curriculum for K?

[Tiia]

My first son is going to be starting Kindergarten this year. I'm looking up all these sites from MP's book, but most seem to be selling all sorts of different things just by the subject and all different methods. And the ones that do sell compleat curiculum don't really apeal to me either.
I'd like to do Saxon math, as it sounds pretty good from the book, but I'm not sure yet about English stuff, maybe Teach Your Child to Read Well? I kind of like the Mason method, but I'm worried that since I'm REALLY a very progress type person, that it might drive me nuts not to know what we're covering.
The Bob Jones stuff looks interesting too.
This is what I look like right now: not from being sarcastic, but just because I'm so confused. And I feel like I should have all this stuff ready already!
I also want to add a few unit studies and I like those Wiz Kits. But how to I put all of that together to form a curiculum for a 5 year old?
TIA for any help!
Tiia
PS: I'm not sure about using any "Christian" type curriculums as they don't teach the same things as what my families Christian beleifs are. I wish they had a "Weaver" type curriculum for my religion! That would be great!

[momo3boys]

Kindergarten shouldn't be too structured. Let them explore and learn what they want to learn. Do a lot of library trips. Keep some work books available and learn what your childs learning styles are. Help them by showing them what is around them, books, art supplies, writing supplies, outdoors, etc.. Let them explore the world. My first year I made the mistake of assuming I knew how to teach my children, then I realized that they knew how to learn, I just needed to help them along.

If you want to know what we used for a reading curriculum that envelopes all the learning styles, Scaredy Cat, Joyce Herzog. A great way to discover how your child learns and teach them at the same time. I have heard a lot of good things about saxon math, but I wouldn't have any more than that. Just let them explore and learn how to learn.

[Tiia]

Thanks for the reply! I think I'm going to go with Saxon math, Maloney method for reading, some unit studies thrown in for fun, and bible stories for history/geography etc. I'm still not sure exactly what I should be doing for science at this age though. Just get out in nature or what? We live out of town on 5 acres so we have a fair amount of 'outdoors' to discover. Should I get those wiz kits or test tube adventures? How many would I have to get to make up a years worth of discovery? I've got very very little "shoe string" here so I'm hoping not too many!
Tiia
PS: anyone know what I should include in a Pirate Unit study? I can't seem to find any ready made ones and this is what my son REALLY wants to do right now. Candlewick Press has a cool Pirateology book, but it seems a smidge too advanced for him. I've never seen or done a unit study before so ideas would be great. I'm hoping for about a week to cover things ending in a little 'presentation' for family and friends.
Also, has anyone done those 'week off' unit studies? The aviation one sounds too 'old' for Ethan, but what about the dinosaurs one? He already knows the names of most of the main dinosaurs, would this one be appropriate for his age? The price seems not bad, and the length about right.
TIA!

[KarinKath]

good classic literature...even Peter Pan!
-Karin

[Theodore]

You can learn a lot outdoors by observing plants, bugs, birds, animals, etc. Digging for worms or looking under rocks is probably something your son will enjoy a lot, and you can get picture books from the library and identify the things you see. You can also plant a garden and experiment with various fertilizers and trellises and so on.

As for materials, I'd stick with just the Nature Lab for now, since it goes well with the sorts of things you'll be teaching at that age. He might also enjoy the Extreme 3-D Scary Bugs book.

[Tiia]

Thanks ladies!
I'm going to check out that Nature Lab thing too. I still need something science-y. I got my Math books and Maloney books! I'm so excited to start!
Tiia

[Linda Woody]

A great idea is to informally model and discuss good writing, handwriting, and reading. Share reading and repeat the same story a lot. Have your child predict what would come next in the story. Point out familiar words. Have your son try to read short easy passages to you out loud. Take turns reading passages.

You can write notes back and forth. You can have your child dictate a story to you and you write the words. You can play I spy games with newspapers and printed words in the community that are seen on logos and signs (Try to find a specific easy to see word or consonant or vowel, etc.).

Count objects in your home with your son. Work on seeing patterns in nature and create patterns out of blocks, legos, toys, and colored papers or cut-outs of flannel. Do a lot of jigsaw puzzles together and your child alone (Start with 25, or 50 pieces and make sure that the pieces are fairly large).

