This is our first official year of Pre-k and K with the boys (ages 4 and 5) - they are doing all of the same things just with slightly different expectations for each of them. This is our first year to have a schedule with more focus and goals. We started a few weeks ago but were interrupted by life (rental property crap) and are just now getting back into the swing of things. Madison just started 5th grade, all but Math, 4th grade there- she has always struggled in that subject and I will not push her ahead to keep her at grade level. At some point she will catch up before she is 18, not worried about that. That started when I took her out of school in 1st grade. I figured out she couldn't do 1st grade math (in March) so we restarted the year, and have since been a year behind. I would rather her eventually get it than be pushed to the next grade level and forever struggle. Teaching her math is still my most hated thing. I am trying a math class at a co-op this year and hoping that helps, but we may end up going back to Teaching Textbooks, because out of everything, it seemed to be the best experience we have had, although not perfect.
Today, we started FIAR (Five in a Row curriculum) with the boys. It's a literature based program, with weekly unit studies based on classic children's literature. You read a book and do correlating activities for different subjects, so each subject has something to do with the story, rather it be art, math, science, social studies, ect. We are not doing it exactly as they have laid out, they suggest one subject per day. We are doing several subjects a day, but the activities are not lengthy. Typcially, you read the book for 5 days with a different subject focus each day, we are combing subjects and doing a 3-4 day work week since our schedule is pretty full with co-op and play group day. With FIAR, you only need to add a reading and handwriting program, if desired, to make it a well rounded curriculum for K. This is what our plan for the week looks like. I'm adding this because I really enjoy seeing other homeschoolers schedules and lesson plans, it's a great way to get ideas. I got most of mine from others who have posted what they did for FIAR, and I'm so grateful for all of the free printables and shared ideas!
I was really not sure how schooling Tyler a bit more formally would go, and I am generally against kids, especially boys, starting school before age 7. So I wanted something that would keep things light, fun, low pressure for us both, and would fit naturally into our life without too much busy work, I didn't want them working more than 2 hours a day and not even that if they were not interested. So far, I think it's working! Tyler LOVES me teaching him. He has always resisted it before. But he has been awesome! He loves learning, loves cuddling on the couch and reading with me now. LOVED doing activities that corresponded with the book today. Ethan, who I thought would be the best student, is a tad bit less interested, but that is due to age, he still did really great. If today is an indication of how the rest of the year will go, it just may be a great year with the boys and FIAR may be what keep on using. Today was very educational and fun, exactly what I wanted. The boys actually wanted to keep on learning and reading, so we added some things to our list and ended up working 3 hours, but I really wouldn't call it working.
Madison, on the other hand, is a different blog post for a different day.
Here is my pinterest board where I saved most of the links and activities or blog posts that helped me make our weekly plans, along with the FIAR manual.
http://www.pinterest.com/brandilacey/five-in-a-row-curriculum-the-story-about-ping/
Here is what our morning looked like with the boys. We got all of this done before lunch.
Tyler and Ethan - Lesson Plan Week 1
Five in A Row Book Study- The Story About PING
Mondays: Co-op days. Tyler takes Pe, World Studies, and Lego Class. Ethan takes 3 pre-k music/ K prep classes.
Homeschool days at home are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday with a half or off day on Friday and playgroup or field trips.
All 3 Days: Hour 1
Hooked on Phonics Handwriting (10 min)
Reading Reflex (10-20 min)
Math-U-See (20 min)
Character book- continue activities on Godly character- (10-15 min)
Health, Safety and Manners Book Lesson and/or Everyday Life Book (10-20 min)
Hour 2:
Day 1 - Tuesday
Discussion during/after reading book:
Character-
Discuss running away from consequences- Ping chose to run and hide instead of facing his consequences, and almost ended up someone’s dinner instead of safe with his family. Discuss how Ping followed and ate the rice cake trail, only to be caught by the boy, sometimes things look like a good thing but are not.
Literature- Discuss what a fictional book is, ask them to name other fictional stories
Art:
duck cutout craft
Social Studies:
Learn all about China and the culture, the Yangtzee river, look it up on globe, watch video on China on youtube, color Chinese flag, Great Wall of China sheet just because Tyler loves the wall, watch video on how birds catch fish for fisherman.
Science:
Learn about ducks and what they eat. After school work, feed the ducks bread at the park.
Handwriting:
Ping line tracing sheet, Letter Dd sheet
Other:
Start book report page for folder on Friday, discuss author, illustrator, copyright, favorite characters and moments
The next two days are very likely to change, we will adapt as needed day to day. But here is the plan:
Day 2 - Wednesday
Science
Why is the boy wearing a barrel? Discuss buoyancy, fill a bowl with water and try out different items to see why they float and discuss why. Use “Does it float or sink?” worksheet.
Math-
Counting Skills using duck printable to color in Ping’s family
Connect the dots to create Ping
Art:
Learn to draw a duck activity sheet, Following directions duck activity
Other:
Have rice with dinner
Day 3 - Thursday
Art and Science:
Paint something with a reflection, discuss why a duck can see his reflection in the water. If interest and time allows, discuss how the duck stays dry in water.
Social Studies:
Learn more about China and do China lapbook, use the kids Atlas, as much as the kids are interested in and print activities they think look interesting. Tyler mentioned his favorite animal is a panda, look up panda’s together and do related activities.
Day 4- Friday
Put our folders (like a lapbook) together on Ping and review everything
Other:
Make rice cakes
Have duck for dinner? HA!
And here are some of the pictures from the first day. They really, really enjoyed today and I loved seeing them enjoying learning. Tyler wrote his whole name for the first time all by himself without my prompting. He surprised me by writing a letter R without asking how, because we hadn't covered that one yet other than me just writing his name for him at times and telling him the letter names. He has been very reluctant to write any letter besides a T. I thought it was going to be such a struggle to get him interested in anything besides Minecraft and Lego's, but he couldn't have been better. Ethan seems to have a strength for reading. He is catching on during our reading lessons a bit quicker than Tyler, despite being 18 months younger. Our reading lesson was the only one that made Tyler want to move on to something else but he handled it well.
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