Elementary Grades

My Elementary Grades Curriculum

I like to keep school simple, inexpensive, and easy for Mom. In elementary grades you need to emphasis the skill areas of reading, writing, math, and spelling. This is my way of doing that; you may prefer a different approach. Do be consistent. Do several hours of school every day, and make sure your student is learning every day.
Homeschool takes commitment!

Organization
It's important to teach your children to be organized and accountable about school. Each child needs a notebook with dividers. In the front should be a assignment section with an outline of what he/she is to do each day, and a place to check off, or grade each day's work. Write down page numbers to be read etc. Since the child knows what the assignments are, he/she can just do them without waiting for instructions from you. Include all written work in the notebook in it's own section. Check the work each day. Unless you excuse an assignment for a good reason, require all assignments to be completed that day, or made up on Saturday.

Reading
Read to your children every day. As soon as they are reading independently, just get lots of library books. I let them read in bed for an hour after their bedtime. I also assign uplifting reading for school. Abeka has good literature books, but you can just use library books. Read classics! A book club or magazine subscription is fun too because they get new things to read all the time that are just for them. Teaching your Children How to Read

MATH
Saxon Math 1-800-284-7019
Abeka Math 1-800-874-2352
Do an hour of math each day, plus 5-10 minutes of math facts practice

Writing
Have them write every day. You may want to assign a different kind of writing for each day of the week. Choose from:
• They write from dictation
• They dictate and you write
• copy work,
• write letters to relatives etc.
• book reports
• reports on subjects you're studying
• journal
• English Rules - *see explanation
*"English Rules" Teach one new rule each day, or week. They must demonstrate that they have learned that rule by writing a sentence demonstrating the rule. The next day, or after a few days, assign another rule. Now they must demonstrate BOTH rules. Continue to add rules and require them to demonstrate all rules learned. In their other writing assignments for the week, require them to "obey" all the rules they have studies so far. They must correct their writing for the rules they have learned. (Ignore writing mistakes they have not yet studied)

SPELLING
    Collect the misspelled words from your student's daily writing and list them in a notebook. Now use the book, "The Natural Speller, (see below) to collect the words into groups with a spelling rule in common. I assign 5 words a day. Add words from the book (Natural Speller) below to round out the spelling rule lesson. Sometimes the list won't have a rule in common, but that's okay.   Have your student writes his spelling words for the day 5 times. He should study the words for that day plus the lists from the last two days. When he's ready, he asks for a spelling test. Test him on that day's words, plus the words from the last two days.   If he gets any of that day's words wrong, he writes the misspelled word 10 times, studies again, and repeats the entire spelling test. If he misses any of the words from other days, require him to write those words 5 times and don't require a retest. However, add the misspelled word to the next day's list as an additional word.
    We have a homeschool spelling bee in May. I try to cover the words from the spelling bee list as part ofmy student's daily spelling assignment. Spelling Bee List

Natural Speller
It has lessons for students k-8. It's the only spelling book you need. It is organized by grade, and by spelling rule. It's great and worth the money (about $22.00)

History Geography and Science
    Make these fun! All the rest of the subjects are what the skill areas revolve around. Good ways to study these subjects are:
• Get lots of library books on a specific subject, like castles, or electricity. Study that subject for a week to 6 weeks.
• Do science experiments from library books
• Watch "Bill Nye the Science Guy", "Scientific American Frontiers," "Nova," and "Newton's Apple," Discovery channel, documentaries etc.
• Read historical fiction out loud and discuss the parts of the story that are true.
• Create (or buy) timelines to show when things happened.
• Read literature written at different periods of time and discuss the history of that time.
• Observe nature. Do sketches, compare, etc.
• Create a project for our Science Fair (Each March or April)
• When you study anything, find out where it happened and find it on a map.
• Be curious about globes and maps of all kinds. Make a map of your neighborhood.
• Study for the Homeschool National Geography Bee (We participate each December)
• When you are ready for textbooks, I like ABeka, but there are other good ones too.
• If you don't want to use textbooks, you can use library books.
Geography Bee Study List

Religious Training and Service
Sing hymns and patriotic songs.
Read stories from the scriptures.
Read good literature that teaches values. We have enjoyed reading aloud from, "The Book of Virtues."
Do a simple service project once per week such as making cookies for a neighbor, shoveling snow, or donating items to a shelter.

Electives
Music is a good elective. Try singing, playing an instrument, listening to music, or dance.
Languages - Learning a language broadens students and gives them an edge. Do it if you have time. Even learning a few words a day is fun and beneficial.
Art brings enjoyment and appreciation to life. Study famous artworks and artists, and let your children create their own artworks - drawings, paintings, sculpture, cut&paste, collages, etc. They don't have to be wonderful or perfect. The main thing is they should be fun to make, and strive for beauty.
Cooking and Sewing
Economics
Physical Education - Dance, sports, etc.

Your special interests
Whatever your family is interested in. Share your hobbies and interests. Car repair, needlepoint, genealogy, horsemanship, model building, photography, etc.

*Remember,
the skills are the most important. Put the most time and effort into reading, writing, spelling, and math.

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