No stress, no pushing, just calm. Have clear high expectations but not any pressure. Practice handwriting and let him know why it is important to have neat handwriting.

Kindergarten needs to have a balance of academics and play and exploration. Keep a regular schedule and keep the same type of subject happening at the same time of day if possible. Don't change up too often. Your child needs stability and needs to internalize a school schedule (Whatever the subject, time, or duration that you have decided upon).

Good luck. I am so glad you are home schooling your son.

[love2bastayathomemom]

Tia,
Your enthusiasm is great! I can tell whatever you choose will be fine!
I'm a newbie too, but have had lots of luck with just playing good ole games! Do you have a teacher supply store near or maybe online? We play Bingo games for learning phonics, Green Eggs and Ham for learning all kinds of things like directions, reading, rhyming, etc., yahzee for math, monopoly Jr., sequencing games, lots of math manipulatives like blocks, legos and cuisenaire rods, trace and lace stuff, etc. My point being that my sons are learning and don't even know it. They have so much fun playing "games!" Alot of this stuff you may even have in your home already. My son loves those colorful counting bears too.
Have you searched online? You can get FREE printouts of worksheets like letter tracing to learn to write and coloring pages for things that start with "A", etc. National Geographic Explorer for kids website has unit studies along with PBS teachers guide, TLC, NOVA, Discovery Channel....the list goes on and on! I know you can find ideas there! FREE!
As an example, we just collected some tadpoles that appeared in the bottom of our spa out back and brought them indoors to a holding tank. We're feeding them and taking care of them and will watch their transformation (hopefully! lol) I printed out a tadpole/frog coloring page and had him trace it (that was new for him) and we did a small poster today of the lifecylce of the frog starting with drawing a tadpole, then one with legs, etc. etc. It was fun. I even learned things I didn't know. Then, on Discovery Exploratorium's website, we listened to the different frog sounds! Unit Studies are a lot of planning to me (maybe not to others), but once we tackled it, it was rewarding and he had fun.
Check out enchanted learning.com too.
Sorry to ramble. Hope all this helps.
You will do great in whatever you choose. I can tell by your excitement and love for your child.

[Tiia]

Well, we've finished our second week of home school! He is doing AWSOME with the saxon math. I'm able to do 2 or 3 lessons/ day with him. It's rather simple I found. I almost decided to send it back and get the gr. 1, but it would've cost me too much to send it back! So I just pick and choose wich lessons to do (like, the shapes... my two year old knows them, and Ethan knew them and others by 18 mos.) so we just skip those ones. The reading isn't going quite as smoothly, which I admit I'm finding a little disapointing. Ethan is easily convinced that he is unable to do something and he came into reading with that attitude. So it's been a bit of a fight on TRYING. He is in Lesson 4 of the Maloney 1A book. He has been in lesson 4 this whole week. The first two lessons went GREAT, but since then he's been fighting it, not wanting to do it. Considering what avid readers my dh and I are, it's a little disapointing. But I slowed down and we're just doing a bit at a time. He does quite well with the sounds, but has trouble NOT stopping between sounds. Is this normal? Any ideas? Dh promised to make Chocolate Chip Cookies with him once he can read part of the recipie for them, so that's been incentive for him. But he hates it when we have to re-do stuff. Like the first set of sentances in Lesson 4: he made more (WAY more) than 6 mistakes so we're suposed to redo the lesson. He does not like that.
Levi (2 1/2) is doing well too, for the most part. I'm doing "Gentle Revolution" cards with him and his sister (7 mos.) and he "tags" along with Ethan on his work. He likes the pattern blocks and teddies. He even covered a pattern block design with blocks- he did it perfectly!!! and in Math today he did the task on counting pennies to match the number cards, he did pretty good on those too! He's a smart little monkey!
Anyway, now I"M rambling!
He's doing well with his memmory verse as well (PSalms 83: 18)
and books of the bible (got the first three down)
We're having a lot of fun decorating our "classroom" with fall/harvest pictures. We painted a Levi sized scarecrow the other day to put up!
I'm sad right now tho, cuz I have to get a job! I really hate working! I get panic attacks and am dealing with Post Partum Depression (had it with all three) but we need more $$$ very badly. DH doesn't make a lot, he's just starting out as an aprentice electrician. Any way, enough rambling on!
Hope all is going well in homeschool world with everyone!
Tiia