1st grade

[curlie]

What are you doing/have you done for 1st grade?

Thanks in advance!

[muffinmom]

See my siggy line. Feel free to ask questions. I've been really pleased with those choices this year. We've had a good and productive year.

[tinkgumby]

We are doing Sonlight Core 1 (modified - mostly I ignore the IG and just use the books). We are also doing:

- First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind
- Writing with Excellence
- Story of the World 1
- All About Spelling
- Rod and Staff handwriting
- Story of the Orchestra
- Usborne Intro to Art
- SRA Real Math 1
- lots of different science things (we are currently in love with DK One Million Things)

We're having lots of fun with this curriculum. (:

[amsunshine]

So far, this is our plan for next year:

FLL 2
WWE 1
ETC 6, 7 and 8
Elson Readers, Book 2
Poetry Memorization occasionally
Singapore 1B, IP 1B, CWP 1 and (maybe) 2A
Mosaic History/SOTW 1 (2nd half)
MPH Science Diversity, Cycles and (maybe) Systems
Sonlight Discover & Do DVD 1 & experiments
Ecoutez, Parlez 3 & 4 (no written work yet)
Pianimals
Themes to Remember
Ballet & swim classes
Lots of read alouds, trips to the library, museums, etc, etc!

[Mama Anna]

You can check my sig for the curr. We aren't planning to cover all of SOTW 1 and so have been taking it slowly. MUS Alpha has been . . . interesting - we might be able to get back to it next week after 3 months of working on the facts alone. And dd has added ballet lessons (I love grandmothers!!) lately.

Have fun!

Mama Anna

[KrissiK]

We will be doing A Beka Math and Phonics/LA. I'm still up in the air with History - one week I'm doing SOTW 1, the next week I'm doing BJU Heritage Studies. I love the format of SOTW 1, but I'm also really wanting my kids to get a strong foundation with US History. So, my sort of plan is to do 1-3rd grades with US History, 4-7th grades with one round of the History of the World, using either SOTW or MoH and then 8th grade doing one more year of US History/Government. The plan is to send the kids to a Christian High School. (sorry, long explanation on my rationale for History) But, my plans could change tomorrow. It's only April. Science will be the way TWTM recommends. Bible - I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants. I've got a children's Bible and will be reading through it, starting in Genesis and then doing the old narration/pictures/activity thing. We'll see how that works. I can't afford to buy more curriculum.

[Alice]

See my siggy line. Feel free to ask questions. I've been really pleased with those choices this year. We've had a good and productive year.

Can you elaborate on how you used BFSU? I'm interested in using it for next year but can't decide. Science is the last thing I have to figure out and I just keep going back and forth between different thoughts. I have the BFSU book and have read it so I'm familiar with it.

[SnowWhite]

Last year, my then first grade ds did:

MCP Math (we now know we prefer BJU Math)
WinterPromise Animals and Their Worlds
WinterPromise LA1
God Made Music 1
I Can Do All Things Art (this was not a hit)

[Wendy in ME]

In a move toward keeping everything as simple as possible, our plan for next year is My Father's World 1st with Singapore Math US edition 1A and B. We may continue with Phonics Pathways. He likes this and it only takes 15 minutes.

[King Alfred Academy]

Have done...(last year)

Math-Saxon 1...switched to Right Start Level B
Science-Christian Kids Explore Biology...switched to doing our own thing
Grammar-FLL...switched to Growing With Grammar
Spelling...Spelling Workout A...switched to All About Spelling
History...SOTW Ancients
Reading/Reading comprehension....Veritas Press First Favorites vol. 1...we stopped doing these and phonics because he was at a 3/4th grade reading level.

Yep...I switched things around quite a bit. He is the first child to homeschool so I was trying to figure out curricula that fit his learning style. I did! :001_smile:

Will do (next year...with another son)

Math-Right Start Level B to C
Science-our own thing
Grammar-Growing with Grammar
Spelling-not sure if I am going to do this with him yet, but if I do, it will be All About Spelling
History-American History...putting together my own thing from various resources
Phonics-continue with Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading and ETC
Writing-Writing With Ease Level 1

[dragons in the flower bed]

I'm not sure what my rising first grader will be doing, except Rosetta Stone Latin and math flashcard games (like Math-It). It will likely involve piano lessons and independent reading and writing.

