First Grade Thread

[emilys_mom1]

Lets start a thread for first graders. I have a wonderful DD that turned 6 in May. I love homeschool as much as she does. I will edit and update what we are using.

[inky leeuhhh]

my dd turned six in december. we're using hwot, story of the world, singapore math, and assorted random other things. starting out slow with just reading/ writing and math with some history and science thrown in.

[Jennifer3141]

I've got two first graders! MY DD turned 6 in May too.

My DS is 5 so I'm kind of pushing him but having them do seperate subjects by one year wasn't working. We're doing K and 1st math, 1st history, 1st and 2nd science, and a ton of reading and writing togther so we're all over the map right now.

[elizawill]

my son is in first grade & 6, he'll be 7 in late march. we're going rather slow still, but that is best for his personality. our main focus is just the 3 r's, but we also do science and history 2x week (we don't have specific curriculum, but just use a spine and add to his interests). for math we us saxon, which has been a perfect fit for him, as it is a slower moving curriculum. for reading, we are using CLE learning to read. so far he likes it. for additional handwriting, i may incorporate startwrite later on (which we own already), but math and CLE seem to be enough for right now. i had thought about using WWE 1, but i decided to hold off and use that for grade 2 i think. he also has co-op bi-weekly where he takes evan moor science, story of the world, and music. for other activities he takes 4H (robotics), gymnastics, lego club, and horseback.

[Mama Rana]

I've got a 1stie!

DS turned 6 in April. He did Kindy at the PS last year, and it was fine, but we were both dreading the start of school this year [schedule, homework, busy work, etc], so here we are.

We're doing:
History: SOTW1 and lots of related RA books
Math: Singapore Math [starting with 1A, but mostly for review and to learn the "Singapore way"; I've already got 1B waiting in the wings],
Reading: Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading plus practice phonics readers from Modern Curriculum Press and other easy readers to spice things up.
Handwriting: we're going to do Getty-Dubay Italics, but first we're doing lots of gross motor and sensory activities to retrain his muscle memory. PS didn't do any HW instruction, but had them doing a lot of writing so he practiced bad habits all year.

I'm not doing anything specific for spelling [yet; I'm thinking AAS, but I'm going to wait until we're through with OPGTR], science, art, music, or PE. I also bought Rosetta Stone Spanish, but we haven't started it yet. He's signed up for swimming lessons, and I hope to do stuff with the co-op [but I'm negotiating the toddler's nap and DS1's speech therapy].

I'm trying to keep it fun, with lots of breaks [necessary anyway cuz of the baby], and lots of hands-on learning. But we have our moments. Oy.

[*Jessica*]

I have a first grader. Nikolai will be 7 in October. We're using:

Math: Math Mammoth, Knoble Knights of Knowledge, Afterwards: Folk and Fairy Tales with Mathematical Ever-Afters
Reading: Hooked on Phonics Advanced Reader - He is almost done with this. He's reading at approximately a late fourth grade level, so he'll move on to just reading good books.
Copywork/Narration: using selections from our history reading
Grammar: FLL
Spelling: AAS
History: SOTW2 + Activity Book
Science: R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey
Art: Discovering Great Artsists
Music: Classics for Kids, piano lessons
Latin: Song School Latin

I know it sounds like a LOT, but we had a talk yesterday and he doesn't want to drop anything. In fact, he asked to add painting lessons and some extra science in the form of chemistry experiments! I have a feeling his younger brother is going to be a very different child, though, so I'm going to just enjoy that he loves school.

[Aeress]

I have a first grader, dd will be 6 this month.

We are using:
Hand Writing Without Tears
Hands on Standards, Math
USBORNE Books for History
GEMS for Science
Ready Set Happy, Yoga, and Other
Many Other Resources as Needed
Reading (she picked out the BOB books)

Right now we are studying Egypt and doing Geometry. We are pretty relaxed about it, since DD will say "I don't want to," if she feels forced.

In general she loves science and anything related to learning about Dogs and most animals.

[emilys_mom1]

This is great ladies, thanks for joining in. I have a 19 month old, preschooler (4), first grader, and 3rd grader (8.5). My 3rd grade have some strong learning disabilites and is currently having testing done, so she is working at the first grade level with her sister. At least for now, that is making things easier for me.

