Need help choosing curriculum for 1st grader

[TeenagerMom]

I'm new here but have been lurking for a while. I'm going to be homeschooling my 6 1/2 yr old DS this year and I'm completely overwhelmed with all of the curriculum choices out there. I'm hoping some of you can help me out:).

 

I prefer to use secular curriculum and I am trying to stick closely to what our PS system does because DS would like to try to skip 2nd grade and into 3rd in PS next year. He was very unhappy at the primary school here but is eager to move up to the elementary.

 

As far as curriculum needs go, he is a bright learner up to this point. We have not tested for giftedness yet because our PS has no programs until 3rd grade. Currently he is on almost a 3rd grade reading level. I am not sure what math level he is on at the moment but he tested at above a 1st grade math level 6 months before he started kinder.

 

Just to get a gauge on his abilities I picked up 1st grade workbooks at our local educational supply store. He took one look at them and informed me that those are "baby" books.

 

Math skills he has a firm grasp on are : Counting to 100, adding single digits and double digit numbers without carrying, subtracting single digit numbers, counting money, and simple multiplication tables, counting by 2's, 5s, 10s, etc.

 

I know for sure that I am using Handwriting Without Tears.

 

Our PS uses Everyday Math which from the reviews here and online is not a good math program, so I am torn between Singapore and Saxon. If I use

Singapore, I am not sure which book to start him out in.

 

For reading, our PS uses Scott Foresman Reading Street. Is this a good curriculum to use?

 

Science and Social Studies I will be doing units that I create from the educational supply store as the PS requires a variety of things for those subjects.

 

Oh and if it helps, he prefers to work as independantly as possible.

 

Any advice you have to offer would be great! Thanks so much!

[Lovedtodeath]

I wish I had gone with McRuffy for all Language Arts.

 

For math, I tried and tried to stick to a secular curriculum and we are now doing very well with Abeka. I have friends who have tried switching from Abeka and they went back.

 

Whatever curriculum you decide to go with in math, you should be able to call the vendor and get help from them with placement.

[way2cross]

For Math, my daughter used Saxon in PS so if he's going back into PS you might want to have him go through Saxon for his grade level.

There is also an online math program called Aleks that alot of people use.

 

For phonics my 6-year old loves Explode the Code and works independently.

 

A good resource to get is a big fat catalog from http://www.rainbowresource.com/catalog.php?sid=1246532416-141632

It is my best friend. And they have the cheapest prices I can find.

 

hth

Edited July 2, 2009 by way2cross

[jengjohnson]

If you go with Saxon math, you could put him into grade 2. That's what I use for 1st grade and he sounds like he has the skills to do it. If you want to use Singapore, go to their website and print off the placements tests. Just remember that their math is advanced a grade.

 

Sorry, I can't advise on the other areas b/c we use Christian providers.

[TeenagerMom]

If you go with Saxon math, you could put him into grade 2. That's what I use for 1st grade and he sounds like he has the skills to do it. If you want to use Singapore, go to their website and print off the placements tests. Just remember that their math is advanced a grade.

 

Sorry, I can't advise on the other areas b/c we use Christian providers.

 

Thank you! I didn't realize Singapore had placement tests on their website. I will definitely print them off!

[TeenagerMom]

For Math, my daughter used Saxon in PS so if he's going back into PS you might want to have him go through Saxon for his grade level.

There is also an online math program called Aleks that alot of people use.

 

For phonics my 6-year old loves Explode the Code and works independently.

 

A good resource to get is a big fat catalog from http://www.rainbowresource.com/catalog.php?sid=1246532416-141632

It is my best friend. And they have the cheapest prices I can find.

 

hth

 

 

I will look into Aleks.....that's one I hadn't heard of at all. He loves working on the computer so it may be a good one for him.

[TeenagerMom]

I wish I had gone with McRuffy for all Language Arts.

 

For math, I tried and tried to stick to a secular curriculum and we are now doing very well with Abeka. I have friends who have tried switching from Abeka and they went back.

 

Whatever curriculum you decide to go with in math, you should be able to call the vendor and get help from them with placement.

 

 

I went to an Abeka fair in my area and the 1st grade math work seemed very below his skills at the beginning of the year. Have you ever seen any problems with starting in the middle of a book?

[3browneyedboys4me]

phonics/reading. So, I probably wouldnt' focus on the 'grade level' as much as the style and curriculum you think your son will respond well too.

 

For elementary, I think Saxon will be too repetitive for your son. UNLESS, you skip ahead. Our sons have enjoyed Horizons for elementary. It's very thorough and moves quickly through the concepts- but not too quickly. 2nd grade begins incorporating multiplication. The only thing about skipping with this program is you want to really be careful with the addition/subtraction facts b/c they teach them some of the concepts your son hasn't learned yet- carrying and borrowing and adding/subtracting in larger numbers (thousands). You should be aware of that with all math programs. I guess that's the down side to skipping ahead- making sure you aren't missing any fundamental skills.