In first grade, my now 8yo did:

Math
Time4Learning

English
Handwriting Without Tears Printing Power
leveled (from the AR lists) independent reading

Religion
The Young Peacemakers Project Book by Kathleen Fry-Miller

everything else
I used picture books to teach the science, geography and history topics in What Your First Grader Needs to Know. The kiddo took classes at our local art museum and participated in a Kindermusik program.

[laylamcb]

This year we stuck to:

AO Year 1 reading: This was--in a word--awesome.
R&S math 1: We just switched to RS B/Singapore 1 to finish the year.
Phonics Pathways/Reading Pathways: Love it.
New American Cursive/Cursive Copybook
SOTW 1: Huge hit, along with Greek Myths/Roman Myths/Norse Myths, Black Ships, Wanderings, Theras and His Town.

Things that came and went or come and go or get done whenever:
Drawing lessons
American Girl book club
Worship dance class
memory work
FLL
WWE

ETA: I should have mentioned that we've had two constants from year to year: The Bible and Pilgrim's Progress. We read Vos' Child's Story Bible every single night; starting next year we'll begin the Westminster Shorter Catechism--along with Training Hearts, Teaching Minds--and the actual Bible. So far we've read Little Pilgrim's Progress once a year for the last three years. Next year we'll be reading The Real Deal over AO Years 2 and 3. Where's the nail-biting smiley??

[suzf242]

We are doing:

AO Year 1 readings/narrations (also agree it is awesome)
Rod and Staff Math 1/2 (finished 1st, started 2nd)
Rod and Staff Reading 1/2 (finished 1st, started 2nd)
Copywork from the Bible for printing practice and spelling
Learning cursive -- no program, just writing letters in a notebook everyday
Handicrafts, nature study, music, other extras, etc., -- informally, as we can fit them in

Have fun next year!

Suzanne

[Melinda]

Here is what I am planning for my child who will be in 1st grade in the fall:

Math
Singapore 3A/3B
Right Start C
Timez Attack
time4learning.com
mindbender book from Critical Thinking (1 puzzle/day)
lots of games (uno, chess, euchre, etc)

Language Arts
Reading Lessons
Pathway Readers (books and workbooks) in conjunction with
McGuffey Readers (1830s edition) followed by
Elson Readers on each level before moving to the next.
Writing
Writing With Ease 2 and possibly 3
Grammar
FLL 2 and possibly 3
Spelling
AAS 3 and possibly 4
General L.A.
time4learning.com
Read Alouds
Combination of:
amblesideonline.com reading list for years 0/1
FIAR 1
Sonlight's reading list
Lang's color fairy books
and many others (haven't finished making up my list yet)

Science
NOEO Biology I and possibly Chem I (if we like bio I)
Pulling from:
Classic Life Science (free at eequalsmcq.com)
Otter's Science (free at ourlosbanos.com)
Brainpop.com
United Streaming

Social Studies
History
SOTW I
Geography
National Geographic's Cartography I
Where do I live?
Children Around the World

Art
Atelier 2/3
Free access to art/craft supplies and plenty of books to inspire them
Maybe a bit of Mark Kistler's Draw Squad
Draw-Write-Now (totally up to them on this)
Ed Emberley books (again, left available but not pushed)

Music
In the process of writing my own music curriculum
Piano lessons
Thinking about Music Ace 1

Health
In the process of writing my own health curriculum
My Body
Health, Nutrition, and PE

PE
Swimming class
Gymnastics class
Possibly soccer team (would have to drop a sport to do this)

Foreign Language (Spanish for now)
Online Spanish videos through United Streaming Plus
Berlitz Kids Spanish
Looking for more to augment this
May hire a college ECE/Elem Ed student who speaks Spanish to teach it

Cooking
The Science Chef
Creative Kids: Snack Art
Discovery Toys Kinder Krunchies

Character Curriculum
KONOS

Life Skills
This year we will be learning to knit or crochet. Also maybe sewing clothes for his teddy bear (his idea). We may make a quilt together. Oh, and we will definitely continue with our job charts. We will also be setting short term and long term goals with the kids starting this fall.

