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Rainbows

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Posts posted by Rainbows

    How easy/difficult is it to use Singapore EB and Right Start A together?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Do Singapore earlybird and Right Start level A pair well together or would that be too confusing for DS?

     

    He is 5, seems to "get" math pretty well....we are quickly and easily working through the Kindy workbooks I bought from our local teacher store. I plan on trying the Singapore books with him

     

    It seems most people pair Singapore with Miquon or Math Mammoth but both of those start at the 1st grade level. I like the idea of Right Start and know that I wouldn't want to do it alone (DS does like workbooks too much to not have any) but would like to try it along side Singapore if its not too hard to pull off

     

    Anyone know of the scope/sequence are similar or would I have to jump around a lot?

     

    thanks :001_smile:

    Is Explode the Code enough on its own...

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    to get DS reading? Or should I combine it with another book/program?

     

    I tried to see an ETC book in person tonight but B&N didn't have any. Did see Phonics Pathways, Ordinary Parent's Guide and 100EZ but didn't like the lay outs of those (Wanted to see alpha-phonics but that wasnt in stock either)

     

    I'm looking at ETC and McRuffy Phonics...would that be phonics overload? lol. My biggest goal this year is to get him reading

    Sonlight Core K vs Five in a Row questions

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    So far, its sounds like FIAR would be a better match for us. My DS would much prefer picture books to chapter books....I don't think I could hold his attention if there wasn't something to look at (at least not at his age)

     

    Where is the best place to get the FIAR volume 1 book? I'd like to get that and try to get some of the books from the library or find them used

     

    thanks!

    Sonlight Core K vs Five in a Row questions

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Help me figure this out....Im trying to figure out how exactly a literature based program works. I like the idea of having lots of great kids literature that I can read to/with my DS and then have discussions and some activities based on those stories. DS does like arts & crafts some, but he doesn't want to do them every day. He would like to do other activities that are based on the books though.........so would that work ok with programs like Five in a Row and Sonlight?

     

    I'd also like to have separate math and phonics programs (which Ive already chosen).

     

    I know I *could* just get library books and come up with my own ideas....but since this is my first year HSing and we are kind of doing it last minute, plus I am juggling a 2 yr old and several older kids, I like the idea of having something planned for me.

     

    I know for FIAR you read the same book every day for several days. I think DS would like it for a few days, but by day 5 he'd probably not be into it. Would it work ok if we only did it for a couple days or would that mess up the program? (I have no problem altering the program, just need an outline/starting point etc)

     

    For Sonlight, do you only read parts of books daily? Or do you read the whole book? I can't remember where I read it but I think I saw some teacher guide excerpt and it had you only reading a chapter a day (but that may just apply to older levels)

     

    So, any input would be great! thanks :)

    PS curriculum question (Houghton Mifflin & Breakthrough to Literacy)

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    For language arts our public school uses:

     

    Houghton Mifflin Reading Series

    Breakthrough to Literacy

    Project Read

    Alpha-Time

     

    I've been trying to find online reviews on these and am not coming up with much. Is anyone familiar with these? Any info you can share? DS is homeschooled right now but may be going to public school in the next year or two so Im curious how the programs measure up.

     

     

     

    The district also uses these:

     

    For handwriting they use Handwriting Without Tears (not my favorite but ok for printing...I do not like the way they do cursive though). Id rather use a different program but wonder if doing so would confuse DS if/when he goes to school?

     

    For math: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Investigations (didnt read good reviews on this). We are using some math workbooks from the local teacher store but will be ordering Singapore Earlybird soon. DS seems to have a pretty good grasp on math so far

    Fess up: What have you dropped so far this year?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We're on week 17.

     

    Math - Dropped Spectrum K (actually finished it in 3 weeks), added T4L K. Dropped T4L K, added R&S grade 1. Dropped R&S, added RS A

     

    Reading - Dropped McRuffy K, added ETC. Dropped ETC, added ABeCeDarian level A. We are actually nearly finished with level A, so we will be moving on to level B in December.

     

    Handwriting - Dropped Handwriting Help for Kids. I thought it was going to be like HWT, and it was, sort of, but DD really didn't like it. Finished HWT K already. Now we're just using the handwriting in ABCD.

     

    Barely hanging on - Progressive Recorder for Beginners. We've done all of 1 lesson in the 10 weeks we've had it.

