Kindy 2012-2013 Thread?

[revolting]

I wanted to know if anyone wanted to have a thread to chat about our kindergarten (5-6 year old) students? I thought many of us would be planning the upcoming year and maybe would want to chat? So, are you using a curriculum this year? If so, which ones? Where is your kid at right now, and what are your goals for this year? Looking forward to meeting you all!

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Well we are going to be homeschooling this fall. It was not initially the plan but was always a possibility. Ds will still be going to his co-op school some days (it's mixed ages 2-6 so basically pre school up to kinder but totally play based).

I haven't really planned anything yet. We are going to be very kid led/unschooly.

He did get Life of Fred: Apples for his birthday last week.

[onyxravnos]

We are offically kindy this year.   Using a mix/match of kindy and first materials for this years curriculum. 

Oak meadow 1st as the main spine for the 5 yr old with sonlights secular kindy reading list. 

Little Acorn Learning for the near 3 year old and sonlights p3/p4 secular list.

Plus a bunch of other awesome looking things I bought out of homeschool catalogs. 

[Shelsi]

Dd just turned 5 a few weeks ago and we'll be doing kindy this year. 

We're using The Writing Road to Reading mixed with The Logic of English materials for reading.  The Logic of English Cursive handwriting curriculum for writing. 

For history & geography we follow the BCP lessons (Baltimore Curriculum Project, free lesson plans following the Core Knowledge Sequence)

Science is Building Foundations in Scientific Understanding & we're also doing "beach science" this year since we're moving to the coast in a few weeks.  We're going to go to the beach 1-2 times a week and explore our questions as they come up (why are there waves, why is the water salty, why is the water green since we'll be on the Emerald Coast, where did the sand come from, etc).  I figure it's a great way to do some hands on science and an even better excuse to go to the beach   I also thought we could practice our handwriting in the sand.

Math is Math U See Primer

Art will be Mark Kistler's online series.  Also we're going to study famous works and their style and then do one at home using a similar style. 

Much of it will be shared learning with my 3rd grade ds.  We'll use WRTR for spelling for him, BFSU for science, he's learning cursive this year with dd, and he'll do art with dd as well. 
 

[katt]

We're doing Kindy through an ALE with a district near us.  :)

Our official curriculums are:
Math U See

- goals for math: more general number understanding, more addition and subtraction, Telling time on an analog, and counting money  (starting out with Primer, but might move to Alpha depending on DS's progress)

Explode the Code for reading

-become a stronger and more confidant reader.  Improve handwriting.

We'll also be exploring his other interests, like Science, Geography, Animals, Space etc...  and tying them into Reading/Wrighting and Math

He thinks a lot of worksheets/workbooks are boring.  So he doesn't do them.  Since he doesn't do them his handwrighting and whatnot aren't as good as they could be and it's harder for him to do the more advanced things cause his handwriting isn't there yet.  

[onyxravnos]

Originally Posted by katt 

He thinks a lot of worksheets/workbooks are boring.  So he doesn't do them.  Since he doesn't do them his handwrighting and whatnot aren't as good as they could be and it's harder for him to do the more advanced things cause his handwriting isn't there yet.  

Have you looked at handwriting without tears ? I swear by it for kids who don't like to write and especially for boys.

[revolting]

Originally Posted by katt 

We're doing Kindy through an ALE with a district near us.  :)

Our official curriculums are:
Math U See

- goals for math: more general number understanding, more addition and subtraction, Telling time on an analog, and counting money  (starting out with Primer, but might move to Alpha depending on DS's progress)

Explode the Code for reading

-become a stronger and more confidant reader.  Improve handwriting.

We'll also be exploring his other interests, like Science, Geography, Animals, Space etc...  and tying them into Reading/Wrighting and Math

He thinks a lot of worksheets/workbooks are boring.  So he doesn't do them.  Since he doesn't do them his handwrighting and whatnot aren't as good as they could be and it's harder for him to do the more advanced things cause his handwriting isn't there yet.  

I'd love more thoughts on handwriting. My daughter is very precocious with her ability to read and do mental math, but her fine motor skills make worksheets, etc.. not much fun for her. She still doesn't hold a pencil correctly. I'd love ideas about how to choose curriculum for a highly asynchronous kid. It seems like most of the math and reading material at her level requires much better handwriting than she has. (She reads at roughly at roughly a 4th grade reading level and can do math at roughly a 2nd as long as she does it in her head.) I'm not convinced, though, that a handwriting curriculum is appropriate for her, given that she cannot hold a pencil correctly (even if I show her; even if I place her fingers in the correct places, she can't keep her fingers there). I'm tempted to have another non-academic year for kindergarten, but I'm moving to an area where I'm not so sure about the homeschooling community, and I'd like her to easily be able to integrate into a first grade class room if homeschooling kindy does not turn out well. I know at the school she'd attend, it's an academic kindergarten where they teach handwriting...so, I feel kind of torn about what to do. Any thoughts?