Finances
The two older kids will start receiving allowance when school starts in the fall, and we will talk about having funds for tithing/charity/saving/spending.

Unit Studies
We will be doing "intensives" every 9 weeks or so, for 1-2 weeks at a time. During this time, we will work on math and reading at about half our normal speed and really delve into a topic with most of our time. The first one I have planned is a Dr. Seuss unit, which the kids are super excited about.



Also wanted to say that although this looks like (and is) a lot, we do not do all of it every day (of course). Some of the things (like the life skills and cooking classes) will only be once every 1-2 weeks.

[Pata]

We are 10 weeks away from finishing her first grade year, here's what we are using...

Math: Singapore Math
Language Arts: ETC, early leveled readers, lots of copywork from history and poetry, started with FLL, but didn't work here so next year we will go with KISS Grammar, Sonlight Core 1 read-alouds
Science: Biology from Grammar Stage
History: Sonlight Core 1 along with SOTW (I rewrote the Sonlight schedule using SOTW instead, but next year we will be using just Sonlight Core 2)
Extras(when we have time): Artist/Composer study from AO, Shakespeare from Lamb's Tales, poetry from AO, Art Adventures at Home

Hope all that helps!

[Karen in CO]

BJU math with Singapore IP and CWP
SOTW1 audio and the activity guide

We did copywork for handwriting, spelling and grammar.
She memorized some poems. We did a FIAR co-op with some friends. We did went to the zoo weekly and studied animals for science. She played outside, did lots of messy art, and listened to me read lots of fairy tales.
:001_smile:

[Tree House Academy]

Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory Science and History
Language Arts: CLE LA 1, CLE "Learning to Read" (then Emerging Readers from HOD), ETC Books 4-6, Copywork/spelling from HOD
CLE Math 1
CLE Bible 1
Map Skills Geography
Song School Latin

ETA: We do music, Art, and Gymnastics through our co-op. :)

[2_girls_mommy]

Hi, I am usually just a lurker. But we are finishing up 1st grade here. We have had a great year:
Math: Rod and Staff grade 2
L.A. Rod and Staff grade 1 reading and phonics (We started this in K and have done it 2-3 times a week.)
History: SOTW vol. 1 w/AG
Science: WTM style. Notebooked on Animals, Human Body (w/Usborne First Encyclopedia of the Human Body.. very good spine.) and we are starting plants. I did just order R&S grade 2 Science to check it out. We may use this to finish up the year. I believe it is mostly plants and nature. If not I will pick up an Usborne Science or Plants Encyclopedia.
Music: Rod and Staff grade 1 and followed What Your First Grader Needs to Know
Art: What Your First Grader Needs to Know and SOTW suggestions.

I love everything we have done. Using WYFGNTK as a spine for art and music is just enough to supplement our other studies. HTH!

[Tree House Academy]

Here is what I am planning for my child who will be in 1st grade in the fall:

Math
Singapore 3A/3B
Right Start C
Timez Attack
time4learning.com
mindbender book from Critical Thinking (1 puzzle/day)
lots of games (uno, chess, euchre, etc)

Language Arts
Reading Lessons
Pathway Readers (books and workbooks) in conjunction with
McGuffey Readers (1830s edition) followed by
Elson Readers on each level before moving to the next.
Writing
Writing With Ease 2 and possibly 3
Grammar
FLL 2 and possibly 3
Spelling
AAS 3 and possibly 4
General L.A.
time4learning.com
Read Alouds
Combination of:
amblesideonline.com reading list for years 0/1
FIAR 1
Sonlight's reading list
Lang's color fairy books
and many others (haven't finished making up my list yet)

Science
NOEO Biology I and possibly Chem I (if we like bio I)
Pulling from:
Classic Life Science (free at eequalsmcq.com)
Otter's Science (free at ourlosbanos.com)
Brainpop.com
United Streaming

Social Studies
History
SOTW I
Geography
National Geographic's Cartography I
Where do I live?
Children Around the World

Art
Atelier 2/3
Free access to art/craft supplies and plenty of books to inspire them
Maybe a bit of Mark Kistler's Draw Squad
Draw-Write-Now (totally up to them on this)
Ed Emberley books (again, left available but not pushed)

