Help picking first grade curriculum

[jmjs4]

I am currently trying to choose curriculum for my ds that just turned seven.  He is a first grader this year.  Here are some options that I am considering:

 

History:

 

Story of the World w/ AG & DK Animals and Nature Encyclopedia, and a National Geographic Space book.  I considered Apologia Astronomy, but I wasn't sure if it would be too wordy and over his head.

 

OR

 

Sonlight Core A & Science A

 

 

 

 

Phonics:

 

Phonics Pathways, Explode the Code, and Bob Books

 

OR

 

All About Reading

 

OR

 

Something else?

 

He is already reading CVC words.

 

 

 

Which history and phonics would you pick?  I am open to other suggestions, too.  For math I am planning on Horizons, and I will probably add in First Language Lessons and Handwriting without Tears too.  Is there anything else that I should add?

Edited January 4, 2017 by jmjs4

[Kiara.I]

I'd do Story of the World.  Super fun.  Though I have no experience with Sonlight, so it might be super fun too. ;)

Science could be as simple as library books this year, whatever he's interested in.

 

Lots of reading aloud, lots of physical activity, and lots of playing outside.

 

 

[Ellie]

 

Phonics:

 

Phonics Pathways, Explode the Code, and Bob Books

 

OR

 

All About Reading

 

 

He is already reading CVC words.

 

 

 

 

 

Of your phonics choices, I would go with Phonics Pathways, although if you had asked what I really liked and recommended, I would have said Spalding, which would also cover basic composition and penmanship. :-)

 

[FO4UR]

SOTW with the AG. That is an easy decision.

 

 

For a child who is already reading cvc words, go with the program that gives the most flexibility. PP and ETC will allow you to easily move at his pace without feeling like you are wasting $ skipping lessons he doesn't need in a pricey curric.

 

I would not purchase Bob Books. Nope. Check your library for early readers.

 

Spend that money on Happy Phonics.

[ScoutTN]

PP (Get Bob books from the library. Skip ETC, way too much writing. If he needs reinforcement on specific things, you can find freebies on the web.)

SOTW with the AG

HWT or whatever penmanship you like

Skip FLL til 2nd grade. Just read instead.

 

Science = library books, lots of interaction with nature and some fun videos for crazy days or sickness. 

 

[Tanikit]

SOTW is great for most grade 1s. I used BFSU with my girls using many read-alouds and videos with it - gave me a way to explain scientific concepts in a sequence which has resulted in a good understanding in my eldest child. It can take a while to get into though and to figure out how to use it to suit your own family.

 

Any penmanship - you do not need a curriculum for this as long as you teach letter formation, pencil grip and how to sit. HWT if you do need one.

 

I would concentrate on getting him reading mostly, see History and Science as fun and as a break from reading instruction, and add in a large amount of read alouds - books that interest him, both fiction and non fiction. For me reading is first, then start math and get them writing with math usually running far ahead of writing instruction because of the fine motor control needed firstly to write and then all the language and spelling and original thoughts required to write which take much longer to put together.

[knitgrl]

SOTW 1 has a lot of great activities and is a lot of fun. Plus, there are oodles of books at the library on Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome that are fun to look through, too. Like Tanikit, we use BFSU, too, for the reasons she gave. We also used Explode the Code online, which was nice because it works at your child's level, and was about $35/year from Homeschool Buyers Co-op. We dropped that this year, since we are using AAS. I am growing into the opinion that you do not need to worry about grammar in 1st grade. FLL was a flop for us (it moved way too slowly) and Shurley English 1 was overall kind of a meh.