[Mittsy]

DS is officially a Kindergartener this year! We're just using LAL, Preschool Activities in a Bag, and following his interests this year.

[onyxravnos]

Handwriting as it's done in most PS kindy isn't really developmentally appropriate.

You could start with form drawing with bees wax crayons.   http://www.christopherushomeschool.com/Form-Drawing-For-Beginners-p/chr0007.htm

It is generally used for 1st graders but can work with the right kindergartner. Good thick beeswax block crayons and stick crayons are great for kindy and don't require 'proper hold' but still get the job done.

handwriting without tears http://www.hwtears.com/hwt uses a lot of non writing based practice before they ever use a pencil to write the letter.

[Tjej]

revolting - you could get a pencil grip teaching thingie.  I scooped one up at our local cirriculum fair.  My DD has fought me on how to hold a pencil, and this seems to take the issue out of it.  She doesn't really like it, but hasn't used it much since it's been summer since I got it.

My Ker is joining for most with my 1st grader (he did last year too).  This year we're going to do Story of the World, Volume 1 (Ancients), BFSU (Shelsi, I'm on a pinterest board with ideas for that if you are interested), Sonlight core B, and a smattering of other things.  I have Nature Study and Memory time planned in, we'll see how that goes.  I'm really excited about the materials - lots of stuff that seems like it will work well with my kids' interests (and mine).

[OkiMom]

My oldest is 5 1/2 (don't forget the 1/2, shes started with the "Im not JUST 5 mom" recently!) so she would be in Kindergarten at the local school if she was going.. What I have planned:

Reading: How to Teach you Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, then Happy Phonics for reinforcement after we are done with 100 Easy Lessons

Writing: A Reason For Handwriting Kindergarten and copywork from the scriptures (both her choosing by the way) also Draw Write Now to break up the monotomy of the other two

Math- Math U See Primer and probably Alpha. She knows a lot of basic math and can do some add/subtracting already

Social Studies- A journey around the world (put together from a ton of different sources)

Music (2 days per week)- Little Mozarts

Science (2 days per week)- alternating between A World God Made and the Christians Nature Library Kindergarten book, also tons of experiments

Art-(1 set lesson then a project a day.. She is always wanting to do an art project) Pieced together from around the web and books I have

Scriptures: New Testament, a combo of reading the scriptures aloud and the lesson manual our church publishes..

Sounds like a lot but I calculated it will probably take about 2 hours per day, 30 minutes/4 times per day.. Ill probably do some read aloud as well since the kids are ALWAYS asking me to read to them. We are starting next week since Im due with the 4th in October and want to get a head start.

[OkiMom]

For handwriting try something that isn't really handwriting.. Mine loves to draw so I used that instead to work on her fine motor skills. She is just now interested in learning more and has mastered her name (by me just writing it out and her trying it after me).. She draws really well though and that helped her with her fine motor skills.

[revolting]

My five year old writes a lot, it's just not very legible due to her poor fine motor skills (and the unusual way she's taught herself to do it). I do sometimes worry that by the time her fine motor skills are there, it'll be hard to teach her to print in a different way than she's been doing for a few years.
 

[seaheroine]

DD is going to be five in December, and she's been really interested in reading for awhile, so we're going to start "K" and see how it goes.

We've been using Explode the Code, HWT and BOB books for most of the year already...she's definitely picking up on phonics pretty quick, and her all-capital writing is pretty good.  We've done some FIAR and Caldecotts Across the Curriculum. 

In the fall, I'm going to start using BFSU too, alongside REAL Science Odyssey Life.  I have Right Start Math 1, too, we'll see how it all works out.  Usually we end up working on school stuff for a half hour or so, and she's had enough for the day -- ready to go outside!

Lots of reading and art, too, and science books.

