1st grade: Isaiah's second semester

We travelled for through the states to see family and friends from Sept 1, 2012  through mid Feb 2013.  The time there completely covered Isaiah's first semester of homeschool 1st grade and Marian's kindergarten (though, had we been in China for this time, she would have been in Chinese preschool, the highest grade.  She's set to graduate this summer.)  Of course, I had high hopes that we would be able to keep up with some consistent chunks (a month here, several weeks there) but it was pretty much a wash.....  We read lots.  Lots of me reading aloud for the kiddos- some American Girl series Josephina, that I found at a thrift store- and Things Outdoors and Christian Liberty Nature Reader (1st book) as well as several beginning readers (both Veritas Press readers and online readers  which were much easier.)  

I had ordered My Father's World 1st grade basic set and I think I probably should have asked for commission for recommending the curriculum to so many people before I even had my own set in hand.  It looked like everything I would want to do with my kids and I love how they present themselves as CM and Classical methodology.....  But I guess, perhaps, 1st grade was their low spot?  I believe MFW starts their history route in 2nd grade and I'm guessing that's where it gets really good.  I wasn't so impressed with the 1st grade set I bought.  The entire thick "Bible Notebook" I bought was blank pages with a few lines for kiddo print at the bottom.  I'm sure I should have known that it would be a huge blank book, but I missed it somehow and was a bit disappointed with the whole set overall.  The Bible Reader?  Unnecessary.  There are a bazillion sufficient Bible readers out there with much better art work than that one!

So....  I started picking up the homeschool resources recommended to us as we met with homeschool friends around the country.  And one friend (thanks Christie S!) introduced me to homeschool books on ebay for cheap!!!  Yea!!!

We've just returned to China and I have brought a fair bit of resources with us....  The Mystery of History vol 1-2, Story of the World 1 (and CDs to listen to!), Apologia Science 1-2.  And lots of readers.... many from Jeanne at Book Ends (man, I love her!)

I'm realizing that a homeschooling mama has got to keep her eyes square locked on some trusted curriculum guides and not let herself be blown around, judging her/ her children's progress by what other homeschoolers are doing.  I am SO grateful for Ambleside Online.  Have referenced that and am running towards these goals now for the rest of 1st grade with Isaiah:  

Daily-Penmanship/ Copywork.  CM actually recommends print but Isaiah has taken off very well with Cursive First's program to be writing very nicely in cursive.  Perhaps it sounds ridiculous but I really think he'll be fine with this... we will try to do copywork in both print and cursive (probably alternating days.)  

Phonics.  Reading, reading, reading.  Oh to see him learn to Love to read!!  More VP primers and good literature (Frog and Toad/ Little Bear/ etc)  ...  Aim to develop good narration skills in him.  Biography (Trial and Triumph by R. Hannula)

Bible memory verses.  Fighter Verse app on ipad is perfectly fantastic!!!  Daily family devotions in AM/ PM is sufficient for Bible instruction for now.  

Math.  I'm hoping to have a Chinese helper teach Math as they do in China but we are also enjoying the Math Mammoth workbooks as well.

Chinese.  Reading aloud and practicing narration again.  The same tutor for Math will teach him Chinese reading and writing.  He's already off to a fantastic start- bilingual in speaking/listening at 5-6 yr level.  

Weekly-Art-  probably 2-3 times per week.  Drawing with Children activities/ exercises.  Chinese art instruction books

Piano-  a teacher will come to our home.  Independent practice 20-30 min daily.  Pursue other ways of learning (itunes?  friends who play?) as well and additional songs to practice.  

An Artist and a Composer to study (Thank you Simply Charlotte Mason) We’ll start by listening to Bach, Mozart, Chopin, and Stravinsky looking up info to learn about them online.  For picture study (artists)  we’ll study John James Audubon, Carl Larsson, Maxfield Parrish, P. Buckley Moss.

Geography- Ann Voskamp’s Geography.   Paddle to the Sea.  Explore / navigate the globe and maps on walls.  

Nature Study.....  ahhh.... to figure this out for our city lives!  (animal flashcards? hopefully we’ll be able to drive to a park for leaf and bug collecting/ observing)

He loves biking, roller blading, baseball, legos, drawing, play sword fights... So let’s pursue some new handicrafts:  gardening, crocheting?, letter writing / emails?

Details-
Discuss/review calendar.... seasons.... years/ months/ weeks

Learn Chinese money

Review telling time.  

Our Modified List based on CM's "A Formidable List of Attainments for a Child of Six"   (And too, Isaiah will be turning 7 almost exactly at his starting time for this semester and we will still be filling in what’s needed to meet these very few, super simplified accomplishments!)

1. To sing or recite beautifully 6 verses, poems, and or hymns
2.   Isaiah adds and subtracts very easily for numbers 1-100 (plus or minus a single digit)
3. Reading... still needing lots more practice!
4. To copy manuscript and cursive writing...  he took really well to cursive first!
5. To know a caterpillar’s life cycle

Much of the other goodness that was listed on CM's original list, Isaiah has learned at least bit and pieces of in Chinese at preschool (seasons, directions, a few nature observations) and we've covered them briefly at home.  I know this semester we will go deep into much more of that, especially in studying Ann Voskamp's Child's Geography book.