Talk me into or out of FIAR...

[vaquitita]

Still trying to figure out what to do with my third kiddo for first grade next year... FIAR came to mind.

 

I used volume one once when my daughter was in kindergarten. I printed up a bunch of lap book stuff and she loved that. I wasn't crazy about it because I spent all my time cutting stuff out. Lol

 

When I look at bloggers who use FIAR, I see lots of messy crafts. Which is sort of a turn off, but then next year my toddler will be turning four so messy craft stuff might be perfect because it can be something he does too. I used to do painting and stuff with my oldest two, but my youngest two haven't gotten much of that stuff.

[emmaluv+2more]

I loved the idea of it and tried so hard to like it, but I just didn't. I hated reading the same book over and over every week and my kids kinda did, too. And I just never felt that I or my children were really invested in it. It felt disjointed, sometimes dull, I don't know. I was always jealous of those it worked for. The pictures of everyone cuddled on the coach reading and discussing look so warming and inviting, but we just couldn't pull it off. I decided to keep our read aloud time for cuddles on the coach and gave up the FIAR dream.

 

We do love the book lists though. Some of our favorite picture books were discovered through FIAR.

[MyLife]

I have used FIAR, and I will use it again next year. I use it in a very simple way. I read the book two or three times in a week. I will point out the location on the map, I will discuss some of the language arts and pictures in the books, I will occasionally teach a math concept, and I *might* do the science project if it isn't overly involved. I do really LOVE the art section which typically involves drawing a picture similar to one the book. I also use the Bible Supplement.

 

What I don't do: cultural meals, costumes, overly involved science projects, add in arts and crafts from Pinterest.

 

I keep it simple.

[ALB]

We also enjoyed FIAR in a simple, no extras, kind of way.  Every time I used it, though, I ended up quitting before long.  For K and 1st grade, I like to just read books without necessarily having a connection.  We still read lots of FIAR books, but also used Let's Read and Find Out science books and history picture book that weren't related to FIAR books.  Personally, I found this easier than trying to keep a unit study going at those ages.  

[historically accurate]

I wanted to love it. I really, really tried to.

 

My kids were pretty close together in age, so I imagined us sitting cuddled up gathered around the book. Reality? Someone was always sick or crying or pinching her sister or doing somersaults off the couch.

 

It worked if I stripped it down to the youngest kid's level: read the book a couple of times over the week, point it out on the map, do a picture, talk about some sort of language arts (that none of the kids remember) and move on. It was too little for my oldest and too much for my youngest. 

 

I also (because I had 3 littles) could not do that much planning week in and week out. Especially as a new homeschooler. I might be able to do it now since I've had years of practice. I kind of actually wish I had one little one left to try Pre-K/K with, although I don't know what I would do.

Edited January 26, 2017 by beckyjo

[beka87]

FIAR has an awesome book list that is worth reading through.  Like a PP said, I use it in a very simple way.  I enjoy reading the same book several times so can really know it and love it.  We find places on our map, talk about the LA and Art stuff with an occasional art project thrown in...sometimes we do a science activity, sometimes we discuss something from history.  I used vlm 1 and vlm 2 with my eldest and planned and printed lapbooks and all that, but somehow a lot of the more involved projects still never happened.  She still loved what we did do - it was her favorite part of school.

 

I am using it in an even simpler way with my current K'er and she loves it, too.  I think just being able to read a high quality story more than once is pretty appealing to little kids.  We read all kinds of other stuff, too, but the last thing we do every day together is our "story book", with or without an activity.

 

I'd say that if you want it to be a curriculum, instead of a pleasant supplement to your days, you need to be willing to do the messy projects, extended research, rabbit trails, etc.  It's a unit study meant to be used that way and while we love reading and talking and even cooking now and then, we don't do enough of the extras to call it a curriculum.  First grade could go without a formal curriculum, however.  Maybe a light, sometimes-crafty year with your 4 and 6 year old's would be okay.:) 

[My4arrows]

I feel like FIAR really is a curriculum you'll either love or hate and it all depends upon your and your children's personalities.  My kids LOVE having the books read over and over to them.  The love the familiarity and finding new things in the books as we learn.  I LOVE planning, finding all the extras to add in to the lessons and extending them, so for me it's also person.  It really suits us.  Another thing I've loved about it is that I can make it as simple as just following the ideas in the TM or add as much as I want and my kids are still learning.  Some books we read daily for two weeks to extend the lesson, others we read 2-3 times during a week.  This year I am using it a second time for pre-k and we will continue it for K with a pre-k tag along next year.

