Year in Review: Primary/Elementary

 This is our Year in Review for my Youngest for Primary/Elementary+ Resources we used last year.

This may not include everything we did, as some things end up skipping being recorded/noted down. Some resources are also shared between the kids.

It's been quite a while since I posted (nearly 8 years!), and we've obviously changed a lot since then, but thought adding our resources might help others get ideas.

Most curricula/resources we may have dipped in/out of and not used the entire workbook/curricula, based on their interest. (And they were all definitely not used at the same time, haha).

2021 Resources used:

 

CROSS-CURRICULAR

Blossom & Root (Mostly the Science, Art & Nature Studies)

Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp (Recently Updated Edition)

Skoolbo Subscription

A Child’s World/Your Natural Learner Curriculum (further levels don’t seem to be being released anymore)

Creative Little Monkeys Downloadable Workbooks

Harbour & Sprout Subscription

Purple Mash Subscription

Diy.org Subscription

Torchlight Curriculum

Funcation/Edmentum

 

APPS – iOS

I will note down categories/learning areas we put it under, but I would encourage you to make your own choices as to what the app covers (many of these apps can cover so many learning areas, I have just chosen one or two areas). These were apps available on the Australian Apple Ipad store over the past year. I cannot guarantee they are still available or available in your area.

Note: If something has a subscription, I’ll usually just use the free trial to let them play over the course of that, and cancel before the trial is up. If we used it for a longer period, I’ll usually put it not in the apps category, but in the learning area we used it for.

Monster Physics (Science)

Seterra Geography (Social Studies)

bCyberwise Monster Family (Technologies, Health & Physical Education)

Woolizoo’s Ocean Rescue (Science)

Tiny Countries – Geography Game (Social Studies)

Learning Manners & Life Skills (Health & Physical Education)

World of Goo (Science)

Geography Drive USA (Social Studies)

Playing for a Better World (Health & Physical Education)

Tesla Toy ( Science)

Even Monsters Get Sick (Health and Physical Education)

My Kingdom for the Princess (Social Studies, Technologies)

K-5 Science for Kids – Tappity (Science)

My Dino Mission AR (Social Studies)

Brainbean – Brain Games by Tanner Christensen (Health & Physical Education)

Enter the Room (The Arts)

The Anti-Coloring Book (The Arts)

Pettson’s Inventions (Technologies)

Science Lab! Be a Mad Scientist! (Science)

Excavate! Rome (Social Studies)

Something Eerie (Health and Physical Education)

Instasaber (The Arts)

Whoowasit? HD (Technologies)

Fashion Doodle (Technologies)

Happy Little Farmer (Science)

Let the Poo Thru by South Australia Water Corporation (Technologies)

Draw Your Game (The Arts)

Coaster Physics (Technologies)

Bunjil’s Quest (Social Studies)

Mr Maker Level Editor (The Arts)

Quantum Spectre (Technologies)

Kids Save Lives (Health & Physical Education)

Goldiblox (Technologies)

Mixerpiece (The Arts)

The Sandbox (Science)

Doodlelens (The Arts)

Lume (Technologies)

Twinkl ARchitect (Technologies)

Safety for Kids 1 (Health and Physical Education)

Lumino City (Technologies)

Wilderquest by NSW National Parks & Wildlife Services (Science)

Donut Country (Technologies)

My Child Lebensbon (Social Studies)

Community Signs (Health & Physical Education)

Sim Cell – Touch Press Games (Science)

Middle Age at Padua (Social Studies)

Ed and Curious Crew (Health and Physical Education)

Leonardo’s Cat (The Arts)

Thinkrolls Kings & Queens (Technologies)

Solve the Outbreak (Science)

ANZAC Correspondent (Social Studies)

Wuf Shanti (Health and Physical Education)

Ultimate Savannah Simulator (Social Studies)

Plum’s Photo Hunt (Science)

Code the Robot, Save the Cat (Technologies)

Charlie & Lola – I’ve Won! (Multiple Areas)

Piano Maestro (The Arts)

Finding Stubby (Technologies)

SimplePhysics (Science)

Slice Fractions (Science/Maths)

Civilisations AR (Social Studies)

Human Heroes: Curie on Matter (Social Studies/Science)

Tami’s Tower (The Arts)

