Is there a planned out curriculum available for K that incorporates the WTM suggestions?

[priveaa]

Newbie here.

 

Looking for a packaged curriculum- or rather the planning- that incorporates:

 

- Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading

- Modern Curriculum Press Phonics

- Zaner Bloser handwriting

- Saxon Math

- mudpies Magnets

- Everyone has a Body

- Books in Trelease reading handbook.

 

I tried (and failed) at preschool last year, and just feel like a full curriculum is what we need to launch ourselves. However, the big Sonlight curriculum scares me($).

 

Also, is Calvert considered to be a "classical" approach?

 

Thanks for your patience as I try to wade through all of this!

[hands-on-mama]

I don't know of anything that ties all those together.

 

One question, why so many phonics program? It really is best to stick with one IMO.

 

I would pick either OPGTR, MCP Phonics, or the reading handbook. All of them would be overkill.

If you just committed yourself to daly work times and do the next thing, you would have a plan. :)

[SilverMoon]

www.easyclassical.com schedules a mash of WTM.

 

If it helps, I put organized my kindergartner's materials into a daily binder. She does what's next behind each tab, or colors a square to show that we did it. It's working out beautifully so far.

Edited July 10, 2022 by SilverMoon

[Rosie_0801]

All I do is open everything to the right page and pile it up ready for tomorrow.

[priveaa]

All I do is open everything to the right page and pile it up ready for tomorrow.

My struggleis knowing what to open.....

[ondreeuh]

If you go to Timberdoodle's website, you can create your own schedule for whichever resources you plan to use. You basically enter in the number of lessons (or pages) and how long you want to take, and it schedules it for you. So if you have 90 lessons and want to do it in 36 weeks, you will do 2 lessons one week and 3 the next. If you want to do mwth every day, then you just say you have 180 lessons in 36 weeks, and it will schedule it for 5 days.Their widget creates checkboxes for each week that you mark off as you do the lessons.

 

http://www.timberdoodle.com/v/pdf/schedules/TimberdoodleBlankCurriculumSchedule.pdf

 

The problem with a fully planned schedule is that it doesn't allow flexibility for illness, or for needing more or less time than you thought you'd need. So for skill subjects, like phonics and math, I would just plan on working every day and not assign specific lessons. Content subjects are easier to schedule more exactly, but if you know you need to do 3 lessons a week of science to stay on track, then you have some flexibility to choose which days you do them.

[priveaa]

Are Story of the World and Tapestry of Grace too much for Kindergarten?

[priveaa]

Or Veritas?

[craftyerin]

IMO, yes. SOTW or Veritas is too much for K.  I have never looked closely at ToG.  For kindergarten here, we use Phonics Pathways, Handwriting without Tears, and Singapore Essential math K, all of which are just "open to the next page, and go" type books.  We use Five in a Row for all the other fun stuff.  FIAR does require some planning, though, so that may not appeal to you.  There's no reason why you couldn't just use an open-and-go resource for phonics, handwriting, and math, and then read a ton of good library books and be done!  Kindergarten doesn't need to be complicated. 

[Jane Elliot]

Newbie here.

 

Looking for a packaged curriculum- or rather the planning- that incorporates:

 

- Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading

- Modern Curriculum Press Phonics

- Zaner Bloser handwriting

- Saxon Math

- mudpies Magnets

- Everyone has a Body

- Books in Trelease reading handbook.

I think you have a nice set of choices here. You will want to work at your child's own pace in the phonics, so I don't know that a schedule for that would be very helpful to you. I just put a sticky tab on the page we are on in OPGtTR. We do two review lessons and one new lesson each day, as the book suggests, but we slow that pace if the child is struggling.

 

Since you like the look of MCP Phonics and since OPGtTR is jam packed with phonics, maybe you could consider doing MCP Spelling A instead. The recommendation is to begin MCP Spelling when the child has hit Lesson 115 in OPGtTR. You could schedule to do one page of spelling a day.

 

For ZB handwriting, we simply do a page a day about 4 days a week. Saxon Math would also be simply a lesson a day.

