but we believe in Evolution. So, we do not mind either way if we use a Christian Based Curriculum or not but we do want it teaching Evolution (yes I know, it is controversial, but maybe I will write a post one day about how we can do both).
Tank is easy, I don’t need anything for him. I can continue just as we have been doing this year but with maybe a few more crafts and things. Tripp will be going into the 4th grade, but is very advanced. Also, he is in the Autism Spectrum and his thing is he HATES to write… not the creativity part of it, the physical writing part of it. With that said, he likes worksheets. LOL! He also needs a grade… in other words he thinks he has to have a test to PROVE what he knows.
So, with all of that knowledge… who do you recommend and why? Please give me some idea either via email (contact me button up top) or via comments.
I can’t wait for everyone’s knowledge to start pouring in!
Kelli
About Kelli
Your view is called “theistic evolution”and it is a belief that many people hold.
Anyway, I am beginning to look through homeschool materials myself. My oldest is only two, but as a former school teacher I know that government schools won’t do. I see my daughter learning so much at home and I want to continue it. It is such a big decision and I am trying to get a head start. I will stay posted to see what you choose and I will let your know if I see anything that I like.
ok no offense,but christian and evolution cannot be in the same sentence,evolution is based on the theory that does not support that there is a God who created all things and there is only one God who is the creator of all things….im not meaning this in an argumentive way at all
although I have to say this is the first I have heard someone say that.Just a thought….I am also a homeschooler of 2 soon 3 boys and I use the CLE program and like it very well and it is very afordable.Well have a great day 
Anonymous,
ok “no offense” but my beliefs may be different than yours, but that does not make them wrong…
Ever noticed how when people say “no offense” they are about to be really offensive?
Please feel free to google it to see more about my beliefs and the fact that tons of others share these beliefs… here is a smidgen from Wikipedia:
Theistic evolution and evolutionary creationism are similar concepts that assert that classical religious teachings about God are compatible with much or all of the modern scientific understanding about biological evolution. In short, theistic evolutionists believe that there is a God, that God is (in some way) the creator of the material universe and (by consequence) all life within, and that biological evolution is simply a natural process within that creation. Evolution, according to this view, is simply a tool that God created and employed to help life grow and flourish.
Hi Kelli!
Have you looked into A Beka? That’s what I took my Senior year of High School, and it was pretty much laid out that my mom didn’t have to do much. It may have changed in the last 14 years, but it’s worth looking into. http://www.abeka.org/
This is Heather!
I have looked at so much stuff that I think my eyes are starting to cross
It seems there might not be a box curriculum that I like 100%… I hope to get more views from everyone to help me make more of an informed decision. 
For example:
*I am sort of leaning towards Saxon Math (75.50)
*Michael Clay Thompson for English looks very promising (190)
But, then I have almost 300 dollars in only 2 subjects LOL! Of course, I talked to DH on the phone a bit and he said he doesn’t care how much HIS son’s education costs LOL!
Like I told him, yes a boxed curriculum will be much easier for me, but does that make it best for Tripp?
Hi! I’m one of the TOS Crew First Mates and followed your link from the TOS Homeschool FB page.
Have you ever taken a look at Sonlight? They are a Christian curriculum company that like to teach students to dig into various viewpoints regarding many issue, the origins of the world being one of them. They are literature based and not so much with the worksheets, but it’s a very challenging and interesting curricula. YOu could use the discussion questions as tests if you preferred. They provide you with well laid out daily lesson plans and I believe Saxon is one of their options for math.
I am a literal Creationist who has no problem with understanding others viewpoints and coming to our own conclusions after looking at it from all sides. This may be a good fit if you are open to being a Theistic Evolutionist who has no problem with understanding others viewpoints and coming to your own conclusions after looking at it from all sides.
I am planning to use Sonlight myself in the fall.
Hey Lori, thanks for stopping by! Yes, we have looked at Sonlight numerous times (even used bits of it for preschooling the older two years ago), but the price kept making me change my mind. For everything I want we are talking about 1000 dollars… YIKES!
I totally think EVERYONE should make informed decisions about EVERYTHING.
I was raised Catholic, went to a Baptist school for 2 years, went to Methodist Youth with my best-friend all through High School, and Church for several months with my Holiness boyfriend (at the time). I have even studied up a bit on Wicca/Paganism, just because I was very curious… it is actually very interesting and they have lots of the same beliefs as Christians – but, some biggies different that I just don’t believe in. 
I have never studied Judaism, but there again, I seem to know a good bit about it, maybe I should. LOL! 
I teach my kids that they can not say they believe one thing unless they know “why” they don’t believe other things. As I have been an Eclectic Homeschooler, I guess I am an Eclectic Christian LOL! Oops, got side-tracked, I tend to do that.
Thanks for taking the time to come by and give your points without being critical! A true Christian Quality to me is being open about other’s beliefs while standing behind your own. You exemplified that! Great job, kodos.
Anyway, long story LONG… I think we are leaning more towards Sonlight as we can’t find anything we don’t like about it (as we can with many others) except the price. So, I am in the process of typing up the list of books we have here and hoping to get them sold to give me a little book money. We are also planning a yard sale. We shall overcome. ;-D
I know you said you’re a Christian but you may still be interested in the yahoo group “Sonlight Secular” since it tends to have folks who believe in evolution / can discuss parts that you’d maybe want to alter to fit your beliefs.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SonlightSecular/?yguid=224155330
Hi Kelly,
, yes, I am a homeschooling father and yes, I am still waiting on pins and needles for the Homeschool Crew announcement! But, I digress. My wife and I really share in the homeschooling, but I have an education degree, so I tend to be the leader. We have been using Sonlight for the past few years with my oldest son (12yrs old). We also have limited funds so what we have done is taken the list of books to used book stores, our local libraries, and to ebay. We have saved $100. It does take a little extra work – it would be great to just have a box arrive in the mail and not worry about it. We have also looked into Sonlight’s payment plan. We may have to do that this year since the core that we are doing has very hard to find books. Hope that helps. BTW, we also have 3 boys. Makes life interesting!
I am the Tim Tinkel that has responded to some of your posts. Yes, that is my real name
Oops. I meant to say hundreds of dollars not just $100. That wouldn’t be worth the trouble for that little amount!