Saturday, February 21, 2015

First Grade Curriculum materials

Will update this as I go here.. but want a collection to refer back to and add on to...

Spelling : K12 reader list of spelling words   We are using the first grade spelling words as 'spell it from hearing it' and the third grade spelling words as vocabulary and copywork. I have a 1968 spelling primer 'Language Mastery Primer' that I bought at a library sale we are using, as well.  We picked up a 1.00 dictionary for her to learn to use, at the same place.

Reading Comprehension : k5 Learning Reading Comprehension   This is a hard one to find something simple enough for her writing ability but tough enough for her logic capability.  She can read a lot more complicated items, but her handwriting still is a barrier at times, and she is just beginning real composition.  We have a book from the Calvert school that Aunt Dot sent to us that has lots of fables and questions in it - we've used that, and also some of the poetry from it for copywork.

Reading - books, poetry and rhymes.  plurals, tenses, etc... too many to list, but we are active in searching out books to introduce her to, read with her, etc etc...I have bought several 'old school' textbooks that are on her reading level, and we've read them sometimes when she doesn't have something else she is 'into' and we haven't finished.  She has her own library card now, and we have went often.  She likes the chapter books from Franny K. Stein and also the Stink Moody series, they are fun.  We've read some Charlotte's Web, and I have Half-Magic and Little House in the Big Woods on reserve, but I don't want to start more than two chapter books at a time.

Handwriting:  'the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog', for copywork, mixed with other sentences and copying names of dragons, etc..   She has a perfectionism tendency...but once in a while she lets me correct her and I do see her improving steadily.

'English':  First, things that come up, like homonyms she doesn't understand, or capitalization and punctuation while we are writing some sentences.  Second, 'voice' in reading actually falls under this, I believe - because once you understand how sentences in books flow, the punctuation and forms come easier.  Third, identifying

Math with : Khan Academy, Matific and using specific games online that make her think about math while she is playing them - multiples, scarcity, probability etc...  She has done the Dragonbox algebra prep for age 5 and up from start to finish.  We also downloaded and used Math Stretch as a mobile app and some calculation apps for basic addition/subtraction. We started with multiplication tables up to 10x10 earlier in the year and very simple division with fractions (circle pizzas) and regular numbers (counters/word problems).  Still working on the 11/2 is 5 and a half TWICE... maybe find some materials for that or make a prop to help.

Math / Geometry : Matific and Khan again, and trying to put some hands-on in there.  Also have used Solid shape Geometry worksheets from Mathworksheets4Kids which she is ready for.  Making PVC items from our kit works in here, too.  Math Salamanders 3D solid nets

Science:
Asking questions and finding answers  - researching for information, creating tests and recording the results.  Started with the Chemistry cards at Pinay Homeschooler, introducing them 9 at a time (page) and talking about them.  She is picking up on the ideas with the pictures and categories much better than she did with just the letters.  We have done lots of experiments, ones she found online and some we got from a Lowes kit, oobleck and such.  For nature science she is learning a lot about different animals and environments, how to prepare and care for different pets and animals and learning about plants with her greenhouse.  When it was warmer we went for lots of nature walks around the house and answered her questions as they came up.

places to investigate more,  GeoDetective , Try Engineering and Edheads

Geography:
Started her out playing World Explorer map geography game at the library.  She didn't really believe all of these other places could be real at first - thought it was just stories.  We have three hallway maps, bought and from National Geographics.  We are using National Geos and youtube videos to investigate different places, the animals and people who live there, as well as tectonic plates, volcanoes and etc...  We printed out a map from Printable maps and put it up on her wall, for us to fill it out and color it in as we learn from the other maps.

History
We had her watch Liberty's Kids from start to finish, and have talked about history in general, where people lived, where they moved to, Columbus discovering America, wars, Indians and the settlers - taking little bits as she is interested in them.  She has played the Civlization game with me and it gives some good ideas that people had to learn things slowly etc.. I think once she has a better idea about the world in general- from our geography studies and relating those studies to history and people, she will be ready to take on more lessons.

Languages:  She did a little modern Greek online at the beginning...waned off of that and it became too much of a chore.  She agreed recently she should go back and learn it some more.  BUT - she had remembered several words all this time!

Photography, Video : She has used our smaller camera, printed out the photos with me at the store - and is learning to take photos and video on the tablet.

Computer interface:  A lot of the games, Minecraft, PBS kids etc that she plays fall under this.  She is really good (and has been for years, really) at figuring things out to play complicated games.  Now, she is learning from them, learning how to look things up about them and really getting into them for strategy and quests.

Other supplies:
Electric Company series videos
Blue Planet series videos
Mr. Roger's Neighborhood (on Youtube)
SnapCircuits electronic building kit
art with Joy of Painting videos, art supplies with Mom
other building kits we picked up long ago...Da Vinci and so forth
mancala and dominoes, checkers and dice
balltrack building kit
Knex and Lego
dolls and figurines, making up stories
Scrabble and Monopoly
paper, glue, scissors, yarn, macaroni, beads etc.. making things
simple cooking with Mom and Dad, measuring etc.
weighing with a balance scale
woodcrafting with Mom and Dad
candlemaking with Mom
sewing and weaving lessons with Mom
rollerskating, weight lifting, running laps and general exercises
taking care of her chickens, puppy, cats
cleaning up after herself, putting away clothes, organizing desk etc.

Specific materials I've sourced for her:
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Books from The New Basic Readers collection (several years ago), Fun with our Friends etc.
-----she has almost outgrown these, now - but will keep them for a while
-----There are two other similar books 'Up and Away', and 'Seeing New Things'. That last one is a science book.  They were both from library sales.

Library discard sales:
Sun and Shadow (1982 primer book 'Level 4'...of 1st grade, perhaps?  it doesn't say)
Pets and Promises (1980 primer book - listed as 2nd grade level 1) , seems more difficult than the other one.


Books from the 1979 Childcraft How Why Library - we have four now, one from my original set (Indian Book), the Story of the Sea, Things we Make and Rhymes and Poems.  Probably will add more as we go.

 Power Pack and Supergirl comic books
A book called 'the Car', on the history and construction of the car, also car racing.
A topographical map showing mountains, volcanoes and ocean currents.
was going to buy a world political map - but found one at the big box for 5.00
The Half Magic, Charlotte's Web and Little House in the Big Woods books
A compass and binocular multitoy from Toysmith called Optic Wonder
A vintage Speak and Spell
candle molds
Seeds for her gardening projects, dianthus, cockscomb, geranium and herbs.


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