MistyMountain Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I am new to this board and to homeschooling. I have 3 kids my oldest is 5 and I want to do a kindergarten curriculum with her. I was deciding whether I even wanted to homeschool and kind of just doing funnix reading and math with her but I really feel like we both need more structure. I am going to do funnix or 100 easy lessons for reading as well as sight word videos and bob books. For writing I am doing handwriting without tears. I am going to buy a lot of national geographic books for science. I am trying to decide what to do for math. I was doing funnix but computer with the program is being repaired. I am not sure it is the best fit for her. I think I will keep doing it but I think she needs an actual curriculum. She is 5 and struggled to learn her numbers but she now knows her numbers from 1-10, how to count to 20 and how to count objects. So she has basics down but not much math knowledge yet. I am ot sure how she will do with math and if it will come easy for her or if it will be challanging. I would like a curriculum that isn't too difficult but will provide a good foundation and go over concepts that she needs to know. I would like something that went over a lot rather then something that was barely a covers anything. We both do well with structure. I see people talking about different curriculum on here but I am so confused and never heard of any of these before. It also can't be an espensive curiculum if that is possible. I am very new to this and a little overwhelmed but also excited to see all that is out there and to have found this large community of people. I know I will be asking a lot of questions that have been asked a millions times but if I am doing this I want to provide a really good education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 We do RightStart A with my young K-er. She's been doing it this year 3.5 is when we started school. She turns 4 in 9 days. She's flying through it but there was a math program that was a little simpler than RightStart (it's pretty intense)....here. It's on the right side, free e-book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Miquon !!! We absolutely love it. You can see it here and here. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulmomSDG Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Singapore Essential Math there are 2 books - "a".& "b" Along with Cuisenaire Rods. My daughter really loved these! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We loved RS A but if doing it again I would consider adding Miquon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 IMO, RS and miquon has both their strength. i chose to use both and love it. I love miquon c-rod with the number family relation and i love RS abacus naturally has the place value built in. DD using miquon orange and RS B at same time as a early K and we found it is working great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We did Singapore Earlybird but looking back, I would have added in Miquon as discovery play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Singapore Essential Math there are 2 books - "a".& "b" Along with Cuisenaire Rods. My daughter really loved these! :iagree: This is what I'm doing with my young 5 year old. Math hasn't come easily to him, but he's doing GREAT with the C-rods. Highly recommend them! We also do calendar time and 100-chart time, using straws (bundle the tens) and coins to demonstrate the number you're on each day. When you hit 5 pennies, you show how it trades to a nickle, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momofeat Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Another RightStart user here. I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 If I were to do kindergarten again and couldn't get Right Start, I'd go with MEP. Year 1 is for 5-6 year olds, and aside from the cost of printing, it's free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Creek Academy Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I have a pre-k this coming January and we are finishing up MEP Reception (free) and moving into MCP K for drilling the facts in. He is supersmart the type of kid who needs mastery and needs to NOT feel overhwhelmed or pushed. WHen he feels he doesn't "get" something, he gets mad at himself. I think MCP will accomplish that for him. If it doesn't work for him for some reason, we will do MEP 1. Or perhaps even a combo of both. You can see samples of it here: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=260543&item_code=WW&netp_id=838231&event=ESRCN&view=details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We LOVE LOVE LOVE RightStart! Level A is perfect for kindergarten. We also do Miquon (Orange book) and MEP (Reception Level) on the side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) I was considering signapore math. I was confused if getting workbook A and B was the whole curiculum or if you need the early bird stuff and more to go along with it. I might look more closely at MEP. I never heard of it but it looks interesting. It also seems like MCP might be a good one for her based on her personality. the type of kid who needs mastery and needs to NOT feel overhwhelmed or pushed. WHen he feels he doesn't "get" something, he gets mad at himself. This is my dd too. She hates when she doesn't get something and really shuts down. She likes to feel confident in something before she does it. I heard a lot about the c-rods so