     

    Thinking about adding - Artistic Pursuits when we switch to MBTP and IEW poetry

     

    I bought MBTP to alternate with FIAR - originally I had only planned to get through 1 volume of FIAR this year because that's what I was told to expect. We will have finished it by Thanksgiving. :blink:

     

    Last year we did Calvert and just stuck it out. This year was my first year to put anything together. There has been a big learning curve (as you can tell)!

     

    Im curious...what didnt you like about McRuffy and ETC? Those are the 2 Im looking at for DS

    after school help for 3rd grade public schooled DD

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    My DD is struggling with two things in school. Every Friday she takes a reading test--they read a story then answer questions. Last week she got 4 out of 8 :confused:. She can tell you the main point but gets totally lost on the details. I've told her to try reading the questions first, then the story, then the questions again so we'll see if that helps this week (her teacher agreed with me...but also said 2/3 of the class is struggling...that didn't sound good to me). At home I think I'll have her do some reading and then question her about it.....but other than that, any suggestions on what else we could do?

     

    Second issue is math. They are using Investigations in Number, Data, and Space as their textbook....it is a spiral based approach. I'm wondering if DD would do better if I supplemented at home with a different curriculum. I know one of her problems is she can't remember her math facts, so we are going to break out the flash cards (oh joy! I hate those things but they work lol). I've also noticed that in doing mental she is taking more steps than necessary.

     

    Example:

    26 + 35: she could do 5 + 6= 11...carry the 1...1+2+3=6...61

    OR

    26+35: 20+30=50...6+5=11...50+11=61

     

    instead she does:

    20+30=50...50+6= 56...56+5=61

     

    So she gets the right answer (sometimes) but it takes a while and she starts to get flustered and has to start over

     

    Can you think of any workbooks etc that I could have her do at home that would help with this? Would it be stupid to have her do the Singapore Earlybird ones just to teach her a different approach? Do you think that would confuse her more? She is terrified of math and broke down in tears the other day when DH asked her a money question :(

    Kindergarten Science: Singapore EB, McRuffy or Backyard Scientist

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    If you were going to choose a science curriculum for kindergarten, which would you choose? I want to keep it light and fun, and I think DS may really enjoy some experiments. He is bright and very curious, but not a long attention span....so shorter lessons/activities would be best. Our 2 yr old may also participate since he wants to home'cool too :D

     

    --Singapore starts at Level 1 ...sample pages looked ok for him. Looks pretty basic, mostly reading...not sure if they have any experiments

     

    --McRuffy has a cool experiment kit, but I'm not sure what the lessons are like

     

    --Backyard Scientist....looks like fun experiments...how is the educational content on these?

     

    thanks!!!

    Manipulatives based math programs...comparison help

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    (this is for kindy this year, and 1st grade next year)

     

    Im ordering the Singapore Earlybird books but also want to get another program so I can see what works best for DS. I like the idea of the Singapore books but DS tends to need repetition to get a good grasp on ideas (overall, not specifically math).

     

    So.....here are some of the other programs...Ive done countless searches for reviews and I can't think straight anymore lol. I'd love a comparison of them.....

     

    --Right Start

    --McRuffy

    --Math U See

    --Minquon (starting in 1st grade)

    --Saxon

     

     

    (also looking at MCP, math mammoth, math on the level if he ends up not liking the manipulatives)

     

    I think I'd really like something that uses manipulatives so he can actually "see" the math but I don't want it so heavy on their useage that it becomes tedious. I'd like something that is well laid out--we can just open and go. Id also like it to last 30 minutes or less per lesson (he is only 5 yrs old).

     

    Another question....could I use the abacus from Right Start with one of the other programs? I really like the idea of the abacus..just wondering how easy/difficult it would be to incorporate into a different program.

     

    Thanks in advance! :001_smile:

    Help me choose a kindergarten curriculum

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    thanks :)

    A couple of other points I forgot to include:

     

    --want a secular program...totally open to teaching about different world religions (already have a book on that) but don't want a specific religion tied to our curriculum

     

    --DS already does karate twice a week...and wants to re-join gymnastics. Plan on pee wee soccer in the spring as well.

     

    --Plan on doing math & phonics, plus reading aloud daily...the other stuff like science/history/art/music I will let him pick what & when. Right now we are reading some books on knights he asked me to get from the library. He does really want to do science experiments so if one of the above programs isn't a good fit, what about the Backyard Scientist books?

     

    --good point on the memory work....I know he didn't like memorizing most of the poems & songs in preschool, but maybe we can find something that he is interested in doing

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