Decisions, Decisions! The Extras....

[Honey Bee]

We are set for La and Math for next year. I wanted to add some "extra."

 

What do you think? If you have anything you did nor did not like about these programs, especially pertaining to a Pre-k, K, 1st grader (next years grades) please let me know. I hope this helps me make a final decision.

 

1. Sonlight Core K + Sonlight Science (this could be changed)

 

1. WP Animal and their Worlds + SOTW

 

Trying to be somewhat well rounded since mine are little ones. They are very hands on we color, cut, etc every day. I also like to read aloud to them. I will be having a newborn in July so that will make life interesting come next fall!

[Mallory]

Quite frankly, with kids as little as yours, and a new baby on the way, I would not be worried about the extras.

 

For the next year I would only plan reading, handwriting, and math for the oldest, and maybe the next oldest. Really, they will be learning plenty.

 

If you really want to spend some money spend it on things not curriculum. Get a butterfly cage and raise some butterflies, get some magnifying glasses, get a scale, get some educational dvd's (magic school bus, eyewitness, a subscription to netflix), sidewalk chalk, puzzles, boxes to keep collections (rocks, feathers, bark, pinecones) or visitors in (crickets, ladybugs, rolypolies, tadpoles)....

 

There are so many fun hands on things to get, that is where I would recomend spending your money for these ages.

[Arch at Home]

I would get them a couple of Kumon workbooks. Mine at that age loved the Cutting and Pasting Craft books and the Maze books.

[abbeyej]

Of those two options, I'd pick the first. I love SOTW, but I'd wait another year -- your three oldest will all get more out of it in a year (and while I'm sure the very oldest would enjoy it now, waiting a year won't hurt), and with the disruption coming in the middle of the year... Well, Sonlight will work better if you need to drop it for a while and pick it up later.

 

And truly, it's not "necessary", but Sonlight K isn't very strenuous either, and is something that could help provide some order and structure and be a lot of fun with the ages of your older ones. I think you all would enjoy it. :)

[Emmy]

IMO Animal Worlds and SOTW will be too much (and I've done both so I know!). I would do either Sonlight K or just Animal Worlds (not SOTW).

[Honey Bee]

I was wondering if I had planned too much. I really want to sit and read with them, I won't be running to the library (and I don't mind building up our library since they are just starting to read).

 

Mallory, thanks for your suggestions--you'd be suprised, we have 98% of what you mentioned so we must be doing good.

 

abbeyej and Emmy, thanks for the suggestion on SOTW, I was curious about doing it early. Most say to start it in 1st or 2nd, and my oldest is just now 1st. I think your right.

 

One website I just love is "Higher Up and Further In" http://higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com/2006/01/our-curriculum.html

and Ambleside. I might just get some of the history and literature from their websites.

 

I am also adament about starting a solid art program (artistic pursuits), being a former art teacher. This will be a weekly or biweekly starting out with newborn.

 

Thanks again, I am open to more suggestions also!

[chiguirre]

Consider using SL Core PK 4/5 for your crew next year. That way you could combine your 3 oldest going forward with everyone in the target age range. Core K's target grade range is K-2, Core 1's is 1-3, etc. I used K with a 7 and 5 yos and the 7yo got a tremendous amount out of it while the 5yo struggled to keep up at the beginning of the year. At the end it went smoother and she's doing fine with Core 1, but more maturity makes it much more pleasant for everyone. SL PK 4/5 includes quite a bit of science in the main core so you won't be short-changing your 1st grader at all.

[woolybear]

My recommendation would be to use most of the books from Wp AW, but not the full curriculum. Then, I would add art projects that correspond. You can find wonderful ones at http://www.artprojectsforkids.org and the Crafty Crow. I would skip the AW crafts. At least when we did it (I believe it has changed) it was very paper plate craft type stuff. Oh wait, I believe WP just came out with a new animal program that isn't as heavy. Maybe that would be a good fit, though I don't recall the ages it's recommended for.

[Sew happily ever after]

We used SL P4/5 when my DC were the same ages as yours (or extremely similar). It was very easy for my first grader who devours books, and we read them all really fast...much faster than scheduled. AND they are easy books to just sit and read you really don't have to follow a schedule. That said my DC STILL love to have me read them...yes even the 9yo. They each have their fav. stories. I have the older version of SL when it was called core preK, so we have the treasury that has Tar Baby in it--I think I've read that story at least 3 times this past week! I think they just like hearing my accent...I do get into reading that story! It's so much fun.

 

If you went with the core K you'd have a lot more scheduled and it wouldn't be as easy to get it all in with a baby in tow.

[motherdear]

They are both wonderful curriculums! Let your children decide!

[Mom0012]

I used SL-K when my children were 4 and 6 and we really enjoyed it. Now, they were 4 and 6 when we started and both kids had birthdays soon after and we had already done SL pre-K and a lot of other reading prior to that. So, if your kids like listening to you read chapter books, then I would go for it. Otherwise SL Pre-K would be really enjoyable for those ages as well.

 

Lisa