Sunday, October 25, 2009

Our Curriculum

I'm currently experimenting with homeschooling Georgie and Vicki.  Georgie "graduated" from Early Intervention (speech delays) at the end of last year and we decided to not send either of them to outside preschool.   We're not using a lot of structure, or buying too much curriculum but are working on basic skills (reading, writing, counting, addition...) in a relaxed, fun way.

Georgie is currently doing mostly kindergarten level work - learning to read, K math, and themes and/or literature unit studies.  For reading we are using The Reading LessonIt's a phonics program that does a few letters at a time, gradually building to words and short stories.  Georgie hated Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  The pages were too cluttered and the print too small.  

For Math, we are using Houghton Mifflin Kindergarten.  It's an online program that is more of a classroom supplement, but for kindergarten it's pretty easy to use without the texts.  Last week Georgie worked on making patterns with his Unifix Blocks (see below).

We use a variety of worksheets from Enchanted Learning and The Learning Page as supplements for our Reading, Math, as well as our Themes.  To my extreme surprise, Georgie actually likes worksheets.

Vicki isn't showing too much interest in anything resembling a structured activity but I occasionally try ideas found on Tot School or No Time for Flashcards.  Vicki is definitely more of an active, rough-and-tumble type but we do manage the occasional project or learning game.  One of her favorites is color matching bears, shown below.

Last week, we studied Ocean Animals and both of them enjoyed making sea anemone's using directions we got from the In the Hands of a Child, Clownfish Adventure project pack.  (picture below).

Coming Next Week:  Pumpkins and Halloween


My Intro to the Blog-o-sphere (or All About Us)

I've always been pretty quick to get into anything computer-related so I'm surprised it took me so long to decide to do a blog. I figured I'd start with a little information about us. I'm a SAHM with an absolutely wonderful husband who works hard all day and comes home to cook a delicious, nutritious dinner. I have three wonderful children - Stef, 15 years old, is a sophomore at a top high school, cheerleader, competitive dancer and musical theatre buff; Georgie, 4 years old, is doing "at home school", mostly at a kindergarten level; and Vicki, 2 years old, occassionally cooperates for a few preschool/Tot School activities.