My Annual Curriculum Problem Report

So, it is that time of year again, when I have finished shopping for curricula (if I ever really finish the process!) and post it here on the blog so that I can point out to hubby next year that I did indeed spend that much on school last year...So here it goes!

This year Eva is entering 3rd grade as a traditional homeschooled student, and Charlotte is entering Kindergarten in a virtual charter so that she can get speech therapy services.  Thus, my purchases lean more towards Eva's school - Charlotte is taking Language Arts, Math, and Art (if we ever get it straightened out - they put her in P.E. instead...) through the virtual charter, and will be participating some in Eva's History and Science classes.  I did get some Religion books for her as well.

Math:
Teaching Textbooks 4 $60 Cathswap

Cost: $60
Savings: $39.95

Handwriting:
Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Handwriting Workbook $9.95 Rainbow Resource
Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Handwriting Teacher's Guide (3rd/4th) $3 Cathswap

Cost: $12.95
Savings: $2.55 (not including shipping)

Speech Therapy (Charlotte):
Toobaloo - a plastic tube to help her hear her own speech more clearly $4.50 RR

Cost: $4.50

Language Arts:
Teaching Writing Structure and Style DVD and Workbook $169 IEW (teacher training)
All Things Fun and Fascinating $5.40 clearance
Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales $5.40 clearance
Fix-It (should last 5 years) $20 Cathswap
All About Spelling Level 3 $39.95 Rainbow Resource (RR)
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation $9 Amazon

Cost: $248.75
Savings: $63.25

Religion:
Who Am I? Teachers Guide and Kindergarten Workbook $15 Cathswap
Our Life With Jesus Student Book and Workbook $15 Cathswap

Cost: $30
Savings: $38.80

Art:
ARTistic Pursuits Book 1 (K-3)   $23 Cathswap
Child-Size Masterpieces Step 4   $10 Cathswap
Child-Size Masterpieces Step 5   $12 Cathswap
Draw Write Now Books 3, 6, 7 & 8   $28.75 Cathswap

Cost: $73.75
Savings: $67.20

Science:
NOEO Biology 1 Instructor's Guide $10 Cathswap
Usborne Pocket Nature PBS
One Small Square: Cactus Desert $6 Cathswap
One Small Square: Woods $5 Cathswap
One Small Square: Seashore $5 Cathswap
Pasteur's Fight Against Microbes PBS
Usborne Science with Plants PBS
DK Eye Wonder: Weather - Library
Usborne First Encyclopedia of the Human Body $7.50 Cathswap
The Boy Who Drew Birds $6.40 Amazon
Audubon Birds of America Coloring Book $3.50 RR
Ein-O's Smart Box Weather Science $12.09 Amazon
Young Scientists Club #10, #17, #18, #19, #20 (have kit #10 from last year)
Set 6 - #16, #17, #18 $17.68 Amazon
Set 7 - #19, #20, #21 $18.15 Amazon

Cost: $91.32
Savings: $58.70

History:
Connecting With History Volume 3 Syllabus $40 RC History
How Our Nation Began $15 Cathswap
A Grain of Rice $4.25 RR
A Medieval Feast $4.95 RR
A Story of Saint Germaine $6.95 Adoremus
A Story of Saint Hyacinth $5 Cathswap
A Story of Saint Louise de Marillac $6.95 Adoremus
A Story of Saint Rita $5 Cathswap
A Story of Saint Sanislaus Kostka $6.95 Adoremus
A Story of the Infant Jesus of Prague $5 Cathswap
A Story of Saint Joan of Arc $5 Cathswap
A Story of Saint Isaac Jogues $6.95 Adoremus
A Story of Saint Charles Borromeo $6.95 RC History
A Story of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary $6.95 RC History
Blessed Kateri Tekakawitha - Library
Our Lady of Guadalupe $1.39 Sacred Heart Books and Gifts (SH)
Saint Francis of Paola $1.39 SH
World's Greatest Artists: Bruegel $6.95 Amazon
Da Vinci PBS
El Greco $6.95 Amazon
Giotto $6.95 Amazon
Michelangelo PBS
Rembrandt PBS
Velazquez free (4 for 3) Amazon
Chanticleer and the Fox PBS
Columbus (D'Aulaire) $11 Cathswap
Leonardo and the Flying Boy $8.99 Amazon
Marco Polo Overland to China $8.95 Amazon
My Path to Heaven PBS
Peter Claver: Patron Saint of Slaves $8.95 Amazon
Rumpelstiltskin PBS
Saint Francis of Assisi $6 Cathswap
Saint Thomas Aquinas for Children $12.95 some vendor at the Midwest Catholic Family Conference :)
The Boy Who Held Back the Sea $6.38 SH
Castle - Library
Castle Diary - Library
The Adventures of Robin Hood - Classic Starts PBS
Adventures of Don Quixote $1.75 RR
The Apple and the Arrow $6 Cathswap
The Empty Pot - Library
The Great Wall of China PBS
The Making of a Knight - Library
Medieval Projects You Can Do! free (4 for 3) Amazon
Minstrel in the Tower $3.25 RR
How to be a Samurai Warrior - Library
Turn of the Century PBS
Who Was Ferdinand Magellan? $3.75 RR
William Shakespeare and the Globe - Library
The Stars - Library
Francis Xavier and the Samurai's Lost Treasure DVD $13.68 SH
Juan Diego Messenger of Guadalupe DVD $13.68 SH
Shakespeare for Children CD - Weiss $11.50 RR
Three Musketeers/Robin Hood CD - Weiss $11.50 RR
Cathedral Stained Glass Coloring Book - found in house (no idea where it came from!)
Knights in Armor Coloring Book free (4 for 3) Amazon
Life in a Medieval Castle and Village Coloring Book $4.99 Amazon
Life in Old Japan Coloring Book $4.99 Amazon
The Story of Christopher Columbus Coloring Book $4.99 Amazon

Cost: $292.83
Savings: $134.89

Misc. Books and Supplies:
Maps, Charts and Graphs Level C $5 Cathswap
Reading-Thinking Skills Level C Free off Cathswap (with an Easter present purchase)
Spectrum Test Prep 3 $6.95 RR
Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum $13.98 Amazon

Cost: $25.93
Savings: $21.46

Total Cost: $840.03 (well under $1000 budget!)
Total Savings: $426.80

So far, the only thing that I meant to purchase that I didn't was Reading for Comprehension C from Continental Press.  I may end up buying it from Seton midway through the year when I order Eva's CAT test.  Usually, I buy the Spectrum Test Prep when I buy the test, but I had the foresight to order it ahead of time this year.  I may just skip the Reading for Comprehension book, anyway.  Of course, there are always some craft supplies, tests, etc. throughout the year, but I think I did pretty well this year, all things considered.  As for Spanish, Music and Homemaking, those items are getting carried over from last year.  My highest priority subjects are Math, Language Arts, and Religion.  Next come History and Science, and at the bottom of the priority list are Art, Spanish, Music and Homemaking.  Hopefully we will have a little more time for those lower priorities since it looks like we will be trying speech therapy via webcam (I think!)  Once I get Charlotte's classes straightened out (and get the Art supplies in the mail) I will do a post about what we got through her charter school this year.