Language Arts dilemma for 1st grader...

[kindermommy]

For the fall, I was planning to use FLL and AAS for our Language Arts (along with HOD LHFHG reading/lit) for DD (6.5).

 

But lately she has been asking to do workbooks/worksheets (and she wants them to be colorful)! She loves filling in the blanks, drawing lines to match things up, cutting, pasting etc.

 

Now she would be happy to do this type of stuff (cutting/filling in blanks, etc) with any subject (or all subjects for that matter!) but I started looking for some phonics/language type stuff b/c I thought that would be the easiest to supplement (and what she likes and needs the most reinforcement in).

 

So I did some research and I found McGuffy. We tried a few of the sample lessons and she just loved them. But I know it is a pretty comprehensive program (includes grammar, spelling, etc pretty thoroughly), and I almost wish I hadn't seen it because it DOES look good! (I also looked at ETC, but I don't think that will be "pretty" enough for her!)

 

So now I don't know whether to just go with THAT alone - it certainly seems easy for the Teacher to implement and again, DD would love all the activities. OR should I stick to the original plan (FLL and AAS w/HOD) and just try to find some generic activity type books in LA and try to pull things from it to match what we are doing with FLL/AAS and HOD?

 

I keep wondering how a simple request from DD led me to question my whole LA plan for next year! LOL

 

So is McGuffey, FLL, AAS overkill? If so, which would you choose, knowing how much my DD loves to "do" stuff. (I would still use AAS with DS next year b/c he is NOT the "workbook" kind of kid)

 

Thanks :)

[lisasaysto]

I think perhaps you mean McRuffy? There is a product called McGuffey's Readers, but those are old-fashioned as opposed to colorful, I'm pretty sure.

 

I don't have any answers for you, as I am in the same boat with my first-grader. I had almost decided to buy AAS when I saw a mention of McRuffy and now I'm waffling. It seems redundant to do both.

[Chris in VA]

I'd do McRuffy during the summer and stick to the plan for the rest of the year. Unless you school year 'round...:D

[lisasaysto]

I think I will either pair AAS with some inexpensive phonics workbooks or go with McRuffy. I don't have the budget to buy both. Though that would be very nice!

[LisaKinVA]

I have kids who enjoy the workbooks, and both enjoyed FLL 1/2, even though there were no workbook pages.

 

For mine, the workbooks are only "fun" when they are for fun. When they became work... things changed a little bit. Whereas FLL was always FUN... even when there was some copy work (they got to draw a lot of picture narrations, which they really, really enjoyed).

 

Lisa

[hmschooling]

COuld you just do the LA from the next guide up in HOD? (BeyondLHFHG). HOD's LA are so easy to teach and so effective, I'd hate for her to miss out on those! Your dd could make her own sheets from the lesson. If you discuss nouns, have her draw some people, places, and things and color them just how she wants them. If you teach about verbs, have her draw some of those nouns DOING some things. Then she can put them in a folder to review her hand made colorful worksheets. Lay them all out and have her skip or jump to the nouns, or the verbs, or the question mark...etc. She could do her spelling words from Beyond in different colors on a white board with dry erase markers.

 

We did AAS (among many others!), and until I just did spelling and LA HOD's way, nothing really stuck other than within lesson-context (dd could spell any word in spelling class and aced all spelling tests, but couldn't spell worth a flip in any other subject or even free time writings).

[Mom-ninja.]

My ds loved FLL especially the action parts. Since you already have FLL and AAS purchased maybe just buy some "fun" workbooks for her to do.

[Donna T.]

Ronda, are you using the Thinking Skills book that is scheduled with LHFHG? It's not alot, so perhaps not enough to satisfy your daughter, but there are some of those type of activities in that book. My son has liked it so much that he's now asking for a more colorful math workbook!

 

I've never used AAS, but I have used FLL and will continue with it while using LHFHG. I love FLL. We are probably going to skip Beyond, so using FLL with LHFHG will prepare my son to go right into Bigger Hearts in 3rd grade. He's also using Writing With Ease while doing LHFHG.

[kindermommy]

Thank you ladies!

 

Yes, I meant McRuffy - I have typo'd it as "mcGruffy" more than once - I don't know why!!

 

lisasaysto - You can just buy the McRuffy books and not the teacher guide - that would be a lot cheaper b/c the teacher guide is a large chunk of the program. They are not as cheap as ETC, but they are so nice and colorful and so very thorough. I think they *might* be a nice compliment to AAS.

 

hmschooling- I glanced over the HOD grammar (I have the guide from Beyond because I had planned to do that this year with her, but the History/Sci from LHFHG is prob more appropriate at the moment, esp if I am combining them), but didn't really look too hard b/c I had it in my head that we were doing FLL, AAS and WWE. But I will look at it again. I need to spend an afternoon with my bookshelf... :) (did I mention I have The Phonics Road too? Ugh. I also have Winterpromise AW that I'd like to fit in somewhere b/c I love it TOO! And one FIAR book and 2 MBTP units I've never used - double sigh - but I'm hoping to sneak those in for "breaks" at some point! See? I'm crazy! ) Great ideas for worksheets BTW!