 

One thing I've done that has helped us tremendously is pre plan each unit when we have the time and then make little kits (kind of like the Ivy Kids Kits) with all the supplies and things I'll need for it.  So I print out all the lapbook items we are doing with it, have the file folder already in the kit, all art supplies that I'll need, etc.  So during the school year, I just pull out the kit and we are ready to go.  There's no prep needed on a daily basis really which is what causes me not to do the extra fun things (especially since this is a middle child I'm using it for).  I also splurged a little bit in getting a couple of Ivy Kids Kits to help me when I just don't want to plan and the kids still want the crafts and extras.  

 

If it's something you think your kids and you would like, I'd see how using it works best for you as it seems everyone does it differently and that's okay!  I always have to remind myself when looking at the beautiful blogs that things don't always go as beautifully as depicted.  There's life and kids mixed up somewhere in there too!

 

 

[vaquitita]

Hmm, OK that given me some things to think about. He will be 7 for first grade. This year my son prefers to sit on the floor playing with Legos while I read, I have to keep telling him to look at the picture before I turn the page. Lol. But it could be different if this time we more geared to him. Right now reading time is an hour and includes a mix of books for all my ages. I'm going to try splitting up reading time next week and see if I get more focused attention out of him. He does listen to chapter books, but still comes running at bedtime to listen to the 3yo's books.

[AnniePoo]

Did not get the point of it at all. You read great books then do time-consuming activities that the kids griped about. I truly wanted to love it, but just reading books proved to be much better for us.

[....]

We're pretty big FIAR users.  My 3rd kid used Volume 2 and my 4th kid has used Volume 2, Volume 4 (isn't that the big, expensive volume?) and Beyond Five in a Row volume 2.  I will probably use FIAR with the baby when he gets to that point.  

 

I have a couple of complaints...

 

1.  There is absolutely no reason why Volume 4 has to be 3x more expensive than the other volumes.  There really wasn't that much more to it and it felt like price gouging.  The Beyond FIAR prices were much more reasonable.

 

2.  If the books go out of print, they should really update the program.  One of the volumes I didn't bother buying, because like a big chunk of the books were out of print.  One of the things I like about SWB is that she keeps up with what resources are going out of print/difficult to find and updates that info in each edition of WTM.

 

3.  Their user forums are impossible to get on.  My account somehow got messed up and I contacted them to get it cleared up and...crickets.

 

4.  The grade recommendations were skewed for my kids...and I don't know if it's my fault (my kids are a little weird) or what.  But, I bought Volume 4 for my 3rd grader last fall.  It was just the wrong level and she felt it was babyish.  We ended up shelving the ueber-expensive Volume 4 and unschooling all fall and I started her with Beyond FIAR in January.  Beyond FIAR was a much, much better fit for my 3rd grader.  And she actually likes it, so I guess she just needed the right level.

 

5.  We could never, ever read each book 5x.  Sorry, not gonna happen.  I didn't bother.  We just kept the book open for reference as we were working through the activities.

 

You don't have to do a bunch of crafts.  I don't have time for that with 5 kids and Kid #4 doesn't like crafts, anyway.  She mostly does a lot of notebooking with BFIAR.  We will also watch Youtube videos to go along with what she's studying.  For example, if she's supposed to study terns, we'll watch actual footage of terns and she might jot some notes down in her notebook.  Sometimes, I'll print pictures of whatever animal she's studying and she'll tape the pictures into her notebook, adding notes alongside it.

 

Hope something out of there helps you!  My post probably isn't very encouraging, but I do like the curriculum.  I plan to go through the BFIAR levels with Kid #4 (because she does like it) and use it with the baby in a few years.

 

Edited to add:  I have to tell you - overall, I like Beyond FIAR much more than the FIAR volumes.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Evanthe

[vaquitita]

I admit the having to plan and schedule FIAR is a bit of a turn off. But I was talking to my son to get a feel for what he likes, and he immediately said he likes picture books over chapter books. Maybe if I just keep it simple, not doing lots of time consuming projects or lapbooking, then it could work.

 

Today I wad at our charter school resource center and I found a FIAR vol 1 book (and ten or so of the required books) so I can look it over. I also picked up some books used in Bookshark K ;)

Edited January 26, 2017 by vaquitita

[Jackie]

We tried it, but it didn't stick. Sometimes I went all out and planned a bunch of stuff, sometimes I did it really simply; it wasn't a good fit either way. Sometimes DD would end up not enjoying the book and therefore was hugely resistant to doing anything related to it, so any amount of planning would end up wasted. Sometimes she loved the book and the activities. But I would always end the week thinking that it was far too much effort for far too little benefit.

 

I do love the books and we've read nearly everything on their lists.

