1st Grade Curriculum help!! Anyone combining Classical with Charlotte Mason?

[Newtothis]

I am interested in Classical Education but I am having a hard time figuring it out which curriculum to use? Or do I even need now at this point? My child is 6 and we are using HWT, Explode the Code, First Language Lessons, MUS and Math Lessons for a Living Education. Do I need a reading curriculum as well? :confused1:  English is not my first language and homeschooling while working as a single mother is definitely a bigger challenge but I'm doing everything I can to try to find the best education and best system/approach for us. Something that doesn't require a lot of prep work.

 

I like what CM style sounds like and would like to try to combine it with Classical. My friend does Classical Conversations and it sounds pretty cool if you can attend the community part of it which I cannot at the moment. 

 

I would appreciate if you guys could lay out what your 1st grade curriculum looks like and why you chose it! Thank you!!!

[Kiara.I]

Explode the Code is a reading curriculum, isn't it?  It teaches reading?

I didn't use a reading curriculum with my older two because they had managed to teach themselves, basically.  You only need reading curriculum until your child is reading fluently.  That can be at a whole range of ages, depending on the child.

 

With my first, we gathered good curriculum choices slowly, as we came upon them.  We had math and handwriting from kindergarten (Righstart Math, and HWT.)  At some point we added art (Artistic Pursuits) and then Story of the World for history.

 

So what it will look like for my youngest next year (since I have a bunch of choices in place already, but I will be very casual about some of them with her) is:

Math: Rightstart

Writing: HWT, if she still needs it, and we will begin Writing With Ease at some point during the Grade 1 year, when she seems ready.

Reading:  We'll see how it goes, we may still be doing reading instruction or she may have taken off with reading by then.

History:  Story of the World

Science: Dr. Wile's series Science in the Ancient World, probably, unless we're farther along in the series by then.  Or maybe Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding.

Music:  Music appreciation, possibly beginning piano lessons

Art: Artistic Pursuits

 

Classical Conversations is fine for what it does, but you never need to feel like you're missing out on something by not being involved.  You can give your child an excellent education at home with other resources.  I'm not familiar with Charlotte Mason so I don't know how you'd go about combining it.

 

Are you teaching your child in your language as well? The resources you named are all in English...

[Newtothis]

I think it's just Phonics? This is the part in teaching English that I think it's overwhelming for a non native speaker. As I looked through English curricula, there's Language, Reading, Spelling, Phonics and Handwriting! :scared: And there's a program for each one of those! 

Since I am homeschooling in the US I'm doing it all in English. She is fluent in my native language, but we are not doing formal lessons yet. I think it will confuse her at this point. She also wants to learn Spanish so I got Rosetta Stone for her. Not sure when we'll start that.

For music she plays the violin and don't really do anything for Arts yet.

What does DS and DD mean (when referring to kids)? I see that a lot on Forums...

 

 

 

[MerryAtHope]

I am interested in Classical Education but I am having a hard time figuring it out which curriculum to use? Or do I even need now at this point? My child is 6 and we are using HWT, Explode the Code, First Language Lessons, MUS and Math Lessons for a Living Education. Do I need a reading curriculum as well? :confused1:  English is not my first language and homeschooling while working as a single mother is definitely a bigger challenge but I'm doing everything I can to try to find the best education and best system/approach for us. Something that doesn't require a lot of prep work.

 

I like what CM style sounds like and would like to try to combine it with Classical. My friend does Classical Conversations and it sounds pretty cool if you can attend the community part of it which I cannot at the moment. 

 

I would appreciate if you guys could lay out what your 1st grade curriculum looks like and why you chose it! Thank you!!!

 

It really depends on the child. Some kids seem to pick up reading almost naturally and just take off with it, but many benefit from direct instruction. Explode the Code can work for some kids, though for others it's not really enough practice, and as you said, it doesn't really cover all the things that a reading program would cover (not much work on things like vocabulary, fluency, comprehension etc...). If you think she needs more, you might look at All About Reading. It's open and go, and a lot of the built-in helps are also great for English Language Learners--here's a blog article you might find helpful. It also fits in well with both Charlotte Mason thinking (short lessons--keep them to about 20 minutes), and Classical too.

