Language Arts
Reading
It is time for the boy to start reading. I have a confession to make. My 4-year-old son cannot read his letters. There, I said it. He knows the alphabet, but we have not worked on reading the letters. He has had no interest in learning and I chose not to force it. However, it is now time to change that. I will be using the same book with him that I used for my now 6-year-old. It worked wonderfully for her and I see no reason not to use it again. The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading is one of the most important books in my homeschool. It lays a perfect foundation for reading.
We will also be using BOB Books, as they are good practice for a beginner. We'll start with the pre-reading books and move up to the beginning readers.
Handwriting
With learning to read letters, my son will also be learning to write them. We do not have a special book for this, and we will be starting with writing lines (horizontal, vertical, circle, etc.). If I feel that he is ready, I may start early with the kindergarten level Zaner-Bloser Handwriting book.
Literature
While my son will be joining his big sister on the couch as I read various stories related to history, science, or anything else, I wanted to include a special read-aloud time with just him and I. We will be reading classic children's stories and doing an activity related to the story. We hope to get through Rumpelstiltskin, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and so on. I will also include Aesop's Fables and any other stories involving a lesson.
Mathematics
Mathematics in the early years, if done right, can be very fun and rewarding. My son is already an excellent counter and knows simple addition and subtraction, but I will still be formally going over the basics with him. This way it all gets covered and if we move at a faster pace to meet his needs, then that is what we will do.
Just this year, The Well-Trained Mind Press published a book by Kate Snow called Preschool Math at Home: Simple Activities to Build the Best Possible Foundation for Your Child. At first, I had no intention on getting the book, as I did just fine with my oldest with preschool math. However, after watching this video, I got to see the concepts and activities of the book in action. I am always on the look-out for fun and effective ways to teach my children, and my son is a very active hands-on little boy, so I am eager to give it a try.
Because the book is geared toward the early preschool years (age 3), I anticipate that my Pre-K student and I will work on two lessons per week, alternating with puzzles, counting bears, and other activities.
History
At this age, I do not do any formal history lessons but he usually likes to join in when I do history with his older sister. This year, we are studying the Middle Ages and I know that the stories of knights and kings will be of great interest to him.
Science
I did not do Pre-K science for my oldest, and I regret it. This time around, I will be using Elemental Science's Exploring Science. We've used this for both kindergarten and first grade with my oldest and it has been a big hit. Looking at the lessons, I know that my son will look forward to science each week. The concepts are simple and the experiments are easy. For the experiments, we will be using the suggested book Science Play.
My hope is that my son will feel included in our school day and that by keeping his lessons simple and fun, he will not only learn but also enjoy having school with us.
I love seeing what you have planned. Looks like it'll be so much fun for him!
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