Input would be nice

[brewer13399]

We have decided to homeschool our boys. They are going to be going into 1st and 2nd grades. I have planned everything I can think of but would like some insight of what I might add or if you might think something isn't enough for an area will you please let me know.

 

 

SOTW 1 with activities

 

Daily Geography Evan Moor-I do have one for each of their grades but am thinking we are going to start with 1st grade since they never had it on PS.

 

FLL, Writing with Ease, OPGTR, Phonics Pathways-we are going to start at the beginning and work through since this was a lot of the reason for pulling the boys out of PS. I did get them some extra writing books (mostly for my second grader)

 

Singapore Math-I made sure I got all the IP and extra problems and then have a couple other books so they can practice.

 

Beginner Science but am wanting to get R.E.A.L science life and Earth & Space. Also have Daily Science Evan Moor for them to work with

 

Building Spelling Evan Moor-each of their grades- What is recommended at each of their levels for spelling?

 

We are going to be doing some kind of art at least once a week and then they each have sports they go out for. Am I missing anything? I just am not sure.

 

Thanks Mandi

 

Loving my boys--Ozzi 7, Bam 6, Dax and Vin 2 1/2

[Harriet Vane]

We have decided to homeschool our boys. They are going to be going into 1st and 2nd grades. I have planned everything I can think of but would like some insight of what I might add or if you might think something isn't enough for an area will you please let me know.

 

 

SOTW 1 with activities

 

Daily Geography Evan Moor-I do have one for each of their grades but am thinking we are going to start with 1st grade since they never had it on PS.

 

FLL, Writing with Ease, OPGTR, Phonics Pathways-we are going to start at the beginning and work through since this was a lot of the reason for pulling the boys out of PS. I did get them some extra writing books (mostly for my second grader)

 

Singapore Math-I made sure I got all the IP and extra problems and then have a couple other books so they can practice.

 

Beginner Science but am wanting to get R.E.A.L science life and Earth & Space. Also have Daily Science Evan Moor for them to work with

 

Building Spelling Evan Moor-each of their grades- What is recommended at each of their levels for spelling?

 

We are going to be doing some kind of art at least once a week and then they each have sports they go out for. Am I missing anything? I just am not sure.

 

Thanks Mandi

 

Loving my boys--Ozzi 7, Bam 6, Dax and Vin 2 1/2

 

It looks a bit on the heavy side to me, especially for 1-2 graders. One phonics program should be plenty, not more or you risk overburdening them. Also, I would go through your phonics program first, then follow up later in the year with FLL, rather than trying to do both at once. Also if you find it's too much, you can drop the extra geography program as SOTW includes this feature.

 

The only thing I would add in is stories/literature to be read aloud. SOTW gives many suggestions that segue in nicely with the history, or you can check TWTM for booklists. Personally I bought the Sonlight read-alouds when my kids were that age and that worked well for us. At this age don't worry about "literature analysis"--just read and enjoy and get used to discussing for fun. That will prepare them for more depth in the middle grade years.

[Pretty in Pink]

My advice:

 

1. Select one phonics program and complete it before beginning FLL or spelling. Hold off on WWE.

 

2. Hold off on the Evan Moore until you have looked at the mapping in the SOTW AG. You might decide that this is enough geography for the time being.

 

3. Math looks good.

 

4. Work on language arts (phonics, handwriting, some copywork) and math daily; do science, history, art, etc. each at least once a week (doesn't have to be all on the same day...maybe history MW, science TTh, and art F).

 

Welcome to these boards and good luck on your homeschooling journey!

[Aludlam]

Did you know that REAL Science has a "try it before you buy it"? You can download like half of the program.

 

GOOD LUCK

 

Angela

[Woodland_Mom]

We have decided to homeschool our boys. They are going to be going into 1st and 2nd grades. I have planned everything I can think of but would like some insight of what I might add or if you might think something isn't enough for an area will you please let me know.

 

 

SOTW 1 with activities

 

Daily Geography Evan Moor-I do have one for each of their grades but am thinking we are going to start with 1st grade since they never had it on PS.

 

FLL, Writing with Ease, OPGTR, Phonics Pathways-we are going to start at the beginning and work through since this was a lot of the reason for pulling the boys out of PS. I did get them some extra writing books (mostly for my second grader)

 

Singapore Math-I made sure I got all the IP and extra problems and then have a couple other books so they can practice.