 

There are a lot of components to language learning, but you don't have to do every subject every year. Start with the basics of reading and handwriting, add on spelling when she's ready, and then add on grammar and writing after that. First Language Lessons is pretty gentle though, and if she's enjoying that, keep going with it. Here's an article on planning language arts that you might also like.

 

DS = dear son, and dd = dear daughter :-).

 

I hope this helps!

[shand]

From what I understand, Charlotte Mason is pretty much a specialized version of classical education and there's a lot of similarities between the two and only a few differences depending on your approach. CM values short lessons, living books instead of text books, and nature study. There's probably a lot more to it than that but it's the major points that I've found. I don't believe that it's too big a deal if you don't identify entirely with one or the other since many families draw from a variety of methods.

 

I agree that All About Reading is a great program. We're finishing up level 1 with dd who'll be in first grade in May and their pre-reading program with ds, who has a speech delay and has shown tremendous improvement since we starting him on it just a few weeks ago. It's very open and close after the initial prep work to get the material organized. We literally just grab the teachers manual and pages/book we need for the day and get going. 

 

Our first grade plan:

 

Language Arts

All About Reading level 2

All About Spelling Level 1

First Language Lessons

Brave Writer Jot it down

Brave Writer A Quiver of Arrows (literature)

Handwriting without Tears

 

Math

Math Mammoth

Life of Fred

 

History:

Story of the World

Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of World History

 

Science:

R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey 

 

Fine Arts

Music and Art appreciation from Confessionsofahomeschooler.com

 

My priorities when choosing our curriculum were for a literature rich and hands-on learning environment that could be easily adapted for both our kids since they're only a year apart. Dd catches on easily to most concepts while ds needs a bit more time and attention due to his speech delay and his need to do things his own way.

[Finlandia]

I think it's just Phonics? This is the part in teaching English that I think it's overwhelming for a non native speaker. As I looked through English curricula, there's Language, Reading, Spelling, Phonics and Handwriting! :scared: And there's a program for each one of those! . ...

Yes, the many different components of "language arts" can be confusing and overwhelming. The good news is you don't have to do all of them all the time, especially in first grade. Think of it this way: phonics = learning how to read. Handwriting = learning how to physically write letters and words. These are the two components you start with for first grade. When the child transitions from "learning to read" to "able to read" that is when spelling instruction begins. Another important component to include in first grade (and every grade really) is literature, which is as simple as you reading aloud to the child (audio books are a great option too) This is my favorite part of homeschool :)

 

My priorities for first grade were: Reading (she read aloud to me) Handwriting (once she learned how to properly form each letter then she progressed to doing simple copywork) and Literature, which was simply me reading lots and lots of books to her.

 

Hope that helps!

[Homeschoolmom3]

There are so many ways to go about it and you are right classical/CM has many varieties.  I would try to see first what you are trying to accomplish and your goals before diving into a curriculum.  There are SO many choices now a days.  My son was in 1st grade this year and this is what we did but we focus more on a CM here.

 

I didn't need to teach reading since my son picked it up on his own too .... but there are many programs out there just need to decide what's best for your child.

 

Math- used this new program at SCM and have loved it!!  https://simplycharlottemason.com/store/charlotte-mason-elementary-arithmetic-series-book-1/

 

Science- we used many living good books but we also did Christian Liberty Reader level 1 & 2  (so he could read most himself)

 

Other than those changes we joined a new group that had lesson plans laid out for ALL subjects and it has been GREAT this year!  I particularly love the foreign language that they incorporate into the program.  It has been amazing!  Here is the link below it is great for those who want the planning done for you.  :)

 

Charlotte Mason Institute

 

HTH  :)

 

 

[beka87]

I'd call myself Classical Mason. :)  Plus whatever works.  Here is what my current first grade daughter is doing:

