Slache Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 This is where I currently stand: SWR+McGuffey, maybe ELTL Miquon+Ray's or just RightStart SL 3/4 > SL 4/5 > MFW Adventures > MFW ECC Spanish with Mama, Piano with Daddy, maybe Hey Andrew Nature walks, poetry, Nesbit's Shakespeare and other CM stuffs This is the only time I'll only have littles and I want it to be as fun as possible. Thanks. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 I think it's hard to plan that far ahead. Your lineup looks really nicely simple and it may go great, but you just never know. I feel like the danger in the question is that if you think there's an ideal lineup, then getting away from that means you've compromised or failed, when it could be that you're doing better. Live in the moment and all that. That said, if I had to go back and do it again, I'd do FIAR in pre-K to kindy along with Miquon and Progressive Phonics as ready. Then I'd do Jot It Down and The Wand and whatever was working for phonics, continue Miquon, add the Right Start games, start SOTW, and add in some science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Well right now I have kids in all those grade levels and Ican say I don't have an ideal lineup lol. Every year we have changed curriculum and also for every kid. They all had different needs and needed different things from year to year. They only thing I have used for all three is Phonics Pathways and Reading A-Z.com. All three have responded well to this reading program. We have been through 4 math programs before we found CLE which works for us and I will hopefully never leave. I adore MBTP 4-5 program which I am using for my youngest but it wasn't available when my older kids were that age. That is the only program I could see using consistently with al my kids....although it wouldn't have worked for my DS1 as he is advanced and would have been far too easy for him when he was 4-5. It is good to have a plan but it is also good to be flexible. Kids needs change all the time and each child might need something different when the time comes. I know my 5yo will be using completely different things then I used with my older two because we found things we didn't like and because he has different needs and abilities then the older two had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristi26 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 PreK here is just a lot of fun and games, nothing formal at all. We watch educational videos, play board games, play with letters, take it easy. K is not much different. We add a little bit more formal stuff like practicing writing (we like HWOT a lot here) and DS5 is enjoying the BOB books just like DD8 did at his age. We also play with math manipulatives and have been reading through the "I Love Math" series from the library (which he loves). We're playing games like the card game "Word Train" (I think that's what it's called), "Obstacles," "Rory's Story Cubes," "Dinosaur Math," and more. I need to change my siggie because it isn't really accurate now. In first, DD8 and I did the Magic School Bus for Science, read some fun History picture books for History, made lapbooks to go with books she chose to read for LA, EtC for phonics, and used MUS Alpha. In second, we went through Apologia Astronomy together, read some more fun History picture books for History, made some more lapbooks (this time mixing some that I chose and some she chose), added spelling, and got through the first half of MUS Beta before taking a break and finishing the year with LOF. My plan with DS5 for first (and it COULD change, trust me): MUS Alpha, Ancient History picture books from the library to go along with the Ancient History that DS11 and DD8 will study then, EtC for phonics, books at his level to read aloud for reading plus lapbooks to go with them, Apologia Land Animals with his sister (he will mostly just listen). I try to just go with the flow and see what is working and what doesn't. If it doesn't work, we switch it out for something else. :) HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Pre-K - Five in a Row and EducationUnboxed.com games. K-Math- Miquon (didn't work for one of my kids, but I still love it),Phonics- Logic of English (I wanted to make ELTL work but couldnt),and lots of exposure to nature, music, art, poetry, and science led by interest. 1/2- Math- Miquon and some sort of word problem bookPhonics/Spelling- Logic of EnglishGrammar/Writing- copywork ala English Lessons Through LiteratureForeign Language- Song School Latin (unless I was fluent in something, then I'd go with that) and lots of exposure to nature, music, art, poetry, history and science led by interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 DD is K now and I have a rough idea of what I want the K-2 plan to be. Little of it is standard curriculum, though, so it looks messy and crazy even though it fits us well. Math: mostly RightStart, with lots of living math books and math games. Complemented with Dreambox. We may add Singapore's Challenging Word Problems and/or Beast Academy along the way. Language Arts: she was an early reader, so lots of good books make up the vast majority of what we're doing. Grammar Island due to her request to formally learn grammar, and may do more of the MCT stuff when she is ready. All About Spelling as needed/wanted. BraveWriter's Jot It Down. Science: BFSU, Science