I will probably get those and maybe an abacus. Edited December 12, 2011 by MistyMountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I was considering signapore math. I was confused if getting workbook A and B was the whole curiculum or if you need the early bird stuff and more to go along with it. I might look more closely at MEP. I never heard of it but it looks interesting. This is my dd too. She hates when she doesn't get something and really shuts down. She likes to feel confident in something before she does it. I heard a lot about the c-rods so I will probably get those and maybe an abacus. Do a search on Singapore EarlyBird before buying it. We hated it here, and that's a common sentiment. Apparently Singapore gets much better starting with 1A. MEP is fun, and different. My kids call it "Puzzles" - they don't realize it is math. The C-rods go with Miquon, and the abacus goes with RightStart. I don't think I would buy the manipulatives unless I was buying the curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 Right start is a little more than I wanted to spend but if it was a really good program I wouldn't want to rule it out because of that. I'm confused about miquon. It says that the red and orange book is for first grade. I don't see anything for kindergarten. Would the orange and red book be good for kindergarten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 1st graders could definitely still get something out of Orange, but it is perfect for 4 & 5 year olds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASDAQ Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 My daughter also took a long time to learn her numbers. Not quick off the mark there. We're doing Saxon Math 1 and supplementing with Singapore Math 1A. I didn't use Saxon Math K; Once she knew her numbers she was able to jump into Math 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 For Singapore, you want "Essential Math K" books A and B. That's all you need. Should be about $15 total. Earlybird is different, and most people don't care for it. EM is more like Primary Math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I am using Miquon and McRuffy Color Math K. I actually really like McRuffy for K although towards the end, I really disagree with how they teach addition and subtraction so I am modifying. They use tons of manipulatives and do a lot of interesting things. I am switching to Singapore for 1st grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASDAQ Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Oh, and I didn't like Earlybird or find it useful at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 She is 5 and struggled to learn her numbers but she now knows her numbers from 1-10, how to count to 20 and how to count objects.... I would like a curriculum that isn't too difficult but will provide a good foundation and go over concepts that she needs to know. I would like something that went over a lot rather then something that barely a covers anything. We both do well with structure. It sounds to me as though your daughter needs more time and comfort with concrete objects before moving on to pictorial or abstract concepts. Practice counting objects (anything, really), counting on an abacus, measuring items, pouring water into different containers, pouring dried lentils into different containers, estimating how many (are there 2 or 20?). Do you have any hands-on manipulatives? They don't need to be expensive, purchased ones. Do an online search for "homemade math manipulatives," and you will find ideas for how to make your own. All three of my girls love to simply play with our manipulatives, and they do learn from their explorations. To add to that, you could try Miquon, but for now just making and/or buying and exploring a variety of manipulatives might be sufficient. Looking back, one thing I did right a few years ago was to purchase and use the Hands-On Standards teacher's manual and all the manipulatives in the kit. I bought the 1st-2nd grade manual, but we could have started with either level. The manipulatives (1st-2nd) I purchased individually through Rainbow Resource. We also used this and this, with good results. IMO, there is good content in these books, even though I never hear them talked about on this forum. :confused: What the HOS and Cuisenaire manuals did for me was show me HOW young children use manipulatives to learn, and why that concrete step is so important. And, it was a good investment, not only to get/make and use manipulatives, but to understand why and how. I'm not naturally comfortable with math, and I wasn't taught it in a hands-on way, so these materials helped me grow as a teacher in my willingness to "let the girls play" with the manipulatives. ;) We are still using them daily in our lessons and free time, and have many more years ahead for pulling them out as we tackle new concepts. As for a structured curriculum, Saxon or Horizons might work for your daughter. We used Horizons Math K last year and Math 1 this year. Math K was a good fit for her in Kindergarten, but I'm annoyed with the teacher's manual for Math 1. :glare: We're going with Singapore next year for 2nd grade with the oldest. HOWEVER, for our twin K'ers next year, we are going to work through Horizons Math K again, because it is soooooooo structured, it would be impossible to mess it up, and I can put my energy into learning a new math program. :001_huh: The nice thing with Horizons is that once you have the TM, you