Do you know of an British curriculum package?

[Elf]

I can't remember what they are called, but I have just paid about £10 for a month's worth of 'curriculum' ideas for September from a company in America, from the internet. It is suitable for a nursery or home based, as well as for different ages which is why I thought I would give it a try.

It is lovely, all nature based and full of stories, poems, recipes, craft etc. Thing is, it is American and I think it would be great to have the same thing but with British elements and traditions. Do you know of any?

Witsend any good to you?

Thanks Juuule, I've just had a quick look at the site. I wasn't very clear in my post that what I liked most about the other package was that it was all very nature orientated. It was just for young children up to about 7 I imagine and wasn't to do with the National Curriculum at all which I liked too. It was all leaves and wreaths and pine cones and making apple sauce and corn dolllies - all September things. So I was wondering if there was anything British and nature based. Thank you anyway though Juuule.

Oh, I see
Have you seen Ambleside Online? It's a Charlotte Mason site. It's not quite what you are looking for in that it's American but it does have a nice nature study section and some other interesting bits.
Also, the Muddlepuddle is a UK site with some interesting things on it and links. I just picked out the Autumn page.

Thanks again Juuule, I'll check them out.

hi there elf,
i'd be interested if you find anything brit based. i'm intending to HE dd and am a bit daunted about just 'goin git alone'. do you mind my asking what package you bought from the US as i'd like to have a look.
cheers,

I don't know if they would be useful but have you come across the books by Gareth Lewis?;

One-to-One. A Practical Guide to Learning at Home, Age 0 -11.
"The mysteries of primary education revealed.
Reading: Practical advice on how to make reading enjoyable for children of all reading abilities.
Writing: How to teach a child to produce perfect handwriting in a few weeks.
Arithmetic: A painless introduction to the world of mathematics.
Gardening: Detailed advice on creating and caring for a small vegetable plot.
Cooking: Well-balanced, tried and tested recipes for children to follow with their parents.
Crafts: Detailed instructions for making high-quality crafts."

and
Unqualified Education-A Practical Guide to Learning at Home Age 11-18
"A comprehensive guide to home-based secondary education. This book will challenge everyone to reassess their ideas about the role and purpose of education.
Literature: Guide to the world's best books, plus recommended reading lists.
Cooking: Over 40 easy-to-make, tried and tested recipes.
History: Comprehensive 80-page overview of world history from ancient Greece to modern times.
Crafts: Origami, traditional crafts, knots, kite-making, calligraphy, and sewing.
Languages: How to learn a language, ancient or modern.
Science: A guide to the best way to study science and technology.
Gardening: Instructions for growing over 30 different fruit and vegetables.
Mathematics: A clear and concise description of the dos and don'ts of learning mathematics.
Advice on careers, exams and qualifications.
Plus cartoons, poems, stories, quotes, proverbs and games."

Also do you know that members of EO can get a subscription to 'Learn Premium' www.learnthings.co.uk/Lpremium/default.aspx at an adventageous price?
I have no idea what it is like, as I have not used it, but it may be useful to you.

This is what I have been told;
Education Otherwise is renewing its contract with Learn Premium. This is an online educational site from The Guardian (aimed at schools), with worksheets, online lessons and activities for all ages. As part of the agreement, EO can only offer site subscription. This gives you access to approximately 130,000 educational webpages (online lessons and resources on a range of subjects) until October 2008

hth
Julie
Home Educating in Worcestershire
www.worcestershire-home-educators.co.uk/

Hello Julie, thanks for the info. Yes I have seen Gareth Lewis's book but not he Ambleside which I will have a look at.

Workstostaysane, the site was Little Acorns, run by Elaine someone. letme know if you can't find it and I will get the proper website. It really is lovely, full of nature activities, stories, songs etc and if it was British it woujld be perfect for the youngsters, IMO.

oh no, have just gone on amazon and ordered everything there!! am quite nervous about doing this, although most of my close friends and family are pretty supportive. but still feel like i will need some kind of structure to follow - at least to begin with. will now go and trawl the little acorns site.
thanks for all the advice.

hi again,
the gareth lewis book is wonderful!
i've also gone through the little acorns site which is lovely and it recommends using a resource called FIAR (five in a row). does anyone use this? it looks like a very manageable way of going, but most of the books are american, so i am wondering if anyone in the uk has used it?
cheers,
sara
ps: i also looked up witsend, which is fantastic, but a bit too pricey for me!

I did some work for primaryhomeeducation

Think they are pricey though

I'm using FIAR with DD3 - we're not doing a book a week though, more one every other week or a bit longer. I ordered most of the books through Abe Books. We quite like it as the stuff to discuss is all set out for you (so less work for me ).

hi shrinking violet,
thats what i thought... that it would need a bit less extensive preparation time. i work part time so home ed is going to need fierce organisation. thanks for yr message.

we also use Education City which covers Maths, English, Science, French, German and Spanish set out in NC ages - both DD2 and DD3 like it as it's "playing on the computer" but doesn't need a huge amount of parental help (I have one doing that while doing one-to-one with the other, as my age gaps are quite big, and there's not a lot they can do together at the same level).

I'd like to read about this FIAR. How do you find out about it please?

here for the American site which tells you all about it, and here to order the main guide book in the UK.

SV, how old is your dd3? and which vol of FIAR are you using? (have just ordered Before FIAR)

DD3 is 5, and we've got the main FIAR (only volume 1 as yet) - I went for that one rather than the Before FIAR, as there are lots of activities for each book, and I'm intending doing the whole thing twice, doing hte simpler activities this time, and then in a year or so, re-reading and doing the more complex ones.

Worktostaysane,
Hello again, I wouldn't worry too much about buying loads of stuff, there is so much available online you can download for free!
I will set up my CAT facility and I can send you a heap of stuff you can print out.
Some websites I recommend, that a lot of HE rs use are:
www.starfall.com is free!
www.enchantedlearning.com only £10 a year
www.educationcity.com slightly more expensive £30 for 12 months but with a 'tell a friend code' you can extend this for an extra 12 months at no cost.
I bought loads of workbooks when I started last year but to be honest it is a waste of money.
Hopefully we can meet up soon.

hi runnerbean - i just went to CAT you and realised there is a charge to do so. don;t want you to have to spend money so let me know if you have already set it up and i'll message you that way - otherwise, i'm going to contact EO and find out about the bromley and any other meets in SE london. when i've done so, will let you know where i'll be and when...