what are you using for K/Grade 1? - Page 2

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by craft_media_hero

We are just finishing our 1st grade year.

For reading I made up everything, using word lists from online and from Phonics Pathways (which I DID NOT like but used the word families just to get my money's worth out of the book), also we used Little Bear and Frog and Toad Collections along with the Treadwell "Reading-Literature" Primer and First Reader. I am a big advocate of REALLY reading just books with maybe a little study boost here and there when you notice the kid not getting a word family or whatever. I recommend "Teach a Child to Read Using Children's Books" from the library as a good starting point.

a lot!

Can I ask what problem you had with PP?? I just bought it but we've done nothing with it.

[meetoo]

Originally Posted by Momma Aimee

Can I ask what problem you had with PP?? I just bought it but we've done nothing with it.

I would love to hear this too. I just checked it out of the library and my son loved it! His eyes lit up and he said "After I finish that book I can't read anything?" He made me start it with him :LOL. I had only check out that and the OPGTR (did not like) to check the books out before buying.

[staceyshoe]

Ds will be in first grade next year. He's a very advanced reader so we aren't doing a formal reading/phonics curriculum. Here's the plan:

Singapore & Miquon Math
First Language Lessons
Writing With Ease
Building Foundations for Scientific Understanding
(need to finish up Mr Q Life Science and will do units on weather and electricity)
Child's History of the World with picture book or early reader biographies
(I'll add some music appreciation to coincide with CHOW, but it will be very light)
Teaching Art to Children by Evan More
All About Spelling
LOTS of books!

If there's time, we'll add Song School Latin (he will be learning some Latin in his hs co-op), Logic Countdown, and some geography.

[dotnetdiva]

This was our first week doing "First Grade". Technically my daughter would start kindergarten this fall if she went to public school.

Reading: Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading - we will be finishing this up sometime in the next few months, she'll be at a 4th grade reading level. We did not like PP either btw, but they're all great programs. After this I imagine we'll go back to ETC workbooks and other independent reading.
Math: Right Start - this is so fun. Finishing up Level A and starting Level B this summer
Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears (Printing, 2nd grade book). She is starting to teach herself cursive and keyboarding, so I suppose we'll officially start those soon
Spelling: All-About-Spelling - Almost done with Level 2, and will start Level 3 mid-summer. We totally love this program!
Writing: Writing with Ease and since my daughter loves to write, we might start using Write Source K/1 this summer
Grammar: First Language Lessons - these lessons are so simple and easy, we are going to go faster through this
Science: Probably a mix of different curriculum, but following the framework of Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding
History: Story of the World 1 and Activity Guide
Art: Artistic Pursuits
Logic: Finishing up Lollipop Logic, will find another similar workbook. We play tons of fun logic games too (Rush Hour type)
Nature Study: Continuing with a very thorough study of birds, next it will be trees/plants probably

[theretohere]

Reading: Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading - We have just a couple of lessons left and then it'll just be independent reading.
Math: Singapore 1a/1b and Math Mammoth
Handwriting: We finished Cursive First and now just spot correct letter issues in other writing.
Spelling: Rod and Staff Spelling 2
Writing & Grammar: Rod and Staff's English 2- Preparing to Build
Science: Rod and Staff's science 2 and nature study
History: Story of the World 1 and Activity Guide
Art: Artistic Pursuits
French: Le Francais Facile Junior

My DD would be starting 1st grade in the fall at school. She's a very solid reader, likes math, but isn't a huge fan of writing right now. She's really enjoying French.
We're really happy with everything that we're using right now.

[limette]

Just bumping this up as we get closer to fall.

[scheelimama]

I have one K'er will be 6 in November and a 1st/2nd who just turned 7 in May but is slow in academics, so I combine them quite a bit. Here's what we're doing:

-Abeka Language arts/handwriting K an 1st grade, we're about 1/4th through both, I've tried lots of other LA programs and this one is just such a sound program and contrary to popular belief, it's not just all workbooks if you follow the teacher's guide. We do lots of chalkboard stuff, songs, poems, and oral exercises (i.e. jumping on the trampoline while reciting spelling words).

-Math-U-See and Horizons math, Alpha MUS for 1st/2nd grader, K Horizons for K'er

-The Prairie Primer - Little House on the Prairie unit studies - this will account for most of our science, geography and history

alternating with

-Sonlight Core K when we get bored with the Prairie Primer

And lots of playing.

[crunchy_mama]

Reading- I See Sam
Writing- HWOT printing book
Math- RS lvl A to start anyway
science- BFSU and nature study
history- Eggleston's First History of America w/ plenty of d' Aulaires biographies
religion- Faith and Life 1, Catholic Faith Comes to America, Children's Bible and Tomie de' Paola's Bible Stories
geography- Gallopping the Globe

Plenty of read alouds as well- currently enjoying Pippi Longstocking!

