provenance61 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I have a chance to purchase FIAR manuals 1-3 along with cookbook from another mom, and was hoping to get feedback from others about how it works. And also what to supplement with. I understand it can be a full curriculum, but that it really focuses most on the literature. What about phonics, math, etc.? If we used this, what would you also recommend we pair it with? Our daughter is bright and at 4 1/2 now already is putting letter sounds together and can read a number of words. One thing also is that our daughter has a vision impairment -- sees well only close up-- and also is very hands-on and active. She likes to DO things! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinD Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Other than math, it doesn't really need anything added. If she's hands-on there are lots of crafts that you can find easily for extra fun. FIAR is terrific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 FIAR has many activities listed to do for each book. My hands on learner loved it. At the age of 4 I wouldn't add too much extra. Maybe add in some phonics and math when she turns five. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I agree with the other ladies . When my little girl was 4 yo and using FIAR I really didn't add much. Maybe a picture book about bears or something like that if it was handy. We used Phonics Pathways. It may be just what your child needs as the print is LARGE. I cannot tell you just how much we love FIAR. My dd, 6 1/2 yo, even requested that we re-row all of the first 3 vols! We have started on vol 4, but we are going back and doing most of the others again. It is such a wonderful curriculum that it can be used in the younger years and older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDad Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 If she is 4.5, then that is more along the lines of PreK (? unless you are starting early with her?). So, I would not say that anything really needs to be added. You don't really even need a math curric. at that point (unless you are totally unconfident without a curriculum, as I am :glare:). If you use FIAR for Kindergarten, you'll want to add phonics (we like OPGTR + ETC, and I 2nd the OP on Phonics Pathways) and simple math (we like MEP, with lots of activities from Family Math/Living Math/etc.). We also use some BFSU, and a lot of the Ambleside recs (poetry, composers, etc), but not consistently. We LOVE FIAR. You really can't go wrong with it. The cookbook is really great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
provenance61 Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thank you to everyone who has replied so far...DD is only 4 1/2 now, she'll turn 5 in August. We are planning for next year. For those of you who were talking about pre-K...we are really interested just in what would be "K" level. So if we need to supplement, what would be good math and phonics programs which would mesh nicely with FIAR? I've also heard a lot about HWOT. Is this something that could be incorporated (I think I saw this on one signature)...I've heard that it is very hands-on and that it might be a way to keep her interested as she is very very activity oriented. For instance she loves art and is constantly asking for crafts or paper to make cards...now she's doing letters on them just for play. I'd love to motivate her to keep doing this kind of thing. As far as phonics, she is a big fan of Leapfrog DVDs (leftover from her big brother)! I was wondering about something that would be as much fun that could continue phonics study. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
provenance61 Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 figuring out all the acronyms. What is OPGTR, ETC, MEP? I'd like to check all these and the others out (like Phonics Pathways). Just need to figure out what the letters stand for. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 figuring out all the acronyms. What is OPGTR, ETC, MEP? I'd like to check all these and the others out (like Phonics Pathways). Just need to figure out what the letters stand for. Amy Ordinary Parent Guide to Reading Explode the Code MEP is a free math online. I forget the name, but a search for MEP math will pull up the website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Kirkwood Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Love FIAR. Other than a little math, I would say only add to if your daughter is wanting more. For math, we just did calendars, counting to 100, simple addition, measuring for cooking, counting coins and coin values, that type of thing. If she needs more phonics you could do Progressive Phonics (free on-line) or the Bob books and work your way up from there with library resources. Peggy Kaye's Games for Reading has fun hands-on activities. You mentioned Handwriting Without Tears. We like that, too, although my daughter goes in phases with it. She loves the wooden pieces that form into letters and the letter cards much more so than the workbooks, but my son liked the workbooks and he is not a workbook kind of guy, so go figure. Depends on the kiddo. Good luck and have fun with it! :) provenance, OPGTR is Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading ETC is Explode the Code MEP, I forget? sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Kirkwood Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I forgot to mention Starfall. My daughter loves that website. It's free. She has learned a lot about reading from Starfall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Kiddos Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Hi Amy, Check out this blog for great FIAR ideas and pictures of activities. It might give you a better idea of what FIAR is all about. Make sure to check out the top tab with all the FIAR books listed and how she "rowed" them. She also says what she supplements with. I am also planning for FIAR next year and am grateful for all the supplemental ideas. Lauren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 You will need phonics and handwriting. I will use SWR with my next K'er, as it includes spelling, reading, phonics, handwriting for K-12, so I don't need to worry about how well (or not) that my kid is reading. I just place him wherever he needs to be. If you want a full math program, you will need that, too, though I don't think you need one for K. I didn't care for FIAR science, so we supplemented with BFSU, which is very inexpensive and comprehensive. And don't forget a nice map--that was our favorite part! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I purchased a nice first atlas for showing my dd the geography setting from the chosen Fiar book. I also had a large wall map. You could apply one directly on your wall or glue it to a roller shade. I used my library to get some "Let's read and find out" books to go with the science topic every week. I used the printouts from homeschoolshare to make a Fiar binder of what she was learning. I added handwriting and phonics and math. Jan Brett has cute tracing pages that are free. Google search "Jan Brett handwriting pages" for more info. Hth, Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 We added Hooked on Phonics, Handwriting Without Tears, and Singapore Earlybird Math when we used FIAR. We also read extra books about the geographical area/any other interesting topics that were covered in that week's FIAR book. It was a fun year. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I got lots of inspiration from reading blogs where people posted about their FIAR activities. I photo-blogged about some of our FIAR activities here. Feel free to check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy-hs Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 My K'er will be doing FIAR with his younger brothers (preschoolers). I'll add in reading with 100EZ Lessons (he's about halfway through now), math with RightStart A, and handwriting with HWOT. When he finishes 100EZ, he will move into SWR if he's ready. Melissa :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Why not start her on FIAR now? She's definitely not too young for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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