 

First Start Reading with Alpha Phonics, then Traditional Spelling with Dancing Bears (she is almost ready to switch,Alpha Phonics will stay around as a weekly supplement)

 

RightStart Math, then Ray's for Today (still deciding if we want to return to RS)

 

We have Morning Time, copy work every day, and a read-aloud loop as a family.  Morning Time is where she memorizes song and poetry and listens to Shakespeare and such. Copy work is usually taken from something we've read during MT.  Right now this is our Read-Aloud Loop that she listens to, though she doesn't narrate from everything:

 

Our Island Saints

Of Swords and Sorcerers (King Arthur) - we just finished this and now going to start The Children of Odin by Padraic Colum

A First Book About Geology

The Thortnton Burgess Animal Book for Children (preceded by James Herriot earlier in the year)

D'Aulaire's Greek Mythology (with HA Rey's The Stars to study constellations)

A Little History of the World

Fifty Famous Stories

Home Geography Lessons (almost done with this year's portion)

 

As we finish above books we plan to read part of The Story Book of Science and Adam of the Road.

 

She also participates in weekly nature study/journal, an art lesson, picture study, and poetry tea time.  She hears Latin three times a week at lunch using I SPEAK LATIN!  (highly recommend - it's so much fun!).  I can't seem to fit in regular music lessons, but she has started the tin whistle.  I outsource ballet once a week.

 

It looks like a lot typed out, but she is never overwhelmed and enjoys the daily feast.

[Bluegoat]

You really don't need all the elements of a language arts curriculum at this point.  For example - it doesn't make much sense to be learning spelling or punctuation before she can read!

 

What you want at this point is mainly learning to read - some sort of phonics program that you like - and writing practice.  Some programs combine these two things together while others do not.  I would stay away from anything more complicated until reading is solid, and take your time with writing too - some kids pick it up quickly, but others are very slow and can only di 5 min or so at a time.  Mostly that is just about their physical development and you can't rush it - slow and steady is just fine.

 

If you add some math to that, you really have the basics of grade 1.  I'd go for something pretty simple - I'm using mainly Mathmammoth with MEP (free program available online) to help out when we need it, for my grade 1 student.  I used Singapore math for my older kids which is also a nice program.

 

Aside from those things, for CM style I'd concentrate on reading good books.  Stories, history stories, science, biographies, poems - whatever you find that is good quality and at the right level for your student.  If you need some ideas, there are lots of CM booklists, Simply Charlotte Mason has some good ones.    You can try having your daughter tell back some of the stories - what CM called narrating - just start with simple, short stories first.  It can be fun to memorize a few poems she likes.  And I'd feel free to read books in her home language as well, even if you concentrate on English for more formal studies.

 

Otherwise, a lot of grade 1 activities should be hands on - singing, listening to music, playing, walks in nature or outside, looking at art, making art.  These things don't have to be formal, just find time to do them together whenever you can.

[Heidi]

The Good and the Beautiful is a comprehensive language arts that is very Charlotte Mason. (Reading, phonics, art, geography, writing). For my first grader I use TGATB, handwriting without tears, and CLE math. That's it.

[birchbark]

We are classical/CM and here's what our 1st grade looks like:

 

Smithhand for handwriting (chosen because it is a simple, stroke-based method)

The Reading Lesson for phonics/learning to read (chosen because it is a combo of phonics/sight words and is easy to use)

Ray's Primary Arithmetic for math, only 1st half of the book, done orally (chosen because it is short, sweet, and oral)

Reading aloud with a variety of good books, and occasional oral narration

Plenty of enrichment activities along the lines of what Bluegoat mentioned above

 

Our K-2nd grades are pretty relaxed. Both classical and CM educations are very literary and you simply need an atmosphere rich in language and literature at this age. A reading curriculum (reading comprehension) is more of a modern construct and typically not part of CM or classical educations. In CM, grammar is held off until middle school. The early grades are focused more on reading, narrating, and writing. It really is a simple approach.