FLL questions

[KristenS]

Okey dokey ... having trouble with FLL 1 that I didn't anticipate.

 

I am really liking FLL. We didn't start grammar till this year (2nd grade) so some of it is too easy, but that's good because we can be gentle and conversational with it. We do lessons 2 or 3 times a week.

 

My problems:

 

1) My 4yo is tagging along ... and learning all the material too. So much for reusability! LOL. What on earth am I going to do with her when she actually gets school age? (This is a serious question. I keep buying materials with the intention of reusing them for her, and she keeps tagging along with older brother and thwarting me. Ack. I don't mind spending the money, but it is going to leave me at a bit of a loss down the road.)

 

2) Are the poems, many of them, adapted? I noticed that the "Monday's Child" poem was different when I first skimmed the book, but then I have seen lots of versions of that. But we're in the "Caterpillar" section right now, and dh googled it and found a longer and different version. The kids like the one they learned, and I don't mind adaptations ... but I want to KNOW they are adaptations, if that makes sense. Has anyone noticed this? Was it addressed in the manual and I missed it?

 

Thanks for any help! We're slowly moving towards adding more classical elements to our mostly Five in a Row wonderful schedule, and this is one of our first steps.

[lionfamily1999]

Did you compare authors? I never knew this, but now I wonder if the authors aren't different, or if the key to the differences lay in the different authors...

[Alice]

Hi, Kristen. I think I "know" you from the FIAR boards. :)

 

We're using FLL this year also.

 

I'm not sure how to help you with the first question as I haven't BTDT. Maybe she'll just continue to tag along with brother if it's appropriate. So when she's in first grade maybe she can do what he is doing at that point. Or maybe she'll lose interest as the year goes on or just enjoy the review when she gets to that point. Others will probably have better answers for you on that point.

 

Many of the poems are adapted, I think. I've seen that as a criticism here before. It's not in the manual specifically which is a bit annoying. I knew ahead of time so just checked on the computer and had ds learn the original version of The Caterpillar. The poems are one thing I think I may change anyway as there are some others I'd be more interested in having him memorize than what's in the manual. But my plan with the ones in the manual was to just check to see if each one is the original version or adapted before we learn it and then decide which one to use (but like you I want to know if it is adapted if we're doing it that way.)

[Strawberry Queen]

As far as what to use for your 4yo.....I would use FLL again. Your 4yo will have an easy time and will probably know some of the memory work and that's okay. You can substitute different poems if they already know them. It's really good to over learn something like grammar 'cause then you have it cemented into your noggin. Your 4yo will also take away different things from the lessons when she is 6.

 

My younger dd also listened in to her older sisters' lessons. We are just starting the list of pronouns and she can rattle off almost the whole list without any problems. She's not as good with the poems because when her older sister was in 2nd, she wanted to say the poems to herself and not memorize them out loud with me. Consequently her little sister didn't get to hear them.:)

 

HTH

[lulubelle]

I just began FLL with my son. I never even thought about the poems being adaptations. Initially I don't think I care. The point is to learn basics and not over do things at such a young age. My younger son is also learning along with it as well. I mentioned this to my husband and he just said that it was good and he would be very well prepared when it is just his turn to go through it.

[KristenS]

Hi Alice!

 

lion, no, the poem is by Christina Rossetti, and so it's pretty easy to look up. :) Come to think of it, at age 6, she might actually be able to pronounce Christina Rossetti... LOL.

 

Okay ... so I can look the poems up as we go, and make a poem-by-poem decision. No biggie. I appreciate the feedback, everyone!

[Brenda in FL]

I had the 4 yo and first grade situation in our home the first time we did FLL! You may find that the 4 yo won't be as enthusiastic as the year progresses, and even if she does continue - she may not even retain the info over the next couple of years anyway. In our case, dd memorized most of the poems, but lost interest in the grammar lessons themselves. So when she began FLL1 in first grade and still remembered "The Caterpillar." We picked out different poems of similar length for her to memorize. So don't fret, you will still be able to use it for your child!

 

Yes, many of the poems are adaptations and their has been criticism that they weren't consistently noted as such in the book. The Days of the Week, and the Months are obvious adaptations. We have the same version of "The Caterpillar" in a different book, so some may be that there are just different versions floating around out there. The Goops is another that has some minor variations. I noticed that the audio companion does note the adaptations on its TOC. I would just have my children memorize the originals instead when I preferred it that way.