K4 planning thread

[kalusignan]

I'm really excited about K-4 next year! Mostly, we're planning to continue what we've been doing.

 

• Memoria Press - Kindergarten enrichment + reading a lot of books
• Finishing AAR-Pre and then moving into AAR1
• Keep working in Preschool Math at Home and starting RightStart A
• Handwriting Without Tears - wood letters; play dough letters; Wet, Try, Dry iPad app; fixing improper pencil grip
• Continue Spanish Immersion preschool one morning per week

 

Joining her big sister for anything she's interested in!

 

[AimeeM]

Joining in with Big Bro for some things:

- Memoria Press 1st Grade enrichment and read alouds

 

 

His own:

- AAR 1

- Miquon Orange

[Seeking Squirrels]

I can't believe I'm joining a planning thread for my little one. She's supposed to still be a baby!

 

We're finishing Mathematical Reasoning Beginning 1 and I'll either go to book 2, or pull out Miquon. I have red and orange from DD7 that we didn't use much.

 

Finish AAR pre then move to level 1

 

Reading through a lot of the SL p3/4 and p4/5 books

 

HWT my first school book

 

She loves to join big sis for science and read-alouds.

 

Edited February 1, 2016 by Whovian10

[908874]

DD will turn 4 soon! She is excited to do school like her brother :) but I don't know if she will actually want to do it. In any case, this is what I am planning

 

AAR-Pre reading

Saxon math K 

Kumon tracing

Kumon cutting book

 

Writing letters if she is interested with Starfall print-outs

Starfall letters and sounds

Ballet

 

[ReadingMama1214]

DD is 4 now, but in Pre-k 3 half day. We do Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading

 

Next year she will continue at half day PreK4 and we will do the following at home:

Continue OPGTR (We're on digraphs now)

HWOT or similar program (she wants to write upper and lowercase letters, not just the upper first like in HWOT)

MEP Reception (possibly?)

We have a lot of math games (Zingo 123, Sum Swamp, and a set of Counting Bears).

 

Her preschool program is play based and they essentially do various play based centers and one small group learning time (15 mins). She comes home begging to do her letters and numbers with me.

[Hwin]

My son will be 4 going on 5 next year, but I still haven't even decided if we'll do another year of preschool or if I'll keep him home to do a gentle Kindergarten.

 

But if he stays home (very likely) we'll be focusing on handwriting. Probably Handwriting Help for Kids, as that's such a reasonable workbook. Thinking about Earlybird Math, but we might just stick to playing with manipulatives.

 

I guess I will look into AAR, I see that mentioned a lot for little ones. I think he will be ready to read in the fall, or at least receptive to reading lessons. He loves letters and their sounds.

[MinivanMom]

We're planning on:

 

Singapore Kindergarten Essential Math

Handwriting without Tears PK & K

& after HWT K, we will start Reading Reflex

 

We will also do some hands-on projects: baking bread, making butter, growing something, visits to the zoo & aquarium. And he will also be listening in with his older siblings who are going to be studying American history, earth science, and astronomy.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

My oldest dd will be teaching the new pre-k curriculum from MFW.

We might also add in:

HWT pre-k

MEP Reception

AAR Pre-level

[lasfresasrojas]

DD is turning 4 in March. We took a large fall break, and have just started our "schooling" up again this past week.

 

This is what we are planning on for the near future.

 

• Finish AAR Pre-Reading (already 1/2 done)
• Transition to Logic of English Foundations A (Cursive)
• Begin RightStart Math Level A
• Continue with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Other than that, we do crafts, outdoor play, and field trips, along with whatever else she might like to do :)

[lasfresasrojas]

Duplicate post.. sorry.

Edited February 4, 2016 by lasfresasrojas

[MeaganS]

By now, I'm fairly streamlined in my PreK, but dd3 will turn 4 in a few months and that is when we start school in earnest. We have already started some of these, they just aren't required daily so our pace is very slow.

 

Reading: OPGTR

Math: Miquon Orange/Red, start MEP when we start Miquon Red

Handwriting: HWT PreK

 

This is all I do formally for PreK. Everything else is just tagging along with her sister or resources we have around the house (she loves our snap-circuits, for example).

[LindaOz]

Dd4 has only just turned 4.  She is doing the SL P4/5 readings along with Miss 5, and some random preschool workbooks.  Sometimes she likes to do some sight words - she asks for them - so we do a few.