Music
In the process of writing my own music curriculum
Piano lessons
Thinking about Music Ace 1

Health
In the process of writing my own health curriculum
My Body
Health, Nutrition, and PE

PE
Swimming class
Gymnastics class
Possibly soccer team (would have to drop a sport to do this)

Foreign Language (Spanish for now)
Online Spanish videos through United Streaming Plus
Berlitz Kids Spanish
Looking for more to augment this
May hire a college ECE/Elem Ed student who speaks Spanish to teach it

Cooking
The Science Chef
Creative Kids: Snack Art
Discovery Toys Kinder Krunchies

Character Curriculum
KONOS

Life Skills
This year we will be learning to knit or crochet. Also maybe sewing clothes for his teddy bear (his idea). We may make a quilt together. Oh, and we will definitely continue with our job charts. We will also be setting short term and long term goals with the kids starting this fall.

Finances
The two older kids will start receiving allowance when school starts in the fall, and we will talk about having funds for tithing/charity/saving/spending.

Unit Studies
We will be doing "intensives" every 9 weeks or so, for 1-2 weeks at a time. During this time, we will work on math and reading at about half our normal speed and really delve into a topic with most of our time. The first one I have planned is a Dr. Seuss unit, which the kids are super excited about.



Also wanted to say that although this looks like (and is) a lot, we do not do all of it every day (of course). Some of the things (like the life skills and cooking classes) will only be once every 1-2 weeks.

For a 1st grader. WOW...

[Aurelia]

We'll see how far we get, but this is what we have planned. We've already started part of it, and school year-round.

Right Start Math B & first part of C
All About Spelling level 1 & 2
First Language Lessons (alternating days w/AAS)
ABeCeDarian Reading B-2 (probably after FLL and/or AAS1 finished)
Writing With Ease 1
Atelier Art level 1
Story of the World 1 w/AG
Homemade Native Americans Unit Study
Nature Study, My Body, plus lots of library books and some kits for science.
La Clase Divertida 2
AO Year 1 readings/narrations
Kinderbach piano, possibly begin The Violin Book series
Dance, swimming, and gymnastics for PE

[skaterbabs]

We're going to suppliment Oak Meadow 1 with ETC 3 for reading, SOTW vol 1 for history and Right Start B for math. We will likely also do some French & Spanish.

[Melinda]

For a 1st grader. WOW...

I know...but it's not all at once, it's a little at a time, and the kids *LOVE* doing this stuff.

[Ravin]

Our plan:

Math: Noble Knights of Knowledge

Reading: Finish 100 EZ Lessons, or go to HOP and/or phonics readers; daily reading aloud to/with me

Latin/Grammar: Song School Latin

English Studies: Read fairy tales, Kipling, and The Hobbit; some memory work may be assigned from Kipling or Tolkien

Classical Studies: Greek Myths

Heathen Studies: Havamal verses for memory work, participate in family rituals, and Norse myths from the Kinder Edda and D'Aulaire's. Possibly more about the Elder Futhark, if DD shows further interest.

History/Geography: Timeline and maps on wall will be discussed weekly; events from historical books and pages of How Children Lived will be mapped on both; topics will follow How Children Lived and DD's interest

Science: Interest-based nature study and experiments, field trips, etc.

DD will attend a weekly enrichment program which includes storytime, P.E., computer time (not that she doesn't get plenty at home, eesh), art, etc., usually around some theme. She will also do activities through city rec classes.

[mom2moon2]

Math:
- We finally settle with Math on The Level, complemented with Math Mammoth Light Blue Series grade 1 and Activities for Alabacus for mental math.

Language Art:
- A variety of old reader from googlebooks.
- Starting at the second half of our first year, we add advanced phonics and spelling:
a. Advanced PHonics: Phonics Pathways (reviewing -ing, er, ed, etc) and Webster Speller for lots of syllabification exercises.
b. Spelling: Spelling Plus Dictation

History:
Overview of American History using Stories of Great American to Little American (eggleston) and selected chapters from: Viking Tales, MEn Who Found America and Stories of PIlgrims. All are read aloud and narrated. Either dictation or copywork is also incorporated. When appropriate, we add map work.

