Welcome to Classical Conversations Cycle 1
We’re so excited to learn about ancient civilizations, plants, animals, geology, & weather this year. It’s going to be a fun one! Classical Conversations Cycle 1 subjects span a larger area geographically and historically than Cycle 3 (American History),
This resource page is for parents who use the Classical Conversations (CC) curriculum, utilizing the 5th edition of the Foundations guide. Copies are sold through the Classical Conversations website (click here). We are not affiliated with CC, only a family who uses their curriculum, and who is passionate about education and love to help other families to make learning the material easy.
Our resources range from free printables, to books, to general school supplies or ideas for art projects, and favorite YouTube videos for learning. We also share resources that our favorite homeschool bloggers offer, and their product links will take you to their website when necessary.
If you are looking for more support from other homeschooling families, I highly recommend joining the main CC Facebook group to ask questions from more seasoned parents. We will also share links for larger convention organizations on the main Homeschooling page.
What You Need to Get Started
Foundations Families | 5 – 12 years old
Cycle 1 App from iTunes – play memory work from your smart device. Yes, it’s totally worth the $15.99 one-time fee. Yes, they update it with new material if you’ve already purchased for previous years.
Cycle 1 Weekly Sheets – have your kids practice handwriting in both print and cursive with their weekly memory work. While the Classical Conversations curriculum is sufficient to stand on it’s own, we offer these supplements created by homeschooling parents who have found them helpful.
Reading & Video Match Up – Exta reading and video resources related to Cycle. 1 subjects. Use as needed to enrich your day or give more to eager learners who want to dive deeper.
Organize Your CC Homeschool – Resource page of stuff and strategies to keep you organized for the year.
Faces of History Planner – for the Essentials students in your family, you will need this planner for their end-of year research paper! Following the lesson and style of their IEW curriculum, this planner breaks down every element of the research process and helps you and your student to visually plan ahead.
Timeline Song
You may never get this blessed song out of your head, but your kids will be better for knowing the order of historical events! We love this version because it’s equipped with visuals and dates for each fact.
Timeline Hand Motions (Weeks 1-11)
Follow along with hand motions in sign language.
Timeline Hand Motions (Weeks 12-23)
Follow along with hand motions in sign language.
Fun Extras
Check out materials created by the Practical Family team related to Cycle 1.
Math
If you use the Classical Conversations curriculum, you will need to choose your own math curriculum. This allows margin for children who are functioning at different levels depending on their age and ability. Our kids currently use the Singapore curriculum, but your child may prefer a different style of teaching. Here are the most popular options we’ve seen among homeschool families.
Singapore
Saxon
Math U See
Book Lists
Our favorite curriculum companies, publishers, authors, all in one spot. Use these lists to order new textbooks and reading material for your children and yourself!
Homeschool Conferences & Conventions 2021
Here are listings for great conferences and / or conventions from major homeschool organizations. Click the banners to see if one will be close to your home town this year. Conferences are excellent opportunities to network with other families, learn new strategies, and check out curriculum. Some are in person, and more are being offered online! Watch training videos from the comfort of your own home.
Excursion Destinations
Highly recommended destinations for learning and experiencing history and science. Click on individual links for admission prices and hours of operation. Live far away? Make it a family goal to save up and travel together, or meet up with other families and travel as a group
Museum of the Bible | Washington, D.C. – Museum of the Bible invites you to experience the Bible in a whole new way. Inside, you can walk on dry land through the Red Sea, wander the streets of a first-century village, and see rare artifacts from the Vatican and Israel.
California Science Center | Los Angeles, CA – Dive into fun and engaging exhibits at the California Science Center! Through hands-on experiences in our galleries, you’ll learn about human inventions and innovations, the life processes of living things and more. The Science Center also features fantastic special exhibitions that change all the time, so visit often to find out what’s new!
The ARK Encounter | Williamstown, KY – Ark Encounter features a full-size Noah’s Ark, built according to the dimensions given in the Bible. Spanning 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, this modern engineering marvel amazes visitors young and old.
Creation Museum | Petersburg, KY – The state-of-the-art Creation Museum allows you to venture through biblical history, stunning exhibits, botanical gardens, planetarium, zoo, zip line adventure course, and much more. This 75,000-square-foot facility has welcomed millions of guests since opening in Petersburg, Kentucky.