WHAT WE DID AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO
At the beginning of the year, I thought of putting together a Kindergarten curriculum for Nino (4 1/2)…. I had bought a really neat book using 26 letters, but then I looked at the booklist and eventually decided… NAH. We’ve got way too many books and materials in the house and putting together a curriculum will just make me want to buy more and more STUFF. We basically unschooled all year, and this is just a record of what we did the past 12 months, mostly books that we read.
BOOKLIST:
At the beginning of the year:
Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day?
The Original Peter Rabbit books
The Ladybug and Other Insects, The Human Body, The Egg, Airplanes, The Tree, Castles
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Busy Spider, A House for Hermit Crab
Nine months ago:
D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths – some homeschooling friends think this is a bit too pagan and frightening for little kids, but when I read it aloud to him, after having taken a break from the book for 7+ years, I didn’t find it to be so. Sure there were bizarre stories here, some having morbid plots, but a 5-year-old boy has a natural preoccupation with monsters so I am not worried. We’ll revisit this book more seriously around third grade, to go with Ancient Greek studies, but for now, he keeps taking it off the shelf and rereading his favorites.
The Chronicles of Narnia series
The Children’s Book of Virtues, The Children’s Book of Heroes, The Children’s Book of America, The Children’s Book of Faith
My Book House Books 4 and 5
He started reading on his own end of December, 2013. Since then, the progress has been unbelievable.
Six months ago:
This series, I don’t even know how he discovered. I normally have the kids read this around 3rd grade to go with history studies, but one day he picked one off the history shelf and had me read him all four: The Usborne Time Traveler Series: Pharaohs and Pyramids, Rome and Romans, Viking Raiders, Knights and Castles
Seymour Simon books
Jim Weiss Audiobooks
Three months ago:
Star Wars Blueprints: The Ultimate Collection — this is his older brother’s, but the illustrations are fascinating even for a five-year-old
Oh Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty – another older brother purchase from years back, now apparently fascinating to the little one
Childhood of Famous Americans Series
Now:
Boys’ Life
Jigsaw Jones
The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh
The Chronicles of Narnia Audiobook Set
Prayers Memorized this Year:
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Blessing at Meals
Morning Offering
Field Trips, etc.:
Trip to Toronto
Trips to St. Louis, including Science Center
Trip to Michigan
Trip to Chicago, specifically Chinatown
Field trip to local zoo
Trail Life sessions
Shows:
Magic School Bus
A few NOVA and Discovery Channel shows on hurricanes, tornadoes, and volcanoes
Wild Kratts
Other:
Learning to tell time on analog clock (still working on this)
Lots of play time with Lego, wooden blocks, K’Nex, playdough
Sand and water play, dirt and insects and all the things boys get into
Not enough drawing and painting — need to do more of this this year
Swordfighting with the boys
Trains, cars, planes
Card games: Go Fish
Swimming and Gymnastics Lessons
He’s been getting good practice journaling with the family on Sundays, but this year I’m having him begin his own journal so he can narrate his stories and books he’s read. He’s also gotten into some letter-writing since big sis Aisa is 9 hours away.
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