in a Nutshell kits, Snap Circuits, The Private Eye, Lego Education kits, the local science museum, The Happy Scientist videos, and many nonfiction books History: currently our own prehistory year with documentaries and books, then using History Odyssey as a base. Not sure exactly how this will look in practice - probably a lot of books and documentaries where I can find good appropriate ones We're currently trying out Song School Spanish, thinking about following it in a year or so with The Fun Spanish. Skoldo is on order for French with her dad. Story of the Orchestra for music, probably followed by SQUILT for music appreciation. Artistic Pursuits and lots of free art time. She wants to discontinue violin lessons, but she can pick that back up if she wants or try another instrument. Dance, gymnastics, swim, or other such classes as she chooses and we can afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 I have a 4 year old just starting and a 6 year old first grader. This is my plan for them (for now lol) 4 year old- Reading lots of picture books Leap frog video LOE app to learn phonograms Mama made handwriting, with Spalding letter formation instruction and some free handwriting sheets for fun MEP reception Education Unboxed and free play games with c-rods Games, puzzles, sensory play, lots of outside time 5 years old- Lots of picture books Miquon Red Education Unboxed videos and games with c-rods LOE app and start foundations Mama made handwriting in a notebook Magic school bus books and videos Lots of easy readers available Start Pathway readers when ready Games, puzzles, crafts, outside time 6 years old- Lots of longer stories, some chapter book read alouds Miquon Orange and blue LOE app and continue essentials (I just switched to this from ETC) Mama made handwriting, start cursive if they want Magic school bus videos and books Listen in on SOTW if they want Pathway readers (dd has read all the K and first grade ones and has just started the second grade ones) Games, puzzles, crafts, outside time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathmarm Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 If you look at PreK -2nd grade as a stage then I guess my ideal would be to have kids come out of that stage eager to learn and to view learning as an exciting and worthwhile past time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Handwriting without tears for handwriting Dancing Bears for reading Right start math of math Lots of library books for science, literature, history and anything else Playing with art supplies Listening to music, singing songs... Playing at the park, running, jumping, swimming, swinging.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 RightStart Math Don't have a favorite reading program AAS HWT K12 history (or SOTW starting in 1st) K12 science Lots of supplemental reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Handwriting without tears for handwriting Dancing Bears for reading Right start math of math Lots of library books for science, literature, history and anything else Playing with art supplies Listening to music, singing songs... Playing at the park, running, jumping, swimming, swinging.... What she said. If I were really ambitious I'd pull out the BFSU volume I have and try to do that more consistently, and some science kits. Videos like LeapFrog, Sid the Science Kid and Magic School Bus were enjoyed, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 I appreciate the wisdom of being willing to change. I do see others who are unwilling and it seems to cause pain and frustration. I do wish that everyone would stop recommending the most expensive math curriculum on the market. You guys have given me a lot to think about, including the fact that I really need to get TWJ asap. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 There is no ideal for every child. I have done different things with every child. My olders were in school for that age. My younger two boys were mostly Waldorf-ish. DD has done mostly whatever the younger boys were doing. Horizons Math: you only need the student books and the TM. Skip the worksheets and the rest of the stuff. Horizons Phonics and Reading K-3 {But I also like All About Reading} FIAR as a book list only Home Art Studio is fun or just get a bunch of supplies and go crazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 I appreciate the wisdom of being willing to change. I do see others who are unwilling and it seems to cause pain and frustration. I do wish that everyone would stop recommending the most expensive math curriculum on the market. You guys have given me a lot to think about, including the fact that I really need to get TWJ asap. Thanks!! If not Right Start, MEP is excellent, and you can use lots of hands-on stuff for it. It's my favorite inexpensive (free!) math program for early elementary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 PK/K Singapore math Essentials then into the Primary math sequence Explode the Code (Primers then into numbered books) and adding in OPGTR once comfortably blending The Joy of Handwriting Casual but Consistent Exposure to: FLL & Poetry memorization Living Science & Prehistory via books and shows Spanish (Little Pim, La Clase Divertida, etc) Lots of Art time with a variety of media Playing around with recorders First/Second Singapore Primary math Finish Up Explode the Code books