Ideas for planning first grade?

[Alicia64]

Hi Everyone,

 

Having pulled the boys out of ps at Christmas, I'm now trying to figure out what to do for these remaining months.

 

Now it's dawning on me that I also need to be prepping for their first grade starting in August.

 

Any suggestions for me? I ordered five in a row for this year. So I assume that means I'll need to buy Volume III for August.

 

Ideas for math?

 

Science?

 

Geography? (They love doing postcards w/ others and learning the states.)

 

Piano (Can't decide. Would age 6.5 be a good time to put them in? A friend's son loves his teacher.)

 

What am I missing?

 

I'll be honest, I'm so overwhelmed.

 

Alicia

[gracesteacher]

If you are using Five in a Row as your curriculum then you would need to add math and phonics. I like Math U See and Rightstart.

 

IF you want to supplement geography I would use galloping the globe as there are a lot of ties in to FIAR. I think homeschool share has a list.

 

Phonics We are going to uses Ordinary Parents to teaching reading then on to All About Spelling.

 

 

Good luck

[hsingscrapper]

I'm not very familiar with FIAR but I have some ideas of what we're doing with our youngest who's working at varying grade levels.

 

I used OPGTR to teach him to read. He now reads at almost a 2nd grade level.

 

For math, we're using Math in my World which I am regretting and so would recommend Saxon or Abeka.

 

For language arts, you have to decide if you want an all-in-one approach that incorporates handwriting, spelling, reading, & grammar or do you want separate books so that you can "put it away" when you're done? If you want an all-in-one, you can always try what I'm working on or there is AOP or CLE.

 

Science: I would honestly look into the selections at Ambleside Online or Old Fashioned Education but I'm not a big fan of lots of experiments and "liquid nasty". Don't like messes much in this house.

 

History and geography: Story of the World is what I'd suggest.

 

I'm a big fan of keeping things simple at this age and driving home the three R's. Everything after that is icing on the academic cake, IMHO.

[Shannon C]

I used My Father's World first grade until December and it's great if you want Bible and reading,not such a fan of their science or math suggestions. I am now finishing out the year with FIAR, but may head back to MFW Adventures later. For now we are enjoying FIAR and add in math and phonics. We also plan to start using 1st Language Lessons and Writing with Ease in the fall(this will be 1/2 grade year--we go year round so our grade levels are blurred!)

[Lovedtodeath]

Math... My top picks are BJU, Abeka, Right Start or MUS. I went with MUS b/c it is hands on with less work for teacher. With two boys at the same age I think Right Start would be perfect!

 

Grammar & Writing: Queen's Language Lessons or FLL and WWE

 

Reading: There are so many choices. I like Winter Promise's LA books and Public School Reading books.

 

Handwriting: Just try to get something close to what they are used to.

 

Phonics: Take a look at Alpha-phonics, The Writing Road to Reading, The Orton-Gillingham link in my sig, The Phonics Road. Those are my top picks. Many programs are out there that move too slow or include too many sight words or blends. OPGTR is a good book but my DD and some other kids just don't like it. Plus, I recommend a program with phonogram flash cards.

 

Spelling: Starting from the beginning, I would definitely go with AAS.

 

Science: The Complete Book of Animals is really great, and will go along with world geography. You can fill it out with some books from Winter Promise Animal Worlds.

 

DD loves Winterpromise Shoot and Sprout Buzz and Bite too.

Edited February 16, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[HomesteadMommy]

We use FIAR and all you need to add is math and phonics. We use MUS and used 100 easy lessons for reading.

FIAR covers social studies, literature, science, art and applied math.

This coming year we are going to use Galloping the Globe with it to dig a little deeper into different countries.

[Melmc]

I'll have a first grader next year. Here's my thinking thus far:

 

Math: 3 days of Saxon Math 2 (she's finishing up Math 1) and 2 days of Singapore 1 Std. Edition (she just started 1 A last week)

 

Language Arts: Sound Beginnings (we started this year, but are going slowly), ZB 1 and WWE 1

 

Memorization: IEW Poetry Memorization and Living Memory

 

Art: Artpac 1 and Child-sized Masterpieces

 

Music: Piano lesson

 

Religion: Atrium, Faith and Life, Saints, Catholic Mosaic

 

PE: Crossfit kids, soccer in fall and Irish dancing

 

She tags along for Latin (LL) History (BP, SOTW AG) and Science (RS4K pre level 1 and RSO Chemistry) so that will continue next year with latin, Middle Ages and Earth Sciences/Astronomy.

 

I also have all three volumes of FIAR and many of the books so will do some of that if I can.