[meetoo]

I changed my mind.

I decided I don't want him doing 1st grade math even if he can. He is a young Ker I want him to have fun. We will do McRuffy Math and LA. I'm a little concerned that the LA is going to be a bit more "schooly" then I want, but we can always adjust. I think he will love McRuffy I can't wait.

[LuxPerpetua]

We aren't doing K for a year, but I've been looking a lot into different options. Some resources that I've liked:

For Literature and Nature Study, there seem to be some good books here: http://www.yesterdaysclassics.com/ca...log=literature. I like Kindergarten Gems, For the Children's Hour, Just So Stories, and Among the (Farmyard, Meadow, Forest) People nature study.

Enki also offers individual books, not just the package, and I am considering bits of their kindy package. http://www.enkieducation.org/html/cm...arten_pkgs.htm . These are pricey, though, so I may just piece together our own fairy tales and nature tales.

Ambleside Online

For handwriting practice: Handwriting Without Tears and/or Draw Write Now

I'm not sure we're going to start formal math in kindy or wait til 1st grade, but when we do it will definitely be RightStart Math

A Little Garden Flower's 1st grade syllabus for letter stories. http://shop.beaconmama.com/A-Journey...iculum-205.htm

[yippityskippity]

Math ~ For both girls (5 yo and 7 yo) we're mostly playing games: Busy Bug Collector (early add/sub concepts), Sum Swamp (add/sub), Dino Tracks (place value), Money Bags Game (coin counting). We also have the Right Start game set and plan to use card game ideas from education.com's activity finder. Supplementing with Math Mammoth as desired. I've been really influenced by the article, "Transitioning to Living Math."

Reading ~ 5 yo is continuing with BOB books and early readers. She's an eager reader and I teach her whatever phonics concepts come up in the books she picks. 7 yo will keep a reading log of the books she's read (this is VERY motivational for her). Thinking about adding "Ordinary Parents Guide..." to the mix.

Spelling ~ I'm still debating between Natural Speller and Spellwell A. Both girls LOVE "spelling bees" so we'll do lots of those.

History ~ read-alouds from the library. We all take turns picking. My picks are mostly picture books and bios related to early-American history, 7 yo DD likes Ancient China and 5 yo DD doesn't really care.

Science ~ 5 yo wants to learn the names of the constellations so I'm buying us a Star Theater 2 and a couple of books: Find the Constellations and Astronomy for All Ages.

7 yo is interested in chemistry so I'm getting her quite a few resources to keep her busy (Pure Slime; Fizz, Bubble and Flash; Molecular Model Set; Elements: the Ingredients of the Universe).

We'll also read / look at a few of the "One Small Square" books together (Pond, Backyard, Night Sky).

[KathleenSLP]

I just posted our Kindergarten plan on my blog today.

[dubatatamama]

Our K plan for fall is pretty simple. Read, play, and read some more along with focus as tolerated on the 3 R's.

Reading: DS is already a pretty fluent reader, so we will just make sure he has the basic phonics rules down by using Explode the Code workbooks and reading a ton!

Writing: HWOT and writing letters to family

Math: We will use various math workbooks and start a formal curriculum for 1st grade. He also loves this website: www.ixl.com for practice drills

For fun we will use a few different books for science experiments such as http://www.amazon.com/Janice-VanClea.../dp/0787989282 andhttp://www.amazon.com/Simple-Science...8206240&sr=1-1

Still working out a loose "schedule" so we will see how that goes

[hippy mum]

Oh, this is a nice thread Lots to look at.

For whatever reason, I have a ton of different h/s stuff from pk-some 2nd grade stuff. Family have sent us stuff, and I have the bad habit of if I see a cool school type thing I think the boys will like I get it-especially if it's on sale.

But, I'm also a bit scattered as far as planning out a curriculum. So, I'm looking at both Barbara Beers-The phonics road to reading and spelling, and the Calvert curriculum. And I'll just add to that as ds has an interest in something, or I feel something is lacking-might as well use all the stuff we've acquired.

I have the book list from Five in a Row and we read those and will prob incorporate the method they use in our days also.

Are you near any co oop or h/s groups? We joined one and the support is amazing. I think we will all form some friendships as well.

With babies on the way, I wouldn't stress too much. For me, I definitely would want an already planned out curriculum if I knew I'd have infants and be a tad more unfocused and sleep deprived I'm trying to figure out how to school a 5 and 3yr old.

[Rivka5]

Five in a Row
Miquon Math Orange & Red book, supplemented with a lot of games
Misc. easy readers, supplemented with Progressive Phonics as necessary
Discovery Streaming Spanish