Here is what we are using:

Saxon Math
Progressive Phonics and Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading
First Language Lessons
Writing with Ease
Hand Writing Without Tears
All About Spelling (I'm using this slowly to go along with all the phonic that we are learning)

For history and science we participate in a weekly co-op with 8-10 other familys. We have been together for the last 3 years. We attend the co-op and then do lots of other reading and activites at home.

We are using the American Girl Book series for history with the co-op. We read the books and then study that time period for 4-6 weeks. We are currently reading Kirsten and learning all kinds of fun things about the Pioneers. We do lots of activies with these as well. Last week we make braided pot holders, dipped candles, soap, made butter, and food preserving and drying. This is a great way to make history fun for my kids. We are in the process of making pioneer clothing this weekend. My girls just picked out the material last week. I'll post pic when we are finished. We started this last year and had so much fun. My girls could not wait for school to start back up for this group.

For science we are attending the co-op. It is nice to have one subject that my wonderful lady friends will be teaching. The are using the Super Charge Science kits for all the teaching. I'm also using out state standards (CA) to fill in with science to make sure we keep up with their grade levels.

I use a charter school for homeschooling so we also do PE daily. I track our attendence, aline our history and science to grade level standards, get the help of a teacher once a month, and get $1600 per child for curriculum, supplies, and lessons (art, music, dance, etc.).

[karemore]

We're starting first. We are very relaxed and frugal.

The last of DD's friends are starting K this fall so I've been focusing on our schedule of outside activities more than what we are going to cover in "class".

So far we have sunday school, gymnastics on mon, playgroup on tues, homeschool co-op field trips on wed, library storytime on thurs, and homeschool 4-H environment group every other friday. I still need to find a Daisy troop that will fit into our schedule.

I found a science experiment book I like at B&N, and I plan to use the Magic Schoolbus activity guides.

A friend gave me the Learn At Home 1st grade book which I really like. We have so many workbooks, books, and resources I don't even know where to start so I've been using the LAH book to keep us moving along.

DD has been at the same reading level for A YEAR. I'm sitting back pretending to be patient, but I am planning to start nudging her along this fall.

I'm excited. This is such a great age, old enough to do more and yet still young enough to appreciate everything.

[lmonter]

I'm not really sure where we are...
My oldest will be 7yo next month (so, that magical 1st grade age), but we're doing Sonlight's Core K this year. Plus a few things from their Science K that I feel like, plus other things like Handwriting without Tears, lots of math manipulatives [rather than workbooks, which this kid hates doing], and I'm debating between All About Spelling or Sequential Spelling, or just use the Hooked on Phonics that I've got in the basement. Sigh. I'm just all over the place.

[luvmy2girlz29]

My dd will be 7 next month. We are using Mammoth Math 1, FLL 1/2, WWE 1, OPGTR, AAS 1, SOTW 1 with the AG, ETC 2-4, and Lesson Pathways Science. I'm debating if we should start Latin or Spanish or do both. I'm also trying to do a composer & artist study. DD has a weekly singing class, tennis, and bi-weekly gymnastics for hs'ers. We also are very active with our homeschool groups. It sounds like a lot but we finish in a little under 2 hours everyday.

Korrie

[StormySar]

I have a first grader. We are classical educators, and I have our 'stuff' on my blog if you are interested for this year.

http://www.motherhoodnaturally.com/closelyspaced/?p=487

[ebethmom]

My dd loves first grade! She just dabbled with kindergarten. Now that we have a routine, she's ready to get to work every day. We're doing:

Five in a Row - I love the conversational learning that FIAR allows. We have just about every book from all four volumes, so dd gets to choose the books that look interesting. I have a few that I know she'll like set aside, too.

Singapore Math - Dd is working on 1A. Lots of repetition at this level!

Explode the Code - Book 1

Reading Eggs online phonics

Violin - Dd is working to get her 365 Consecutive Days of Practice certificate. So far she's 36 days in.

[broodymama]

DS1 just turned 6 and is in 1st grade. We're starting off the year slowly, adding in a subject or two a week to help us find our groove. (Well, we took last week off since grandma came to visit from the east coast. )

Math: MUS
Reading: Explode the Code, finishing up Headsprout
Copywork/Narration: Writing With Ease 1
Grammar: FLL
Spelling: AAS
History: History Odyssey Level 1 Ancients
Science: R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Earth & Space
Art: Artistic Pursuits (as soon as I can find the book)
karate

[emilys_mom1]

Originally Posted by StormySar

I have a first grader. We are classical educators, and I have our 'stuff' on my blog if you are interested for this year.

http://www.motherhoodnaturally.com/closelyspaced/?p=487

I love to read homeschooling blogs. I'll keep on eye on your for sure.