 

Beginner Science but am wanting to get R.E.A.L science life and Earth & Space. Also have Daily Science Evan Moor for them to work with

 

Building Spelling Evan Moor-each of their grades- What is recommended at each of their levels for spelling?

 

We are going to be doing some kind of art at least once a week and then they each have sports they go out for. Am I missing anything? I just am not sure.

 

Thanks Mandi

 

Loving my boys--Ozzi 7, Bam 6, Dax and Vin 2 1/2

 

My 2nd grader is just finishing up his year. :) My thoughts: forget the Evan Moor daily geography. You'll have more than enough mapwork from the SOTW activity guide. It's integrated with history and fun. I would not begin WWE until you've finished with Phonic Pathways. Maybe you could try Phonics Pathways everyday and do FLL 2-3 days per week. Unless you would like to include a more formal art lesson, you could easily get enough art/craft time from your SOTW activity guide. Use the young years to master the basics of reading, writing (penmanship), and math. Fill their minds with stories of all kinds by spending plenty of time reading aloud and listening to them read.

 

Enjoy your year!

[kalanamak]

SOTW 1 with activities

 

Daily Geography Evan Moor-I do have one for each of their grades but am thinking we are going to start with 1st grade since they never had it on PS.

 

FLL, Writing with Ease, OPGTR, Phonics Pathways-we are going to start at the beginning and work through since this was a lot of the reason for pulling the boys out of PS. I did get them some extra writing books (mostly for my second grader)

 

 

You might try only PP or OPGTR, not both. If the PP is easy for the 2nd grader, there is Reading Pathways to follow up. After finishing those, I'm working with the Victory Drill Book and the McColl-Crabbs Standard Test Lessons in REading. Kiddo is "exactly" at age level (I just tested) but it has been a slow go. These two are good "extra practice".

 

You might try WWE1 on only the second grader. Kiddo quickly got through it once he was about about 7.5. He found the font (for where he writes) FAR too big, and we just did it in a notebook. That will keep the book pristine for your number 2.

 

I would add geography as yet more book work only if the kids are okay with it and getting everything else done. Maps and all can be a little abstract for some kids, and you can do a lot of much more interesting things in Real Life school...look at maps, talk about the weather forecast ("the wind will be from the south today), track the moon for directions, get a nice big globe, read some books with travel it them (like some of the Marco Polo books). SOTW has mapwork.

 

Music. Listen to the Vox Music masters. They are cheap at Amazon and the stories are good for that age. My son listens while he assembles tinkertoys or colors.

 

I've never even seen those spelling books....so no help here.

 

Welcome, ask more questions whenever you like, how exciting for you, you can do it, etc. etc. etc.:)

[Greta Lea]

 

SOTW 1 with activities

 

Daily Geography Evan Moor-I do have one for each of their grades but am thinking we are going to start with 1st grade since they never had it on PS.

 

 

You won't need the Daily Geography if you are doing map work with the SOTW. I'd skip the geo.

 

FLL, Writing with Ease, OPGTR, Phonics Pathways-we are going to start at the beginning and work through since this was a lot of the reason for pulling the boys out of PS. I did get them some extra writing books (mostly for my second grader)

 

My dyslexic son (now 12 1/2yo) made great progress in reading *and* spelling when we started using All About Spelling. I highly recommend it! If I were you, I'd use AAS instead of OPGTR or Phonics Pathways. If you use All About Spelling, it has dication exercises, so you won't need Writing With Ease (unless you are totally confused about how to do oral narrations, but the dictation in AAS is plenty).

 

Singapore Math-I made sure I got all the IP and extra problems and then have a couple other books so they can practice.

 

Beginner Science but am wanting to get R.E.A.L science life and Earth & Space. Also have Daily Science Evan Moor for them to work with

 

You don't want to burn them out or youself! I'd skip the Daily Science by EM. The R.E.A.L program should be more than enough! Many folks don't even do formal science at that age.

 

Building Spelling Evan Moor-each of their grades- What is recommended at each of their levels for spelling?

 

Again, I'd skip the Building Spelling by EM, especially if you were to use All About Spelling. I can't recommend AAS highly enough!

