It's been about eight weeks since we started our second year of home schooling. First grade is very different than Kindergarten! There's so much more work to do and more focus on everyone's parts. I thought I would write about what I like about our curriculum and what I don't like. I have a lot to say, but I think I will keep the overall review short for now...What I LOVE!!!! Horizon's First Grade Math!!!! It's so easy for me to follow along in the teacher's guide. The workbook for Gabby is colorful, but not distractingly so. We love the spiral learning, except Gabby does complain a little if it's something that she really is bored with or doesn't like. I have no complaints about it. That's always a very good thing!
What I also LOVE!!!! I have supplemented our "History and Geography" from Lifepac with Abekka's First Grade My America and My World history book. Reason being is that Lifepac is way too babyish for Gabby (or for most 1st graders). Our supplemental book is great! It's colorful, easy to read for Gabby, leaves room for us to explore more into topics and create our own worksheets or projects. I usually like to have things very specific with provided worksheets, etc., but this book really caught my eye and I have really enjoyed it so far.
What I like: Horizons Spelling. It's very typical First Grade work for this topic with Gabby learning ten new words a week along with two "Working Words." Spiral learning is also used in this subject along with a dictionary. We practice spelling words, write sentences and write letters or stories to go along with a picture related to the words.
What I also like: Horizons Penmanship. It seemed kind of slow at the beginning with just writing lines and circles, but I can see why they did that- review. She has moved on to writing basic words that help with proper strokes. We have been struggling with hand writing a bit since she broke her arm. It's been a little uncomfortable for her to sit properly with the right kind of support for her whole body. When she gets the cast off in about eight days, I hope to see improvement.
What I think is okay: Horizons Health. Honestly, we haven't done much with this because the same topics have been covered either in Social Studies or Science. I think I will start to plan everything out a little better to start including the workbook and some extra work from the health curriculum.
Something else I think that is just okay: Horizon's Phonics and Reading. I have to say that I am extremely disappointed with this Phonics program. It's A LOT of work in just one lesson. We have been learning basic vowel sounds, digraphs, blends, compound words, suffixes, abbreviations, etc. and that will all be in one week. There's some spiral learning, but not as much as you would hope for in a program that should be the most important in your child's education. She needs to know all of the above, but more importantly, she needs to retain it. This has been a fight for the past few weeks... she either doesn't care, is bored, or is confused. I am going with the confused because I get that way a bit, too. We have slowed down this program a bit and added in more reading. I have her read from the reader that they have provided and then I read to her a different story from it or from a totally different book. I can't say that she hasn't learned anything, but it's just not the program that I expected it to be. I will be using a different one next year unless things improve before the new year.
What I don't like: Science and Social Studies (Lifepac's History and Geography). Gabby LOVES the workbooks, loves how easy it is to read and follow along in the workbooks and how she knows most of the topics already. KNOWS them already!!! Yeah, she learned about her senses quite some time ago and all about her feelings when she was a toddler. Topics we have covered: I have feelings, warning sounds, warning signs, happy signs, symbols (such as a top sign), our senses, MORE about our senses, God made us special, God made all things special, communication (this is the only topic that I actually enjoyed teaching in eight weeks), and the simpleness goes on. This is why I have supplemented. The same will go with science when we study endangered animals and weather. I thought that we needed to be learning about Columbus, the Pilgrims, and the 13 colonies and not about our feelings. I am very disappointed and will not be using Lifepac again.
Physical Education has been put on the side since Gabby broke her arm. Soccer will be put off until next summer (maybe the spring). Swim lessons may start up again in the spring after all physical therapy is complete.
For extra- curricular activities we have been involved in Girl Scouts, Awana, and dance class (starting next month).
I think that's all I have to say for now. I had planned to keep this short, but it wasn't. Maybe next time I will just write about one subject at a time.
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