[zjande]

Originally Posted by StormySar

I have a first grader. We are classical educators, and I have our 'stuff' on my blog if you are interested for this year.

http://www.motherhoodnaturally.com/closelyspaced/?p=487

Way OT, & I don't even have a 1st grader. lol But OMG StormySar, I had never connected that that is your blog! I love that blog & have been reading for quite some time. Had no idea it was you all along. That's neat!

Anyway, back to the thread at hand. I'm back to lurking with my 4 year old.

[sbgrace]

Two first graders here. We're not on a traditional school year calendar and are year round schooling but our first grade curriculum will be:

1. Heart of Dakota Beyond Little Hearts
2. Phonics Road to Reading and Spelling I
3. RightStart Math B
4. Core Knowledge Curriculum Art and Music and using select ideas from other areas as well.
5. Salsa Spanish
6. Karyn Henley 1st grade bible curriculum
7. I may do Science Excursions again for additional science, I may use the Core Knowledge Curriculum to supplement, or I may just stick with HOD for 1st grade science. I'm not sure at this point.

I think that's it. All of the choices are things we're currently using or "next steps" of current choices except Phonics Road so I know what we're doing in those areas will fit us. We did a phonogram method of reading instruction and I've learned enough about the PR program though that I believe it will also work well for us.

[elizawill]

Originally Posted by ebethmom

Five in a Row - I love the conversational learning that FIAR allows. We have just about every book from all four volumes, so dd gets to choose the books that look interesting. I have a few that I know she'll like set aside, too.

i may incorporate this! i always forget it about it honestly, and it's crazy because i already own the TM & all fo the books for volume 1. my kids are out of town all week with my husband (first time i've been alone in years!) so i may focus on pulling FIAR out & looking through it so we can use it. my kids would enjoy it for sure

[earthmama369]

DD is 5; she'll turn 6 at the end of November, which puts her in first grade by our district's standards. A couple towns over, and she'd be in K. *lol* Connecticut's an odd state that way.

We're on the eclectic unschooling end of the spectrum. This semester each kiddo picked out one activity to sign up for, and dd chose piano. She's going to take group lessons with three other homeschoolers about her age at the same music school I went to as a kid. She took individual lessons last spring and loved her teacher so much, she's been begging to go back. As a family, we're also doing a homeschool swim at the Y once a week and some playgroups and library activities.

At home, we're still doing a lot of playtime, but dd has been pushing for some specific activities. She's informed me that she's a "mathematics and science girl" and woke me up at 6am the other day to write up a sheet of addition and subtraction drills for her. *rofl* She's been touching on multiplication concepts for the past year and we're just letting that one develop on its own and answering her questions when she has them. We have some science kits to play with, so she's been learning about pipettes, spring-weight scales, thermometers, and all that good stuff. I'm encouraging reading skills this semester. She's got a decent grasp on phonetics, but she's still a little shaky on identifying some of the lowercase letters and she doesn't have a lot of confidence with trying to read. We've been playing off-the-cuff spelling games and giving her reasons to write (two-sentence letters to her friends and family, artist trading cards), and just reading a ton of We Both Read and Easy Reader type books from the library. I think we're going to see a lot of crafting this semester, too. She's just picked up sewing and wants me to teach her how to make a punch needle rug. I hope it's easy! I've never done one before!

[Mere]

How interesting to hear what everyone is doing! After reading through others' responses I think we're a bit more on the "loose" side of homeschooling, but it's working for us. I want to keep the whole educational process positive and not a chore, which means I have to keep things short. I've found that he absorbs a lot quickly and effectively, but I only have about 10-15 minutes and then the proverbial window is closed!

In the AM when he first wakes up, he does 1 page of his Handwriting without Tears workbook and 2 pages of math (Calvert). That fits nicely within the 10-15 minute time frame that I have to work with.

Usually after dinner or before bed we do some reading. We finished the 'Teach your child to read in 100 Easy Lessons' book last spring, so now we're just doing easy reader books from the library.

That's it for formal, sit-down schoolwork.

Otherwise, we read books about various topics, he collects rocks, he does a lot of art with my very artistic babysitter, he is part of a weekly Waldorf crafting group...he runs around outside a lot...I don't know. It's not all formal and scheduled, but it's working well for us .