 

For science, a schedule might be helpful to you. Elemental Science has a great schedule that uses Mudpies to Magnets. https://elementalscience.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=60_64

 

For reading aloud, you could just select books from Trelease's handbook and put them in a basket. Use sticky tabs to keep your place in each book. There's a very nice list for kindergarten reading here: http://www.amblesideonline.org/00.shtml.

[Jane Elliot]

Are Story of the World and Tapestry of Grace too much for Kindergarten?

This depends entirely on the child. You could try it and see. Some of my kids have been very ready for SOTW in kindergarten and some have not.

 

I've not used TOG. The teacher's manuals make me hyperventilate :-) I just can't wrap my brain around her organizational system. I think it's probably a wonderful program, but I just can't do it.

[carriede]

I tried (and failed) at preschool last year, and just feel like a full curriculum is what we need to launch ourselves.

 

I second concentrating on the 3 Rs as many posters have already suggested. Beyond that you might consider B4FIAR or FIAR ad someone else mentioned. Or you could do interest led unit studies based on what your child is interested in. Say, get a bunch of books about dinosaurs, search for Dino coloring pages on the Internet or other craft activities.

 

That said, what makes or breaks our prek homeschool isn't curriculum, but scheduling and routine. I have laminated a checklist that has basic subjects that DS checks off as we go through our day, and I try to do the same subjects in the same place at the same time of day. Doing all this helps ME stay on task since I'm the one driving this boat, so to speak.

 

So I would consider whether you have established a homeschool routine before you commit to a FULL curriculum, especially at such a young age. Now is the time to make schooling a habit, before the full curriculum IS necessary starting in 1-2 grades.

[boscopup]

Make a checklist on your computer, with Monday-Friday on it, and list your subjects on the days you want to do them. I'd start out with just phonics, handwriting, and math. Get those 3M Post-It tabs to use in your books. You can mark what page you're on and even where on the page. Stack your books in one common spot near where you plan to do school. On a school day, right after breakfast, go to your school area (this can be your kitchen table) and pull out a book from the stack. When you complete that book, check it off on your checklist and pull the next book out. Repeat until your 3 subjects are done. Set child free, saying school is done. :)

 

OPGTR is not one you would want to have someone else's schedule, and it is broken down into daily lessons. Saxon math has clear daily lessons. I don't know about the handwriting, but half a page per day, gradually increasing to a page per day would be a reasonable pace for handwriting in general.

 

I wouldn't base anything on how you did with preschool. A year makes a big difference, for both of you! :D I never could get a "preschool" curriculum going. I had no problem with K though.

 

For read-alouds, just pick some books and go through them one after another. Pick a time of day that you will read every day. For example, I read to my kids at breakfast and at bedtime. That's our routine, so it always gets done.

 

Once you have the 3Rs in place, if you want to add in Mudpies to Magnets, I'd suggest getting Elemental Science Intro to Science. I think you can just do it a couple times per week. Put that on your weekly checklist as "science", and again, use those sticky tabs. Though I wouldn't worry if science doesn't get done with a K'er. My K'er last year did phonics, handwriting, math, and read-alouds. It well prepared him for first grade this year. You can also make some of your library books be science books and call that science, because it is. My oldest just did library books from 1st-3rd, and I'm always amazed at his science knowledge. We didn't even do experiments those years. ;)

[Rosie_0801]

My struggleis knowing what to open.....

 

I don't really understand. For the most part, it is just the next page of the book you are using. The only subject I need to write a schedule for atm is history. To do that, I sat down with the SOTW activity guide and the Amazon website and chose what extra resources to buy (our library is unreliable.) When they arrived, I grouped resources by chapter, then divided them into smaller chunks since I'm not going to do a SOTW chapter, the map work, the colouring page, two extra books, a hands on project and the three documentaries I found at the library all in one day! It is easy to refer to the word document for what I need the following day. For geography, I have all our resources piled up and I pull out whatever goes together, such as a book on the Great Wall of China, a maze from the Kumon World Mazes and a picture card to add to our memory wall, and add it to the Pile To Be Done. When we run out of resources that form natural units, we do the rest piecemeal until we run out. After all, K is only K and content subjects are only content subjects. Get your routine going with Language Arts, maths and foreign language if you do it then worry about the rest.

