Need Help with Kindergarten Curriculum

Many museums (art, history, science, zoos, planetariums) offer some great programs for home schoolers. Generally someone in the education department of the institution would have the most information about programs.

For Kindergarten age kids:
1)
Keep the 'studying' periods in short spurts, unless your child has a long attention span. Don't expect him to sit with a workbook for 1 hour.

2) do "sight words". It is called "Dolch Sight Words."
http://www.mrsperkins.com/dolch.htm
My daughter's school, uses this. Per Kinder and 1st grade.
This helps them with reading.

3) Here are some links for learning, per my Daughter's 1st Grade teacher:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/chi.shtml
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_169_g_1_t_2.html?o...
http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/games/game7.htm
http://www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_en.php
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/flood.html
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactive...
http://www.starfall.com/n/level-a/learn-to-read/play.htm?f

4) Also read rhymes to your child. They learn this way too... per reading and association and 'sounds.'

5) Teach via phonics... sounding out words. With Kindergarten, use 3 letter words. This is an introduction only, at this age. Per sounding out letters and 'reading.'

6) Practice "opposites"

7) Practice "pairings.' ie: a sock goes with what? (answer: a shoe)

8) Do puzzles. There are learning puzzles/games too.

9) practice numbers, counting. Not all at once. 5 at a time.

10) practice colors

11) practice/teach him about the Calendar: ie: months, the week and the days. Have a calendar on the wall. Each day say and show him what day of the week it is and the date/number.

12) Practice 'writing'. Uses workbooks with Mazes in it. The "Kumon" brand of workbooks (found at bookstores) are great. They have Preschool/Kinder aged books. Practicing with 'mazes' helps the fingers/hand fine-motor skills... which is a precursor for "writing."

13) Practice writing the letters. Then his name as he progresses.

14) Practice "tracing." There are many workbooks with tracing exercises. The Kumon brand workbooks has this too. Tracing objects and letters, also helps the child to learn to write, as it helps the fine-motor skills of the hand/fingers.

15) Practice holding a pencil

16) Do coloring in a coloring book. This also helps fine motor skills of the hand/fingers.

17) Have a big cute Map. Point to it and teach him the names of the States and the names of the Countries. Teach him what a Map is etc.

At this age, everything is an introduction. To more complex concepts... which is learned in 1at grade and onward.

all the best,
Susan

Secular Homeschooling is very common. I can share what WE used/ use, but there's tons more out there:

Montessori
http://www.freemontessori.org/?page_id=9
http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2009/07/montessori-links.html

Charlotte Mason
http://simplycharlottemason.com/basics/started/charlotte-...

Math
(montessori, see above) &
http://www.singaporemath.com/
- computer games like ClueFinders
- online games from pbs kids

Science
http://www.noeoscience.com/ (as a science major, this is my FAVORITE science curriculum out there. Christian publisher, but completely secular science, which sounds funny typing it, but I've sooooooo particular about science that for want of being able to find a great program I made up my own for 2 years. For K you'd start with either Bio I: Seeds, Scales, Feathers, & Tails, Chem: I Bubbly, Sticky, Bouncy & Icky, or Physics I: Zip, Zap, Zing, & Zoom. I very much recommend getting the 'young scientists club' extension )

Language Arts
- www.starfall.com (for early reading it's the BEST!) also free
- Charlotte Mason (see above)
- Montessori (see above)
- Time For Learning (shortened to T4L on homeschool boards... we ONLY use the LA part of it, but technically it also has 3 other subjects that you can choose to use as well). http://www.time4learning.com/

Handwriting
- Handwriting without tears http://www.hwtears.com/hwt

Latin
http://www.minimus-etc.co.uk/

History
I make up my own history program using a bit of a unit study approach/ Charlotte Mason approach by civilization/era (aka Neolithic, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greek, Roman, Ancient Indian, Ancient China, Feudal Japan, Vikings, MesoAmerican, Middle Ages Europe, Renaissance, Colonies, Indians of North America, US History, Industrial Revolution.) I have waaaay too much information to post about it (I've been toying with the notion of tossing it up online for free at some point, but I'm not there yet.) A really great website that isn't easily 'found' is http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ so I just HAVE to pass it on

We take HUGE advantage of classes and events that are offered for both homeschoolers and awayschoolers that are out in the community. From Lucy on tour, to art & music classes, to drama camps during school breaks, to special programs the city puts on (like beach walks with a marine biologist) to fieldtrips in areas kiddo loves (we're arranging one right now with Bungie/Microsoft... have gone on some at the local Observatory, had a Rabbi friend unroll the Torah for us, have gone behind the scenes at restaurants and doctor's offices and zoos and movie theatres), to sports, to, to, to, to. The list is FAR too long to ever accomplish everything!!! :) :) :)

The hands down BEST website I can offer? Yahoo Groups. Homeschool boards galore! I'm on more than 10, from secular HS'ing to ADHD homeschooling, to philosophy HS'ing (like montessori, charlotte mason, well trained mind, etc.) to a local fieldtrip group. The boards are all moderated, so it usually takes 12-24 hours to get accepted, but they are WELL worth it.

Your local school district should provide information regarding required curriculum and books, ect. for homeschooling.

First Start Reading Program by Memoria Press worked great for my daughter who just finished kindergarten and now reads Level 2 and 3 chapter books. Great program and so easy to teach. It incorporates drawing/art with many of the lessons too. I also loved Horizon Math K. I didn't have a science or social studies curriculum because we visited the area science centers, zoos and children's museums monthly. I added Latin late in the kindergarten year and hope to add Spanish in first grade. PM me if you would like more info. Midwife Mom of 3

Don't forget to check your public library for information, too. Good luck!

"What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know" is a book we used, by E. D. Hirsch (he has a whole series, one for each grade, that are great guidelines for topics that are normally taught in schools). For workbooks, we use the Brain Quest series; they have one for each grade and we use them as supplements. Other than that, we go to the library a lot and read a lot. Have fun!

i didn't use a boxed curriculum, and don't think you really need to for kindergarten. but the ones i loved to steal from were the waldorf ones, clonlara and oak meadow and so forth. SO kid-friendly!
congrats on your decision to homeschool.
:) khairete
S.

http://www.abcya.com/
http://www.softschools.com/grades/kindergarten.jsp
http://school.familyeducation.com/kindergarten/parenting/...
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/month2month.htm
http://www.greatschools.org/kindergarten.topic?content=2659
http://www.tlsbooks.com/kindergartenworksheets.htm
http://www.worksheetsplus.com/