Preschool and First Grade Curriculum

This is our first year homeschooling more than one kid - eek! As with all things homeschool, I'm sure that it seems a lot scarier than it is and we'll be old hands in no time : )

Each "class" takes no more than 15-20 minutes at this level and should only last around 2 1/2 hours. (unless the baby is screaming or the children are running around like lunatics) I am sometimes forced to bribe them with snacks to keep them occupied until lunchtime... forced, I say.

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Here's a snapshot of our first day - I make the lesson plan in excel and print it off as we go to put in my "teacher notebook"

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Preschool

Primarily, we're using Ann Ward's Learning At Home: Preschool & Kindergarten : A Christian Parent's Guide with Day-by-day Lesson Plans Using the Library As a Resource (this was a lifesaver when we first started and I had no idea what I was doing)


I'm using the same Bible curriculum for both - this will need to change once my first grader's curriculum gets more advanced in the third grade.


They are also sharing the same Art, PE and Health, Manner's and Responsibility. 


HM&R is mostly from Learning at Home - it can include anything from setting the table to brushing teeth to remembering your address or dialing 911. There is also time set aside to learn personalized chores and responsibilities. And I will be adding in some practical skills like tying knots/bows, first-aid, camping skills and tools.


English will be learning letters and their sounds, coloring letter shapes and Golden Books Before I Write.


Science is completely from Learning at Home and uses the library as a resource.


Math is learning numbers and basic counting, in addition to the Brighter Child Sequencing and Memory, Golden Books Shapes and Colors and Golden Books Before I Do Math workbooks.


First Grade


Bible - Explorer's Bible Study Homeschool Curriculum


Music - Pfeiffer House Music


Art - Rod and Staff Art


Science - Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy

PE covers running distances, headstands, stretching the right way, ballet, somersaults, balancing, taekwondo and then some

Health, Manners and Responsibility is same as above.


Math relies a good deal on practical applications like counting money and measuring ingredients but I also use workbooks (my daughter loves these!) Master Skills Math Grade 2 - 2 because of where her skill level is.


English will be pulling from a few different sources... getting everything ready during our summer break makes this much easier than it sounds. Most of our reading and grammar will come from Accelerated Achievement (A2). Sentence building and penmanship/copywork will come from workbooks -Master Skills English Grade 2 and Scholastic Writing Practice Grade 1. She will also be reading books independantly and using the personal-size chalkboard and dry-erase boards to work on her spelling words.


Introductory Latin will be finished up this year, completing the second half of Memoria Press Prima Latina: Introduction to Christian Latin, which we started in Kindergarten. We complete one lesson over a week - working on the memory words daily and using our Latin days to learn the lesson and do the worksheet, respectively.


Geography - Cantering the Country has been divided into two years, taking two weeks to cover each state - we'll be finishing the second half this year and will move on to Galloping the Globe in second grade. We also add in map skills and some navigation (practical use again).


Here are some other sheets I've made for my teacher book