Curriculum Review: A Year of Tales

Today I want to share with you the newest curriculum that I have chosen to use for the upcoming school year. I spent months trying to figure out what would be a good fit for us this year, and I even purchased two other curriculums before deciding this was the one. Here are some of the main things I was looking for in a curriculum:

• Could easily work for both of my children (ages 5 and 6 and a half)
• Gentle, life-giving, inviting lessons
• Easily adaptable
• Literature-based
• Inviting Morning Time selections
• Elements of nature study
• Hands-on, beautiful, and useful activities like baking and handcrafts

I honestly thought finding something that would check off all my boxes would be a pipe dream, but I found it in A Year of Tales!

Here is how the curriculum is described on their website:

“A Year of Tales is a gentle curriculum for your young learner, from Kindergarten through 3rd grade. Focusing on literature and nature as a base, blending together the rich and imaginative tales from Beatrix Potter, and encouraging character and exploration, this curriculum will create a memorable year of education for both the student, and the teacher as well. The complete curriculum contains 22 weeks of lessons with additional learning included to expand the curriculum to 30 full weeks, if desired.

Each week you will study a new character trait, a Bible verse that encourages and instructs, read thoughtful and well-written literature, as well as a new tale by Beatrix Potter, expand your knowledge with vocabulary words to learn and a spelling list, introduce and learn to appreciate poetry and art, create beautiful and enjoyable handcrafts, as well as exploring nature and science together with a developmentally appropriate hands-on approach. You will also find opportunities to learn basic geography, as well as focused geography lessons for this curriculum throughout the year. Additional Bible readings on the character traits are shared for continuing your learning, as well.

Every Friday, you will break in your lessons for a very special tea and poetry time for review, connection, and remembering. At this time your child might give oral recitation of what they have absorbed and filled their hearts and minds with that week. A field trip recommendation is also given each Friday for bridging what you have learned in stories, resources, and creativity with what your child will find in the world around them.” - Lisa Wilkinson at A Year of Tales, emphasis mine

What really drew me to A Year of Tales was getting to know the person behind it. Lisa is a seasoned homeschool mom who is still in the trenches herself. She has learned through years of schooling and lots of curriculum what really works in a home education dynamic. I see this curriculum as a very full and rich menu. It has so much to offer that you can pick and choose what works for your individual child. I especially love that she offers elements to create an inviting Morning Time, including a character lesson, a Bible lesson, poetry, art studies, and fables. Here are some sneak peeks inside the curriculum:

Lisa will also be releasing a preschool guide that I will be incorporating for my younger daughter. I am just so excited to get started. We will likely begin in August once we’re all settled into the RV, and I will share our journey along the way!

Click here to read more of my curriculum reviews!