 

 

I hope that's somewhat helpful!

[FO4UR]

I highly recommend Singapore for math. From your description, I think I would start with 1B....but take the placement test to be sure.

 

I would consider doing the 1A Intesive Practice for a challenging review of the skills he already mastered. (my ds6 is getting ready to start 1B, and I have scheduled in work in 1A Intensive Practice about 3 times per week.....it's a review of the basic math, but presented in a more challenging way....my ds thinks it's fun so far.)

[brehon]

I'm new here but have been lurking for a while. I'm going to be homeschooling my 6 1/2 yr old DS this year and I'm completely overwhelmed with all of the curriculum choices out there. I'm hoping some of you can help me out:).

 

I prefer to use secular curriculum and I am trying to stick closely to what our PS system does because DS would like to try to skip 2nd grade and into 3rd in PS next year. He was very unhappy at the primary school here but is eager to move up to the elementary.

 

As far as curriculum needs go, he is a bright learner up to this point. We have not tested for giftedness yet because our PS has no programs until 3rd grade. Currently he is on almost a 3rd grade reading level. I am not sure what math level he is on at the moment but he tested at above a 1st grade math level 6 months before he started kinder.

 

Just to get a gauge on his abilities I picked up 1st grade workbooks at our local educational supply store. He took one look at them and informed me that those are "baby" books.

 

Math skills he has a firm grasp on are : Counting to 100, adding single digits and double digit numbers without carrying, subtracting single digit numbers, counting money, and simple multiplication tables, counting by 2's, 5s, 10s, etc.

 

I know for sure that I am using Handwriting Without Tears.

 

Our PS uses Everyday Math which from the reviews here and online is not a good math program, so I am torn between Singapore and Saxon. If I use

Singapore, I am not sure which book to start him out in.

 

For reading, our PS uses Scott Foresman Reading Street. Is this a good curriculum to use?

 

Science and Social Studies I will be doing units that I create from the educational supply store as the PS requires a variety of things for those subjects.

 

Oh and if it helps, he prefers to work as independantly as possible.

 

Any advice you have to offer would be great! Thanks so much!

 

Hi there! I use Singapore w/my ds8. I think based on what you've written here that your ds will test into 2A, if you choose Singapore. If you do decide to go w/Singapore your son will probably benefit from also working through the Intensive Practice (IP) and Challenging Word Problem (CWP) books. IP has children work the concepts taught in different ways so they must *think* about the concept and how best to apply it. It is at a higher level than the workbook. CWP is a book of word problems -- it starts out pretty easy and gets progressively more difficult (within each chapter. Hope I'm making sense here - not enough caffeine yet).

 

I don't know about Scott Foreman material as I don't use it. My thought about your son is to really *enjoy* this year. Let him explore different ideas and subjects -- if he's into ancient Egypt, for instance, let him read everything he can find on ancient Egypt. Same for dinosaurs, space, pirates, whatever. Yes, you need to do math, handwriting, etc. But don't become bogged down in academics. Don't worry so much about strictly following whatever your PS does. Streamline your day so that you and your son have plenty of time to delve into his interests. There will be plenty of time for him to learn whatever it is PS teaches.

 

For instance, I use copywork to teach/reinforce grammar, handwriting, spelling, and writing. I pick passages from various sources (poems, current read aloud, son's Catechism, etc) and have him copy it out in his best handwriting. Now, if your son still needs help with the mechanics of writing, certainly HWT is a good resource. Anyway, the point of this missive is simply to have fun with your son this year. He'll surprise you with what he picks up and retains and I promise he won't be behind next year.

[TeenagerMom]

phonics/reading. So, I probably wouldnt' focus on the 'grade level' as much as the style and curriculum you think your son will respond well too.

 

For elementary, I think Saxon will be too repetitive for your son. UNLESS, you skip ahead. Our sons have enjoyed Horizons for elementary. It's very thorough and moves quickly through the concepts- but not too quickly. 2nd grade begins incorporating multiplication. The only thing about skipping with this program is you want to really be careful with the addition/subtraction facts b/c they teach them some of the concepts your son hasn't learned yet- carrying and borrowing and adding/subtracting in larger numbers (thousands). You should be aware of that with all math programs. I guess that's the down side to skipping ahead- making sure you aren't missing any fundamental skills.

 

 

I hope that's somewhat helpful!

 

That's what I'm worried about is skipping fundamentals! I was almost appalled at the way EM teaches addition and subtraction. DD9 can barely add because she doesn't know how to carry well. I am considering remediating her by afterschooling with Singapore. She's going in the 4th grade, been tested twice for G&T but hasn't been testing into the program because her math skills. She NEEDS G&T for LA and Science because she is so far above her peers and I'm afraid she's being held back due to her math skills.