Typing Instructor for Kids (cursive to follow after manuscript and typing are well in hand) FLL & WWE & AAS Memorization (from The Harp and Laurel Wreath and Living Memory) Mr. Q Science SOTW & Map Blobbing Slightly more formal Spanish study using the whole La Clase Divertida program Atleier Art and lots of free art exploration The Nine Note Recorder Method Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 We did: Pathway Readers, Easy Grammar, Wordly Wise for reading Library books, poems, art, field trips, experiments (I created my own units) for science Beautiful Feet for history MCP for math Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaTX5 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Not what I did for my first (my poor guinea pig! ;-) ), but what is working/what I am planning for my K'er and the other two after him... K - All About Reading, Handwriting Without Tears, + math Not sure about math. We liked Singapore Essentials, but A was more PreK (although he hasn't learned anything new in MUS Primer yet!). Deciding between Miquon mixed with CLE or Singapore, or just doing RightStart for 1st and on. 1 and 2 - HOD (ETA: or SCM, which is more likely!) for history/science, All About Reading/All About Spelling, + math (add in MP Storytime after AAR), Italics handwriting We then start grammar and writing in 3rd grade. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maela Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 This is my ideal and what we're working on currently. Reading: Letter flash cards Pre-Explode the Code (A, B, and C) Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading Explode the Code 1-8 Primary Phonics readers & Dr. Suess books Being read to AT LEAST 20 minutes a day from quality literature Writing: Practicing writing one letter a day Copy work when ready Learning basic punctuation & capitalization rules Reading Grammar Tales stories Then a lot of practice writing (note booking, journaling, story writing, etc.), proofreading, revising Math: Learning all the pre-k stuff (colors, shapes, counting, some skip counting, basic addition & subtraction) through play/games Cheap kindergarten level workbook Then starting Math Mammoth Science, geography, history, literature, art: Mostly just reading good books and exploring using maps, the Internet, movies, music. With some projects/experiments from Layers of Learning thrown in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SporkUK Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 With my 3rd child going through Year 1, the things that have been ideal and consistently used for my older three for this age group are: CIMT for maths (though faster and more active for my eldest, more verbal for the second, and more manipulates for the third). Joy of Handwriting cursive lowercase, Blend Phonics, then Joy of Handwriting upper case with Piper BRI-ARI/I See Sam reader books for English. and lots of reading aloud, roleplaying, discussion, art and crafts, hands on skills, and Jolly Music for music. For Reception/ K and Pre-K, my ideal is pretty much reading aloud, walks and trips, and roleplaying social skills and activities. I did CIMT R now and them, but my main focus for under 5s is stories and roleplaying for emotional and social education (and fun). I don't begin academics until Y1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoEdgedSword Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I'm homeschooling my youngest group now too and I know what you mean about wanting to make it fun. Unless there's Divine intervention, this will be my last group of littles. :-( I'm getting excited about doing FIAR again with my youngest kiddos. I'm enjoying Alpha Phonics with them and so glad we ditched 100 Easy Lessons a few years ago. For science for the littlest one, I'm getting Rookie Science Readers from the public library. Math is Mathseeds, Todo Math and CLE. Language Arts is Lifepac Lots of a living books for all of them. Enjoy this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoEdgedSword Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Double post agh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I've just finished this stage (pre K-2) for the 3rd time in a row. I have already started plotting and planning and gathering for my Baby Girl (who will be 2 in less than a month...tempus fugit!) To be honest, I'm writing lessons for her to start when she is 4-ish. I'm going to want something that is open-and-go, and combines all the good stuff from what I've see-sawed between with my Big Three Kids. I'm hanging onto Happy Phonics. MEP math is excellent. I've found that (in my see-sawing) it's best to start young with it, stick with it, and go at the child's pace. It's hands-on and interactive. For preK and K, we will do AO year 0, and I'll probably keep FIAR on the shelf but not use it completely as written...just as a reference guide for fun stuff to fill some learning time. My line up in theory: Mommy-made lessons in handwriting/reading/spelling. 5-15min a day MEP math, starting Reception at age 4. 