Allison TX Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 My daughter is 6 1/2. We just began 1st grade and our days seem so short! We are finished with everything in under an hour. I have been leaning more towards a CM educational philosophy, but still feel like we should be doing more. When my boys were in 1st, we followed the WTM recs, and they were spending much more time doing school.:confused: I would love to see what some of you are using and about how much time you spend on "school work". Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 We spent about that long for 1st grade, and even less time for K. But, 10 minutes a day with Webster's Speller was enough to get her reading out of the KJV. My daughter is going into second grade, but what we used for 1st grade is still in my signature. I did add a few subjects in January and increased the time a little, we didn't as much history the first half of the year, and we added Spanish and Geography in January, and also started spending more time on Grammar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 On the 31st, dd will be doing: CLE Bible 1st grade CLE Math 1st grade CLE Learning to Read Story of the World (with ds#1) Song School Latin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 It takes us about 1 1/2-2 hours a day. CLP Bible A Beka Phonics FLL/Writing for Power A Beka Math BJU Heritage Studies 1 - MTW Science (TWTM way) ThF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 My 1st grade DD spends about two hours on school. Sometimes she spends more because she doesn't really want to be done until my older DDs are finished, but the extra time is usually spent on coloring books and other fun stuff. I don't think everything I do is necessary with a 1st grader, but this particular child pushes and always wants to do more, so for her, two hours is not excessive. My general rule, though, is an hour per grade level until middle school. FLL 1 WWE 1 Little Angels Phonics workbook and OPGTR Abeka Math 1 Faith & Life 1 Maps, Charts & Graphs A Story of the World 1 with Biblioplan books and some Sonlight readers/read alouds Apologia Zoology 3 with a co-op group Ballet and swim lessons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 ETC 2 & 3: 10-15 minutes copywork: 10 minutes read to Mom: 15 minutes FLL: 10-15 minutes Singapore Math 1B/2A: 20 minutes SOTW3 alternating with My World Science Green: 30 minutes We spend about 90 minutes on schoolwork per day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Spell to Write and Read Math is a mix of MEP and Miquon First Language Lessons Ambleside Online year 1 Apologia Zoo I and Astronomy (we alternate these) We usually take between 1 and 2 hrs to do all this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene Austen Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 We are starting on Monday, so I don't have a definite time-per-day on this yet, but I'm assuming 1 to 2 hours at most. Bible Study Guide for All Ages, with sibs McRuffy Color Math First Grade FLL 1 WWE 1 NAC (only because she is dying to learn cursive) SOTW 1 BFSU Nature Study once a week, with Nature Portfolio Themes to Remember/Artistic Pursuits/various other fine arts stuff ballet and swimming lessons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaReads Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Right Start A / Singapore 1 A & B First Language Lessons Handwriting Without Tears Explode the code/Bob Books/ Hooked on Phonics Lots of read alouds (longer fiction, poetry, myths, Fairy tales, Nature themed, nonfiction to pair with science & history topics) SOTW 1 w/ activity guide alternating w/R.E.A.L. Science Themes to Remember alternating w/Artistic Purstuits Weekly Nature study and I'm still deciding on Spanish, plan to implement in October. I haven't actually gotten all the subjects up & running yet so we'll see how it goes. I am leaning towards a CM approach as well so all of these are short lessons some are just 1 time a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 My 1st grader will use: Christ-Centered Phonics (includes copywork, grammar, phonics, reading) Christ Centered Math Sonlight P3/4 Bob Jones Penmanship Kumon workbooks for fun Little Annie's Art Book Lots of backyard exploring (he loves bugs) Usually takes us about an hour or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Language Arts: The majority of our time is on this. I'd say about 30-45 minutes total, but we don't do everything every day. OPGTR M-Th Reading aloud together (this week a Magic Treehouse book for example) Beyond the Code 2 on Fridays as something different WWE FLL Silent reading time for 15 minutes a day. Math: Probably about 15 minutes on the actual lesson, ds likes math so we often end up playing games for longer than that but it just depends on the day and on him. Singapore 1A Various math games for working on memorizing math facts Other: I typically do the basics in the morning and then the others after lunch. How much time depends on the day and if we are doing something like an activity for history. We made a Lego pyramid this week and ds could have done that all day. But most days the afternoon is maybe about another hour. And it wouldn't be all of these on one day. Typically history 3-4 times a week, science 1-2 and music and art each once a