Draa – Drawing for Kids by Sebastian Kacperski (The Arts)

Takoway (Technologies)

Duckie Deck Trash Toys (The Arts)

Thinkrolls Space (Technologies)

Flashnote Derby (The Arts)

Science Adventure Year 1 (Science)

How Are Things Made? (Social Studies)

Caillou Check Up – Doctor’s Office (Health & Physical Education)

Wreck This App (The Arts)

Monument Valley 2 (Technologies)

Bridge Constructor (Technologies)

Toca Lab: Elements (Science)

How Did Pirates Lives? (Social Studies)

Dr. Panda Bath Time (Health and Physical Education)

Cargo-Bot (Technologies)

Rube’s Lab (Technologies)

Science Experiments Alpha Lab (Science)

Healthy Harold, Health Me (Health and Physical Education)

Bloom by Megalearn (Science)

Trading Game – Forex & Stocks (Social Studies)

Fitoons (Health & Physical Education)

iBiome Wetland (Science)

World Rescue by Zu Digital (Social Studies)

Pick Your Plate! (Health and Physical Education)

Big Bang AR (Science)

Habitat the Game (Social Studies/Science)

Thomas was Alone (Health and Physical Education)

Tiggly Draw (The Arts)

Truss Me! (Technologies)

Montessori Nature (Science)

Rakugaki AR (Technologies/The Arts)

Wide Ocean Big Jacket by Tender Claws (Multiple Areas)

Duckie Deck Birdhouses (Technologies/The Arts)

Levers (Technologies)

Create a Car (Technologies)

Pepi Tree (Science)

Max & Magic Marker (Social Studies)

Stop, Breathe & Think Kids (Health & Physical Education)

Quiver 3D Coloring App (The Arts) (requires printer)

Karl Cooks (Technologies)

Happy Street (Technologies)

Art Stories WONDERS (Multiple Areas)

Little Police (Social Studies)

Me by Tinybop (Health and Physical Education)

There Is No Game: Jam Edition (Technologies)

Khan Academy Kids (Multiple Areas)

What Were the Dinosaurs Like? (Social Studies)

Attributes by Math Doodles (Technologies/Math)

A Day with Caillou (Health and Physical Education)

2 3 4 Player Games (Technologies) (Multi-Person)

Dual! (Technologies) (Multi-Person, Multi-Device)

PlayART by Tapook (The Arts)

My Singing Monsters (Technologies/The Arts)

Last Voyage (Technologies)

 

BOOKS (Some of the books we read/explored this year – there are too many to list, so have chosen some of them)

Flower Talk How Plants Use Color to Communicate by Sara Levine (Science)

My Dad Thinks Snakes are Scary by Veronika Ross (Multiple Areas)

100 Things to Know about the Human Body (Science)

A Climate in Chaos by Neal Layton (Multiple Areas)

The Bushfire Book – How to be Aware and Prepare by Polly Marsden (Multiple Areas)

Fire by Jackie French (Multiple Areas)

Ping (Social Studies)

Why Should I Save Energy? (Science/Social Studies)

Pride – The Story of Harvey Milk (Social Studies)

An Exceptional Children’s Gide to Touch – Teaching Social and Physical Boundaries to Kids (Health and Physical Education)

When the Snake Bites the Sun (Social Studies)

Where do Babies Come From – Usborne (Health and Physical Education)

What are Your Playing At? By Marie Riger (Language Arts)

The Technology Tail by Julia Cook (Multiple Areas)

Do NOT Open this Book Ever (Language Arts)

Ibn Al Haytham – The Man Who Discovered How We See (Social Studies/Science)

Me on the Map (Social Studies)

Adventures in Veggieland Cookbook (Technologies)

Maria Montessori – A Biography for and by Children (Social Studies)

Heidi by Johanna Spyri (Language Arts)

Meet Jesus – Life and Lessons from a Beloved Teacher (Unitarian Universalist-ish book)

This is Australia by Kevin Pettman (Social Studies)

The Number Devil – a Mathematical Adventure (Maths)

A Segregation Story by Gordon Parks (Social Studies)

So You Think You’ve Got it Bad? A Kids Life in Ancient Greece (Social Studies)

Sir Givret (Language Arts)

If You Give a Mouse an iPhone (Language Arts)