 

I have a bad habit of buying something that looks great, (especially if I can get it used) and figuring I'll "figure" it out later when I can sit down and really compare things side-by-side, but I think all that does is confuse me more because I end up liking it ALL!

 

chris in VA - we do school year round - BUT it's only b/c we don't school a 5 day week during the "regular" school year.

 

LisaK in VA - About her liking the wbooks now and not when they are "work" - that actually crossed my mind. That could be exactly what happens. I don't have the Thinking Skills book, but I have it in my shopping cart on CBD and just need to order. Maybe that will be enough. Honestly I think she is going to be so excited to just do the art lessons from HOD.

 

I admit lately I really want something super open-and-go and while I don't think FLL/WWE/AAS and HOD combo will be TOO much work, I also looked at McRuffy and thought it looked SOOOO easy to use!

 

As soon as we finish The Reading Lesson, I think I will start either the HOD LA or the AAS/WWE/FLL combo and stick with it for awhile - I mean, I know either of those are SOLID choices. My friend told me to actually commit and use something until December and then see how I feel, so I guess I should take her advice. For some reason it is hard for me to stay loyal b/c there is so much out there that is GREAT! But I will try! If I don't like it by then, I can consider McRuffy again maybe...

 

Thanks for the feedback. :)

[Haiku]

Here are my thoughts:

 

1) Your dd is only in first grade. You have nothing to lose by going with something you think she'll really like. If it doesn't work out, you can switch. No harm, no foul.

 

2) If you don't want to change your plans, buy her a McRuffy workbook and let her use it for fun.

 

Tara

[snickelfritz]

I wouldn't put every egg in the worksheet basket, but I see nothing wrong with buying something extra to suit your dd.

 

My dd also loves to do worksheets. But, I have found, that after finishing up her Saxon math worksheet, a math facts sheet, a handwriting worksheet (usually in the form of WWE), maybe a spelling or phonics worksheet....she's good. :D

 

So, I kept our non-worksheet based phonics (OPGTR). I kept the FLL. I bought some BJU readers w/ worksheet questions over each story. We read every day and do the matching worksheet on some days. I also bought an inexpensive spelling workbook, which we do on some days. We do ETC on some days.

 

I plan out our core items each day and then I add in extra worksheets for variety.

[kindermommy]

Thanks Erica and Tara :)

 

I think if McRuffy weren't $100, I would have already purchased it and maybe tried to implement it like Erica is suggesting :) But since Tara just gave me permission.....:D....no guilt!! LOL

 

For some reason though I have this phobia of "mixing" too many programs, esp when it comes to phonics. I think if I pull from lots of different phonics I'll screw up the "sequence" and confuse her. It's like all my ducks aren't "in a row" so to speak LOL I need to be less rigid about that. I also think I have to use ALL of everything, kwim?

 

My best homeschooling friend does what you do Erica - has OPTGR, uses some Horizons Readers w/questions, uses AAS, etc and doesn't stress about it at all!!!! :)

 

Thanks again for the advice.

[Terabith]

What about buying a MCP Plaid Phonics book? It's a workbook. Good review of phonics. Colorful. Fun.

 

Or buy her a McRuffy workbook. Think of the workbook as practice and independent work, rather than the whole curriculum.

[happyWImom]

Wow-I am really glad I read this thread!!! I thought I was the only one who thought the way I do, but it's good to see I'm not alone!:D

 

We had planned to do HOD next year, and I was trying to figure out what to do for LA & continuing phonics. I've bought some used Abeka-workbooks looked great, colorful, etc... But now, it seems like there are too many things that go along with it. Then, I've heard so many good things about R&S, I was considering them. We even are/were thinking about k12, because I figured she would be at the level she should be, since they evaluate them, move them where they should be, etc... Now I am looking at all of your posts, thinking "Hm, what is this Mcgruffy all about?":lol::lol:

 

No help here, but wanted to wish you luck and make you feel better!

[kindermommy]

Terabith - yes, I thought of just buying one mcruffy workbook to supplment. And that is what I might end up doing... ;)

 

Tammi - I'm so glad I'm not the only one with analysis paralysis! And then new things easily catch my eye and distract me! I can't tell you how many times I've changed my siggy line here in the last few weeks LOL. I envy those that just KNOW what they want - even if they end up trying it and it doesn't work, they at least can make a decision and commit to get started!

 

BTW, it's McRUFFY - not McGruffy. :D I laugh because if you see my first post, I keep calling it McGruffy too and I have no idea why!

[skaterbabs]

It's not colorful, but my workbook-loving daughter likes CLE. It helps that the lessons are VERY short, so if your child is work out on writing for the day there isn't a lot to do. Dot has gone through thirteen of twenty lessons from her CLE math 101 in one week, if that gives you any indication, although 99.99 percent of it has been review for her. I suspect when she actually starts learning something new she will slow down. Hopefully.:tongue_smilie:

[Lovedtodeath]

FWIW I would just go with McRuffy. I plan to with DS. I wish I had with DD. I asked about it and received a very good review. You can check the tags to find it.