Science:
Building FOundation of Scientific Understanding (nebel) and living book (either Burgess animal book or Burgess Bird Book).
Notebooking is incorporated, and also narration for Burgess book.

Geography:
- map work from our history study.
- Holling's Paddle to the sea. Narration and mapwork incorporated.

Literature:
- AESOP , with copywork and narration.
- Just SO Stories and Fairy Tales (selected) with narration.

Religion.
- our own religious work.

As you see, our work is the light version of Ambleside Online. We're going to finish off year 1 Ambleside online on the second grade, and really get into Ambleside Online history sequence.

HTH

[cajunrose]

Math U See Alpha (http://www.mathusee.com/alpha.html)
Explode the Code (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=928696&sp=1016&p=1013335)(whatever level we are at at that point)
Story of the World (http://www.amazon.com/Story-World-History-Classical-Ancient/dp/0971412901) along with some kind of timeline
First Language Lessons (http://www.amazon.com/First-Language-Lessons-Well-Trained-Mind/dp/0971412928)
I'm looking for a french curriculum for K (going to Paris next summer I think)
Moving Beyond the Page (http://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/)
Postcard state study for Geography
HWT My Printing Book (http://shopping.hwtears.com/product/My_Printing_Book/1stGrade)

[DawnM]

Sonlight Core 1
Horizons math
Explode the Code

[sagira]

Math: MCP Math Level A, Miquon Math Orange Book, Calculadder drills
Living books in math as needed to reinforce a concept, Abacus, cuisenaire rods, blocks, flash cards
Geography: Maps and Mapping, Tanglewood Geography (program included with my planner, 36 weeks), Children's Atlas, Usborne's Peoples of the World
History: The Story of the World: Ancient Times and Story of the World Activity book Usborne Encyclopedia of World History, Tanglewood’s Book of Centuries Supplemental historical books, EyeWitness series, library books such as Magic Treehouse research guides, History in the Woods timeline figures, Penmanship: Italic Handwriting Series Book B (Getty Dubay); Twice a week; the rest in copywork across subjects
Natural Science: Handbook of Nature Study, North American Wildlife, Field guide. Nature Almanac for children with blank pages to journal, Nature Crafts for Kids, The First Human Body Encyclopedia, Science in Ancient Rome, Science in Ancient Mesopotamia, Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding K-2 (12 weeks), Study of Trees, Birds, Weather & Climate (special attention to hurricanes -- we live in Florida) and the Human Body (Intro Biology) with accompanying books, including from the Young Discoverers Series.
Virtues: The Children's Book of Virtues and The Children's Bible in 365 Stories
Poetry: Emily Dickinson (Poetry for Young People series) and Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses
Copywork: Books in use and Living Memory
Reading
Spanish: KidSpeak Spanish computer program 1X week and read aloud in Spanish 1X week
Literature books
Art Appreciation: El Greco and Botticelli (Getting to Know The World's Greatest Artists)
Music Appreciation: Bach and Mozart (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers)
Phonics: Spectrum Phonics Grade 2
Art:With dh once a week -- either dh's own curriculum or Artistic Pursuits
Health and Safety: Included curriculum in my planner
Music: Piano (outsourced lessons; practice daily)
Physical Fitness: Tennis lessons with dh, biking, hula hoop, horseback riding, swimming, dancing, playground and Wii Fit

[Narrow Gate Academy]

Last year for 1st grade DD2 had:

LA - read aloud to Mom a chapter a day, SWO B & C, copywork
MATH - Singapore / Miquon combo
HISTORY - TruthQuest AHYS1
GEOGRAPHY - 50 states lapbooks I created
SCIENCE - Apologia Zoology 1
MUSIC - Classical Kids tapes and piano lessons
and some Critical Thinking resources

[muffinmom]

Can you elaborate on how you used BFSU? I'm interested in using it for next year but can't decide. Science is the last thing I have to figure out and I just keep going back and forth between different thoughts. I have the BFSU book and have read it so I'm familiar with it.


Sorry it took me so long to respond...been away from the boards.

While I love BFSU, it's not pick up and go. As a result, we haven't done science as often as I had planned. I wanted to start in the B section. So I would read through a lesson, check to see if there were any lessons that were required before that particular one, do those lessons, then come back to the one I really wanted to do. It's a bit tiring with it's prereq lessons. Still, I love the foundation it is building, which is why I'm sticking with it.