week. Story of the World 1 with Activity Guide and read-alouds Science- Reading about Animals for Biology study Music- The Story of the Orchestra Art- various projects, picture study, etc. So usually about 2 hours a day but broken up into different chunks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 My 1st grader does this: ETC (10 mins daily) Pictures in Cursive (5-10 mins daily) Singapore Math 1B (20-30 mins daily) FLL2 (15 mins 2X per week w/sis) WWE 1 (20 mins 2X per week) SOTW 1 (30-40 mins 2X per week w/sis) REAL Science Odyssey: Life (30-40 mins 2X per wk w/sis) Pianimals (practice 15-20 mins daily) Ecoutez, Parlez (15-20 mins 3X per wk w/sis) Read Aloud from Elson Reader (15 mins 4X per week) Lots of Independent Reading (daily) Poetry Memorization, Art, Music Appreciation (1-2X per month ea., 30 mins) This is kind of spread out through the day b/c I rotate lessons with her older sis. However, if I taught her straight through, and without counting the independent reading time, it would probably end up being less than 2 hours, depending on the length of particular lessons in Math, Science and History. Also, a lot of the time, if we are doing a project in history or art, it might take longer because dc are enjoying it and want to do more. I just go with the flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 My curricula is on my blog. The link is in my signature. I would say total time to finish everything is a couple of hours (not including PE). I've not added science yet or begun narrations. We've only been going 3 weeks, and I wanted to ease him back into school work. Here's how it breaks down weekly: Daily- Bible Math Grammar Reading Spelling PE 3 Days a Week- History Critical Thinking Vocabulary Copywork Phonics 1 Day a week- Art Music Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 (edited) Allison, My first grader is also six-and-a-half (January bday). I recently shared his plan for the year. As you can see below, he's doing: WWE 1 doubled up (two "days" in a day) copywork memory work (they're combined) piano Latin Hebrew RightStart Math This takes him about an hour to two hours, depending on interruptions, mood, etc. Then he does his content areas, a la LCC, one per day. Those can go on as long as we want them to go on because they involve reading living books, asking questions, devising notebook pages, talking (a lot of talking) and doing crafts and other activities. I stretch or shorten to match his interest level. One afternoon he was completely absorbed in geography so we did it for three hours. That's probably the max. Edited August 20, 2009 by dragons in the flower bed redundancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineMom Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 My dd6yr is doing for 1st grade: Singapore finishing 2A, then 2B & 3A REAL Science along with other science programs SOTW vol 1 Writing program SWR for spelling Various books of her choice for reading to me Poem memorization Piano Tap & Musical Theater Co-op Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasha Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 (edited) This has been our first week so I don't know have accurate times worked out (plus we're on a farm so sometimes schoolwork gets jumbled) but here is was my 5 year old is working on: WWE1 FLL1 OPGTTR History Odyssey Ancients REAL Science Earth and Space Artistic Pursuits Color the Classics Rightstart Math A Russian and German plus lots of read-alouds Edited August 21, 2009 by Sasha forgot about math Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My ds6 in a typical day does: A Reason for Handwriting-10-15 min. R&S Fine Motor Skills workbook-10-15 min. Singapore Math-10-20 min. depending on topic FLL 1/2-10-20 min. depending on lesson Singapore Start Up Science-15-20 minutes The Reading Lesson-15-20 minutes History for Little Pilgrims-15-20 minutes Read Alouds-time varies Starting in Sept. on Mondays he will also do co-op from 2-5 pm for language arts, music, art, and p.e. It takes us 2-2.5 hours to do his work, but he is rotating in and out of kitchen with the other 2 school age kids. He also will begin cub scouts this year as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SABE Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 This takes us 1-2 hours per day. Phonics Pathways (5x per week) Math U See Alpha (5x per week) First Language Lessons 1 (3x per week) Writing With Ease 1 (2x per week) Handwiting without Tears (2x per week) Elemental Science Biology (5x per week) Story of the World 1 and Activity Guide (5x per week) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 For first grade last year my dd did: Rod and Staff math 2 R&S reading and phonics 1 w/workbooks and extra worksheets. The T.M also included instructions for daily spelling, which we did. R&S music 1 SOTW vol. 1 WTM style Science We spent more time on this than an hour. But most of that time was devoted to the math and to History. Even the L.A took us close to 45 min. to do the lesson and then her workbook portion most days. I would say we spent closer to 3 hours. A couple in the morning and then 1 in the afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Dd did LLATL Blue from January to July and we're now doing Tanglewood's Phonics and easy readers. From here we'll do the