[3littlelambs]

My DD won't be 5 until November, so if she were in school, she'd be in Pre-K, but she is reading, interested in writing and does skip counting on her own, so I suppose she is already at the "K" level if she were tested. I am planning a very relaxed year as I've got a 3 yo boy as well who won't be going to preschool. We will have a mix of "pre-K/Kindy" moving into more of the Kindy kinds of things in the 2nd half of the year b/c I need to wait until after tax time to buy anything else :)

my plan:

reading: BOB books, happy phonics games, read-alouds from the Sonlight P 3/4 list and FIAR that are available at the library, listen to books on cd in the car

Math: activities/games from "Family Math" 

Writing: Handwriting w/o tears Pre-K, moving onto K 2nd half of the year--we just do these when she initiates it. we have the magnetic board, wooden letters, cd, etc we play w/ too.

Bible: we will follow this website's schedule for stories and memory verses. I pick up kids' bible songs cds from the library: http://www.abcjesuslovesme.com/4-year-old-curriculum/curriculum-lists/2-4-year-character-trait-a-bible-story

science-books from the library about seasons, etc..following my kids' interests

lots of baking/cooking in the kitchen w/ me, picking seasonal fruits

[Heidi74]

Older DS just turned five a few weeks ago, and this will be his Kindergarten year. We are doing Sonlight's P 4/5 for Bible, Read-Alouds and Science, and are adding in some titles from P 3/4 for 3-year-old DS. (We did P 3/4 last year.) We are using some of Sonlight's first grade readers as well as some easy reader books from the library. For phonics/word study, I plan to use "Word Matters--" a book from my classroom teaching days. We did HWT Pre-K last year, but this year we have switched to "A Reason For Handwriting K." Not that I wasn't happy with HWT...I just prefer ARFH's letter formation. As for other writing, we'll just seize the opportunities as they come--thank you cards, shopping lists, signs, etc...just have fun with writing. He is also doing Singapore Math 1A. We didn't do formal math last year, but he knows all the concepts in their Earlybird books. If first grade math becomes too challenging, we'll slow down.

Oh, and since we're a bilingual family, I'm also adding in lots of Norwegian books and music. Plus, DH reads to the kids in German for 10-15 minutes in the evenings (we just finished a 3 month stay in Germany, and they got really interested in the language), so I guess that's officially our foreign language. They also watch the Little Pim German DVDs from time to time. I know, three languages sounds like a lot, but the German is mainly a fun introduction at this point. We have raised them bilingually (English/Norwegian) from birth, and those are the main languages we focus on.

Otherwise, we'll play, play, play, and do lots of fun stuff. I don't plan to hit each subject every day.

Edited by Heidi74 - 8/12/12 at 5:37am

[faiths13]

My ds3 is going into K this year! He actually starts on Thursday! We are trying our hand at K12. Im pretty nervous! I hope it goes well!

[2mama]

DD # 2 would be in kindy this year.

We are doing Story of the World book 4

We are 1/2 way through teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons

singapore math 1b (1/4 of the way done)

First Language lessons (well trained mind)

Map skills for today grade 3

science ~ So far we "just" have been reading a ton of books about birds, animals, rocks and minerals and doing experiments and talking walks.  Each child has a nature collection

Art ~ sketch of the day ( I give them a vague topic and they draw)

Literature ~ The voyages of Dr. Dolittle, The Jungle book, Pippy Longstocking, Charlottes Web, and more

Swim and Gym class 2 hours a week a the jewish community center

Oh and she listens in on her siblings work and chimes in as well.  (She is lovin' the hobbit:))

[revolting]

Has anyone else not told extended family yet about their plans to homeschool this year? I know mine will be unsupportive, so I keep putting it off, but school would start soon...

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Originally Posted by revolting 

Has anyone else not told extended family yet about their plans to homeschool this year? I know mine will be unsupportive, so I keep putting it off, but school would start soon...

You know I don't know whether we have told dp's parents. We kind of fell into homeschooling this year, ds was signed up to go to a really awesome co-op private school but I haven't been able to find a job do he is staying home (and part time at his play based 'pre' school).

We haven't seen dp's folks since December although we are going camping with them for a week at the end of the month.

My mom knows and her only 'concern' is to make sure I get some alone time to ensure harmony.

Dp's SIL is a second grade teacher, but I just finished school with a degree in elementary and special Ed so it's not like she can argue that I don't know what I am doing (*I* don't think you need special training to homeschool but it is at least something I won't have to personally argue with anyone about)

We dont know what the future holds for us or what might happen next year which makes it a little more tricky to figure out how to talk about it with other people. A lot of 'this is what is working for us right now' and stuff.

Ds just turned 5 a week ago and now it's all 'oh are you excited for kindergarten?!?!' from everyone we run into.