A Piglet named Mercy (Language Arts)

The Gigantic Book of Genes (Science)

Poverty and Hunger (Children in Our World) (Social Studies)

The Paper Bag Princess (Language Arts)

A Planet Full of Plastic (and how you can help) (Science/Social Studies)

Refugees and Migrants (Children in Our World) (Social Studies)

I’m Bored by Ohi (Language Arts)

Racism and Intolerance (Children in Our World) (Social Studies)

#Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale) (Multiple Areas)

Global Conflict (Children in Our World) (Social Studies)

So You Want to Be Prime Ministers? By Nicholas Brasche (Social Studies)

Weirdo Books (Language Arts)

Took the Children Away (Social Studies)

Found by Bruce Pascoe (Social Studies)

Being Kind to the World Activity Book (Multiple Areas)

Too Many Toys by David Shannon (Language Arts)

The Secret Garden Illustrated with Interactive Elements Edition – Unabridged (Language Arts)

 

BOARD GAMES (not many this listed this year (although we did do some unlisted), life got in the way, hoping to work through our collection more rigorously over the next year). This also doesn’t include the kids self-initiating board game plays with each other (which usually happens multiple nights a week and some afternoons). We did spend a good amount of time completely overhauling and re-organizing the collection, so the follow is what was done in the last month before the end of school.

Twister

Skittles

Snakes & Ladders

Gator Golf

Hasbro – Buckaroo Game

Outdoor Obstacle Course (adding to collection thanks to Kmart)

 

MINECRAFT MAPS

These are maps I played with the kids. They may either be for the bedrock (Microsoft pc store, not sure if the other platforms have the same store maps) or the Java (pc-so maps downloaded from random sites) Editions.

We only started doing this in the final two-ish last months of the year last year, after we finished with the education edition (which honestly, was not much fun), and we’ll continue through this year.

Metro Post-Apocalypse (Java).

1.8.1

In late 2014, a nuclear war ocurred causing severe radiation across the world. 10 years later what's left of humanity live underground in the metro stations away from the deadly effects of radiation. For the last decade the survivors have done well, but now, mutated beasts from the surface are hunting them!

This is an adventure map set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans survive underground in the metro tunnels, away from the deadly effects of the nuclear radiation. You start the map by choosing a class that can be Hunter, Guard, Merchant or Doctor. Then you spawn in your home metro station and have to complete several missions around the metro or even go to de surface using a radiation suit.

The map is about 2-3 hours long and is meant to be played with friends it allows 1 to 4 players. The map has an immersive storyline and unique locations to discover.

 

Papercraft Survival by Jigarbov Productions (Bedrock Version - $$)

Explore this unique survival world where all the Minecraft mobs have been turned paper thin! Landscapes burst out of the novel islands featuring varied biomes, dungeons, a city skyscraper & more.

+ Achievements/trophies enabled!

+ Includes the caves & cliffs update mobs!

+ Unique mob style.

+ Find a fragmented story explaining the world.

+ Every monster has been flattened.

 

GRANNY for Minecraft – This one was not multi-player, so those kids that wanted it, played it separately. Highly requested by my youngest, based off another game.

CREATED BY HAMMON

WARNING!

please play with caution because this map contains lots of scary sound effects and jump-scares and I am not responsible for any deaths, heart attacks, and injuries.

"Granny" is a complex and horror game made by D.VLoper The same Creators of Slendrina!

This map contains a lot of puzzles for you to solve and you should leave the house before the 5th day.

 

The Grand Museum – This is one of my favourite maps, highly underrated. (Java Edition).

Restore an Old Museum, Gain Donations to Pay for Exihibits

You took a chance. You put yourself a million dollars into debt to become the new owner of the Grand Museum. The building was finished, but the exhibits are missing! You need to purchase, collect, and construct large and small exhibits to encourage visitors to donate enough money that you can stay ahead of the loan payments and make a big profit for more projects!

It's a race against the debt collectors that you're sure to win if you can put up your exhibits fast enough. Your visitors can't get enough! They're throwing thousands of dollars at you! Some of the exhibits are going to be super easy, like pressing a button, but can you reconstruct an entire dinosaur skeleton? Or find the hidden pharaoh's tomb?

