Emma Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Would you mind sharing your favorite first grade curriculum choices (both YOUR favorites and the KIDS favorites?) It's been a long time since I've planned first grade and I know curriculum has come a long way since Abeka! I'd like something fun, but something doable. I know me. I'm not going to spend hrs. doing lapbooks, fancy crafts like making a pioneer town out of toothpicks, or modeling the digestive system down my stairs out of cardboard boxes. What do you LOVE? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We used MFW and enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbean05 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We LOVE Horizons Math 1 and Literature Pockets Nursery Rhymes by Evanmoor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Sonlight core. Miquon math - all the kids have enjoyed this (we do it alongside Singapore math) Lots and lots of snuggle time with read-alouds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I love SL because I'm a sit on the couch and read kind of mom (and it's easy to do with nurslings.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnG in Arizona Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Would you mind sharing your favorite first grade curriculum choices (both YOUR favorites and the KIDS favorites?) It's been a long time since I've planned first grade and I know curriculum has come a long way since Abeka! I'd like something fun, but something doable. I know me. I'm not going to spend hrs. doing lapbooks, fancy crafts like making a pioneer town out of toothpicks, or modeling the digestive system down my stairs out of cardboard boxes. What do you LOVE? Have you looked at McRuffy for either phonics or science? I think they are colorful and fun but also completely doable. They also contain solid instruction. Like you, I start to break out in hives when activities get too involved and too overwhelming. But give me the tools and the prepared materials - and make it something I can do in a reasonable amount of time - and I too can inject a little bit of fun into my kids' day. ;) Just a thought. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinM Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 (edited) We are doing Five in a Row. We love snuggling up with books and this is a great fit. Also: Reading-Webster's Speller Writing-Loops and Other Groups (A Kinesthetic Writing System for cursive) Math-living math books and games Nature Study-Nature walks and nature picture journal Lots of good read-alouds HTH Edited January 10, 2011 by RobinM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We will be continuing with FIAR! :001_wub: I will be adding SCM Gen to Deut. Really looking forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Would you mind sharing your favorite first grade curriculum choices (both YOUR favorites and the KIDS favorites?) It's been a long time since I've planned first grade and I know curriculum has come a long way since Abeka! I'd like something fun, but something doable. I know me. I'm not going to spend hrs. doing lapbooks, fancy crafts like making a pioneer town out of toothpicks, or modeling the digestive system down my stairs out of cardboard boxes. What do you LOVE? Story of the World Writing With Ease Saxon Math Song School Latin Plaid Phonics Phonics Pathways (if phonics instruction is still needed) If you want to do science, I love Nancy Larson science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I love Oak Meadow. It's more gentle and hands on in the earliest years, which I like. And it does do crafty stuff although not quite as extreme as what you mentioned. :lol: Because I love reading so much, I also love the idea of Five In A Row (and for younger ones Before Five In A Row), and if it weren't for the fact that I already adored Oak Meadow, I'd have been totally attracted to FIAR; however, I understand that wasn't a secular curriculum, which would have been what I wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaHadley Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I think I'm about the only homeschool mom in the world who doesn't enjoy sitting on the couch reading aloud to my kids for hours :blushing: We are doing Saxon math, Ordinary Parent's Guide for reading, FLL, a map skills book that I picked up along the way, God's design for science (AIG science curriculum) - we're doing the animals, and we are putting together a notebook, but it's VERY simple, not lapbook-y ~ she is simply printing a couple of pictures of an animal we choose, writing if it's a mammal, reptile, etc., how big it is, what it eats, etc. I'm doing some copywork stuff. . . It's pretty simple stuff. I'm an open and go kind of girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I love Rod and STaff 1st grade plus SOTW 1 and WTM science (animals, human body, and plants) and we used What Your 1st Grader Needs Needs to Know as a guide for music and art study for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
femke Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 CLE Learning to Read. It's not really that much fun, but it works! Ds loves it as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
femke Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I think I'm about the only homeschool mom in the world who doesn't enjoy sitting on the couch reading aloud to my kids for hours :blushing: I though I would, but I never seem to have time for it, or patience :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommee & Baba Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I will have to say that we really enjoyed MoH last year and the beginning of this year. However about half way through we had to stop as it was just too much for my K5er and 2nd grader. So we'll pick up where we left off next year. I do love oddly enough Hooked on Phonics...because the kids found it fun and engaging and to me that's very important! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I loved the Sonlight core. I think SL excels at the younger grades. We enjoyed the Usborne books and read-alouds a great deal. One exception, however, is that I have never liked the SL grammar instruction. If you want to go a different direction, you could do the SL read-alouds, plus Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading and First Language Lessons, plus Story of the World. For science stick with the Usborne books recommended by SL, and just add in your handwriting of choice and math of choice. I did SL with my dd, and the hybrid suggested in the above paragraph with my ds. I did also use the SL history/social studies recommendations (Usborne books) in addition to SOTW with ds just because we loved those books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We are enjoying Sonlight Science as well. We also like Horizons Math and Singapore Math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwena Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We are loving Beyond Little Hearts. It's very balanced, and it does incorporate fun things, but I've honestly had all the supplies at home. Nothing too grand or time consuming, so my dd and I both win!!! Depending on your child, they may place better in Little Hearts, if you're intersted check out the placement chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We like CLE learning to read, language arts, and math. We also do McRuffy Science and a huge number of read alouds, usually from books meant for older kids because I combine reading aloud for my 10yo. Fairy tales are a big favorite, especially the not-so-common ones. I don't do history for my first grader but she catches some of it listening to read alouds for her older sister. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 the most fun math we've used is Rightstart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We have loved Ambleside online, year 1, this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corbie Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Next year for 1st we plan on doing Learning Language Arts Through Literature (Red Book) and Horizons 1/ MM 2 combo for math. I haven't decided on Science yet. We're doing Elemental this year, may continue with that. TOG for history. I've done LLATL for 2 kids in 1st. It was very easy to implement. There was just enough crafty stuff for me, and they really became solid readers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I think I'm about the only homeschool mom in the world who doesn't enjoy sitting on the couch reading aloud to my kids for hours :blushing: We are doing Saxon math, Ordinary Parent's Guide for reading, FLL, a map skills book that I picked up along the way, God's design for science (AIG science curriculum) - we're doing the animals, and we are putting together a notebook, but it's VERY simple, not lapbook-y ~ she is simply printing a couple of pictures of an animal we choose, writing if it's a mammal, reptile, etc., how big it is, what it eats, etc. I'm doing some copywork stuff. . . It's pretty simple stuff. I'm an open and go kind of girl. Nope!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 If you want to do a lot of the crafts, lapbooks, etc., I think using CLE for your math and language arts would help keep it simple leaving you more time for those things you love. It is very thorough and well laid out. I have a 2nd grader this year. I've put together my own history for the last 2 years, so I can't recommend a curricula for that. I'm trying Biblioplan next year, but can't speak to how well it works. For science, last year I used RS4K Chemistry Pre-Level 1 and Funtastic Frogs books on physics topics. This year I'm using R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Life. I've enjoyed all this very much and highly recommend any of them. I'm not following the sequence that WTM recommends. I wanted ds to do the same topics dd was doing these 2 years. Next year he will be using Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hscherger Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I can't wait to start Memoria Press first grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom24boys Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I second the Heart of Dakota suggestion. (Either Little Hearts for His Glory or Beyond.) We are really enjoying it this year. VERY doable. Some hands on crafts but certainly not overwhelming. Everything I've had on hand. Today the hands on thing was to mix colored water to show the different colors of the rainbow. We started with Red, Blue, and Yellow and combined them to make Orange, Purple, and Green. The kids really enjoy it and the storytime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I think I'm about the only homeschool mom in the world who doesn't enjoy sitting on the couch reading aloud to my kids for hours :blushing: Not the only one! I just can't do that. My 4 year old and 20 month old end up fighting for lap time, and the 20 month old won't really let me read a long book - he wants to turn the pages. So it's just a major chore to read aloud. We're doing a lot of books on tape/CD in the van now (we live in a rural area, so driving anywhere will have us in the van at least 30 minutes to an hour at a time). Or I end up reading some during the little kids' nap times. Also, my voice can't take reading for THAT long. :lol: I'm doing first grade now, and we're enjoying what's in my sig (except today I subbed Sequential Spelling instead of R&S Spelling, since the R&S was just way too easy... just started homeschooling last week, so still finding where my son is in everything!). I think my favorites are Math Mammoth, MEP Math (don't think that's in my sig... I should edit), and WWE. I'm also not a mom that likes to do a lot of crafts. I chose ONE activity to do each week from SOTW for our history. I'll also be doing an experiment each week from Elemental Science (I've done a few, and they're easy and fun for the kids). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Favorites of both: Sonlight science - hands on, solid learning Right Start math - ditto MEP - solid, takes less time than RS Atelier art - taught on DVD and good instruction, kid thought it was fun Mom favorites: Dancing Bears phonics - so easy to use, and solid Apples & Pears spelling - ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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