Out of curiosity....

[Lovemyblessings]

Could I ask what some of you are using as a curriculum for Kindergarten? I'm really stumped on this one. With my older son, figuring it out wasn't so much of a problem. I think I'm MORE concerned with Kindergarten because I want to make sure he's getting a solid foundation to build upon. Any recommendations would be very appreciated :)

[JenneinCA]

My youngest finished first grade last year, but I remember what we did for Kindergarten...

 

We did math (RightStart), writing (Handwriting Without Tears), and reading (Dancing Bears). And we read lots of books. And we played outside. And we colored and painted. And we had fun.

 

For me, that was more than enough.

[Aggie]

We didn't use anything formal. :001_smile:

[Alphabetika]

Well, it's been awhile since I did kindie but since I have a toddler again I've been thinking about it lately.

 

Two resources I enjoy for kindergarteners (and a bit older, too) are Phonics Pathways for teaching reading, and the Peggy Kaye books (Games for Math, Games for Reading, etc).

 

Also, depending on what level your ds is working in, you might look at the Rod and Staff Preschool workbooks. Some are probably too low for him, but maybe not all. My dd2 worked in these for her kindie year as well as when she was 4.

 

Here's a link to those: http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Rod_and_Staff_Preschool

 

I'll probably think of others but these are the ones that come to my mind just now.

 

Lots of reading aloud and nature study time were essential, too!

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

We're doing Right Start math, OPGTR and HOP, Zaner-Blouser handwriting, and history and animal encyclopedias for history and science. I've also picked up some pre-school workbooks at the dollar store (we did those at age 3), and I've picked up some other workbooks to cover some things that I didn't know kids who go to preschool/kindergarten know.

 

I also want to get back to doing "Slow and Stead, Get Me Ready."

[Tap]

We used Phonics Museum and followed her interests from there in other areas. She loved logic puzzles so we did get heavy into Critical Thinking books and we designed our own nature/habitat study around the One Small Square science books.

[Jyniffrec]

Reading: OPGTR

Math: Singapore Earlybird

Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears

Lots of reading including the Sonlight book lists

Nature walks

Free painting

Playing with older siblings math manipulatives

 

ETA: I also try to use lots of audio during the day. I play classical music, poetry and audio books a lot.

[Mommy22alyns]

Sylvia was in K last year. We used HWOT (K and 1st grade books), SL P 4/5, Horizons K math, and Sonlight's grade 1 readers. We did about half of SL LA K but dropped it because it was too easy. So were the readers.

[Joanne]

For Kindergarten, I've used:

 

Five in a Row (My oldest son)

My Father's World (My dd)

 

My youngest son kinda hung around the others as their school was done (which included a lot of reading aloud, discussion, etc).

 

 

And Hooked on Phonics (4 times! Once for each of my kids and once for a bonus student0

[mama2cntrykids]

We will be using MFW for Kindergarten this Fall. DD and I are very excited!

[Jewish Mama of 4]

Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading

Singapore Math 1A & 1B

Story of the World with her older sister

HWT

Dick & Jane books (she didn't like Bob books, they weren't "real" books like her sister reads)

Memorization - skip counting, days of the week, months of the year, colors of the rainbow, K sight word list, phone number, & address

[Jennifer3141]

We did Calvert for K and we were BORED STIFF. It was awful.

[Ellie]

Believe me when I tell you this: He doesn't need a "strong foundation" for first grade. In the history of the world, kindergarten is barely a blip on the screen.

 

If his language skills are good, he can count to 20 and he recognizes basic numerals, he should be fine. Really.

[Unicorn.]

Believe me when I tell you this: He doesn't need a "strong foundation" for first grade. In the history of the world, kindergarten is barely a blip on the screen.

 

If his language skills are good, he can count to 20 and he recognizes basic numerals, he should be fine. Really.

 

:iagree: No formal curriculum. Lots of read alouds and informal learning. Sidewalk chalk to practice letters, make up games, teach him to rhyme while you are playing outside, Point out numbers or letters on signs and see if he can tell you what they are, etc.

[kchara]

We're using Funnix for phonics and math. When he finishes those, he'll move into The Phonics Road and Math U See Primer. For everything else, he's just tagging along with his big brother and sister (Apologia for science, Tapestry of Grace for history, ect.). He's also using the Rod and Staff workbooks to help him learn to color, cut, paste, and generally follow directions.

[nitascool]

Phonics: Phonics Pathways & Reading Pathways

Reading: Bob Books, Starfall Readers, then into beginning readers.