FEATURES

* Solo or Co-Op

* Casual and Challenge Modes

* Custom Advancements for all challenges

* Sound and particle effects

* 6 themed museum sections

* Explore ancient ruins

* Discover dinosaur fossils

* Construct interesting exhibits

* Attract more visitors!

 

Climate Hero (Bedrock Edition - $$)

The historic city on the water will be lost in the ocean if our climate gets worse. The museum director is relying on you to save the city. Earn coins by stopping smog, driving commuters in the gondola, turning off lights, recycling and farming. When you earn enough coins to complete the solar and wind farms, the island will be saved! Be a hero alone or with friends!

 

Santa Quest (Bedrock Edition - $$)

Your fast-paced adventure begins with a personal letter from Santa. Only you can save Christmas! You'll be fixing toys, fighting angry gingerbread men, finding Santa's Suit and much more.

- Fly Santa's Sleigh

- Elves, Santa, Yeti, and other custom mobs

- Amazing animations

- Survival, roleplay, or multiplayer holiday fun

 

LANGUAGE ARTS

Guest Hollow’s Language Arts

Squeebles Spelling Test App

Powerteach Subscription

Creative Phonics (Simply Homeschool)

Draw Write Now & Journal

Night Zookeeper

Nessy Reading & Spelling

Writing Time Workbooks

Fitzroy Physical & Digital Readers

Reading Eggs

 

MATHS

Life of Fred – Apples

Dragonbox Series of Apps

Marble Math App

Mathseeds

DoodleTables App

Doodlemaths App

ST Math

The Good & the Beautiful (we used this from the beginning, but stopped after the new editions & videos, as I felt the magic had been lost. This is the first math curriculum my youngest actually liked).

LEM: Australian Money & Measure (used as a Supplement to G&B since its not an Australian Program)

iMaths

Powerteach Subscription

Fraction Circles from Kmart

Prodigy Math Subscription (before they changed membership options)

Multiplication SWAT (purchased from Scholastic)

Multiplication Facts That Stick

Math on the Level & 5-a-days

Wild Math

Mad for Math Workbooks

Roman Numerals Unit & Games (collected from TPT etc)

 

SCIENCE

Ash & Indigo Letter Subscription

My Creative Box Subscription

Make Science Fun (Simply Homeschool)

Nature Study Australia Volumes

Tyto Online Subscription

Mel Science Kids Susbcription

Kids Moon Club (not a fan, plenty of people love it out there, it wasn’t for us, and once you pay (even in quarterly amounts) you cannot cancel, so we figured it out the in the first quarter, but had to pay the other 3 quarters) emails/messages went unreplied.

Education Perfect Subscription

 

SOCIAL STUDIES/HASS/SOSE

Guest Hollow’s Geography

From Aunt Matilda/Rewild Your Child Subscription

Up & Away Adventures Subscription Box (Had to stop getting this due to problems with forwarding & food, (as they don’t ship direct) but this has to be one of the best subscription boxes we have tried. If they decided to ship direct, we would find the funds to get it again.)

The Week Junior Physical Subscription (We liked the Crinkling News years ago, but they went under, and this is the closest we have found).

Curiosity Chronicles

World & Australia Puzzles from Kmart

 

TECHNOLOGIES

Wedo 2.0 Lego Set & App

Magnus Kingdom of Chess App

Kodable App

Tiny Cooking (We made a small kitchen area on top of cabinet)

The Best of Sewing Machine Fun Book

Snap Circuits: Bric Structures

Cooking by Level (by Learn at Home Education, she changed her name a couple of times, unsure of current name)

Lessons in Responsibility

Minecraft: Education Edition

Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World (Waldock Way)

 

LOTE/FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Duolingo Kids App

We did Try Homeschool Languages (digital version), but they prefer the Duolingo app/doing their own thing. This was an expensive mistake lol (yes I still make this mistakes 11 years after starting home schooling!) For Lessons together, I do think it’s a really cool program, which is why I thought I would mention it.

 

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Lazy Monster App

Chores (haha!)

A Local Homeschool Gymnastics Class

Lots of Trampoline Time with Siblings

Playing Backyard Soccer

 

THE ARTS

Art with a Purpose

Artistic Pursuits

Youtube (Arthub etc)

 

Hopefully this list sparks some ideas for things to do with your children!