[SilverMoon]

.

Edited June 17, 2022 by SilverMoon

[AngelBee]

Are Story of the World and Tapestry of Grace too much for Kindergarten?

No IF you take into account you are using it for a Ker :) I use both (I have 9 kids) and rotate in Kers as they get to that age. Keep it fun and make it lite. Don't expect mastery of material....as they will see it again many times before they finish schooling.

[AngelBee]

I would only suggest TOG if you are looking to use it long term.

[Heathermomster]

You don't really need a planned out curriculum. Have you considered simply picking your resources and then setting up a modified workbox plan with a daily grid? I have just started planning my DD's day using this free resource. We basically complete phonics, math, Bible, and handwriting daily. I add the puzzles, craft, and games throughout the day for fluff.. Each item is open and go, and my DD likes moving the little tags as each task is completed. The system keeps us on track, and DD out of her big bro's hair.

[priveaa]

I guess my fear is that I won't do enough... A felt like if I had something that was all inclusive,I could ensure I was doing it all. Does that make sense? I lack the confidence in this.

 

Right now, we do Wee Folk Art. I also have this Hirsch book that I read for occasionally. I thought I would start K inJanuary. I will add in the OPGtTR, ZB, and Saxon. I ordered FIAR as well since we did the winter Wee Folk last year.

 

I guess I just get hung up on kids being in school for 6 hours and it seems like it just takes me 30 minutes to do Wee Folk Art. We are not settled in schooling for next year at all- leaning towards public school, but I find that using homeschool resources gives me many quality moments with my kids that would not happen organically. Therefore, trailing K feels like a natural next step to give her good opportunities at home.

 

Thanks again for all the help!

[AmandaVT]

They're in school for 6 hours, but the kids aren't working the whole time. For example, here is our local public school's daily schedule:

 

9:00 School begins: Arrival/Morning Message/Explore Time 
9:25 Morning Meeting 
9:50 Morning Snack/Outside 
10:45-11:45 Literacy 
11:50 – 12:20 Recess (K-1-2) 
12:20 – 12:50 Lunch 
12:50 – 1:30 Relaxation, Story, Rest. 
1:30-2:45 Explore Time or "Buckets"/Specials 
2:45 Afternoon Snack 
3:00 Outside (K only) 
3:30 Home

 

1 hr of formal "literacy" and 3 specials a week for 25 min each. In just under 2 hours this morning, my DS and I did a lesson from FLL, a few pages of MM1, did a nature walk and took pictures of the changing trees, played 2 games, played with cuisinaire rods, read the end of Nate the Great, did 2 pages of Lollipop Logic, did a lesson from AAS and he played his piano for 15 min. :-)

[ondreeuh]

Our PS Kindergarten schedule is somewhat similar.

 

9:15 - 9:30 Welcome activities, breakfast for those who buy it (in the classroom)

9:30-9:45 Saxon K math meeting

9:45-10:00 Reading (flash cards, charts)

10:00-10:30 Workshop (various activities somewhat customized for the kids - individual skill work, finishing up projects, etc.)

10:30-11:00 Reading curriculum (Imagine It)

11:00-11:40 Lunch (in the classroom)

11:40-12:10 Recess

12:10-12:50 Saxon K Math

1:00-1:30 Writing (HWOT K & journals)

1:30-2:15 Specials (rotating library, gym, and music)

2:30-2:55 Computers (Lexia reading program)

2:55-3:30 Centers (kitchen, beading, dinosaur dollhouse (LOL), art)

 

I had planned to homeschool for kindergarten, and at the last minute decided to try PS. I still do everything I was going to do for homeschooling, though.

 

Math at home takes us no more than 20 minutes.

Reading takes us about 20-30, but he reads to me and we do an activity. Right now we're working through some Scholastic guides but then will do FIAR.

Handwriting is folded into LA, which takes us no more than 10 minutes.

