This summer made it a goal to tackle one big project a week and blog about it to keep me on task.
I am teaming up with 5 Minutes for Mom and this is my fifth week of Tackle It Tuesday.
Here are the results so far:
Sending in the Intent of Home Instruction Notification to our local school district which includes:
Description of Curriculum of ALL subjects.
My first grader is ready for the challenge!
Not an easy task, especially when I realized the history curriculum that I had purchased had nothing in common with the Educational Standards of Learning being taught in our state.
After much review and research on line at our local library, here is my completed project of the week. I am mailing it today, and I cannot wait to get this document(s) off my hands!
FIRST GRADE CURRICULUM
LANGUAGE ARTS
Continue with The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Readingby Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington
Continue with Spelling Workout Level A by Modern Curriculum Press and add Spelling Workout Level B later in the year.
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind Level 1 by Jessie Wise
Writing with Ease: Strong Fundamentals by Susan Wise Bauer
My Printing Book from Handwriting without Tears
MATH
Continue with Saxon First Grade Math which also includes:
Weather and Seasons
Calendar
Continue with First in Math, web based Math game.
Begin MATH-U-SEE later in the year.
SCIENCE
For first grade, Ladybug will be focusing on Life Science and use the following materials:
Animals: Kingfisher First Encyclopedia of Animals
Human Body: The Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia
Plants: Green Thumbs: A Kid's Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening
Ladybug will also be conducting experiments from:
Ladybug will also be growing plants from seed for our vegetable garden.
In addition, she will be taking field trips to the local aquarium and zoo. We are fortunate we received annual family memberships for both places.
Through the year, Ladybug will be keeping a science journal to document our reading, experiments, and garden results.
SOCIAL SCIENCE (HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY)
American History:
Ladybug will be reading or will be read the stories of American leaders and their contributions to our country. She will focus on one figure per week. At the end of the week, she will complete a narration page, art project or book report to explain the major contributions of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington Carver, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
She will also be reading or will be read the stories of key American symbols and holidays. She will focus on one symbol or holiday per week. At the end of the week, she will complete a narration page, art project or book report to analyze the lives of people and events associated with selected holidays. She will also explain the reasons for celebrating Columbus Day, Presidents’ Day, and Independence Day
George Washington & Presidents’ Day
George Did It by Jurmain, Suzanne.
Take the Lead, George Washington by St. George, Judith.
George Washingtonby Knox, Barbara.
Benjamin Franklin
Ben Franklin: His Wit from A to Z by Schroeder, Alan.
The remarkable Benjamin Franklin by Harness, Cheryl.
Abraham Lincoln
Abe Lincoln's hat by Brenner, Martha. A.
Abraham Lincoln for kids : his life and times with 21 activities
by Herbert, Janis.
Abraham Lincoln : sixteenth president, 1861-1865
by Venezia, Mike.
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carverby Kittinger, Jo S.
George Washington Carver by Wheeler, Jill C.
George Washington Carver : the peanut scientist
by McKissack, Pat.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Franklin & Eleanor by Harness, Cheryl.
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1962 by Santow, Dan.
Eleanor Roosevelt : a life of discovery by Freedman, Russell.
Christopher Columbus & Columbus Day
Christopher Columbus byKaufman, Mervyn D.
Follow the dream by Sís, Peter.
My first Columbus Day bookby Lillegard, Dee.
Where do you think you're going, Christopher Columbus?
by Fritz, Jean.
Thomas Jefferson & Independence Day
Thomas Jefferson : third president 1801-1809
by Venezia, Mike.
Meet Thomas Jeffersonby Pingry, Patricia A.
Thomas Jefferson: a picture book biography
by Giblin, James.
Civics
Red, white, and blue: the story of the American flag
Herman, John.
The first American flag
Allen, Kathy.
The Statue of Liberty
Rau, Dana Meachen.
The great seal of the United States
Pearl, Norman.
The bald eagle
Dell, Pamela.
The Washington monument: a tribute to a man, a monument for a nation
Gilmore, Frederic.
The Washington Monument
Doherty, Craig A.
- Develop basic map skills
• Recognize basic map symbols, including references to land, water, cities, and roads
• Identify the physical shape of the United States and Virginia
• Locate Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, on a map
• Locate Richmond, the capital of Virginia, on a map
• Construct a simple map of a familiar area, e.g., the classroom
• Analyze how the location of his or her community, climate, location, and physical surroundings affect the way people live.
Later in the year, as time permits, she will also start learning about Ancient History.
Story of the World: Ancient Times by Susan Bauer.
We will also be using the activity book for projects, and using the recommended additional history reading list.
The Usborne Book of World History
Kingfisher Illustrated History of the World
Economics
Just saving my money
Mayer, Mercer.
Banking basics
Fischer, James.
Human footprint: everything you will eat, use, wear, buy, and throw out in your lifetime
Kirk, Ellen, author.
Who taught you about money? : a fun book for young people
Harris, Richard (Richard T.).
Ladybug also has a chore chart and an allowance associated with this chart.
Health and Physical Education
You can cook
Karmel, Annabel.
Gobey gets full: good nutrition in a nutshell
Caplan, Judy.
The edible pyramid: good eating every day
Leedy, Loreen.
Keeping fit
Dunn, Sonja.
Ladybug is also taking swim lessons through the American Red Cross.
Ladybug is also a member of the Girl Scouts of America where she is demonstrating how to get along with others, follow rules, accept responsibility, and show respect for herself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, and learns about cultural diversity.
Technology
Ladybug will integrate electronic technology into the subject areas of language arts, math, science and social studies, emphasizing the use of technology as a tool for learning.
Art
Ladybug will engage in an art project weekly, many of the projects will be integrated into the subject areas of social science, and science.
She will also learn art appreciation through regular visits to the local Museum of Art which now offers free admission.
Music
Ladybug will be attending weekly music lessons outside the home.
You will have a busy year, this looks great! We too are doing a history focus this coming year and we are looking forward to it.
Posted by: Jen | 07/19/2011 at 07:15 AM
Thanks Jen! I was a history major in college so I hope to share my enthusiam with m first grader!
Posted by: Mary @ A Simple Twist of Faith | 07/19/2011 at 10:52 AM
Good grief that's a lot of work!
Posted by: Headless Mom | 07/21/2011 at 12:25 AM