Another idea for day-to-day scheduling...

I am thinking somewhat about going with Waldorf/Oak Meadow block scheduling, which would go about as follows...

Monday/Wednesday:
Charter school classes in the morning (music appreciation in the car)
Poetry
Calendar work/weather charting
Phonics (Elf) / Handwriting (Fairy)
Short story time
Language arts block
Social studies (world cultures) block
Elf reads aloud

Tuesday/Thursday:
Poetry
Calendar work/weather charting
Phonics (Elf) / Handwriting (Fairy)
Short story time
Math block
Science block
Art appreciation
Elf reads aloud

Friday (our light day):
Spelling test (Elf) / Phonics/letter review (Fairy)
Nature journaling using Oak Meadow science topics
Read aloud from Story of the World
Optional art or other project time

Day-to-Day Schedule for Fall 2008...

This follows more of a Charlotte Mason approach, with short lessons planned...

Monday/Wednesday
Charter school classes in morning (music appreciation in car) **
Poetry
Calendar and weather/temperature charting
Copy work (Elf) /Handwriting (Fairy)
Short story time
Phonics & Oak Meadow Language Arts
Math
Social Studies
Elf reads aloud

Tuesday/Thursday
Poetry
Calendar and weather/temperature charting
Copy work (Elf) /Handwriting (Fairy)
Short story time
Phonics & Oak Meadow Language Arts
Math
Social studies
Science
Elf reads aloud

Friday (our light day)
Spelling test (Elf) / Phonics/letter review (Fairy)
Nature journaling using Oak Meadow science topics
Read aloud from Story of the World
Optional art or project time

**Monday: Art & art appreciation, Wednesday: Spanish & Music

Geography/World Cultures units...

After reviewing Oak Meadow extensively, it isn't strong enough in the early grades (though it looks fantastic later on) in either history/social studies or science. And after much discussion, we have collectively agreed that the children want to learn about various cultures around the world this year. Hence, I am using multiple resources - library books, videos, hands-on projects, Magic School Bus and more - to create my own unit studies as detailed below. Science in these plans is related to the flora, fauna and natural geology of the places we study...

4 weeks
Australia

4 weeks
Africa

4 weeks
South America

Thanksgiving Break, one week

3 weeks
Christmas Around the World

Winter/Christmas Break, 2 weeks

2 weeks
Russia

8 weeks
Europe & the UK

3 weeks
India

Spring Break, 2 weeks

7 weeks
Asia

I am using Oak Meadow science as topics for Friday Nature Studies. OM K focuses on social studies (like community resources, what people do in different jobs, and so forth), and I hope to work that in as a once a month short lesson. We're also covering one unit a month from RS4K Chemistry (pre-level 1).

Our final choices for 2008-09...

I am finally content with my choices!

For the Elf, Second Grade
Oak Meadow 2
supplemented with....
Explode the Code 3 (then maybe 3 1/2 or 4)
Houghton Mifflin Math Steps 2 (instead of OM math)
HM Reading Anthologies, 2nd grade

For the Fairy, Kindergarten
Oak Meadow Kindergarten
supplemented with....
Letter of the Week
Saxon Math 1, first half (instead of OM math)
Handwriting Without Tears, Letters & Numbers for Me

For both
Homemade World Cultures Units
Nature Studies
Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry, pre-level 1
Spanish, music & art classes at the charter school
4-H (cooking, historical crafts)
Bed/Lunchtime read-alouds from this list

2008-09 school year...

For the Elf, 2nd grade Three "R's"
Reading:
Phonics for Reading, Second Level
Oak Meadow 2 - reading list, readers, etc.

(W)riting:
Oak Meadow 2
Journaling

'Rithmetic:
Finishing up 2nd half of Saxon Math 2
Supplement with Houghton Mifflin Math Steps 2

For the Fairy, Kindergarten Three "R's"
Reading:
Explode the Code 1 & 2 (might use 1 1/2 instead of 2, depending on how she does)
Finish Oak Meadow K, and move into first half or so of Oak Meadow First Grade - reading list, nice intro to letters & sounds

(W)riting:
Handwriting Without Tears, Letters & Numbers for Me maybe
Oak Meadow K and Oak Meadow First Grade
Journaling

'Rithmetic:
Saxon Math 1 (1st half, saving 2nd half for 1st grade)

FOR BOTH
I plan to go with this for science and history

Art:
Hands-on art class (at the charter school)
Lots of free art time at home (both my kids are very artistic & will spend hours drawing)

Music & Music Appreciation:
Classical Kids (appreciation, in the car!)
Music & movement class (at the charter school)

Foreign Language:
Spanish (at the charter school)

2008-09 school year...

For the Elf, 2nd grade Three "R's"
Reading:
Phonics for Reading, Second Level
Oak Meadow 2 - reading list, readers, etc.

(W)riting:
Oak Meadow 2
Journaling

'Rithmetic:
Finishing up 2nd half of Saxon Math 2
Supplement with Houghton Mifflin Math Steps 2

For the Fairy, Kindergarten Three "R's"
Reading:
Explode the Code 1 & 2 (might use 1 1/2 instead of 2, depending on how she does)
Finish Oak Meadow K, and move into first half or so of Oak Meadow First Grade - reading list, nice intro to letters & sounds

(W)riting:
Handwriting Without Tears, Letters & Numbers for Me maybe
Oak Meadow K and Oak Meadow First Grade
Journaling

'Rithmetic:
Saxon Math 1 (1st half, saving 2nd half for 1st grade)

FOR BOTH
I plan to go with this for science and history

Art:
Hands-on art class (at the charter school)
Lots of free art time at home (both my kids are very artistic & will spend hours drawing)

Music & Music Appreciation:
Classical Kids (appreciation, in the car!)
Music & movement class (at the charter school)

Foreign Language:
Spanish (at the charter school)

Units in History & Science...

Planning out my unit studies for the year. Here's a basic run down of history and science:

Summer 2008 - Finish studying the Ancient Greeks

Unit 1 (4 weeks)
History - Ancient Rome
Science - Geology

Unit 2 (4 weeks)
History - Medieval Britain
Science - Weather

Unit 3 (4 weeks)
History - Medieval India/Middle East
Science - Magnetism & Electricity

Thanksgiving Break

Unit 4 (3 weeks)
History - Crusades
Science - Dinosaurs

Christmas Break

Unit 5 (5 weeks)
History - The Vikings
Science - Oceans

Unit 6 (4 weeks)
History - the Far East in the Middle Ages
Science - Chemistry

Unit 7 (4 weeks)
Social Studies - Europe in the Middle Ages
Science - Chemistry continued

Spring Break

Unit 8 (2 weeks)
History - Spain & Portugal in the Middle Ages
Science - Astronomy

Unit 9 (5-6 weeks)
History - The Renaissance
Science - Astronomy continued

Summer 2009 - Finish studying the Renaissance & start into the Reformation, aiming for Early Exploration in Fall of 2009