We also do science and history which aren't even scheduled into the PS day. We don't schedule lunch, recess, and computers because he does those anyway ;)

 

Don't underestimate the efficiency of working 1:1 with a child!

[happycc]

Kindergartners are not in school for 6 hours in public school. No need to replicate that. 

 

For Kindergartners: 

Focus on language arts which is mainly phonics and math. 

Two really easy things to start off with is All About Reading and Rightstart Math A depending on where your child is. 

We do a lesson a day in each subject for my preker. That is all he needs. . 

 

Then add in writing and then spelling once he has reading down a bit more. 

Writing-Handwring without Tears and Spelling-All about Spelling

 

For Science and History-we just read read read all kinds of books and he can do a narration on that page. Basically tell you in one sentence what he/she remembers or draw a picture about something they heard you read. (When we go to the library my kids are required to pick 1-10 fiction books (depending on the age of kids-obviously the thick chapter books would be just one book and two nonfiction books -one science and one history based)

 

I would not touch Story of the World until your child has mastered Writing With Ease 1. I would listen to the book on tape though while in the car or before bedtime. 

 

First grade you can start Writing With Ease 1 (literature, vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing) and First Language Lessons 1 (grammar)if they have mastered writing their letters comfortably. Continue with some handwriting program like Handwriting without Tears, Continue with All about Reading and  All about Spelling, Start sooner in K if you think they are ready. You can start something like Elemental Science for science.  

 

2nd grade-WWE 2 and FLL2, then add in Story of the World. 

 

Try to stay away from packaged curriculum because you will end up spending too much on things you really don't like or need. Lesson learned the hard way over here. 

 

Honestly in the public school for kindergarten for Social studies and Science---they learned about the post office and did a field trip to it. That was it. For science, they had the kids pick an animal, read a bit about it and make a craft. That was it for the WHOLE year!

 

You will be covering so much more just by going to the library and reading all kinds of books about the different subjects and have him/her narrate or draw what they remembered. 

 

[sunnyday]

WTM suggestions? "t's a rare five year old who's ready to do very much paper-and-pencil work at a desk, and a six year old who hasn't done a formal kindergarten program can easily begin first-grade work....We feel that there's little point in following a formal, academic K-4 or K-5 curriculum at home."

 

"[T]ry not to think of these curricula as schoolwork, or you may find yourself pushing a reluctant preschooler to 'just finish that page' when her attention span has long since expired."

[Dramorellis]

Here in my area Kindergarten is actually full day for 6-6.5 hours. That said it's certainly not 6 hours of straight instruction time. I would estimate my 5 year old did about 25 minutes of the basics and then had at least 2 specials per day, lunch, recess etc. So if you're done with K in 2 hours that sounds perfectly reasonable. We are done with grade 2 in 4-4.5 hours. We do the workbox system and it is so very easy to stay organized this way. It also gives a visual sense of completion so they know each day what has been accomplished. I do Language Arts, Literature and Math every single day and then rotate through science, history, geography, art and language for the rest of the time.

[lorisuewho]

I don't know of anything that incorporates what you listed, but I agree with all the people that said, you just use those books and "do the next thing" each day.

 

If you want something totally planned out for you, both Veritas Press and Memoria Press offer classical kindergarten programs.

[hjffkj]

ditto what everyone said.  here is what I do with my almost 5 year old.

 

- Reading (we're following sonlight's first grade reading schedule) takes 15 minutes max

-Saxon Math 1: skip the morning meeting because he learns calendar by me talking about our schedule weekly/daily.  this take 30 mins max and lessons are planned out for you.

-Phonics Pathways- I estimate 3 pages a week and on Sunday write those page numbers down. We spend 15 minutes/day max. once he gets frustrated we stop.

-Science: we follow WTM's recommendation/schedule for the Usborne book of the Natural World.  For 2 weeks we focus on whatever is on WTM schedule (I have an older edition so I don't know if they still have the schedule written out nicely for you.)  We get a bunch of books out of library on that subject and I find some crafts/activities to do once or twice those 2 weeks. This takes about 15 minutes.

