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The Mermaid is learning how to read! We are using How To Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. The book is very structured and scripted, so I wasn't sure if it would work well for us, but The Mermaid loves reading the stories and the scripts make it very easy to teach! So far she is on lesson 33 and is so proud to be reading short stories.
Out of curiosity, I attempted to do a couple of lessons with The Guppy, but she simply wasn't able to sit still and focus enough to get through them. I am surprised however, how much she is picking up simply by listening in the background while The Mermaid and I do a lesson!
I've been a little bit laid back so far this year in terms of math. The Mermaid kept asking if she could learn how to add, and I found a Horizons Math K workbook that I got a while back from a used curriculum sale. She adores math! She insists on doing it independently and having me check her answers after; I simply read the directions and off she goes! It's gotten to the point where we have to save math for last, because if we did it first, she would refuse to stop to do other subjects. She is more than halfway through the workbook.
With The Guppy, I've been doing simple things; learning the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make, learning how to count, very simple addition, etc. Basically I have one book that we just sit down and read through, as it goes through the alphabet then numbers then shapes and colors, etc. I thought that reading the same book day after day would bore her, but she really enjoys reading her "alphabet book" as she calls it. Afterwards I help her work in her workbook, where we do a lot of matching, connect the dots, sequencing, etc.
We've also just started our first week of Five In A Row. It's only been a week, but so far the girls and I really enjoy it! I plan on writing a review of FIAR soon.
So my question for fellow homeschoolers: I'm looking into history and math curriculum for The Mermaid. She is enjoying the Horizons workbook, but I'm not sure if I want to continue with Horizons or switch to something else. I would love to hear about your favorite math curriculum for K! I'm also interested in getting her a history curriculum. I've heard good things about The Story Of The World and would love to hear from someone who uses it, or tell me what you love about the curriculum you chose!
2 comments:
We homeschooled our 3 children up to high school. They did great and are now in medical school, engineering school and 9th grade. Curricula was not that important to us. We used what worked for each kid. Math was the one exception.
We used Abeka up to 4th grade. Then used Saxon for 5th and 6th grade. (Saxon 7/6 and pre-algebra. Then in 7th and 8th grade used Scott Foresman Algebra.
Math and music are the two most important subjects for learning. Also let your kids go as fast as they will. There is no reason for the typical path of waiting for algebra until high school. Most homeschooled kids love and excel at math.
I have several posts in the homeschool category on my site that you might find interesting. Kudos to your family for homeschooling!
Looks like we have been informed by similiar peeps/resources!!!!
I worked with my 1st born using 100 Easy Lessons... I"m glad you like it.... it was awful for us. After finishing the books we used Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching reading.... and it's structured much more logically.
We are using Story of the World for my 5 yr old 1st grader... the younger ones (4 and 3) sometimes listen but we do the coloring pages and outside reading together!! It's been soo nice! It's really indepth for a 5yr old!! But my kdis have really enjoyed the outside reading and with reviewing- my 1st grader is doing well.... we're behind where I wanted to be ... but we have the summer and we've enjoyed it instead of just rushing through:)
We are using Saxon Math (1st grade)! And my daughter LOVES it... I think there is a lot of WORK... but she completes enough for me to be pleased that she has reviewed and understands the concepts. I have a Math Education background and I think Saxon is an excellent program for those foundational elementary school days, at least(though... sometimes doesn't fit all personalities).
If your daughter likes Math and likes doing it independently... she'd do well with Saxon. You could do the lesson and let her go on the worksheets;)
When I was doing K with my oldest we did FIAR!!! I LOVED it;) I LOVE programs that are good for a couple of different ages groups and I loved the classic kids books that it uses... BTW... there are a ton of other ideas for those books online, too!!
Your Guppy sounds like my 3 yr old. She sees her older brother and sister doing "schoolwork" and she wants to do school sooo BAD:) So she's jumped right in with us from the beginning... although I am holding off on jumping into a reading program with her until she gets a little more "pre=reading" practice... rhyming, sounding out,etc!
So glad I found your blog through YOU CAPTURE:) It's fun to find other families with similiar ages using similiar resources:)
***Oh, the other thing about the resources that I've mentioned is that you can find most used at homeschooling stores:) They are widely used and recommended and can be used for multiple kids without being super costly!!
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