5/18/2011

Curriculum for K and 1st - Looking toward 2nd

Curriculum for Emilia's K year:

Science:  Sonlight A - Kindergarten Although this isn't exactly what we did (because I bought it used a couple years ago), it's similar. (We really enjoyed this - the DVD was super fun!)

Read Alouds/History/Geography:  Sonlight K (Enjoyed this as well, but wanted a more chronological approach to history for the future)

Reading:  Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons (Great book!  However, we transitioned to easy readers with more pictures around lesson 70 or so - which seems to be pretty common the more I hear about this book.)

Math:  Horizons K (Liked it - colorful workbook pages - didn't use the teacher's manual.)


Curriculum for Emilia's 1st Grade year:

Science:  Sonlight 1st grade (Enjoyed it once again, but want to try something different for 2nd grade.)

Read Alouds:  I looked on Sonlight's list and checked some of those books out of the library instead of buying them.  Emilia also reads well, so I'd have her read some to me.

History:  Story of the World: Ancient Times by Susan Wise Bauer (Chronological, but not based on a Christian Worldview.  I also found some things to be inaccurate that were stated as fact.  It was a pretty good study, but not good enough to do again.)

Geography:  United States Coloring Book by Winky Adam (fun and easy).  The Story of the World also had mapping activities in the workbook.

Art:  Come Look With Me Books - Animals in Art and World of Play (Pretty neat, easy way to introduce art to kids.)

Music:  Stories of the Great Composers for El. Students (We enjoyed this book.  Tells a fictional story based on fact and then has music for each composer.  Comes with the CD.) 

Math:  Horizons 1  (Still like it - she learns well with workbooks.)

Unit Studies:  Amanda Bennett Unit Studies: Magnificent Moon and Davy Crockett (Great!  Wrote a post  about those.)

We were involved in a small homeschool group this year that had holiday parties, field trips, and get-togethers.  That was a lot of fun for both the moms and kids!

Jonny joined in when we did history and sometimes for the read alouds.  In February of Emilia's 1st grade year, Jonny wanted his own math book and wanted to learn to read.  So, I bought him Horizons Math K and he started Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  Grama Robin also came over on Tuesdays (when Emilia had dance class) to teach Jonny to read.  He'll officially start K in the Fall of 2011.

Edited on Jan. 6, 2012 

For Jonny's K year he has continued through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons as well as working through Horizons K Math books 1 and 2.  He also joins with Emilia in Apologia Anatomy Science (although it's a little advanced for a Kindergartener) and occasionally in her History book.  He'll listen in on the read-aloud books occasionally as well.  I also added in a couple Handwriting Without Tears books. 

For Matthew - Although he isn't officially in any "grade" (he'll be 4 in Feb.), he really enjoys "doing school" as well.  The first part of the year I had him rainbow tracing numbers - something like this.  I'll have him work on his letters - rainbow tracing or putting letter blocks, papers, or magnets in alphabetical order.  We've also been making crafty animal letters from this book and working on saying each letter and its sound.  He has his own 3 ring binder with all of his animal letters in it. 

Curriculum for Emilia's Second Grade Year:

Science:  We're going to try Apologia Anatomy based on a recommendation.

History (which incorporates Geography):  We're going to try The Mystery of History.

Read Alouds:  Still going to get the list from Sonlight and check the books out of the library.

Art and Music:  I have websites online that I'm going to use.

Unit Studies (which incorporate Geography):  Either free or Amanda Bennett's Download 'N Go Unit Studies

Math:  Horizons 2 (She's already started the workbook.)

Edited on Jan. 6, 2012 

Spelling: I realized that although she can read well, she couldn't spell very well, so we've slowly been working through Horizons Spelling and Vocabulary 1.

Language Arts: I also wanted her to have some sort of grammar/language practice.  When I was at our local homeschool used book sale, I picked up Language Lessons for the Elementary Child not knowing much about it except what I saw on the cover (mentioned "informal" and "Charlotte Mason" which both caught my attention - just what I was looking for!).  I have been very pleased with this book.  We do as much or as little per day as we choose.  It's been a great tool for recognizing/studying art, poetry, copywork, grammar and more.  I'd like to purchase more of these books in the future.

8 comments:

Darcy said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

WE USE very similar curriculum!

Heidi said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Awesome! Great minds think alike! :)

playoutside said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Heidi -
What did you end up thinking about Mystery of History? (Did you use it for 2nd grade after all?) I have looked at their site and was wondering how CM-friendly it is as opposed to being in the classical vein... is it tweakable or not so much? What age would you say it's ideal for?

Heidi said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Playoutside: We did use MOH and really liked it! We only got through half of the text as it is rather long for a 2nd grader, but she loved when we would read it. We took a break half way through to do some American History - just reading the books (from the library) from the Beautiful Feet American History Primary book list. Those are very CM friendly - living books. The MOH is also very CM friendly. She tells you the story and you can definitely hear how excited she gets about history. It is very tweakable - there are activities you can do or not. I would say that it's great for a 2nd grader who loves to listen to anything, but probably best for 3rd or 4th. It can be used with any age as it's interesting, but it was over my Kindergartener's head - he also isn't that into listening to stories, so... :) Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other Q's.

Danielle Lowden said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

just curious what you found to be inaccurate with SOTW. We just finished Ancient History and are beginning the next book (Medieval) with my daughter's 2nd grade year. I have to say, it is a very DRY book to some extent, but my daughter really likes it and likes the map work. We are incorporating a different coloring book for the next school year. Some of the coloring pages, at times, were not of any interest to her. If the inaccuracies you found were substantial, then I'd like to know. Thanks!!!

Heidi said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Hi Danielle! Here's a post that I wrote about The Story of the World. http://dearlylovedmist.blogspot.com/2011/06/history-curriculum.html
Although I only cite one error in this post, I do believe there were a couple, but I can't remember specifically. Hope that helps some.
I've been much more happy with MOH, but that's my opinion. I know of many families who use SOTW and love it. :)

Sanz said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

I am considering The Mystery of History for next year. I did one lesson with my 1st grader this year and decided to not do it for now. Did you end up using it and what did you think?

Sanz said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Oh, never mind. I should have read the comments first. :)

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