[newhsmom]

We loved our years with FIAR.  We never read any book 5 times.  We usually read the book once or twice and then tried to listen to it on Youtube.  I always search Pinterest for each book and we just pick the activities that we like.  I also always check the Delightful Learning blog for her ideas.  I do pick a few things out of the manual, but FIAR is a supplement not a full curriculum for us.  My kids have the most wonderful memories of our years with FIAR.  

[MyLife]

I admit the having to plan and schedule FIAR is a bit of a turn off. But I was talking to my son to get a feel for what he likes, and he immediately said he likes picture books over chapter books. Maybe if I just keep it simple, not doing lots of time consuming projects or lapbooking, then it could work.

 

Today I wad at our charter school resource center and I found a FIAR vol 1 book (and ten or so of the required books) so I can look it over. I also picked up some books used in Bookshark K ;)

My kids LOVE picture books, and that's why we enjoyed a simplified version of FIAR. We really enjoyed experiencing beautiful books together.

 

Next year we will be using the Veritas Press First Favorites volume 1 and 2 and More Favorites. I know Veritas Press promotes First Favorites for first grade, but we are still going to work through it. Although my 7 year old enjoys chapter books, we aren't completely ready to move away from picture books.

[rocassie]

I really like FIAR, but it was a natural progression from what we were already doing because my oldest loved to read the same book over and over.  For me it did involve planning and to be honest that kept me sane because I had stopped working and needed some type of mental stimulation.  

 

I am not a craft person, at least little kid crafts, but I did have one day of the week that we did art.  Generally it was low key and on a day that we weren't going anywhere.  I also left the art (or a science project for that matter) as the last thing we did for the day.  Usually the kids really enjoyed extending the lessons and it kept them occupied for a while.  

 

For example, if I got out the paints to teach colors, I would only get out the primary colors, white, and black.  The kids would have to mix it to see the colors they could get, but then it was just supervised free paint.  So lots of paper covered in abstract painting.  ;)  The kids got to save their favorite, and then I just rolled up the newspaper(I had laid out to keep the table clean) and pictures in one big bundle and threw it away.  Painting was rare so it made it extra special.  Usually it was coloring, drawing, cutting (I made them do it even though it wasn't that great), glueing, and playdoh.

 

FIAR can be as complicated or simple as you need it to be, but I think you do have to have some type of game plan.  It's not really an open and go.  Our library and YouTube have been invaluable resources that have made FIAR work great for us.  The kids would love a lot more projects and mess, but then they wouldn't have a very happy mama so I've found a good balance that works for us.

[Free Indeed]

FIAR can be as complicated or simple as you need it to be, but I think you do have to have some type of game plan. It's not really an open and go. Our library and YouTube have been invaluable resources that have made FIAR work great for us. The kids would love a lot more projects and mess, but then they wouldn't have a very happy mama so I've found a good balance that works for us.

Yes, this. We loved FIAR, and I have kept most of those books even though now my children are in high school. They have memories and meaningful connections with those books, that program. We even branched out and wrote a few more unit studies from books we loved. Of course, I wasn't looking for open and go for their early years, I was looking for an introduction to stories and the love of reading. I wasn't preparing them for college in those years, I was just introducing them to life.

[Clemsondana]

I know myself well enough to have never tried it at home, but my kids took some co-op classes loosely based on the concept. One week they'd read a story and do a small project/craft. The next week they'd re-read the book and then add on some more history, geography, or science to go with it. My older child took an awesome class that used that approach with the Magic Tree House books. They read the books at home, and the first week they discussesd the book. The second week they continued their discussion and did a history or science lesson that matched the topic.

[Ruthie in MS]

FIAR and I have an off-and-on relationship. I really love it but my eldest two dds didn't really care for it. I will be starting over again with dd5 and have used a FIAR approach with her from the beginning and she loves it. When I used it with my older children I would make it over-involved. This time I keep it simple and we're both happy.

 

I'm actually contemplating beefing up volume 4 for dd10. Science just isn't getting done and we're not really doing much literature or art, so why not combine it?

 

Bottom line: FIAR is not for everyone or every child and sometimes you have to tweak it to fit your needs.

[vaquitita]

Well I've decided not to use FIAR. The year I used FIAR with my daughter was her favorite year, she still remembers it. But my second son and my daughter are polar opposites, and I don't think he'd enjoy it. I've decided to go with Bookshark K instead.

[Dramorellis]

I love FIAR book lists and the idea behind it. I treat it like I do any of the other resources that we use. I use what we need, take helpful ideas and discard the rest. I am currently teaching a FIAR co-op class and the kids seem to be enjoying it. I never read a book 5 times. We "row" books 2 weeks at a time. I use the book we are reading at the time for copywork and narration. We usually read another book relating to the topic and do one or two projects. We don't do lapbooks. We do "Waldorf style" lesson books for each book we row. One year we did make a lot of meals and art projects at the end of each two-week period. It was time consuming but I planned it all at once in the summer and stuck everything I wanted to do in a file folder until I needed it. They still talk about that year and the meals we made. 