[Lovedtodeath]

Sound beginnings looks really good! I will have to add that to my favorites.

[PeterPan]

1st grade is really just a continuation of K5. If you can get a copy of WTM, it lays out exactly skills to cover and how to get there. We continued to do a lot of the things that we were doing in K5 (phonics/spelling, RightStart math, LOTS of read alouds, lots of time for imaginative play, lots of books on tape). In other words, 1st grade was a lot of fun, so let it be that! You can save the stress and trying hard till 2nd grade. :)

 

If FIAR is going well for you, that's grade. We enjoyed the FIAR books and did some activities, but I preferred them as a supplement, a rainy day thing, rather than our main stuff. But maybe you have more energy than I did and are pulling it off. ;) There are so many fun curricula out there, if FIAR isn't floating your boat come fall, you could pursue WP AS1, MFW Adventures, or start SOTW. You're right that now, when the weather is yucky, is the best time to start planning and researching. Will your state have any conventions? Then you can take your list and actually go SEE things. Then buy the things later. I always hate buying for 9 months from now and having it not fit when I get there. That's one helpful thing about WTM, that you can see where the skills are going and how they progress, so you can see what's coming up next. Then you just bump them up as the dc is ready.

 

We did FLL in K5 and 1st, so you're at a good age to consider it. You'll want to do some form of copywork or handwriting. You'll want to continue a solid phonics program, or begin some gentle spelling if they've finished phonics. You'll want reading and read alouds. We did lots of interest-driven science at that age, and it's fine. Apologia has delightful books, or the Let's Read and Find Out books are terrific and great for that age. We took lots of nature walks and used field guides. Just have fun with it. You so totally can't go wrong. I was just telling someone how much I'm looking forward to K5 and 1st again, as they're the most FUN grades to teach! Just have FUN with it. :)

[SonshineLearner]

I'd play play play with them:-) and read tons of book's from authors like Greg Tang and Cindy Neuschwander. I love having manipulatives like legos, cuisenaire rods, the little cubes that click together...unicubes?,

We are part of a homeschool group called Classical Conversations, and even if we didn't do that, we'd still get the memory work cds....(my 5 year old knows them better than any of us.) And, I think every home with crazy little jumpers needs an exercise sized trampoline. Of course, ours needs replaces, so he just jumps on the couch when doing activities like reviewing phonics....He's just always moving unless he's sleeping.

Carrie:-)

[Closeacademy]

For first, covering the 3 r's is the priority and everything else is just fun.

 

Phonics--are they reading yet? (some kids are, mine weren't) There are a ton of phonics programs out there that work with a variety of children. My textbook learner loves Rod and Staff Reading which includes a reader, phonics workbook, and a reading workbook. My oldest who is very visual did better with Spell to Write and Read. A lot of people love 100 easy lessons.

 

math? Our favorites have been Singapore, Rightstart and Rod and Staff

 

Science? Just going outside to observe, collect, talk about, and maybe look things up in a field guide. We enjoyed finding catepillars and watching them turn into butterflies, collecting leaves, identifying birds, growing things from seed in the garden, etc.

 

Since you are using Five in a Row--you would probably enjoy looking through the extra resources at http://www.homeschoolshare.com/five_in_a_row_resources.php They have additional ideas and also lapbooks to go with Five in a Row. Lapbooks if stored properly can be a nice reference tool to go back to again and again and a lot of the ones here incorporate geography. It is all free as it is all homeschool moms who work together to share their ideas.

 

From Five in a Row you should get plenty of literature, history, geography and art. As far as piano goes, a lot of teachers want them reading. My oldest did better with lessons after she turned 8 but a lot of children do well at 6.

 

Good luck and hope you have a wonderful homeschool journey.:001_smile:

[Trivium Academy]

Keep it simple but make informed decisions.

 

With math programs there are different formats, do you want something mastery (focuses on one concept until mastered) or spiral (introduces multiple concepts over a course of time)- the teacher's manuals differ greatly from each product to another. I think selecting a math program is one of the largest stresses of curricula picks b/c the range of products are so varied.

 

Thankfully there are samples online of the teacher's manuals and student pages for just about any math curricula. It'd be good to try them on before deciding, work through the sample lesson and determine if it will work for you and your child(ren). Selection of math programs is very personal, some like to have a script, manipulatives and extension activities while others done, they just want to open and go with very little prep or afterthought. The only right way is what will fit your teaching style and your child's learning style. Cathy Duffy has a book called The Top 100 Picks of Homeschool Curriculum which helps you evaluate learning and teaching style plus provides 100 reviews of products.