My eldest dd is also reading The Wizard of Oz to her and doing an associated lapbook (because we are in rehearsals for the musical at the moment) and she is really liking this.

 

Oh...and a little bit of French.

 

That's all really.

 

Not too formal.

Edited February 15, 2016 by LindaOz

[Peaceful Isle]

My 4 year old son is doing BJU k5. We also subscribe to kits.

[Cake and Pi]

K4 plans for DS#3 (4yo now, but has a fall birthday so won't be old enough to enroll in K in our homeschooling umbrella until the '17-'18 school year):

 

Math: RightStart B (on days that he feels like it!)
Reading: continuing with easy readers, might try McGuffey's Eclectic Readers... the primer, perhaps?
Handwriting: not planing on doing HW yet, but if he decides he wants to I have a copy of HWOT's pre-k book
History: tagging along with older brothers in SOTW vol.2

Typing: either Keyboarding Without Tears or Mickey's Typing Adventures (when he wants)

 

Nothing else planned really.  He may want to participate in science, which is still TBA for everyone while I pick a curriculum.  

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

We'll focus on the "3 R's" with one additional, rotating subject daily (art, poetry, music, science).

 

Reading: LOE Foundations

Writing: LOE Foundations

Math: RightStart A, Miquon

Art: Unit Study - Elements of Art

Poetry: Unit Study - Poets

Music: Unit Study - Instrument Classes

Science: Nature Walks

Edited April 10, 2016 by Expat_Mama_Shelli

[NatashaBrady]

My 4 year old turns 5 in November but will not be ready for a kindergarten curriculum. She does not know her letters and sounds. Anyway, we will be using Easy Peasy Getting Ready 1 and at co-op they do literature, memory work, art, and elemental science. My goals for her next year are:

-learn the letters and their sounds

-recognize numbers 1-10 

-write her name

 

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

My son is begging to do schoolwork like his brothers. Oh and play dough or letter blocks are not adequate...he wants pages to do. I have several dollar store workbooks he is doing now along with Jolly Trolley worksheets from SSRW. I can't believe he will be in K4 next year. We will see how much I get to with a newborn in the house, but these are my plans.

 

He will do All Aboard from SSRW to coincide with letter of the week activities. I also have some beginning blend worksheets from A Beka left over from when my oldest was in preschool for the end of the year. Then I think we will switch from SSRW to A Beka reading for kindergarten. Not completely sure.

 

Saxon K Math. I love this book for preschool for all the manipulatives and pattern play.

 

Listen along to reading with his brothers.

 

Do science experiments along with older brothers. I might choose a few from Mudpies to Magnets for him.

 

I have the preschool book from Artistic Pursuits for him, and he loves to draw, color, paint, etc.

 

Lots of play!! Because he's only 4! It's his most important work.

[My4arrows]

My little guy loves doing school along with his brothers and we've been doing more formal work this year with him.  I'm still thinking over what to do with him next year as he will be turning 5 early in the school year, but I think we will still consider it K4.

 

Our main curriculum with be FIAR which I am looking forward to!  I'm trying to line up the books to correlate with his older brother science (Zoology) as well as give him a chance to study a bit of the world with geography in the books.  We did this with my olders a few years ago and LOVED it!  Lots of learning through play!

Math- Still deciding here, but learning towards MEP or Essentials Math

Art- FIAR and Homeart studios

Reading- AAR level 1 when he's ready

History, Science and everything else- Along with his older brothers.  We are using MOH 2 and Quark Chronicles Zoology so he loves to listen along with them and joins in with them for Latin and other foreign laguages

 

I'm sure this will change, but for now that's what we have planned.

 

 

 

[Sarah0000]

I *think* our structured, sit down time will be:

 

Math: Finish Miquon then start Math Mammoth Geometry 1

Handwriting: Considering Pictures in Cursive Primer instead of Zaner Bloser 4

 

Non structured or independent things:

Singapore 2 and 3

LoF

Maps, Charts, and Graphs A and B

My First Piano Adventures

[happynurse]

My DS4 just turned 4 at the end of February. We're looking forward to doing some fun K4 stuff in the fall! Thus far we're planning:

 

LoE Foundations A 

 

Rightstart A

 

Nature in a Nutshell for kids ( http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Nutshell-Kids-Activities-Minutes/dp/047104444X )

 

Art/Messy/Creative activities from Homegrown Preschooler ( http://www.amazon.com/Homegrown-Preschooler-Teaching-Your-Places/dp/0876594518/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458172891&sr=1-1&keywords=homegrown+preschooler )

 

He is really into states and continents right now, so I've already begun introducing some very simple geography with a book called Me on the Map, as well as a kid's atlas from National Geographic. I suppose I'll continue with this as long as he's interested. 