SL1 "real book" readers (not I Can Read It) and, perhaps, the Pathway 1.2 and 1.3 readers before picking up LLATL Red in January for 2nd grade. Our school year is Jan-Dec. I'm also going to start WWE1 and FLL1 with dd next Monday and we've already started doing a bit of Penny Gardner's Beautiful Handwriting for Children. We used HWT up until now, but I'd like to switch to Italics instead of going on to cursive. For math, we're almost done with SM 1A and the corresponding Miquon sheets. When dd needs more practice, we also use Math Mammoth. We do science and history together. We're finishing up a mom-mixed version of the old SL 1 and 2 and then we'll do WP American Story in January. We did Little Otter's Science last year as well as an outside weekly class. This year we're doing GSA Insects and Arachnids to complement ds's bug science class at coop and GSA Landforms at our outside weekly science class. We also do museum classes once a month and watch a lot of Nova and BBC documentaries because we're all science buffs. We're going to do Spanish at home this year finishing Puertas Abiertas next month and moving on to La Clase Divertida because I like to have a video component and The Complete Spanish for worksheets. Dd also takes Kindermusik, TKD, ballet, soccer and coop classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 (edited) What Doodle is doing is in my signature, but here is a breakdown. Language Arts Block Kumon Reading (6x/wk) Calvert Discoveries in Reading 3 (casually mixed with other books) Wordly Wise 2 (5x/wk) Easy Grammar 3 (5x/wk) MCP Phonics C (5x/wk) Queen's Copywork for Memorization (5x/wk) Ambleside Online Yr1 poetry and read-alouds (4x/wk) Penmanship (2x/wk) IEW: All Things Fun and Fascinating (2x/wk) Math Block Kumon Math (6x/wk) Making Math Meaningful 5 (2x/wk) Primary Challenge Math (2x/wk) History and Science WinterPromise QMA tagalong (4x/wk) WinterPromise WAM (4x/wk) Nature Walks with older brother (shooting for at least 2x/wk) Elective Foreign Language and Music RS Farsi (2x/wk) Calvert Discoveries in Music (2x/wk) Violin (practice about 15min/day with lessons 1x/wk) 4 days each week take about 4 hours. One day each week is just Language Arts, Kumon, and Violin, so it is less than 2 hours. Saturday is just Kumon and Violin, so it is a little less than an hour. On Sundays Doodle plays the violin for his dad for all of about 5 minutes as his dad just wants to hear this past week's lesson and that is it for Sunday. HTH- Mandy Edited August 21, 2009 by Mandy in TN forgot the AO1 stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sarathan Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My 1st-grader is going to be doing HOD's Little Hearts for His Glory this fall pretty much as written except we're doing Singapore Primary 1A/1B for math. I think it's supposed to take 60-90 mins. to complete everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1GirlTwinBoys Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 It's in my siggy.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My first grader uses: Daily: -FLL or copywork (they stagger) -A Reason For Spelling -memory work -reading lesson -math -science or history, which will include narrations (his big sibs stagger those weekly, I'm tossing him into their rotation) About once a week: -A Reason For Handwriting (This will probably be dropped entirely before too long) This is about the same load that his older two siblings both did in first grade too. I doubt it took any of them much more than an hour. I prefer it that way. :) (My oldest raced through it in about twenty minutes.) First grade is the first formal year for my kids, this light and enjoyable pace is perfect. They were all more than ready for second grade when they got there, which was a smidgeon more challenging. Third grade is where it starts taking more time, in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My 1st grader is going to use Jolly Phonics, MCP phonics and ETC combined OPGTR SWO A(when we hit the mid point of OPGTR) Sonlight K MUS Primer/Alpha and Horizons K Sonlight Science K WWE 1 FLL 1 Artistic pursuits K-3 book1(finish) and 2 Home ec for homeschoolers book 1 and 2 HWOT A few Kumon and dover books for fine motor skill building Nature study Handicrafts Abeka health, safety and manners 1 Mission Monde ABC (french) Leading little ones to God Variety of other little projects (september theme pockets, lapbooks etc) Total take about 3 hours but not all sitting in one place. We rotate through seat work and movement work, into different rooms etc. He asks for more but I want him to have the afternoons to himself to play. He also takes private music lessons and needs to practice daily, will be taking an art class and other extra curric's for PE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 (edited) What we're using is mostly in my siggy :) Add to that Picture Study with Getting to Know the Greatest Artists and Composer Study Getting to Know the Greatest Composers, Theology and Virtues, Copywork, and Dictation (for spelling -- one word in the beginning). We have a Charlotte Mason school, so short lessons and free afternoons. Edited August 21, 2009 by sagira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leigleigh_bird Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I'm planning