only have to purchase two workbooks each year for your other children as they come up to that grade. Horizons is sure and steady. Students do make progress in it. The pages are colorful, the lessons are just the right length, concepts are reviewed throughout the year, and there are exactly enough lessons for 180 days. ;) Perhaps Horizons Math K + some Miquon + some manipulatives would be the right combination for you for K? Using Horizons Math K would certainly take the pressure off you. With a K'er and two more little ones, I wouldn't use RS or anything else with lots of "parts" as my MAIN course. Juggling all that with toddlers running about would drive. me. crazy. A Horizons lesson is a "page a day," but I was so glad of it last year when the K'er was 5 and the twins were 3. :willy_nilly::willy_nilly::Angel_anim: Save the choking-hazard manipulatives for the little ones' nap time. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 MEP Reception covers numbers 0 to 5, with lots of handwriting and fine motor skills. I did not use the entire Reception program with my kids, but I did start with it before moving on to year 1, which, while it deals with tiny numbers, requires clarity of thought that can be challenging for the very young (4 or 5). There are lots of little games in Reception that can be used extensively if the child needs them, to give them practice with little objects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didadeewiththree Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Another vote for Rightstart A! We love the games it has and it makes learning fun. It has fun songs, games, and really helps build conceptual math knowledge. I really like the abacus that we use to count on, it's a 100 bead count abacus that is color coded to allow them to see a number collectively. So if I ask my 5 yr old to show me 89 on the abacus, he shows me 8 tens and 9 ones; it's phenominal that he's already understanding these concepts. If you look into getting this, Id look for it used for half the price either on here, Ebay, or used online, such as here http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/. Good luck with your research! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 MEP Reception covers numbers 0 to 5, with lots of handwriting and fine motor skills. I did not use the entire Reception program with my kids, but I did start with it before moving on to year 1, which, while it deals with tiny numbers, requires clarity of thought that can be challenging for the very young (4 or 5). There are lots of little games in Reception that can be used extensively if the child needs them, to give them practice with little objects. I don't know if they've updated it (I know some things have been updated from time to time) but MEP-Reception does numbers 0-10. Half-way through the year I thought I'd tear out my hair if we were going to have to only work through 5, but it did eventually move on. It covered a lot of sequencing, seasons, calendar, shapes, started some pre-writing tracing, games, and lots of other good stuff. My 4 yo *loved* it. (And once we got past 5, I was much happier) She's only 4.5 now, but totally ready for Y1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom2011 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 McRuffy :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 I'm leaning towards MCP but I am also considering CLE. I saw on another thread that was ok for kindergarten? I might print out some of the MEP stuff too. I am not Christian but that shouldn't be a big deal for a math curiculum right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Miquon !!! We absolutely love it. You can see it here and here. :001_smile: :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaCookiesBears Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 :iagree: This is what I'm doing with my young 5 year old. Math hasn't come easily to him, but he's doing GREAT with the C-rods. Highly recommend them! We also do calendar time and 100-chart time, using straws (bundle the tens) and coins to demonstrate the number you're on each day. When you hit 5 pennies, you show how it trades to a nickle, etc. I like your math ideas on using straws and pennies idea I think I will do that with dd5.:001_smile: Another here for Miquon and Singapore Math EarlyBird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I did RightStart A with my oldest when she was in Kindergarten. This year my ds is using MEP Reception (a little too easy for him, but he gets frustrated easily and he enjoys it so we're continuing). I plan to start Miquon in January and move to MEP 1 after we're done with Reception (probably February or March). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stm4him Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I would use Saxon K if my child were not ready to read and write and Saxon 1 if he/she was. Rod and Staff is great for nailing the math facts and has simple, non-distracting yet interesting drawings in it. They have a Math book for K called Counting With Numbers. Or some people go ahead and start the 1st grade book in K. I also really like Activities for the ALAbacus from Right Start b/c it is only 20 dollars and will last through fourth grade. You can buy the workbook with it for 20 dollars and it is a cheaper way to learn the Right Start Method for arithmetic using an abacus. stm4him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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