 

We also have lots of Kumon workbooks and will be practicing things like our address, phone numbers, calendar, etc.

 

I hope I'm doing enough, but that I can make it FUN for him!

 

[lilajoy]

I see that many of you are using Rightstart math for your 4-year-olds. Any particular reason why you prefer that program? I'm not really familiar with it, and now I'm interested.

 

My dd turned 4 in January, and here is what I am planning so far for the next year:

 

lots of read-alouds, as always

lots of practice recognizing letters and their sounds -- varied books, flashcards, toys, videos, iPad apps, etc.

The Reading Lesson -- gently try to introduce her to blending

Mathematical Reasoning, Level B (We did Level A this past year and really enjoyed it.)

What Your Preschooler Needs to Know (I love this series. Currently on the 1st and 2nd grade books with my oldest.)

Some parts of the Brainquest and Schoolzone K workbooks (because I have them, so may as well use them)

continents + oceans

science -- lots of reading, field trips, experiments

writing -- ??? (She needs help here -- she is very reluctant.)

Kumon workbooks for fine motor control: tracing, mazes, matching

 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2016 by lilajoy

[Cake and Pi]

I see that many of you are using Rightstart math for your 4-year-olds. Any particular reason why you prefer that program? I'm not really familiar with it, and now I'm interested.

 

 

It's very hands-on, and my 4yo is a super kinesthetic learner.  I already had it though, so I would have started him with RS no matter what his learning style, lol.  I originally picked RS for my oldest who had a fine motor delay but wanted to do math, because it has almost no worksheets in the first level (the 1st edition, at least).  It builds a seriously solid foundation for math though.  I love RS and have used it with all my kids so far.

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

I see that many of you are using Rightstart math for your 4-year-olds. Any particular reason why you prefer that program? I'm not really familiar with it, I'm interested.

RS is great for younger kids because it is a solid math curriculum that focuses on manipulatives & games, not worksheets (& therefore does not require strong fine motor skills)

[PentecostalMom]

.

Edited April 25, 2016 by PentecostalMom

[TriciaT]

I'm not totally set with this, but I am thinking:

 

AAR pre-reading

 

Activities from the new math book from Peace Hill Press

 

Kumon tracing and cutting books.

 

And, he'll be involved with my 1st grade daughter in history and science if he wants to. (He might be too busy building legos and running around though!)

[PagesandFields]

Nothing! Ha... I am only sorta joking...

 

She is pretty sure she is the luckiest 1st grader ever, who gets to join in with whatever big bro is doing, but is free to wander off and find messy trouble when whatever he is doing bores her...

 

The only exception is that I am doing Reg Down's letter stories with them both together, and we paint or draw letters after... and we are all working more on habits and chores... And lots of good picture books from the library for "her school time"...

 

I am probably going to use block letter sheets ( like the HwT kinds) and the early explode the code books for days she insists on a "school book"... But only if she insists...

[Xahm]

My dd is turning four mid-summer, so I guess that would make her K4 next year. We'll be continuing on with what we are doing. MEP level one. We will likely finish that around February at our relaxed pace, and then I'll decide whether she's ready for year 2 or do some MM first grade to fill out and practice. We've been reading through Progressive Phonics and she's in the intermediate books now. We'll probably finish in November if not sooner, so then, I hope, we'll be ready just to do lots of buddy reading to practice and build stamina. She's smart and mature for her age, but she is still just almost four, so we work in short bursts. She's just gotten interested in handwriting, so we'll be working little by little on proper letter formation. After that we'll add in short bits of copy work for practice. If she's interested, after we get printing basically down we'll start working on cursive a little.

If I add anything formal to that, I'll add in a geography program. Otherwise content is covered via lots and lots of reading, talking, and exploring.

[dragonflyer]

2nd son will turn 4 this summer.

I will be using MP Jr Kindergarten next year. 

Mostly, I just want to make sure that he has a good chunk of "Mommy time" where he gets to "do school."  We will have a calendar time, letter OR number activity, craft, game then he gets to go splash in the water bin or play play-doh.

