1st Year Homeschooling - Sonlight P4/5 & K in one yr with 5 yr old?

[NightOwlMama]

So this is my first year trying out homeschooling and I'm pretty clueless. I'm blending a bunch of different things for my oldest who turns 5 in two weeks. One of the things I want to do is Sonlight and I'm wondering if doing Sonlight's P4/5 and K will be too much. My oldest is very excited about learning and learns quickly. I know we'll go at a fast pace with a lot of it because we already read a lot and I know my boys will want me to read more than the required amount. I would like to have him ready for 1st grade. We're big on just being outdoors, make-believe and art around here so I don't want to get overly intense with the other stuff. Has anyone else ever done 2 in one year like this or have any advice? Thanks:)

[Pata]

I would pick one or the other. We did Core K when dd was 5yo and it was just enough for her.

[....]

We're reading through SL K as a book list. We're not following the TM (we're doing a LOT). If there are some books on the 4/5 list that you like, I would check those out at the library and read those too! You wouldn't necessarily have to follow the TM with those books, but you two can still read through a few of them together. We recently read 100 Dresses and our 3rd grader sat through that one. She then did some sketches in colored pencils of dresses she designed. They had a great time.

 

You can definitely be a free spririt in Kindergarten. :)

 

Have fun! And, I don't know how far ahead you've looked at SL, but we're checking out Core 3 and it looks incredible!

[unity]

You could do both, but it would be an awful lot, and you said you also enjoy other stuff. P 4/5 makes a great Kindergarten year and will prepare your boys for 1st grade. K is very heavy and you should consider whether you want to confront issues like the nazis, homelessness, oppression and self-rule, etc, right now.

 

I like P 4/5 a lot; K not so much. P 4/5 has a lot of hands-on suggestions in the newest guide. A lot of them are pretty lame (like, roll snakes with play-do after reading about a snake! -- I just made that up but it wouldn't surprise me if it's in there; that's about how they seem to me) but it is something.

 

Remember, too, that the Core does not include math, phonics, or "readiness" skills which are honestly what you probably need most for 1st grade readiness. Mostly they are collections of read-alouds.

[Aoife]

I agree with PPs that both would be too much. There is a lot of reading in both and it could become quite overwhelming. We are on our third week of p 4/5 and will move into core K when we finish up in the spring or so. (we school year round) I know a lot of people use core K though even for first grade so it wouldn't be unheard of to hold off on it until next year.

[Dinsfamily]

It would be too much. I'm using Core K as a first grade program for my gifted ds and we could easily spend 2 yrs on it. There are just so many bunny trails we could go down. We will finish it in a year...I just have to ignore some bunny trails.

 

We used P4/5 for Kindy which was excellent, but didn't have enough to last us an entire year. My ds is insatiable when it comes to read-alouds. I wish that I'd included Science K last year. He would've loved it and it would have stretched out the material a few more months. I am glad, however, that we did not start Core K last year because of the discussions were having this year. My ds wouldn't have been capable of the understanding that he's showing this year. An extra year of maturity was good for him.

 

Core K doesn't include stuff normally expected of a K'er so your dc would be plenty prepared for 1st grade if you focus on the 3Rs. You could start with P4/5 and go at your own pace and start Core K when your finished. It would likely take you at least a year and a half, but the beauty of hsing is that is doesn't matter.

Edited August 10, 2010 by Dinsfamily
Fixing Apple's automatic spelling...

[Dinsfamily]

You could do both, but it would be an awful lot, and you said you also enjoy other stuff. P 4/5 makes a great Kindergarten year and will prepare your boys for 1st grade. K is very heavy and you should consider whether you want to confront issues like the nazis, homelessness, oppression and self-rule, etc, right now.

 

I like P 4/5 a lot; K not so much. P 4/5 has a lot of hands-on suggestions in the newest guide. A lot of them are pretty lame (like, roll snakes with play-do after reading about a snake! -- I just made that up but it wouldn't surprise me if it's in there; that's about how they seem to me) but it is something.

 

Remember, too, that the Core does not include math, phonics, or "readiness" skills which are honestly what you probably need most for 1st grade readiness. Mostly they are collections of read-alouds.

 

:iagree: but wanted to add that P4/5 does include Developing the Early Learner which is an excellent readiness workbook series IMO. If you decide to go with Core K, you might think about getting at least books 3 & 4 for your K'er. My ds got a lot out of them and it helped me identify that he's a highly visual learner.

[NightOwlMama]

Thank you all! Everything you shared is helpful and interesting because I've never done SL so I have no way of knowing how it will go. I have 2 boys 364 days apart turning 4 and 5 - the younger is not as interested and likes to just play on his own. I had thought I could do P3/4 for my 4 yr old and go through P4/5 at a fast pace with my 5 yr old and then start the K and do it through the Summer if we aren't finished. I'm trying to buy it all used so we can try it out. Perhaps I will get all the materials and have a look before I decide what to do. :)

[Terabith]

Honestly, I would focus on reading/ handwriting/ math stuff with the 5 year old, do the DEL books, or if you want to, do Sonlight 4/5 with both of them. And then check out all the 3/4 books from the library. (Though some of the anthologies, like the nursery tales, I've found other versions I prefer more.)

 

I'd just use the reading lists. We do lots of read alouds, and for 3/4 and 4/5, I don't think it is necessary to have the teacher's guides, unless you want them. I'd read through their reading lists, and the FIAR lists, and nonfiction, etc. Hmmm.....maybe I should post my kindergarten reading list somewhere?

 

If you finish those or your kindergartener is interested in chapter books, I'd read some, but I would wait on doing K until your younger one is at least five.

[....]

I'm trying to buy it all used so we can try it out. Perhaps I will get all the materials and have a look before I decide what to do. :)

 

Don't forget...you can find a big chunk of the sonlight books at the library. I have not bought a single book for Core 2 - and we're about halfway finished. I am going to have to buy a box of read-alouds from sonlight this fall, so we can finish core 2. Core 3 will also be a different story...will have to budget more money for SL.

 

I love sonlight, but a lot of people can't pay $1,000 for a core - even if it is reusable...:sad: I wish I could...

[Dinsfamily]

My 4yo is similar and were going through P3/4 again this year. He's an early reader and very bright, but definitely not ready for anything formal yet. I'll start P4/5 with him when he's 5.

[jwoodbri]

My older son turns 5 at the end of Aug as well. I have both sets of SL p4/5 and K and I still can't decide. On one hand, I'm sure he could handle the K chapter books but agree that he could get more out of them if we waited a year. But I think the p4/5 are more "fun" and would keep his K year lighter but I would still add on SL science K, HWOT K, math- Miquon & something else for us, etc.

[NightOwlMama]

Terabith - Thanks:) I'd love to see your reading list!

 

Starrbuck12 - I hear you - we didn't have much of a budget this year. I only just heard of SL a month ago and by then I was a little late for the boat. I had thought I could gather all the books at all my favorite used bookstores but they were cleaned out of SL books:) The library is a great idea. I'm finding some good sales on here and craigslist but I'll have to start gathering things for next year much sooner!

 

I think I'll start with P4/5, check out P3/4 from the library and add in the Science, Miquon Math, TWRTR and some art things like Child Size Masterpieces and Artistic Pursuits. Then maybe we'll get into some of the SL K later in the year. I want it to be a fun year and I'm excited about getting into this new routine:)