on 3 1/2 hours a day plus breaks. Bible - Scripture memorization, Orthodox Children's Bible Reader, Child's Book of Character Building (15 min, 5x) Math - MUS Beta (30 min, 4x) History - SOTW 1, SOTW Activity book, Usborne Ancient History, HITW Ancients cards (30 min, 5x) Spelling - Spelling Workout (10 min, 5x) Grammar - EFTTC (15 min, 5x) Reading - Gilgamesh, the Odyssey, Greek Myths - all by Geraldine McCaughrean (20min, 5x plus 30 min free reading) Writing - HWT (10 min, 5x) Science - Noeo Science Chemistry 1 (45 min, 2x) Latin - Prima Latina (20 min, 3x) Spanish - the Learnables (20 min, 2x) Music - Classical Music for Dummies, iTunes while coloring (30 min, 2x) Art - Drawing with Children, Discovering Great Artists (60 min, 1x) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwenny Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I'm glad to see this thread! We just started back this week and I almost felt guilty that we have been done so quickly. It takes us about 2 hrs to 2 1/2 hrs to do everything and I closely follow WTM suggestions. That's not counting nightly read-alouds and piano lessons once a week. We just do 4 days/week here. My friends that send their kids to public school are skeptical that this is enough time, but I love all the free time she has to indulge in imaginative play and just be a kid. Gwen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekmom Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Math - Abeka 1 Journal / copywork (we alternate these) All About Spelling Writing With Ease 1 Reading - Hooked on Phonics, Explode the Code, Victory Drill Book Handwriting w/o Tears Subject of the Day: (ONE of the following) History - a simplified version of states and presidents, I Love America Science - Let's Read and Find out About series from the library - he'll sit in on chemistry experiments with the older kids Thinking Skills - Can You Find Me? Art, Music, PE, Spanish etc, will be taught at co-op this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura W. Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 My ds was in 1st grade last year, and my dd the year before. Their schedules were about the same. They did: Bible Time4Learning (math and language arts/phonics) Italic Handwriting FIAR I'm remembering it took about 1-1 1/2 hours a day. On a rare day, it might have taken 2 hours. My oldest took longer, mainly because I had more time to read aloud to her - I'm remembering maybe 2-2 1/2 hours average for her. Blessings, Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claire up north Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 If you're looking to try a few more things, you might look at starting a Map Skills book. They are very gentle, and yet teach stuff that your child might not just absorb on her own. We liked this series for early elementary. http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Scholastic+Success+with+Maps+Grade+1/020017/1250955276-1525838 hth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandKsmama Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 An hour sounds about right. My 6 year old first grader takes a little longer, but only b/c she sits in on our MFW history/science/read alouds and that alone is usually an hour. Her work takes 45 minutes to an hour. I'm using with her: Reading Made Easy (3x a week) All About Spelling (every day) Math-u-see Alpha (every day) Italic handwriting (every day) And then whatever is in the MFW Exploration to 1850, with the 2nd/3rd grade supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy in ME Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 We are finishing in about 2 hrs. It is amazing how efficient one on one instruction can be. We do 2 pages of ETC 2 followed by a page of Phonics Pathways. I dictate 2 sentences from PP for him to write after the lesson. He then reads one story from the I Can Read books from Sonlight and completes one lesson of WWE 1. All of this language arts takes about an hour. We move quickly through it. I pull out everything we need and stack it on the table next to us. For math we are using RightStart B. At this level it only takes 1/2hr. We finish the day with Tapestry of Grace reading and narration, science, or an activity. I work with him first thing in the morning while the older boys work independently so that he can play with the youngest for the rest of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 We're still ordering things, but this is what I have PLANNED for Dot (hybrid K/1st/2nd grader): First semester: Daily: CLE 100 Language Arts CLE 104-110 Math/ MEP level 1 Literature: a selection of classic novels adapted for children 2-3X week: CLE 1 Reading, Bible, Art & Music Flip Flop French I Love America (history)/ CLE 1 Social studies Solomon Primary Science/ CLE 1 science yoga/tumbling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I haven't read all the responses. :) But we're using: Phonics: Ordinary Parent's Guide Writing: Writing with Ease 1 Grammar: First Language Lessons Spelling: Spelling Workout Copywork: Memoria Press's cursive copybook Math: Singapore Early bird 2A and 2 B and Miquon History: SOTW1 Science- pretty much exactly from the WTM and Artistic Pursuits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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