5-15min a day Games (candyland, uno, math games, Happy Phonics,etc...) 3x per week (however long attention and my time hold out) Storytime (exhaust AO year 0, FIAR, etc...) 1-2 hours every.single.day. Outside Play - unstructured: 2+ hours every.single.day. The vast majority of her school will be storytime, playing outside, and playing games. Learning the 3R's will be anywhere from 10min-30min a day. In 1st grade I anticipate starting amblesideonline Year 1, 2nd grade year 2. This will include a gradual morphing of storytime from Mommy-reads-aloud, to buddy reading, to Baby Girl reads to Mommy...and by year 4 or so she will be reading AO assignments independently. Other things: Posting poetry and art on the walls at her height. I did this some for my big kids, and I want to do tons of it for Baby Girl. Print out the old illustrated children's poems, prints of kid-friendly artists, and talk about them, recite them, etc... Get to know the birds, insects, plants, etc...in your neighborhood. What are their names? What do they eat? Where do they live? Give her a section of the yard to dig and make a mess of. Teach her how to water plants, feed fish, etc... Spend some quality time teaching her to take care of her things. This is the time to teach her how to clean up paint/playdoh/etc... I've said this before: Give me a 3rd grader who can read and copy a basic sentence neatly, one who is fluent in adding and subtracting and place value, one who enjoys a good game of Set/Blokus/Uno/Checkers, one who craves storytime, one who knows how to entertain herself for an hour, one who is respectful of her own body/space and others as well, one who is curious and loves to learn something new....and I can teach her anything! All kids develop at different speeds and most kids sort of take a leap in reading, stagnate in math, reverse the order for a while, take a leap in writing, stagnate for a while, leap ahead reading again....lather rinse repeat. Let that 4-8yo range be free-flowing, yet focused. Build skills *daily* but in 5-15min chunks. Don't ever worry about completing a page or a lesson. When frustration strikes, put the book away until tomorrow and get out the playdoh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I'm finishing up #2 with this stage this year and #3 is at the start now. Pre-K- Lots of read alouds, songs, games, playing outside, enjoying nature, working on independence. k- Something like Miquon- Right Start- MEP - ds didn't start math until 6 and he started with Right Start B it was perfect for him. Dd1 didn't like RS but she enjoyed MEP Reception and Math in Focus K and then into Horizons. I believe I'm going to be doing MEP with dd2 but my main plan is lots of living math until BA2 comes out, which I think will be starting publication just when she is starting 2nd and I think will be a great fit for her like her brother. Logic of English Foundations A- C at the minimum- previewing D right now Read lots of books (classic books, picture books, good books about science, history and everything else), Nature studies Play lots of games, learning games, strategy games and just playing and using our imagination 1-2 continuing above, adding in copywork, oral retellings and beginning grammar around 2nd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FromA2Z Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I kind of go by ages/readiness but this is the general jist Preschool (3-4): BFIAR - go along crafts and Printables. Sensory bins, nature walks, etc. work on gross and fine motor control. Pre-k (4-5) Wee Folk Art for reading/crafts AAR pre-level 1 followed by LOE A. Start working on letter formation. RS A (slowly) Nature Walks K FIAR - reading and activities LOE B & C RS A/B Elemental Science - Intro to Science My First Piano Adventure Informal art & Music Nature Walks 1st TOG - history & Lit Seasonal activities/crafts LOE D & ELTL 1 - language arts RS B/C Science in the Beginning Piano Artistic Pursuits Song School Latin Nature Walks 2nd TOG LOE Essentials or WRTR & ELTL 2 RS C Science in the Ancient World? Song School Latin 2 Artistic Pursuits Piano Nature Walks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teneo Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 OK, but I realize as new curricula emerges this may change. Preschool: Flowering Baby levels III-V K-2nd: Foundations (followed by ?) Begin Latin Copybook RightStart math with Singapore supplement books Rod & Staff arithmetic VP history with SOTW BFSU (poss. adding Science In The Beginning series if my oldest asks for more science once we start chronological history) MP literature MP recitation Shurley English (Not k) on odd days with FLL Artist Pursuits AO literature for read alouds, AO nature, composer, picture study American history biographies/lit from TruthQuest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wind-in-my-hair Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I would use pre-school to try different products. I love the Yellow is the Sun book and abacus from RightStart, as well as Tasha Tudor's 1 is One and Anno's Counting Book. I would use the RS number naming system and if I could use Montessori golden beads, I would teach place value that way. I would provide a sandbox and measuring cups and from time to time a water-play area with different plastic containers to fill and measure (I would consider purchasing Lentil Science or something if I didn't want to make from scratch). I would do calendar time every day. I would use Learning Resources foam magnetic letters that are color-coded for vowels and consonants along with a phonics primer to build CVC words. I would buy all the Bob Books and the Emergent Reader Series from Flyleaf Press. I would use, as I have in the past, Crayola's