Curriculum is Here!

I am so excited I could cry.  All of our curriculum for Merrick's kindergarten year (or at least the first semester) has finally arrived.  I feel like I have been planning and researching and dreaming about homeschooling Merrick for three and a half years, and now all that hard work and dreaming is finally coming into fruition.

Here are all our books laid out on the new table made just for Merrick's schoolroom:

We had our first reading lesson on the table two nights ago.  Merrick was thrilled to learning at his table instead of on his bed, as we normally do.  After our reading lesson, I showed him all the curriculum books.  He wanted to go over every page of every book.  I loved seeing his curiosity which, ultimately, translates into a very natural love of learning.

So here is our curriculum line up for kindergarten:

1.  Singapore Math - we got the workbook and activity book.  They both look a bit too easy for Merrick even though we've never formally done any mathematics.  My guess is that we'll go through these books for 2 - 3 months and then move onto the the 1B books.  After this year, I anticipate switching to Math Mammoth.

2. Explode the Code (Phonics) - I'm very excited about these books (we got books 1 and 1 1/2).  I was concerned this would also be too easy for Merrick since he is already reading, but they are right on course.

3.  Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - We bought this book at a HalfPrice Bookstore a couple of years ago for around $10.  Best 10 bucks I've ever spent.  Merrick is reading well (I think on about a 1st or 2nd grade level).  He's on lesson 65 now and may even be finished with the book by the time we officially start our school year.  He's pretty motivated since I told him I'd get him a Hot Wheels Trick Track once he finished the book.

4.  Evan-Moore Geography - I'm pretty excited about this workbook.  We'll probably go over 1 -2 lessons a week.  In addition to this book, I plan on ordering a couple of elementary maps from National Geographic (hmmm...note to self: order those stinkin' maps!)

5. Artistic Pursuits - This is what I am most excited about by far.  This book looks a-ma-zing.  The lessons are very well planned.  Part of each lesson (from what I can tell thus far) is examining a piece of artwork.  The book asks questions which will help the student (and parent!) to learn about art and life during the time period in which the art was painted/created.  Then, you get to create your own art using the methods that artist used.  I'll do a more thorough review of the book once we've had a chance to get into it.

6. Bible - In addition to these books, we will have a bible lesson each morning based on this free online curriculum here.  

Other things I'm considering adding to our curriculum once we get established in our schedule is Elementary Spanish, Meet the Masters (more art!), and a simple science project here and there (perhaps using Magnets to Mudpies).  We'll also be enjoying read-a-loud books and making lapbooks and having fun with some unit studies.  Merrick will also be learning piano from his Daddy and possibly taking karate lessons.  

Several people have asked me how I decided on which curriculum to use.  Honestly, I've been researching all this for a few years (!), but the two most helpful resources for me are the Well Trained Mind Forums and the Satori Smiles blog.  

Can't wait to get started (but, actually, I can wait since I have a bit more planning to do not to mention finishing out the schoolroom)!!!

Dinosaur Unit Study - Day 4

Day 4 of the Dinosaur Unit Study!

Today we read the book Can I Have a Stegosaurus, Mom?  Can I? Please?  What a fun book!  

Afterward, we made a sponge painted dinosaur egg that hid Jagger's favorite dinosaurs underneath.  

Merrick enjoyed painting with a sponge.

I asked Merrick who his favorite dinosaur was.  He answered with T-Rex AND Stegosaurus.  I made dotted lines for him to trace in the picture above.

Lift the egg and...

Easy day.  I think Merrick might be winding down in his desire to study out dinosaurs.  We'll see...

Dinosaur Unit Study - Day 3

Today we took our first field trip!  Since we have been studying dinosaurs, we decided to go to the Texas Memorial Museum at the University of Texas in Austin (where Marcos and I went to school).  

Before we went, I printed up a mini-book from the TMM web site that Jagger could use to help navigate through the museum.  We're probably going to use this mini book in his dino lapbook.  There are actually lots of helpful printables on the TMM web site here under lessons and activities.

Here are a few pics from our time with the dinosaurs:

Of course, since this is Texas, a central piece of the exhibit was a fossil that closely resembled a giant armadillo (behind that really good looking mom with her son).

Lulu and DeeDee (my mom) found a meteorite!  I think it's pretty cool that my baby girl touched something that has been in outer space.

"I once caught a fish this big..."

This was Jagger's favorite part of the entire exhibit.  I could not tear him away from the microscope.

Dee Dee is about to lose it as Finn tries to climb over the glass walls to play with the dinos.

My favorite part of the museum.  This is the Texas Pterosaur.  With a wing span of almost 40 feet, he is the largest flying creature ever found on Earth.  Hu.Mung.Us.