What I've started doing lately is highlighting the points I want to emphasize and then create a "Notes" sheet for me with only the points that I need to communicate to my child (I'm sure you've noticed there is a lot of info in each lesson that is just for the teacher's understanding.) I think if you prepared several such sheets ahead of time, it would become more pick up and go for you.

[Alice]

Thanks! I'm still considering whether or not to use it. I like it and the concept behind it but I'm not sure about switching between threads and how that works. Also, l worry about the amount of planning...hmmm, have to think some more.

[lydiasmommy]

Bible - Sonlight’s Core 1 Bible Curriculum

Memory Work - Bible Verses, VP History Cards

History - Sonlight Core 1, TWTM-style notebooking, History Pockets, and CHOW workbook

Literature - Sonlight Core 1 Read-Alouds, plus any supplementary materials

Handwriting - A Reason for Handwriting B

Spelling - Spelling Workout B/C

Grammar - FLL

Writing - WWE

Math - Finish Horizons 1, begin Horizons 2. Miquon Red

Reading - Sonlight 2 Advanced readers, extras from library and VP

Science - R.E.A.L. life science

Spanish - Teach Them Spanish 2

Art - Come Look with Me series, Artistic Pursuits

[muffinmom]

Thanks! I'm still considering whether or not to use it. I like it and the concept behind it but I'm not sure about switching between threads and how that works. Also, l worry about the amount of planning...hmmm, have to think some more.


I think what I would do is pick one thread to start, then make a list that shows you what lessons can be done on their own, which lessons require other lessons first, and just make a list of what that order would look like. All you would have to do then is just follow it. And it can be spread over a couple of years at least.

Hang in there with it...I have learned so much and so has my son. And I feel that what we've learned is truly foundational and we've been able to apply it in real life. These principles are sticking with us. I just wish someone would make more user-friendly lesson plans. I would do it in a heartbeat if I had more time.

[deemk]

we've done FLL, Spelling Workout, Singapore Math, Zaner-Bloser handwriting, SOTW 1, and Apologia science. he picks a book to read out loud to me (out of a group that i've chosen). i did phonics pathways with him in the beginning and he breezed through that. picked up reading really quickly. i just found out about WWE and have ordered the book and will be starting that next week. we do SOTW and Apologia with 2 older children. the first grader does the activity pages out of the SOTW workbook and the older children have a bit of extra reading. they help the first grader with the activity pages for Apologia that i print from their website (so he's writing short narrations and drawing a picture) while the older kids do a bit of extra related to the same chapter.

i'm really lucky. my first grader LOVES doing his schoolwork. my older 2 not so much. after 6 years of fighting it with my oldest, i'm glad to have finally discovered that there's a child out there that can like school, and one of them landed in my home! :D

[Lovedtodeath]

Our school year starts in January and we are currently in 1st. My sig line is what we are now happy with. We are unschooling History until we start it in earnest in 3rd grade.

We started out with Cultures and Creatures Geography, but I got burnt out from the library trips, and we just like to skip around a lot. We really enjoyed it when we did it though, and will finish it later. We have been doing Ancients for about 3 weeks, and we did 3 weeks of SSBB last fall before it got too cold.

For LA we will do FLL and WWE in the same day, and we do the narrating and copywork for WWE in the same day. Then on the alternating days we will work on phonetic spelling. It is just easier for me to handle less jumping from subject to subject in one day.

We also got MFW Bible Reader from someone used. I really recommend that one. DD doesn't really like the other Bible story books that we have tried.

MUS was a big waste of time and money. She actually regressed while using it. I am mentioning it b/c I have only ever seen good reviews until recently and if I had known that it didn't work for everyone I would have wasted less time thinking it would work.

[Homemama2]

FLL
All About Spelling
Abeka Readers and we added Letters and Sounds
ETC (mainly first sem. before L and S)
RightStart B
Calculadders 1
Bible/Awana
Ambleside online for readalouds, poetry
Memory work (memorizing poems and hymns)
Beautiful Feet Early American History
Science -Life science like WTM suggests but with my choice of books
We also do narration, and copywork like WTM suggests with our readalouds