I suspect that he knows his letters and numbers, but is refusing to show me that he knows them.

[zejh]

I guess I qualify for this thread... DD will be 4 in September.

 

She goes to a language immersion preschool two days a week, which we plan to continue. I've been doing kumon activity books (coloring, folding, cutting, etc) and going through the core knowledge preschool activity book on a somewhat irregular schedule, but she's only three, so not pushing too hard, but I hope to get into more of a schedule. We've started going to a homeschool museum program most weeks, and we'll continue. I'm thinking about starting the AAR pre sometime soon. Even though she knows her letters already, I don't think she's ready for blending, and she still has a few pronunciation issues. I'm considering starting RS A sometime, too. She's starting to show an interest in basic arithmetic. She's got a good grasp of basic geometry just from playing with shapes. Definitely going to continue with lots of time on her own with playdoh and blocks and pretending.

[ExcitedMama]

I'm doing and planning a lot of what zejh wrote. DD loves doing the Kumon fine motor skills books and the first of the Core Knowledge activity books a couple of times a week. I need to order her the next book. We have an alphabet up on the wall and usually go thought it daily with DD when we are near it and she knows some letters but not many. I'm planning on bringing out AAR pre to use with her this week and go slowly and see if she is retaining it or not. DS didn't know his letters when we started either and it was great for him so I'll see how she does.

 

She has been somehow retaining DS's math lessons as she's running around and playing. She is now randomly doing addition and subtraction sentences even though she can only reliably say the numbers 1-5 before she inserts random numbers. However, she is now strongly lobbying for her own math book. No idea what to use with her. DS liked Mathematical Reasoning but I'm not sure it's worth the price. He also liked their logic books so I'm considering them. I am planning to start Miquon at some point soon with DS so maybe I'll see if DD likes that.

 

DS loved the ETC Get Ready books so I think I'll start those with her too in the fall when she's 4.

 

I have the Before Five in a Row that I bought to use with DS but never did so I'll see if we can actually use it this time. I might also order MP Junior K Enrichment since I've liked K so much.

 

She'll continue to tag along when she's interested in what DS is doing for art, science, history and literature.

Edited April 11, 2016 by ExcitedMama

[PagesandFields]

Dp... :)

Edited April 14, 2016 by PagesandFields

[plumshadow]

I've gotten so many great ideas from this thread!

[Anliena]

My daughter is so excited to start formal school for K4 this Fall!  She has a fall birthday so just misses the cut off for K.

 

The plan is..

Reading: AAR pre-reading

Math: RightStart A

Handwriting: HWT preschool

History: Tag along with big brother, SOTW Vol 3.

Science: Small unit studies with a science journal and nature study

Art: Tag along with big brother Harmony Fine Arts Music/Art Appreciation Grade 3

 

[AimeeM]

We've changed gears for K4. We'll be using MP SC-Level C. We'll be subbing in Miquon math and he'll listen in with Big Bro's science, history, and religion (when he wants to).

[PersonalMap]

Our daughter turned four in April. She knows all her letters and can sound out c-v-c words, even though we haven't really taught her reading. She can also write her name, count to 20, and is solid on shapes, colors, etc. She loves science experiments, being outside, and being read to.

 

So for the fall we decided to do OPGTR plus tons of read alouds to get her reading really going, Singapore Early Bird, maybe Mathematical Reasoning 2 as well since we already have it, Elemental Science, and Wee Folk Art. We'll also do plenty of open-ended process art projects and just general messing around with materials, exploring what they can do. We're both excited to get started.

[Sarah0000]

Ha! Mine keeps changing. And I decided to do something for LA after all so now my main lineup looks like:

 

Math: BA 3, Miquon Blue and Green, LoF E-?

LA: ETC 4, RFP Aesop Book of Writing 1, Pictures in Cursive A

SS: Maps, Charts, Graphs A-?, Ancient Civilizations History Pockets, Native Americans History Pockets

Science: BFSU 1, Guest Hollow Jr Anatomy, code.org, maybe Tinker Crates, science museum classes

Music: Violin lessons, My First Piano Adventures B/C

Art: Artistic Pursuits, studio classes

[momofthree78]

Our 4 year old has been begging to do school with his older siblings.

 

Bible stories each day

MCP Math Level 1 

Handwriting without tears

Art lessons with private teacher once per week