Kindergarten Curriculum Compiled

Well, after Saturday’s hunting trip through the bookstore, I have everything I could possibly need for our home curriculum‘s areas of focus.

Very specific things like the three grade-level artists and scientists will need to be supplemented by the library, but everything else is well-covered by what I’ve collected at Forget-Me-Not Books. ($.25-$1 per book)

  • Art
    • Drawing with Children
  • Health/Manners
    • Health, Safety, and Manners (From the A Beka Health series)
  • Language Arts
    • *Gobs* of read-alouds covering all subjects
    • The Reading Teacher’s Books of lists (original edition)
    • Untangling Some Knots in K-8 Writing Instruction
    • Stories, songs and Poetry to teach Reading and Writing
    • Games for Writing*
    • A Celebration of Literature and Response (K-8)
      • it maybe more for me than her, it still looks really interesting
  • Mathematics

    • Saxon Math K
      • A big, fat book that is a year’s worth of lesson plans, with activity sheets to copy in the back.
      • It seems to have a good ratio/emphasis on hands-on learning
    • Linking Mathematics and Language
      • Now doesn’t that sound like the perfect book for me?
    • Maths on Display (activities for ages 5-8)
  • Music
  • Physical Education
    • Not using a book
  • Science
    • Building structures with young children
    • *Gobs* of non-fiction read-alouds (covers the life-science basics)
    • Sense-able Science (integrating math and science in activities exploring the senses)
    • 2nd volume of a teacher’s edition Kindergarten science text. Covers basics of Physical Science in an outline/activity format.
  • Social Studies/History
    • Read-alouds about other times
    • Folktales– to talk about social responsibility, interaction and consequences.
  • Religion
    • Family bible* version: ESV. It’s what we memorize from (or are beginning now, as a shift from our hodge-podge till recently).
      • It’s what Jay reads, and what they’ve started using in this latest Sunday School class at church
      • We read bible stories/storybooks too, it’s just we wanted to settle on one version to read “straight” from so the memorization that happens without trying (I’m convinced this is where the majority of my memorization comes from) can begin to take root.
      • (Though I still prefer the Holman for my personal bible-reading/study, I like the ESV well enough I don’t feel like I’m competing.)
    • Navigators Topical Memory System* for now
    • Hero Tales*– trues stories from the lives of Christian heroes (Found Volume 1 at Guliver’s, and if we like the format we’ll probably continue with the later volumes.)

(*) marks things we didn’t buy at Forget-Me-Not. Not a whole lot.

Naturally some of the read-alouds (what I’m calling picture books that are “consumable” in a single sitting) came from sources other than F-M-N, but some did, so I didn’t note (*) those separately.

I feel compelled to speak the acknowledgment that I don’t expect to use all these book in their entirety in Natasha’s first year. But they all are books that begin to be applicable at this age, so I’m including them in my list.

The completeness of this list, from as random a source as a used-book store, is what I find so delightful and exciting about it all:

I am no longer “scrambling” or wondering what we will do when we knuckle down. And having more than I need, rather than less, is a very reassuring way to start.

2 thoughts on “Kindergarten Curriculum Compiled

  1. Dave Cook says:

    Dear lover of the Scriptures –

    I just visited your website and saw a reference to scripture memorization
    and the Topical Memory System. This email note is to let you know
    about two unique websites that may be new to you. They both use
    music as the vehicle to aid in memorization.

    Scripture Release is the Topical Memory System in song. It features
    the first 24 verses of the TMS sung by Lisa Bevill, Kim Hill and four
    other outstanding Nashville artists. The mp3/zip downloads, as well
    as numerous helps, are available at no charge.
    The URL is: http://www.scripturerelease.com

    Scripture Song Source features music to be used in the church.
    Pieces range from congregational to choral to kids. Easy-to-read
    sheet music and midi demos are available. Again, there is
    no charge for use. Scripture Song Source recently changed its URL.
    The new URL is: http://www.scripturesongsource.com

    God grant grace to all of us in these critical days as we seek
    to lift up the truth of His word!

    Waiting in His wings,

    Dave Cook
    Scripture Release!
    http://www.scripturerelease.com scripturerelease@iowatec.com

    For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it,
    and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. EZRA 7:10

    http://www.scripturesongsource.com
    Your statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. PSALM 119: 54

    http://www.godwillblessamerica.com
    Blessed is the nation whose GOD is the LORD. Psalm 33:12

  2. I love these books I collected for teaching, but the reality is that at this point they are more for my comfort and enjoyment than to apply on my child.

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