 

In first grade, if you keep the focus on reading, math and handwriting- that focus will pay off! In 2nd and 3rd when you're starting to amp up the studies, you'll appreciate whatever time you focus on the 3R's now. You may even spend 2nd grade focused on the 3R's.

 

Science is an excellent way to incorporate fun and foster strong relationships with your child and the world at large. We took the formal route in first grade, following the WTM but I wish I would have focused more on nature study and allowed a year of exploration into what we found on our walks. :svengo: I'm a HUGE planner and by golly, I wanted to cover all the bases. Now that we're in 3rd and approaching 4th, I realize there wasn't much that I taught my dd in first that couldn't have been done informally through nature studies.

 

The best thing I did was make one day a week just for field trips and nature walks. The kids and I look forward to that time and it creates fabulous memories as well as builds on their natural curiosities. There is probably abundant resources around you, state parks, historical sites and museums to explore. Most can be done pretty cheaply but if money is a hinderance, a walk around your neighborhood/yard can yield plenty of adventures with the right perspective. Check out My Nature Journal by Adrienne Olmstead, there are inside pages at ChristianBook.com and I think Amazon.

 

Geography- It sounds like you have this covered, it can be done informally for first through games and activities like sending postcards or a Flat Stanley. My dd8 just received Leap Frog's Smart Globe for Christmas and she LOVES it. She now knows where Denmark is whereas before she'd have to look for 15 minutes with clues. Keep it fun and informal, no need for bookwork at this time. Having a laminated world and U.S. wall map is fun, to be able to write with dry erase on them if you're doing history or just to play games. Cover up the ocean/continents names with a piece of paper and let them identify them.

 

Talk to the piano teacher about readiness for lessons. S/He'll be able to determine if your child is ready and give you an idea of what to expect. If the teacher is unable to give reasons why they think your child is ready, I would find a different teacher. My dd8 tried the recorder in first grade (as per WTM) but wasn't interested, by the end of first she was in piano and excelled at it. BUT I cannot imagine putting my ds4 in piano in 2 years, he'll probably wait until 7 or 8 due to maturity and focus.

 

Everyone has their favorite curriculum, they've chosen something that fits for them. Although others like certain things, it doesn't mean it will fit your homeschool. Be wary of others' enthusiasm, weigh your options but don't over stress about curriculum. If it doesn't work you can sell it and try something else, no one is perfect and there is no perfect curriculum. Every curriculum has strengths and weaknesses.

 

:)

[Lovedtodeath]

Just a word about phonics... they can know how to read very well and still not be done. Most programs including those in PS are written to last 3 or 4 years. Until they are done with all of the phonograms they are not done learning phonics. They could be reading at a 2nd or 3rd grade level and still need to finish with a phonics program.

 

I agree that a focus on the three Rs is all you need. We skip around adding in from programs here and there this year. We would not be able to do a full program, and have no interest in doing as much science and history as scheduled in TWTM this young. (part of that reason is that I have a toddler though) :o

[Haiku]

For math we love RightStart. My kids are both using it and I am constantly impressed by how much math they are picking up, and I don't just mean skills. I mean how much they are understanding how numbers work. We love love love RightStart.

 

For science we follow the WTM recommendations, so we have spent first grade (and K, because the kids do science together) on animals and the human body, and we will finish up this spring with botany. I know that a lot of people want a packaged science curriculum, but our method of reading a section of our spine, coloring a coloring page or drawing a picture, and writing a narration on the picture has really cemented a lot of knowledge for the kids, and it's an inexpensive way to go about it.

 

For phonics both my kids really like Explode the Code. They have a placement test to see which book they should start in.

 

For us, geography is folded into history. We read SOTW along with the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History. We keep a history notebook and do history narrations. Both the kids really enjoy history.

 

My dd uses Writing With Ease, which she also enjoys.

 

We do not yet do spelling (and in fact, I have no plans to, unless either of my kids has a real problem with spelling) or grammar. I will start grammar with my dd when she is in second grade.