I almost made a comment here about what would happen if the Pterosaur decided he needed to poop/pee, but I decided to refrain.  I'm gonna keep it classy.

What a cutie.  

Can't wait to continue learning and for our next field trip adventure!

Dinosaur Unit Study - Day 2

Today, we kept it simple.  We focused our time on our little craft and used that activity to lead into some reading about dinosaurs.  

While at the library on Monday, we came across an awesome craft book called Crafts for Kids Who Are Wild About Dinosaurs by Kathy Ross.  There are other books by Kathy that are similar to this one for kids who are wild about insects, the ocean, space, etc.  We will definitely be using this line of books again in the future.  Her crafts are very simple and seem to use a lot of inexpensive or household items.  The craft today cost about $5.

We used this craft to learn about flying reptiles that existed during the time of the dinosaurs.  It's called the "Gliding Archaeopteryx" from Crafts for Kids.

First, we painted the pieces of a craft plane green (per Jagger's decision).  Next, we glued the pieces of the plane together.  While we waited for the glue to dry (or mostly dry), we sat down and read some in our dinosaur library books.

Next, we glued feathers onto the plane.  Jagger was incredibly picky about which feathers to use, which was very funny and very frustrating at the same time.  He would have taken all day to inspect all 200 feathers if I had allowed him.  But, I did not.  Eventually, I put on a timer and gave him 3 minutes to finish covering the plane.

Then, we took a pipe cleaner and wrapped it around the "neck" of the plane to create legs and claws.  

What a goof!  I don't know where he gets it?!?  

Lastly, we glued wobbly eyes onto the sides of the plane.  

Now, it's time to play!!!

Here, the archaeopteryx is about to eat Jagger for lunch.

Tomorrow, we are going to the Texas Memorial Museum to check out dinosaur fossils!  I can't wait to see how Jagger responds...

Diggin' for Dinosaurs!

Today is our first *unofficial* day homeschooling.  I say unofficial because Jagger is not yet 5 years old and it is not technically the beginning of his kindergarten year.  However, we are just r-e-a-d-y!  We have been home a lot because of the cold winter (in Texas, anything below 70* is cold) and have become bored, bored, bored.  So, I've decided to put together some unit studies and just have some fun reading and doing crafts.

I am off-the-charts excited.

I decided to start with dinosaurs.  Check out this post to see our game plan for the next two weeks.

We started the day off checking 1,037 dinosaur books out from the library.  When we got home, we read Digging Up Dinosaurs by Aliki (guess this person is the Cher or Madonna of the literary world).  We learned lots of new words like paleontologist, geologist, and carnivore.

Afterward, Jagger dug through sand in a pan to find dinosaur bones (craft sticks, toothpicks, macaroni, and tongue depressors).  

He LOVED this activity.

After he got all the "bones" out, he snuck some back in so he could keep playing in the sand.

Once I finally got him away from the sand, we laid the bones out on a piece of construction paper to form the body of a T-Rex.  I had to give him a few hints ("maybe the macaroni can be the tail"), but aside from that, he was able to make it on his own.  He laid the bones down and I glued them to the paper.

When I signed his name at the bottom, he made me add "the Discoverer" to his name.  :)

While I made lunch, I gave him a couple of worksheets so that he could practice writing the word "dinosaur."  I also gave him a coloring page/fact sheet on the T-Rex.  Did you know the T-Rex had teeth that were up to 6 inches long?

What an incredible first day of (not official) school! 

Texas / Rodeo Unit Study

Rodeo Austin Star of Texas

Cowboy/Rodeo Printables - more than 50 printables from abcteach

Cowboy Unit  - lots and lots of ideas plus more links

K-Crew's Texas Unit

Homeschool Share - this is an entire Texas unit based on the book, Armadillo Rodeo.  Super resource.

Homeschool Share - another lapbook based on the book The Legend of Lightening Larry.

Enchanted Learning - Texas facts and some printables

Rodeo activities - a couple of good ideas for preschool age

Ideas:

• Invite neighbors/friends over for a Cowboy Breakfast and then go to the Rodeo together.  Have each family bring a snack that can be made into trail mix (raisens, m&ms, pretzels, etc) to be eaten at the rodeo later that day.

Unit Studies Plan

Feb 21 - March 4 : Dinosaurs

March 7 - 11: Space (with Mars Needs Moms)

March 14 - 25: Texas/Rodeo (coincides with the Texas Rodeo)

March 28 - April  1: Zoo

April 4 - April 15: Dr. Suess

April 18 - April 22 (24th - Easter): Easter