[TeenagerMom]

Hi there! I use Singapore w/my ds8. I think based on what you've written here that your ds will test into 2A, if you choose Singapore. If you do decide to go w/Singapore your son will probably benefit from also working through the Intensive Practice (IP) and Challenging Word Problem (CWP) books. IP has children work the concepts taught in different ways so they must *think* about the concept and how best to apply it. It is at a higher level than the workbook. CWP is a book of word problems -- it starts out pretty easy and gets progressively more difficult (within each chapter. Hope I'm making sense here - not enough caffeine yet).

 

I don't know about Scott Foreman material as I don't use it. My thought about your son is to really *enjoy* this year. Let him explore different ideas and subjects -- if he's into ancient Egypt, for instance, let him read everything he can find on ancient Egypt. Same for dinosaurs, space, pirates, whatever. Yes, you need to do math, handwriting, etc. But don't become bogged down in academics. Don't worry so much about strictly following whatever your PS does. Streamline your day so that you and your son have plenty of time to delve into his interests. There will be plenty of time for him to learn whatever it is PS teaches.

 

For instance, I use copywork to teach/reinforce grammar, handwriting, spelling, and writing. I pick passages from various sources (poems, current read aloud, son's Catechism, etc) and have him copy it out in his best handwriting. Now, if your son still needs help with the mechanics of writing, certainly HWT is a good resource. Anyway, the point of this missive is simply to have fun with your son this year. He'll surprise you with what he picks up and retains and I promise he won't be behind next year.

 

 

Thank you! I do plan on doing a lot of what he is interested in. We've spent our summer up to this point going to yard sales and finding every book we can involving science. He is fascinated with animals, insects, weather patterns, forces of nature, etc. We've collected a huge library for him on those and that's what I plan on doing our science with. We have a brand new Nature Center here and we will be doing quite a few field trips out there so he can pick the brains of the guides. Our local Petco has an employee who has a wide expanse of knowledge on reptiles and fish and he spent an hour yesterday learning from her!

 

He has fine motor delays, so writing is very difficult (and frustrating) at times for him which is why I am doing HWOT. He will be resuming occupational therapy in the fall so I'm hoping with the reinforcement we can move past his writing issues. I am definitely going to placement test him for Singapore to see where we can start.

[Lovedtodeath]

 

I went to an Abeka fair in my area and the 1st grade math work seemed very below his skills at the beginning of the year. Have you ever seen any problems with starting in the middle of a book?

That's what we did! The Abeka consultant even told us that we could just do the 1st grade work over the summer and then skip right into 2 because 2 has a lot of repetition. (We did most of Horizons K with most of MUS Alpha before switching.)

[Aurelia]

You might look into something like Moving Beyond the Page. It's aligned to PS standards (NC and CA, I think), but is adaptable as far as the amount of writing is concerned. I bought a couple of concepts as a supplement (Ariel burned through most of what we were doing so fast, I needed something more to finish out the year.) and I have been impressed with the material she has learned and retained.

 

Another option is to enroll him in some kind of distance learning school like Oak Meadow as a second grader, so that way the school won't be able to use the argument that he's not ready for 3rd because of his age (I hear this happens a lot), as they would provide records that he attended an accredited school and is by their records "officially" a third grader.

[skaterbabs]

Oak Meadow may be a great option for him; I've NOT been impressed with Scott Foreman or any of the other public school publishers.

 

For math you may want to consider CLE; while the publisher is Christian, there is very little CC in the math curriculum. Wacko is working in the 501 book, Dot is working in the 102 book, having just finished 101. There has so far been one page of "just for fun" Bible math in 501 (which we just skipped) and ONE word problem in 102 so far referenced a family going to church. (Jane has 4 brothers, one brother is sick and cannot go to church today. How many brothers are going to church? How many children are there in all?)

 

CLE starts out slow in the 100 series, but ramps up fairly quickly; you may want to administer the 100, 200 & 300 diagnostic tests (on the website) and see where he would land. With Dot we chose to start her in the 101 book because there were two skills in it she hadn't mastered (counting by tens and place value introduction) and we felt she should become accustomed to the format while it was still (mostly) presenting skills she already knew. I presented it to her as "learning to follow the directions." :lol:

[cajunrose]

We use Moving Beyond the Page and LOVE it! It's secular and it's not just worksheets. It's literature based and has lots of projects involved.

 

Good luck trying to find something..it's very intimidating when you are at that point!

Stephenie

[kalanamak]

Thank you! I do plan on doing a lot of what he is interested in. We've spent our summer up to this point going to yard sales and finding every book we can involving science. He is fascinated with animals, insects, weather patterns, forces of nature, etc.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Animals-Jinny-Johnson/dp/1845660943/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246635398&sr=1-3

 

This book (check out the used prices) is terrific for that age. Very big book with room for both kiddo and parent to sit down to, maps giving range, and a comparison of size with a human body (or hand) for sizing. We have gone over it again and again.