Math: Singapore Earlybird (she already finished) MUS Primer & possibly Alpha depending on her writing skills mid-year.

Handwriting: Starfall writing book for the 1st half of the year, then Italics Handwriting 2nd half.

Art: Child-sized Masterpieces and various hands on art activities.

Lots of read alouds including the AO Year 0 list. She'll probably listen in on history with the 1st grader... if she doesn't distract.

We do a yearly Nature study that she'll be involved in

She will also be doing all of her brothers Occupational and Physical Therapy activities with him. She's his little helper [he does pincer muscle exercises, textile exercises, oral, vestibular, proprioceptive, gross & fine motor exercises.]

 

We do so much not because we have to but because we can. She loves school.

[arghmatey]

I listed what we're using on our blog, but I'm not a pro like some of the parents here!

 

http://splendiferouslyimperfect.blogspot.com/2011/05/curriculum-planning.html

 

Good luck!

[Dobela]

For my ds I used Saxon K Math, MUS Primer, Handwriting without Tears, a social studies book from public schools, lots of science books from the library, lots of books in general from the library, and the ACE beginning reading program.

[Orthodox6]

We did Calvert for K and we were BORED STIFF. It was awful.

 

Both Calvert pre-K and Calvert K turned out to be sub-standard (our opinion) and boring programs. We ditched them quickly.

[JessieC]

Last year we started FIAR with my Kindy, along with Explode the Code. We will continue FIAR this year and add in Math Mammoth and a few other things for first.

[Pamela H in Texas]

FIAR for general

AlphaPhonics and a free pdf phonics similar to Teach Your Baby To Read

Various readers and Progressive Phonics

MUS and Horizons maths

HWOT

Edited July 18, 2011 by 2J5M9K

[Pretty in Pink]

My ds5 will be using:

 

Explode the Code

Handwriting Without Tears

Saxon Math 1

 

History and science will be done along w/ ds8. They will be continuing with SOTW Vol. 4 w/ AG for history and TWTM recs for...physics? I think we're doing physics this year. I've already ordered all of the stuff.

[jbemom]

We used My Father's World for K for my DD but supplemented with Explode the Code & ClickNKids as she already had a great phonics foundation from the preschool curriculum we used.

[PinkInTheBlue]

Our youngest starts Kindergarten this year. With our older boys we used Phonics Pathways but I'll be picking up around the middle of OPGTR with our 5 year old. It wasn't available back then. :) I'm using Horizon for math, Get Set for the Code B, Handwriting Without Tears, SOTW Ancients, and lots of reading. I'll stick with books and conversations for any type of science.

[Crimson Wife]

Hooked on Phonics followed by All About Spelling

Handwriting Without Tears

First Language Lessons 1

MEP Reception & part of Yr. 1, then Singapore 1A

Singapore Start-up Science plus library books

I Love America plus library books

[cathmom]

Saxon Phonics K, RightStart A, and Handwriting without Tears

[EarleneW]

I used Saxon 1, HWOT, OPGTR, ETC with my older ones.

[dakarimom5]

We are using McRuffy math, Handwriting Without Tears, Confessions of a homeschoolers LOTW, and Draw write now for Science/Art.

[Carol in Cal.]

We used refridgerator magnets a lot.

 

We had sets of capital and lower case letters with a bit of punctuation.

We also had four function and digit math magnets.

 

For reading we used big stacks of books that I read aloud endlessly, and that we talked about. We made up progressive stories in the car. I also told stories in the car, endlessly,

 

For science we read many Ms. Frizzle books over and over. And we went to the beach and out in the back yard and to the local zoo, marine science exploration museum, and tech museums. Often.

 

For history we visited antiques shows and living history sites. The local Renaissance Faire is not 'adult' as some are, and so that was on the list.

 

DD took piano lessons from a lovely Serbian lady who starts kids at age 4.

 

We kept a lot of art supplies around for free use.

 

She was not ready to learn to read, but she did pick up attack sounds and letter recognition. We used counting bears for simple addition and subtraction, and measuring cups for simple fractions. Cooking together was key to the fraction thing.

 

Speaking of cooking together, it was also key to talking about chemistry, an abiding interest of mine.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Carol in Cal.

[knit247]

Haven't read any of the other posts. For DD#1 we used FIAR, along with SM/Miquon and RfH. DD#2 pretty much followed along with DD#1's lessons, along with the SM/Miquon and RfH.