 

We are going to be doing some kind of art at least once a week and then they each have sports they go out for. Am I missing anything? I just am not sure.

 

Thanks Mandi

 

Loving my boys--Ozzi 7, Bam 6, Dax and Vin 2 1/2

 

HTH!

[ProudGrandma]

This is a personal question that spawned off this thread...many of you advised not to do extra geography with SOTW....but I can't understand why, really. I mean, is it not important for kids to know

continents, oceans, countries, major rivers, mountains,etc...? I know the mapwork in SOTW is excellent...but only in a small part of the world...my kids loved learning about the states and capitals last summer...my kids are still talking about all of that...so I am confused, I guess.

[EmeraldGirl]

You have received great responses. I would just emphasize that the 3 Rs are the most important and foundational during these early years. Read alouds are so vital and will also lend themselves to you developing a good relationship with your children as their teacher now, especially during this first year of your journey.

 

Enjoy!

[brewer13399]

Did you know that REAL Science has a "try it before you buy it"? You can download like half of the program.

 

GOOD LUCK

 

Angela

 

 

I didn't know that I will have to look at that. Thanks

[Anne]

This is a personal question that spawned off this thread...many of you advised not to do extra geography with SOTW....but I can't understand why, really. I mean, is it not important for kids to know

continents, oceans, countries, major rivers, mountains,etc...? I know the mapwork in SOTW is excellent...but only in a small part of the world...my kids loved learning about the states and capitals last summer...my kids are still talking about all of that...so I am confused, I guess.

 

One of the major causes of homeschool burnout is trying to do too much too soon. I always enourage new homeschoolers to start with the basics, and then move slowly from there. After a new homeschooler has a chance to asses how her students learn best, how she likes to teach, what kinds of things work *in her home*, then she can start making changes with much greater confidence and knowledge about her particular family situation.

 

I am never against learning states & capitals!! :-)

 

Anne

[brewer13399]

THANK YOU ALL for the replies!!

 

I am planning on using PP and OPGTR together and then moving on to FLL and then WWE. Yeah I feel like I would overwhelm them if I did them at once....I do have some practice with writing for my 1st grader, he hates to write so we will work on that. I also bought Sonlight 1 readers so we will do that. How long do you read a day? I am thinking that 15 mins a couple times a day is all my boys will do right now without wondering.

 

I see that someone recommended AAS. Is there anything other ones that are good so I could look them all over at once? I had read that they don't recommend spelling till kids are reading and understanding sounds. My oldest started in the first of 1st in PS and has done great so I am wanting to keep doing it with him at least.

[brewer13399]

This is a personal question that spawned off this thread...many of you advised not to do extra geography with SOTW....but I can't understand why, really. I mean, is it not important for kids to know

continents, oceans, countries, major rivers, mountains,etc...? I know the mapwork in SOTW is excellent...but only in a small part of the world...my kids loved learning about the states and capitals last summer...my kids are still talking about all of that...so I am confused, I guess.

 

 

I was wondering the same thing. When I looked at the Evan Moor I seen it started with teaching them how to read maps, addresses and things like that so I thought it something to help them understand these essential things.

[kalanamak]

This is a personal question that spawned off this thread...many of you advised not to do extra geography with SOTW....but I can't understand why, really. I mean, is it not important for kids to know

continents, oceans, countries, major rivers, mountains,etc...? I know the mapwork in SOTW is excellent...but only in a small part of the world...my kids loved learning about the states and capitals last summer...my kids are still talking about all of that...so I am confused, I guess.

 

I have a good globe and a printed pad about 8 by 15 of an earth map. When we read any story, I point out any places mentioned. We tried a couple of the "map books" but boooooring does not go far enough to describe them. We look at maps when we are going to travel, we point out places our dear hero David Attenborough mentions on his treks, etc. etc. etc.

 

I do consider geography important, and I am, literally, a professional geographer's daughter. I am just unhappy with the curriculum I could find for the very early years. They were the antithesis of "living books".

Edited May 30, 2010 by kalanamak
more

[Snowfall]

I am planning on using PP and OPGTR together and then moving on to FLL and then WWE.