Write and Wipe book of manuscript letters. I would begin Pianimals music program at home or with a tutor. I would make sure to have plenty of all sorts of arts supplies and paper to scribble on, as well as clay, to work on strengthening those hands for later writing. I would have safety scissors and magazines on hand to let my child practice cutting. This is pre-school. From here I would gradually formalize the approach to each subject, based on my child's readiness. I would formalize math first, because getting used to a math program is a battle I would prefer not to drag into the primary grades (like I am experiencing right now). I would concentrate on bringing up my child's literacy skills through K-1st, with literature-based phonics, oral composition (ie teacher prompts child to discuss what has been read), and copywork (in that order... readiness matters). I would choose my own copywork from something my child reads independently, rather than a read-aloud... because there are some very beautiful sentences even in the simplest children's books, and I believe a child should understand how to read something before they are put to practice in writing it down. And begin a formal spelling program in 1st-2nd, employing some dictation exercises that are also self-selected or selected by the child's interest and knowledge of the subject the passage is talking about. I would begin systematic science and history in earnest in the 2nd grade, doing more writing across subjects after reading, understanding, and discussing a topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathmarm Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Oh, I had to comeback and say that by the end of 1st grade I think that all kids should know their addition/subtraction facts and that by the end of 2nd grade, that kids should know their multiplication/division facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Oh, I had to comeback and say that by the end of 1st grade I think that all kids should know their addition/subtraction facts and that by the end of 2nd grade, that kids should know their multiplication/division facts. Um, that is way early to have those down. Most 2nd graders are still working on addition/subtraction facts and PS doesn't even introduce multiplication here until 3rd grade. And as the mom of non-neurotypical kids, let's just say that what we want as the ideal often ends up far from the reality. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathmarm Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Um, that is way early to have those down. Most 2nd graders are still working on addition/subtraction facts and PS doesn't even introduce multiplication here until 3rd grade. And as the mom of non-neurotypical kids, let's just say that what we want as the ideal often ends up far from the reality. :) Well, we were asked our ideal lineup. It is *my* ideal situation that by the end of 2nd grade, kids know the addition and multiplication table and how to use those facts to find the related subtraction or division table. It is not impossible, it is doable. I have nothing to do with how your local PS does things, but just because a group of people does something one way, doesn't mean that it can't be done another way. I know that the greater majority of all the kids who have ever gone through my moms math classes/mathematics tutoring have known all 80 basic arithmetic facts by the time that they started 3rd grade. My mom made sure that all of her kids knew them by the end of 2nd, and so far all of my nieces and nephews have known them all by the end of 2nd/beginning of 3rd grade. I intend to teach my son the same way that I was taught them and until he shows me that it learning them in that time frame is beyond him, I have no reason to believe that the feat is so it is, as of this moment, my ideal that my kid know his math facts by the time he finishes 2nd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Well, we were asked our ideal lineup. It is *my* ideal situation that by the end of 2nd grade, kids know the addition and multiplication table and how to use those facts to find the related subtraction or division table. It is not impossible, it is doable. I have nothing to do with how your local PS does things, but just because a group of people does something one way, doesn't mean that it can't be done another way. I know that the greater majority of all the kids who have ever gone through my moms math classes/mathematics tutoring have known all 80 basic arithmetic facts by the time that they started 3rd grade. My mom made sure that all of her kids knew them by the end of 2nd, and so far all of my nieces and nephews have known them all by the end of 2nd/beginning of 3rd grade. I intend to teach my son the same way that I was taught them and until he shows me that it learning them in that time frame is beyond him, I have no reason to believe that the feat is so it is, as of this moment, my ideal that my kid know his math facts by the time he finishes 2nd grade. Good luck! Hope it works out for you. It is still an advanced goal and parents should not feel guilty if their children do not meet it. I think the average age for fluency with math facts in the math fact poll was around 10. If your kids get there sooner, more power to them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Well, we were asked our ideal lineup. It is *my* ideal situation that by the end of 2nd grade, kids know the addition and multiplication table and how to use those facts to find the related subtraction or division table. It is not impossible, it is doable. I believe FairProspects is coming from the perspective of having taught children for whom this was not doable, not without killing their love of math. I've followed her posts for years b/c I have some similar struggles in my house. For kids who memorize easily, and understand the concepts, I think this is a beneficial goal. I would warn that there are many children who either memorize without understanding or understand the concept thoroughly (sometimes intuitively!) yet cannot memorize facts no matter how hard they try. They re-figure it out every time. They get super fast at this, but it takes brain-energy...and sometimes that brain energy is better spent in other areas....and it will not result in memorized facts anyway. I try *every year* to implant those math facts in my 11 (almost 12) year old's brain. He is just now able to shout out "49" if I shout out "7x7." And the rest are coming too...finally. This is the child who explained to ME how to regroup before I had a chance to teach the concept at 5 or 6 years of age. This is the child who thinks it's weird that not everyone understands how fractions work. Like, weird! OTOH, kids who merely memorize without understanding (this was me) will find themselves in upper levels of math, barely doggy paddling to keep their nose above water if they don't completely drown. A bright child who memorizes well can cover a world of MISunderstandings up through Algebra. Don't let a goal of memorization blind you to all that goes into learning. All that said, we've seen a lot of moms burn out, burn their kids out, b/c of trying to stick to some ideal that is out of the reach of most nt children. As a mom who has btdt, I want to tell you to always keep a sensitive meter on your children's frustration levels. It's easy to "catch up" most things a year or two behind. It's really hard to get the love of learning back after it's been extinguished by mom pushing too hard. I've got a range of dyslexia and accelerated learning in my home...if anything has remained constant in the last 7 years, it's the complete annihilation of my ideal line-up. I still make the ideal line-up, but I don't stake anything on it. It's a roadmap and nothing more. Real life is full of detours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 For me pre-K starts with stories - loads and loads of read-alouds, some trips out the house with discussion about everything we see and do, an introduction to letters and numbers, plenty of counting and patterns and lots of play with blocks, legos, toys and an introduction to why things work the way they do - so biology lessons during dinner time or while out in the garden and also answering all questions. My 3 year old wanted to know what we would be if her whole family were all 10 years old and had the same parents. So we spoke about quadruplets but also about what parents do and what 10 year olds can do and how if the parents weren't around we wouldn't be able to drive anywhere and we'd all have to do school instead of working, but also what games we could play as 10 year olds and so on - whatever fascinated her. Usually the intro to numbers and letters leads on very easily a start in handwriting and letter formation - which only in K for my children becomes about more than just letter formation and moves to writing on lines and in lines and getting neater. This intro also leads very easily into blending and reading (before K) and to basic Math starting with manipulatives and moving into Horizons K when ready. Pre-K also includes a lot of cutting practice, painting, coloring and crafts as well as activities that help them to follow directions. I do not have a specific plan for specific grades - I just do the next thing with my children. Read alouds continue throughout moving to chapter books (starting in pre-K - my eldest only listens to chapter books now at the end of grade 1, though I sneak in picture books by reading them to the younger when the older is around). I started Science as well as Geography with both in pre-K, though history I waited til K except for some discussion of the news (only suitable topics) when younger. By Grade 1 my eldest did BFSU and SOTW and was ready for a writing curriculum and also started cursive. My eldest daughter is accelerated probably because I just let her do the next thing and if she copes we move on rather than waiting for a specific age. I don't believe in a perfect curriculum for these ages - I believe in following my child and moving forward - what I am doing with my child in Grade 1 works for her. What I do with the younger child I suspect will differ a lot as she has better fine motor skills, more delayed gross motor skills and loves worksheets - she needs walks around the block and plenty of running, climbing, jumping, but she is learning to read even faster than the older one did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 My youngest is in first, so this is really relevant for me. I do a LOT of advanced planning, but when it comes down to it, I am very flexible about how school actually looks. I am comfortable setting something aside and coming back to it later when he is interested in it. I am ok with using a spine and adding