School Time!

Preparing to Homeschool knowing nothing about it has proven to be alot of work! I started looking at curriculum MONTHS ago and have been constantly narrowing it down and making changes. In the end, I decided not to use an actual curriculum for kindergarten (except for Math) and use other materials instead. I have researched expectations for what children need to know at the end of kindergarten and first grade in the schools here and will be monitoring our progressed based on this information. I have sample tests to give them periodically just for the purpose of knowing where they are and determining if we are on track. The boys do not currently have the skills that a graduated kindergartener does, but we have worked on things over the years and when I look at the kindergarten curriculum I'm concerned that the majority of it will be too easy. However.... I could possibly be overestimating them in chosing 1st grade material. So.... for nearly everything I chose first grade material (after reviewing it myself) and Kindergarten for things they haven't done much with. I hope that was the right choice. I can catch them up with online material if there is a kindergarten topic they are unfamiliar with rather than buying a whole book for a couple concepts. We will see how it goes! Since it's first grade material I won't be concerned if we can't get through it all and need to spend more time on individual items they need to know first. Here is a list of the material I plan to use.... Some of the books makes more sense for them to each have their own book. But there are other books (in the interest of saving money and saving some for Kylie later) I will use page protectors so they can use dry erase and trade worksheets. We'll see how this goes.... Daily Reading Comprehension: There is a short story they can read themselves with questions about the story to follow. Teach your child to read in 100 Easy Lessons: We are allready up to lesson 70 in this book but after joining the pool we slacked off :) We'll finish that up for starters... Spectrum Sight Words: This focuses on using and writing simple words from Frys sight word list. We will be working on the list for reading and spelling throughout the year and this workbook will provide some activities to go along with it. Spectrum Language Arts: Basic activities about punctuation, capitalization, etc. Grammer and Punctuation: More of the same but this is Grade 1 and will be more advanced. Beginning Geography: Simple worksheets on maps, directions, etc to give them some very basic knowledge Bastien Piano and Theory: For music I will teach them piano. I do not know how this will go since I haven't played in years. But I know enough about music to get them started. They like music and instruments and this will be a good way to get them some introduced to some very basic musical knowledge that could help them in the future. They are very excited about this. Daily Science: One simple science lesson a day. Information to read and questions to answer and discuss and some activities. We will also do a simple experiment once a week that I will find online. Crafts (Jaden especially loves these!) The Complete Book of Starter Spanish (grade preschool - 1). Initially I got one to start grade one, but it required alot more reading and writing than the boys are ready for. This one is extreemly simple but teaches them very basic information and provides activities. Pronunciation will be courtesy of Google Translate :) My point in this is that Spanish is one of the languages that could be very beneficial for them to know in the future but since they can't read and write English proficiently I thought I would get them started on some simple basics this way. The book looks pretty fun. Singapore Math: Math was hard for me to decide on. I want to be sure they know all they are required to. I reaped the benefits of in depth research by a good friend and went with this option. There are activities to do, a text book, work book, and practice sheet book. I went with grade one and after looking at it I think they will do well. The year is broken into 2 sets of books. I only go the first set and we may or may not get to the second, though I will plan on working towards that. Math Made Easy: I really like the work in this book but it is 1st grade level and they may not be ready for some of it at the first part of the year. It also might prove to be too much with all their other math work. I'll start them off with it and if it goes well we will use it regularly. If not, we may do it here and there towards the end of the year. Brain Quest: An activity book that covers many subjects briefly. I'll use this primarily when they have down time and I'm working with their brother, or when we need something to do. Scholastic Success with 1st grade: This book is similar to and will serve the same purpose as the Brain Quest book. We will practice using the computer. We will do a daily Bible lesson of some sort There will be a writing assignment every day There will be a variety of other activities through the year to learn about the calendar (and associated items), holidays, basic historical information, learning about continents and oceans, telling time, money, measuring, etc. I'm considering using a "Draw Write Now" book because I think Jaden would love it. But I haven't decided yet. I think that's it. I don't know if I'll get into it and find we don't really have enough to do or if I'll find out it's way too much. We will adjust as needed. Each day we will do Bible, Reading, Comprehension, Writing, Math, Calendar info, review sight words, and science. Mon, Tues, and Wed we will do Spanish (each of those days, including Fri) and do Language Arts, Grammer and Sight Words (one per day) as well as Geography on Wed. On Friday we will make sure we are caught up in all subjects and do our craft and experiment. Piano will Be Mondays. On Thursdays I have the opportunity to go to a Bible Study while they boys go to a homeschool class at the church where they will learn some basic random things (it will count as school time legally - though in kindergarten in NC that does not matter) and we will have a lighter load of work at home that day. I got Kylie a huge preschool book. She can easily participate in Bible time, Science Experiment, and Craft time. I may include her in Spanish as well. The idea for her will be that these things are available should she want to do them and be included but if she wants to run off and play she can do that too! I'm hoping to find this works well. I have the first 4 weeks planned with worksheets pulled and after one week I will plan the next week at the end so there will always be 4 weeks planned at a time. I've put together all the notebooks we need and printed out some things we will be referring to. It's crazy but it's coming together!