 

There's really no reason to do both PP and OPGTR. They're different versions of the same thing, which is phonics instruction for reading. Pick whichever one you think will work and use only that one. If it doesn't work or your kids hate it, then switch, but using both is overkill, IMO. My daughter would freak out if she was made to do OPGTR in addition to PP. Right now we use PP and that is more than enough for her.

 

I had read that they don't recommend spelling till kids are reading and understanding sounds.

 

There's no reason you have to do that at all. In fact, more than one program teaches kids to read by teaching spelling. If you understand the sounds that letter and letter combinations make, you can both read and spell.

[Harriet Vane]

This is a personal question that spawned off this thread...many of you advised not to do extra geography with SOTW....but I can't understand why, really. I mean, is it not important for kids to know

continents, oceans, countries, major rivers, mountains,etc...? I know the mapwork in SOTW is excellent...but only in a small part of the world...my kids loved learning about the states and capitals last summer...my kids are still talking about all of that...so I am confused, I guess.

 

I am someone who loves travel and values geography highly. I recommended holding off at 1-2 grade to avoid burning out both the mom and the kids. Also I do think SOTW does a great job incorporating geography. As my dd has gotten older we have done specific map skills units or geography units here and there, and my dd has participated each year in the National Geography Bee (locally). She took third place her first year participating.

 

As kids get older, closer to the logic years, I think those later years are a more ideal time to introduce specific geography skills. Otherwise it's fine to just incorporate geography as you can with reading and history.

[Dinsfamily]

THANK YOU ALL for the replies!!

 

I am planning on using PP and OPGTR together and then moving on to FLL and then WWE. Yeah I feel like I would overwhelm them if I did them at once....I do have some practice with writing for my 1st grader, he hates to write so we will work on that. I also bought Sonlight 1 readers so we will do that. How long do you read a day? I am thinking that 15 mins a couple times a day is all my boys will do right now without wondering.

 

I see that someone recommended AAS. Is there anything other ones that are good so I could look them all over at once? I had read that they don't recommend spelling till kids are reading and understanding sounds. My oldest started in the first of 1st in PS and has done great so I am wanting to keep doing it with him at least.

 

SL Readers 1 will be a good start. Those are for them to read to you. Did you order the schedule with them? If not, it cost something like $3.00 from SL. That'll be good for your 1st grader. You may need to go through them faster (or skip some in the beginning) for your 2nd grader. Once you finish, you could always move on to Readers 2 Reg (which my oldest is really enjoying) or check out more Dr. Suess-type books from the library for your 2nd grader.

 

Are you planning on doing any literature read-alouds with them? To me that's more important than the extra content subjects (the extra geography and science) that you're adding. This is the age where I want to install a love of books into them. I do add extra science and geography for my oldest, but that really more fun stuff after we've focused on the 4Rs and our literature read alouds. My ds can't get enough of that, so it would almost be punishment to take it out of our schedule.

 

I'd really start out simple doing reading, phonics, handwriting, math, and read-alouds. Then adding in history, science, and geography as you get more comfortable.

 

We used a different phonics method (Spell to Write and Read), but I'm not sure why you'd use both PP and OGPTR. It seems like overkill to me.

[Wildiris]

Congratulations on starting your new home school adventure.

 

Since you are going to have two kids moving through science and history at the same pace, it would be helpful to you if you combined their narrative responses for history as a single response that you wrote out for them and they copied or dictated back to the older one depending on skill level.

 

I did add extra geography for my 2nd grader, but I chose Steck Vaughn, Maps Globes Graphs. Perhaps both kids could use the same level.It is an easy program we pick up with no preparation on my part. I like this program because it teaches map skills not addressed in Story of the World's activity pages. Follow the link to check it out at Rainbow Resources.

 

I am a big fan of Phonics Pathways, but I like using a phonics work books too. I think the act of writing helps kids to not just learn to read but spell. You might want to look at the Writing Road to Reading.I am hesitant to recommend this to someone just beginning their home school journey, but this is an excellent approach to beginning reading and writing. Even if you do not choose the Writing Road to Reading, consider a phonics workbook in addition to spelling or instead of spelling.

 

You might also want to consider graded readers beyond the BOB BOOKS level.

 

In addition to Singapore Math, your kids might enjoy Critical Thinking Activities, Imagery Logic.

 

Best of luck on your journey.

Iris