[Renai]

I love FIAR book lists and the idea behind it. I treat it like I do any of the other resources that we use. I use what we need, take helpful ideas and discard the rest. I am currently teaching a FIAR co-op class and the kids seem to be enjoying it. I never read a book 5 times. We "row" books 2 weeks at a time. I use the book we are reading at the time for copywork and narration. We usually read another book relating to the topic and do one or two projects. We don't do lapbooks. We do "Waldorf style" lesson books for each book we row. One year we did make a lot of meals and art projects at the end of each two-week period. It was time consuming but I planned it all at once in the summer and stuck everything I wanted to do in a file folder until I needed it. They still talk about that year and the meals we made.

Can you expound upon the idea of "Waldorf style" lesson books? What are they and how did it work?

 

Thanks.

[MyLife]

I love FIAR book lists and the idea behind it. I treat it like I do any of the other resources that we use. I use what we need, take helpful ideas and discard the rest. I am currently teaching a FIAR co-op class and the kids seem to be enjoying it. I never read a book 5 times. We "row" books 2 weeks at a time. I use the book we are reading at the time for copywork and narration. We usually read another book relating to the topic and do one or two projects. We don't do lapbooks. We do "Waldorf style" lesson books for each book we row. One year we did make a lot of meals and art projects at the end of each two-week period. It was time consuming but I planned it all at once in the summer and stuck everything I wanted to do in a file folder until I needed it. They still talk about that year and the meals we made.

Please please share your co-op ideas!

[....]

I'm actually contemplating beefing up volume 4 for dd10. Science just isn't getting done and we're not really doing much literature or art, so why not combine it?

 

 

Hi, do you already own volume 4?  I'm asking because you might want to look through it before you buy it for a 10 year-old.  It's more expensive than the other volumes - it's about $75.  I bought it last fall to use with my 3rd grader and it was a really bad fit (and I paid $75 for it - which was painful).  The curriculum recommendations said "3rd grade", so I bought it instead of the next level up (which I had a feeling was a better fit).  Anyway, I ended up bumping her up to Beyond FIAR and it was a much better fit.  Also, BFIAR is cheaper - it's $35.  It includes all the other subjects that FIAR has: science, history, geography, art, creative writing, etc.  She likes the BFIAR book selection better, too.  She can relate to the books better.  

 

Obviously, each kid/situation is different.

 

I sound so negative, but I like it enough that I plan to finish the BFIAR levels with her and see if she wants to try the last one - Above and Beyond FIAR.  (I wonder if anyone on here has tried that one)

[Ruthie in MS]

Hi, do you already own volume 4? I'm asking because you might want to look through it before you buy it for a 10 year-old. It's more expensive than the other volumes - it's about $75.

Yes, I already own volume 4 and all the Beyond volumes. It's totally doable for a 4th/5th grader if you take their suggestions but make the activities more to their level. By allowing them to do some of the research you can gently train them to use resources they would otherwise shun. You can also add in related chapter books for expanded lessons. There are a couple of blogs out there that outline how to use FIAR with older children. Blog She Wrote is a great example.

 

Yes, it is a bit more expensive than other volumes but it includes the bible supplement and cookbook ideas. I don't know that I'd pay $75 (I bought mine used), but it is worth it to spend extra to get this volume, IMO.

 

ETA: Blog She Wrote FIAR posts: http://blogshewrote.org/five-in-a-row/

Edited January 29, 2017 by Ruthie in MS

[AnneBlessedx4]

love it. my kids loved it. we did quite a bit, also used pinterest. it was worth the work.

[Dramorellis]

Can you expound upon the idea of "Waldorf style" lesson books? What are they and how did it work?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Please please share your co-op ideas!

 

This past week I read "How to make an Apple Pie and See the World" to my class. The class ages from 3-7 and they were all engaged. We talked about how maps and globes are used, took turns finding the continents we had "traveled to" in the book on our globe and then discussed how to use a compass. The activity was to make our own maps of the room we were in and to see if the kids could navigate the room based on someone else's map. It was fun for them and simple. 

 

As far as the "Waldorf style lesson books" it's very low key. For my 6 year old, she just does 2-3 sentences of her own narration and then draws a picture. So she narrates to me about the story, I write it down and then she copies it. My 10 year old writes his own narrations and it is obviously more detailed and longer. My 4 year old just draws a picture. It provides us with a nice collection of what we did when each book is full. We use the same method for History and Science. 

[....]

Blog She Wrote is a great example.

 

 

 

That's actually one of my all-time favorite homeschooling blogs!