 

We don't do history or handwriting yet because I don't feel like there is a need for it yet.  All in all we spend about an hour and 15 minutes on sit down work but I wouldn't count Science since he doesn't count it.  He really enjoys learning about animals and insects and making pictures of them and me dictating what he says about them isn't work to him.

 

[NavyMommy]

I think once you get your hands on the resources you'll have a much better idea of just how easy it can be to open and go with WTM suggestions. Here's what I'm doing with my K'er:

 

Saxon Math 1

A Reason for Handwriting

OPGTtR (although probably going to switch to AAR1)

 

I also have a collection of Kumon books I use with my 3 year old since he wants to do school just like his sister. Here's how I set it up so I only have to spend 15-20 minutes every 2 weeks to keep it flowing:

 

I have a file folder box from Thirty One that I never had a good use for so I have 10 file folders labeled 1-10 and one "Completed Math" and one "Completed Handwriting" once every 2 weeks I sit down with all of the consumable books (Saxon and A Reason for Handwriting) and tear out the next 10 lessons that I place in the folders in order. I then flip through Saxon to see what manipulative I need every day and stick them on a post it on the front of the folder. Then I go through the next 10 lessons of OPG to make sure I have all of the phonetic cards I need for the next two weeks, sometimes I'm good to go and sometimes I need to make some. I also tear out 1-2 pages per day from different Kumon books (Tracing, Cutting, Pasting are what we have now) and put them in the folder for the youngest. When I am sitting down to refill I put the completed math and handwriting sheets in a binder so they're all together and we can see how far she's come.

 

When it's school time I take 2 minutes to grab the folder and the manipulatives I've written on the sticky (sometimes none) and I open the teacher guides to the pages I've marked with paper clips. I usually let her pick the order of subjects after we do our calender time. I keep the teacher books in the box with the file folders so everything is together.

 

I don't worry to much about history or science. We do have SOTW1 on audio book and they like to listen to it in the car. They also go to a co-op once a week that focuses on science and history so I figure as long as I hit the 3 R's we're covered at home. 

 

It may sound like a lot but honestly we take maybe 2 hours MAX a day to get through it all and that's with several 3 year old interruptions. 

 

 

[mohop]

I am joining the discussion late, but I wanted to add that Memoria Press is a classical-leaning all-in-one curriculum.

 

But I mostly wanted to reiterate this post:

 

WTM suggestions? "t's a rare five year old who's ready to do very much paper-and-pencil work at a desk, and a six year old who hasn't done a formal kindergarten program can easily begin first-grade work....We feel that there's little point in following a formal, academic K-4 or K-5 curriculum at home."

 

"[T]ry not to think of these curricula as schoolwork, or you may find yourself pushing a reluctant preschooler to 'just finish that page' when her attention span has long since expired."

 

WTM doesn't really treat K has an academic year; it's more of a "getting ready of academics" year, with the primary focus being learning to read.  If I remember correctly, they don't even recommend a formal math program for pre-1st grade.

 

With this in mind, I am taking advantage of K being legally required by getting warmed up to homeschooling, since it is our first year.  We are simplifying things and focusing on basics. 

 

FWIW, our K home school involves:

Daily recitations/memory work (a way to start the "school day")

Phonics (Blend Phonics sequence + Explode the Code workbooks; could substitute OPGTR or similar)

Math (Math Mammoth Grade 1)

Five in a Row (spending about 2 weeks on one book, but not necessarily doing activities every day that week)

Arabic with grandma

Weekly co-op art class

Lots of independent reading and strategically selected read-alouds

 

I would like to do a better job adding in Science (nature studies and Mudpies to Magnets kind of stuff), but I am really liking the simplicity of what we are starting out with.  Now, I feel like for next year, it's mostly a matter of adding regular history/science and replacing the phonics with spelling/language arts.  In general, there is just so much flexibility with the K year, even if you want to strictly follow classical/WTM.  At first, this overwhelmed me, because I just kept thinking about the options, but once I took the approach of keeping it simple, my life and our prospects for continuing homeschooling became much brighter :)