 

Tara

[FriedClams]

I have a 1st and 2nd grader this year - so I may be of some help. I generally plan three subjects for 1st - reading, reading and math. The first reading is the student learning to read. WELL. Really well. If you need a phonics curriculum - then use one. We've used the Phonics Museum, R&S phonics, Modern Curriculum Press and clicknread.com All were great for what we used them for (both kids did a K-ish and 1st-ish phonics - hence 4 programs). For first grade I have the kids read to me 10-15 minutes a day every day of the week and they have assigned books for around another 30-45 minutes of reading a day. For math - it's just to get rolling. We've used MUS (which I did not like due to scope and sequence and not enough repition), Critical Thinking Company core math and Horizons. I think CLE also has a GREAT program that's balanced and cheap. Our math takes around 20 - 30 minutes a day. Then - there's the second reading - you reading to them. This can be anything - literature, history, biography, science. Anything - but read and read a lot. For my older kid we used MFW Adventures as a framework - and read a ton from their book lists. It was great. We did a ton of American History because I like it - but we didn't kill ourselves with it being "history". Read fun books, sad books, silly books, long books and short books. Please - don't skip all the wonderful picture books out there! I've used the 1000 Great Books list, Honey for a Child's Heart (a reading list book) and MANY curriculum publishers books lists for inspiration. I aim for 1-1.5 hours of me reading to them every day. I also aim to read daily to them from the Bible and discuss it (I LOVE Engermier's story bible for this age). Don't stress out - teach them to read, do a little math, and READ.

[Aurelia]

 

Any suggestions for me? I ordered five in a row for this year. So I assume that means I'll need to buy Volume III for August.

 

Ideas for math?

 

Science?

 

Geography? (They love doing postcards w/ others and learning the states.)

 

Piano (Can't decide. Would age 6.5 be a good time to put them in? A friend's son loves his teacher.)

 

What am I missing?

 

I'll be honest, I'm so overwhelmed.

 

Alicia

 

 

What we are doing for first grade next year is continuing with FIAR (starting with vol 3 and going back through parts of 1 and 2) and adding Galloping the Globe for extra geography. If you are really interested in US geography, you might combine FIAR and Cantering the Country. We have really enjoyed the FIAR nature studies for extra science. It's gentle and has extra activities and poetry, etc.

 

For math, we love Right Start here - it's very hands on and Ariel has developed an excellent grasp of the mathematical concepts we have covered this year. I highly recommend it, especially if your boys are "doers" and not workbook lovers. If you want something with a workbook, I'd recommend Math Mammoth or Singapore.

 

We started Kinderbach for piano just last month and Ariel really enjoys it. It's designed for ages 4-7, and you might want to consider it as an introduction before you spend a lot of money on "formal" music lessons. We combined it with Calvert's Discoveries in Music, which we had from last year. We're repeating it this year because it was a little over her head then. Music one of her favorite subjects and now ware doing music and Spanish 4 days a week because she insists school isn't over until both of them are covered. 6.5 might be a good age to start, unless they are really wiggly, because it will frustrate the teacher if they can't pay attention to the lesson.

 

You have pretty much everything else covered except phonics and writing. I plan to use Writing with Ease, since Ariel already knows how to form upper and lowercase letters, and the copywork functions as handwriting practice. We will finish level B of ABeCeDarian reading before we move on to First Language Lessons and All About Spelling.

[laughing lioness]

Make sure reading is fluent and easy for your child. If not, focus on phonics and reading fluency. I love Alpha Phoics combined with ETC, though there are lots of other great programs.

I also like Italic handwriting, MP's Copybooks, and English for the Thoughtful Child. Of couse, Jessie Wise's FLL is terrific! :001_smile:

Math- Right Start is great.

Geography. The map puzzles from Timberdoodle are terrific. I would add in geo memory from Living Memory. Nat'l Geographic for kids (though I hate their ads) and Nat'l Geographic.

Science- Magic School Bus books and videos, Tobins lab has some excellent materials, nature walks, nature journal. Ranger Rick.

I highly suggest Living Memory- pick a couple of areas and be consistant.

IEW's Language Aquisition Through Poetry Memorization is a must have imho and tons of fun.

SOTW CD's are worth every penny. Books on tape from the library.

Now is a great time to start piano.

Don't forget lots of park time, too :)

[Lovedtodeath]

 

Tell me about your super amazing science curriculum! There is a great science suggestion on this thread.

[coffeefreak]

We are using FIAR now and love it. I was going to buy a whole 1st grade curriculum and spend $100s of dollars. . . and then I came to my senses. We love FIAR and Oh Elizabeth is right, 1st grade is basically K5 continued. We're going to get FIAR vol 3 and do it next year. I did Galloping the Globe with my oldest, and was going to do it with my youngest. However, it would be too hard to do it AND teach my oldest American History.

 

Here's what we're going to do:

 

History/Science/Geography - FIAR

LA - FIAR

Phonics - Explode the Code

Math - Horizons

Art - FIAR

Reading aloud - "I can read" readers and lots of great books

 

 

HTH!

Blessings!

Dorinda

[Lovedtodeath]

Check out the new LA in progress. I like to keep things simple and it looks perfect for us to keep up on her reading in addition to grammar/writing without a bunch of separate programs (link in my sig).