stuff to it as I go depending on what catches my eye. So here is my general list of favorite curricula (the stuff I would definitely keep if I were having more kids), but with no exact timetable. Math: Miquon Orange + Cuisenaire rods for learning basic number sense. Math in Focus for deep conceptual understanding (using a base 10 set and unifix cubes for modeling) Horizons for colorful, fun, easy review Education Unboxed videos for exploring topics Games for Math by Peggy Kaye for simple games Games: Sum Swamp, Math Doodlers, Number Ninjas, Zeus on the Loose, Sequence Numbers, Buy it Right Reading: BOB Books! Primary Art of Learning (PAL) reading Explode the Code Games for Reading by Peggy Kaye book series: Henry and Mudge, Mercy Watson, every single book by Armold Lobel and Cynthia Rylant, Nate the Great, Magic Treehouse, etc. English/Grammar: McGraw-Hill Treasures LA with the practice and grammar worksheets (free online) OR English Lessons through Literature Getty-Dubay italics Just Write series for a reluctant writer Encouragement to write letters, make signs, write down instructions, etc. Games for Writing by Peggy Kaye History: Story of the World audiobooks Adventures in America "Who Was ....." biography series Liberty's Kids videos Carmen Sandiego videos Science: Brain Pop videos Bill Nye videos Wild Kratts videos ScienceWorks for Kids books Sonlight Science A for an easy survey Cat in the Hat science books Let's Read and Find Out books PS textbook as a spine And the biggest hit of all: audiobooks. If you had told me three months ago that my son would start churning through audiobooks, I wouldn't have believed you. We started out listening in the car, then he tried listening in the "lego room" and was hooked. He has listened to so many books while he plays with Legos! I use the Overdrive program to download books from our library and keep an Audible subscription. The actual amount of seat work he does is minimal, but he still gets all of that exposure to language. Favorite read Alouds or audiobooks: Ramona Quimby series Henry Huggins series (and other Cleary books) Gooney Bird Greene series Pippi Longstocking series A Bear Called Paddington Aesop's Fables Grimm's Fairy Stories Harry Potter Tales from the Odyssey Mary Poppins Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 101 Dalmatians Nim's Island Alice in Wonderland Peter Pan The Jungle Book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and other Dahl books Little House on the Priairie series The Tale of Desperaux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have PreK, K and 3rd right now. It's too great a span, and we are too inconsistent/hands-on/homemade too make a nice neat little list, but I can give a rough outline. PreK- stories, counting, open-ended toys, fine motor skills, sensory play. No school. K- all of the above plus basic phonics and math games- online, paper, hands-on, oral, workbook. Whatever strikes our fancy. Possibly with homemade handwriting practice or HWT, depending on the needs of the child. 1st- All of the above, plus a real phonics program (we have used many), a real math program- Singapore or LOF with supplemental games, drills, and stories, possibly MEP (haven't tried it yet), Handwriting-homemade, Donna Young, or HWT, SOTW, science stories and shows, simple memory work. 2nd- All of 1st grade, plus copy work, foreign language. ETA: Lots of literature read-alouds, from as early as they can listen. We don't get serious about school until third grade. The first few years are just laying the rails. In third and fourth, we start independent and assigned reading, more intensive math, longer days, narrations, dictations, original writing, grammar, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. A Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 I can't really say what would be ideal for others, but for my family this is what we've done and will continue to do for the upcoming k-2 crowd: SWR Ray's Arithmetic used with cuisinaire rods and Education Unboxed. Nature study (which in our house means keeping a nature notebook together and learning about all the various animals, plants, weather patterns, bugs, etc that catch our interest.) and finally lots of reading. Fairy tales, tall tales, classic children's lit, poetry, beautiful picture books, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted November 19, 2014 Author Share Posted November 19, 2014 I completely agree with the mindset of easy, fun stuff for now and begin serious stuff in the 3rd grade. Between phonics, handwriting, and piano (which he asked for) Bible, read alouds, and Spanish (which are important to me) school only takes about 15 minutes at this point. I'd like to add RightStart A and Sonlight 3/4 at some point this year, so we'll be up to 30-45 minutes before he turns 5, but I definitely don't think that's overkill. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherOfBoys Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Math: Miquon (can't beat discovery learning) then Beast English/Writing: ELTL1 and 2 then add WWE1 and 2 Reading: ?We used Learning Through Sounds but it's not fun, it's get r done Best part of our week: Music for Little Mozarts Song School Latin (SO MUCH FUN) Magic School Bus DVD set (best babysitter) SoTW audio books for bedtime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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