How do I make it more interesting?

[lanabug]

My 1st grader is already complaining that the work we're doing is boring. How do I liven things up?

 

We're using:

Singapore 1A and 1B

OPGTR

WWE

FLL

AAS

REAL Science Odyssey - Life

SOTW

Galloping the Globe

Harmony Fine Arts

BSGFAA

 

We do not do everything every day. In fact, the only thing we do every day is math. The other subjects are all 2-4 times a week, and I planned everything out so that the load is pretty even each day. We have several read-alouds for each chapter or topic for SOTW, GTG, and HFA. One or 2 might be non-fiction, but I try to have 2-3 "fun" books that relate to the topic. For SOTW, we will do an art/craft/"enrichment" type activity for each week. I also have planned an art project for each week for HFA.

 

Do you see any issues with what I have planned, or is "boring" just her way of saying she'd rather be playing?

 

Lana

[ednkirstin]

 

is "boring" just her way of saying she'd rather be playing?

That's my guess. :) One small thing we're doing this year is having "Ice Cream Fridays." Everyone who gets their work done by the end of the week earns an ice cream treat. It doesn't have anything to do with curriculum, but it does help provide motivation and good attitudes (so far). :D The younger kids get particularly excited when I remind them about Ice Cream Friday.

[skeeterbug]

Are you doing activities with RSO, GTG, and SOTW? That will help some. Watching related youtube videos always helps with my kids. We use or have used much of the same curriculum here, but for first grade I didn't do all of them. Maybe ease into the year a little, adding subjects as time goes by instead of starting off the bat with all of them? Or slow down...for example take three weeks for a GTG country rather than two (or whatever you have planned). Get a good routine going and then add to it. We have a good routine going now but it has taken time to get to the point where we can do it without too much complaining.

[creekmom]

GAMES!!! My younger kids love games. It takes a little effort on your part, but it really does make school more interesting. You can easily add games to phonics practice. I printed out blank bingo cards- add the words we're studying to a card for each of us (example - long vowel, silent e words). Take strips of paper, write the words then turn over the papers. Ask her to pick a slip of paper, read the word, then you both find it on your cards. **** Be sure to have some chocolate or a sucker or something for the winner. This ALWAYS makes things more fun.

 

Math is also a great subject for games. There was a dollar deal from Scholastic awhile back that had tons of math games with a deck of cards.

 

Once you start incorporating games with small prizes in your day, you'll see an amazing attitude difference in her!

[Spryte]

We use almost the same line up, with the exception of Singapore and the last three you listed. My kiddo, now in 3rd, used to say the same. I tried a lot of different approaches - some worked for a time, some didn't work at all.

 

Staggering the start up, like a PP suggested, is a good one. Plus games. Games are always good. :) Just add them in, or get creative and replace some of the lessons with games.

 

FLL is mostly oral, so DS did that while jumping on the trampoline in 1st. Get out the sidewalk chalk at math time and do it outside. For OPGTR, my kiddo hated reading out of the book. So I wrote it on index cards, paper folded accordion style, or (his favorite) the windows in window marker.

 

Don't skip the activities in RSO or SOTW. My kiddo, even now, is happiest if we are doing at least one hands-on activity per day. Mondays and Tuesdays we do a science experiment; Wednesdays it's art; Thursdays and Fridays it's SOTW.

 

Do the favorite subject first. Like eating dessert first. :D

 

Scavenger hunt: Choose one letter or word from each lesson and highlight it or otherwise make it stand out. As kiddo does the lessons, have her collect the letters or phrases until she's finished. When she's finished, she unscrambles them to find a clue... which she can use to find a treasure hidden somewhere. This can be modified to take on a spy theme or whatever theme appeals.

 

Field trips. RSO and Ancients have good field trip potential.

 

Costume Day - I know, silly, but it worked for us.

 

Ok... That's all I've got for now. Hope something helps.

[JoyceTWTM]

or is "boring" just her way of saying she'd rather be playing?

This was my first though.

What exactly does "boring" mean.

Here it usually meant they'd rather be outside at parkday with their friends.

(I often felt the same too) ;)

[lanabug]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I like the idea of a week-end treat. Ice cream bribery works very well in our family!

 

We are doing activities for RSO, SOTW, and GTG, as well as a weekly art project. I think she would enjoy some Youtube videos, will have to look into that.

 

Thanks again!

Lana