We started our first day back to school this week. Wow. Talk about grumbling and complaining coming out of my mouth Little Briches' mouth! I think I need to make Phillipians 2:14 into a giant poster for our classroom! LOL!
"Do everything without complaining and arguing" Phillipians 2:14 (New Living Translation)
The kicker is that we haven't even started our main curriculum yet! We are just getting into the routine slowly with lots of oral review and worksheets...mixed with games and play--what IS he going to do when we start our big stuff next week? LOL!
So what IS our curriculum this year going to be?
Well after much worry and craziness and research, I prayed and let God guide us in our decision...and we decided on the following:
Little Britches (6 1/2)~ First Grade
Bible~
* We are going to continue in our scripture memorization following our pattern of last year--however our new curriculum includes weekly verses too. So we MAY attempt more than one a week...but we will start with just one.
* We are also going to continue going through the Bible Lessons packets like we did earlier this year. Our next packet is on Noah.
Language Arts~
We used MFW Kindergarten last year and we loved it! It was a great intro into homeschooling and after talking with friends who used the 1st grade program, we decided to go with it this year. I am concerned that the increased amount of reading and writing might frustrate Little Britches at first, but I've promised myself that I will take as long as we need to finish without rushing! This is the year I really want his reading to take off! As it is right now, he doesn't have enough self-confidence to pick up a random book and start reading. Usually I get "Nah, that's okay. I don't want to read it right now." if I tell him I have a library book for his level...what he's usually saying is "Mommy, I don't want to read it, because I think I'm going to forget letter sounds and words and it will take me too long to get through it and then you'll be mad at me."
Of course I wouldn't...but I understand his fear, so this year we are going to work on conquering it!
Oral Reading~
*When we were Young/Now we are Six
*McGuffey's Primer and First Grade Reader
I am going to have him use the poetry in "When we were Young" to help him with his reading because they are short passages with simple words. I am also going to use the McGuffey readers for the same purpose. I'm hoping that if we do it every day, it's going to help build his confidence.
Math~
Math program included with the MFW-1st grade curriculum
We started this and he really likes them because they are short and easy and he can figure them out pretty quickly. I slip the pages from this into my new Dry Erase portfolio pages I bought. (more on those later)
*Pattern Blocks and Puzzles
This is actually part of the MFW curriculum and I know Little Britches will enjoy these. He loved using the Cuiseniaire Rods last year.
Science~
*Usborne Books: Science with Plants; Science with Water; Things Outdoors
These are all part of the MFW curriculum so will be done weekly. I am really looking forward to having Science worked into our weekly schedule. Little Britches has an affinity for it!
*Science Kits/Chemistry
We were given these Science kits by family and friends. Pit Stop is all about cars and racing and the Music kit builds musical instruments. The Chemistry book is a very elementary (K-3rd) level book with weekly assignments and labs. These are all going to really help make Science awesome this year!
History~
Geography~
I have read reviews on this and decided it would be a great starting point for us. We already have studied some geography through FIAR, but this will help reinforce what we already know and help with vocabulary. We started using it this first week and Little Britches has loved all the lessons so far.
*Maps: United States workbook
*Maps: World workbook
PE~
We live on a farm, so PE will be running, jumping, playing, biking all over the place! During the winter we will go sledding and have snowfall fights. We WILL be focusing on various skills (cartwheels, handstands, standing jump, etc) too.
Music~
*Piano Lessons
I teach piano lessons and Little Britches has already started his. We did give him a break with our crazy summer schedule, but this week he's back to the piano bench.
*Music Appreciation
I have a very nice worksheet I picked up during a homeschool blog series that starts training children to LISTEN to classical music. I am excited about this and can't wait to start it up. It will be a once a week lesson. Probably on Fridays.
And some extras as they fit in...
Five In A Row (FIAR) is a wonderful literature program and we enjoyed the books we did last year. I'm hoping to work some more in this year as they fit. Especially with our Geography studies...thanks to my wonderful friend Michelle at Delightful Learning for passing Volume 2 my direction!
FLL is an exciting book to have and I am really hoping to make it a part of our program. Even if just little bits at a time. The Scholastic book is a great thick workbook I bought at COSTCO. I used the Kindergarten one as supplemental worksheets and it's GREAT for focus review. I already have the 2nd grade and 3rd grade ones stashed!
I also have a flash drive packed full of various mini lessons for more if I would ever possibly need it...LOL! And we have some chapter books we are planning on doing this year too (Mouse and the Motorcycle series, The Borrowers, The Boxcar Children, etc)
Baby Britches (24 months)~ Tot School
I plan on using materials from 1+1+1=1, Confessions of a Homeschooler and several other blogs for my adventures teaching Baby Britches. We've already started working on sorting and colors. I have the handicap in that he doesn't talk yet, so I really have to work on the concepts to he can point, grab, sort, etc at this point. But he understands everything and after two days, I'm already seeing him pick up on things. I have wood puzzles, flashcards, touch and feel books, and all sorts of random things that we will be using.
I plan on using materials from 1+1+1=1, Confessions of a Homeschooler and several other blogs for my adventures teaching Baby Britches. We've already started working on sorting and colors. I have the handicap in that he doesn't talk yet, so I really have to work on the concepts to he can point, grab, sort, etc at this point. But he understands everything and after two days, I'm already seeing him pick up on things. I have wood puzzles, flashcards, touch and feel books, and all sorts of random things that we will be using.
I think it's going to be a great year! I'm hopeful to get a weekly post up now that we are back in the swing of things...we took a great pre-school field trip this past weekend I'm going to blog about too.
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