Cera Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I had planned to do K this year but it is proving not to be the right choice for our oldest so we are going to move on to 1st grade. Unfortunately this means that I am back to having no clue what I am doing (I had just really gotten comfortable with our approach for K). What are your favorite secular first grade options? We will need Math, LA, History, Science, the works. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khope1 Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I LOVE MUS for Math, AAS for spelling and GWG for grammar, and I am using this life science: http://www.eequalsmcq.com/ I also am using SOTW for history. Hope that this helps you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Dd5 is K this year but is really working at a 1st grade level. We are using Singapore 1a/1b, WWE and FLL, ETC (which we will stop after book 6 and then start All About Spelling), and Song School Latin. We are also using R.E.A.L. Science, it is secular. All of these have been big hits in our house. For history we are using Tapestry of Grace, which isn't secular. But we are also using Story of the World 1 (Ancient History) as a read-aloud; that book and the activity guide that goes with it is secular (although I know some people may say it isn't 100% secular). Hope you find something that works!! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Our favs have been. McRuffy for LA and math, history odyssey and REAL Science Odyssey (both this and history odyssey are from http://www.pandiapress.com) and Writing with Ease. We're also going to through First language lessons into the mix this year so see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 We have used and liked: SOTW (secular "enough" for us) History Odyssey Right Start Math Singapore math is also a good choice, but RS is better for us We used Living Learning Life Science last year, but switched to REAL Science Odyssey for Earth/Space - Living Learning books did not have Earth/Space samples on their website and didn't respond to several inquiries about them. First Language Lessons Writing With Ease Explode the Code Handwriting Without Tears New American Cursive via StartWrite (not the MP copybooks, not secular) All About Spelling Does that about cover it? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patchfire Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 For first grade w/ dd, we used FLL, Spelling Workout (which didn't work for her) and then AAS, SOTW, Miquon, Developmental Math, REAL Science Odyssey, Handwriting without Tears. I think that's it? For ds, we'll probably be using FLL, WWE, AAS, SOTW, HWT, Right Start, and WTM-style science. For music we'll use the Classics for Kids podcasts and for art we'll use a couple of Usborne books we already have. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 MEP for math, you can get it for free onlinehttp://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm WWE alphaphonics the rest of ours is christian based Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 If money is tight I like : Headsprout(for reading) , The Reading lessons or 100 EZ for reading. Take your pick. Math (technically I like CLe but it is christian) so Saxon would be next or MUS Writing - WWE Spelling - my daughter just loves to spell words. So I pick some off the top of my head and have her spell them in a composition book. Words like :mat , hot, top.. etc. Her number words and sight words. Handwriting: HWT If money isn't an issue : K12 all the way. I have used their K and 1st and so far have not been disappointed with the curriculum at all. We use it through a cyberschool though( our state offers it) because it is pricey. But I recommend their math, reading and language arts at the minimum from them. We like the History and Science too. Art is okay. Music, well they need to revamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 My first grader loves The Young Scientist Club. In the past, my littler ones have benefited from Home Science Adventures. We also like Real Science 4 Kids, though there's an argument to be made that it's not secular. I think Level 1 can definitely be used in first grade. TOPS are also awesome and secular. What was your approach for K? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamagistra Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 My first grader... Sorry to hijack, but HI, ROSE! :D :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 What is the argument for HOTW not being secular? Our plan for Kindergarten was very basic, 15 minutes or so of formal math and 15 of phonics then history and science through the library, field trips, etc. I was going to wait on spelling and such for 1st grade and just focus on solid reading skills. I guess the problem is that she already knows how to read and most of the LA K stuff seems focused on learning this skill. We did 100 ez lessons last year when she asked to learn and she is fairly comfortable at this point. For math I have to honestly admit that I didn't know how much she knew. Somehow it just slipped by me and I want to find a formal curriculum so I don't forget to teach her something or get too far ahead on just one topic if that makes sense (for example, we forgot to teach her to tell time). We looked at K12 as our state has it as a cyber school cutoff but she didn't meet the age cutoff. I didn't realize you could buy it privately. I honestly never thought this would be so confusing. We used to laugh at the education majors in college when they complained about how hard there work was. I am starting to feel a bit guilty for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 For math I have to honestly admit that I didn't know how much she knew. Somehow it just slipped by me and I want to find a formal curriculum so I don't forget to teach her something or get too far ahead on just one topic if that makes sense (for example, we forgot to teach her to tell time). Have you looked at Math on the Level? It has a concept chart so you can go as far ahead as you like, but still have a list there so you don't forget to teach something. You can go off on a tangent and come back later. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 (edited) I love Abeka for Math. It is completely secular in use (though you might care about where your money goes. May I suggest that you start small? Do you see all of the subjects in my sig that we are breaking from?:D Writing With Ease & All About Spelling -- DD loves these and learns a lot. They are necessary foundational skills and easy for the teacher to teach and to work into the day. First Language Lessons-- Good, but not altogether necessary in 1st grade. I'd rather get WWE in instead if I have to choose one. Ancient Explorations -- Secular SOTW all scheduled and planned for you, including what pages to read in the extra books (all new from Amazon.com). WP Buzz and Bite--not secular. Edited August 26, 2009 by Lovedtodeath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I would do: Phonics: ETC Handwriting: Getty-Dubay/Portland State Italic book A Writing: Write About Me/Write About My World Reading: Sonlight's I Can Read It and then readers galore (my favorites are "I Can Read!") Math: Horizons K or 1, depending on ability -OR- Singapore Science: REAL Science Odyssey Life Science History: SOTW 1 -OR- World Geography & Cultures (a la Galloping the Globe) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 (edited) Phonics: AlphaPhonics and ETC Online Reading: McGuffey and various books, including Robinson Curr. books which we have a ton of (stress various books as McG is not exactly secular) Literature: tied to history (SOTW AG) and some WWE books Writing: WWE Grammar: FLL Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears Math: MEP and Horizons Science: Elemental Science (Biology) History: SOTW 1 (ancients) Latin: Song School Latin' Art/Music: Harmony Fine Arts 1, Simply Music (piano) Logic: start with Lollipop Logic then Logic Safari PE: Presidential Fitness Challenge goals but various activities to reach those goals. Nice full schedule but not everything is done every day while many are pretty short lessons (SOTW being the most involved course above). Edited August 26, 2009 by 2J5M9K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 What is the argument for HOTW not being secular? I am a Christian although I don't really look for religious materials in schooling. Just to say though that someone else might explain this better. But what I've seen as the concern is that SOTW includes stories like Abraham or Moses as fact. I've also seen a lot of criticism from Christians that it isn't Christian enough. Personally, I find it pretty neutral. I would think it would be easy to either skip the parts you don't like or to just say after reading it "You know some people believe that...but we believe...." We are using for 1st grade the following: OPGTR- finishing it up WWE- Which I like a lot and ds really likes. FLL- Ds likes this and it's fairly light. We do 2-3 lessons a week. Singapore Math- I really love Singapore and it's approach to Math. We also use a lot of Math games. SOTW with Activity Guide- I highly recommend the Activity Guide if you do use SOTW. You could figure out the extra books and activities on your own but it really makes it easy to have it there. The maps are also very good to use. Ds loves the activities we've done so far (archeology dig, cave painting, writing hieroglyphics, mummifying chicken). For Science I'm basically following the WTM suggestions and doing Biology. I looked into a ton of science programs and couldn't find one I loved enough to spend the money on. We're doing animals now and it's been very fun. We read about a different animal each week, put it on a classification chart I made, sometimes go on field trips, etc. We've looked at bees under a microscope (we had a bee issue in our house) and dissected a squid. For this age I think science is mostly about exploring the world so a formal program isn't necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 We like: Right Start and Miquon for math OPG or ABeCeDarian if the child isn't reading really well All About Spelling First Language Lessons (not completely necessary, but nice. Ariel loves memorizing the poems) Writing With Ease Zaner-Bloser handwriting. HWT is good, too, but not as pretty Moving Beyond the Page (covers nearly all subjects but learning to read, but I find the 5-7 level a little light on the writing and math for a 1st grader) Atelier Art Lollipop Logic We only just started using Connect the Thoughts, so the jury's still out on that one, but you might look at it for history and/or science. We still haven't started SOTW yet, we're currently focusing on pre-history & dinosuars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Ok, here are my suggestions: English skills: Spalding. It will cover reading, spelling, penmanship, capitalization and punctuation, basic writing. If you add the teacher guide, it will also cover grammar and more comprehensive writing. Arithmetic: The Story of an Experiment. No formal math until at least 3rd grade; the article includes a scope and sequence for what concepts to introduce/teach until the formal instruction is begun, including telling time. :-) Science and history: library, field trips, educational DVDs/TV, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 (edited) Phonics: Spectrum workbook Handwriting: Getty-Dubay/Portland State Italic book B (we did A in K) Writing: in copywork, history, science Spelling: through dictation Reading: regular readers galore, including in science and history Math: MCP Math A and Miquon Orange book Science: topical Nature Studies on Trees, Birds and Weather & Climate, plus The Human Body and for the last 12 weeks or so BFSU (Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding K-2, next 12 threads -- includes all the sciences). History: SOTW 1 and AG plus many living books We also have Literature Read-Alouds, Art, Music (mostly singing this year from me aside from his extracurricular piano lessons), Spanish, Geography, Health & Safety, Theology, Virtues, and Picture and Composer Study. We do school Charlotte Mason style and in the early grades this means we have short lessons and free afternoons ;) Edited August 26, 2009 by sagira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Sorry to hijack, but HI, ROSE! :D :grouphug: HI DEBRA! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I am a Christian although I don't really look for religious materials in schooling. Just to say though that someone else might explain this better. But what I've seen as the concern is that SOTW includes stories like Abraham or Moses as fact. I've also seen a lot of criticism from Christians that it isn't Christian enough. Personally, I find it pretty neutral. I would think it would be easy to either skip the parts you don't like or to just say after reading it "You know some people believe that...but we believe...." SOTW is more secular than the Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of History. It is much more secular than any other narrative spine that I looked at including Little History of the World. I am not sure what someone is using in lieu of SOTW for first grade if they don't think it is secular enough. A google search came up with some information on this subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Here are my choices: FLL 1 WWE 1 RightStart Math B SOTW Real Science Odyssey Life I don't have a spelling/phonics recommendation, we used SWR but it is probably overkill if they already know how to read, though it is a great program and my son who read very well already liked memorizing the phonograms and learning to mark words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 We love Saxon Math. I always recommend that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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