This will be my first time doing AmblesideOnline Year 1, although I’ve read many of the books to the older kids over the years. I’m looking forward to reading them again with Mr. L, who is eager to learn all he can about this big world. My days sometimes feel like a round of 100 Questions – before I’ve had my coffee! 😀
Bible: He’s asked me to read the Bible to him, so I will read one of the Gospels – Luke? – aloud slowly, and have him narrate.
History, Geography & Literature: We will mostly follow AO Year 1 for this, except that I am saving Trial and Triumph and Parables from Nature for a later year, and scheduling Pinocchio and one or two other books from the free read list instead. I am thankful we had the opportunity to see the St. Lawrence River on our recent road trip, so he can picture it when we read Paddle to the Sea.
Science & Nature Study: This arrived in the mail the other day, and I am hoping he’ll enjoy it, as he’s told me he loves birds. 🙂
I’ve also bought him a nature journal, watercolors, and water brush pens so he can start recording his nature finds.
Phonics: Teaching Reading with Bob Books continues to go well, and he’ll soon start reading through Set 3. I’m looking forward to when he can read the Frog and Toad and Little Bear books!
Writing: I’ve had Penny Gardner’s Italics: Beautiful Handwriting for Children on my computer for years now, so I’m going to try it with Mr. L this year (I used Getty & Dubay Italics workbooks with my older kids). I will try to record some of his oral narrations like I did with the older kids – I think I’ll order a special notebook for the purpose.
Math: This is a bit of an experiment for me, but I would like to at least try to teach early math in a more hands-on way, so I’ve started going through the new math resources from Simply Charlotte Mason. I needed more guidance for each lesson, though, so I found a copy of Ray’s New Primary Arithmetic, which from what I’ve read can be used for the first couple of years of math lessons. We shall see how it goes, and maybe I’ll report back here later. 😉
French: Mr. L watched some Little Pim French recently, and is interested in learning French words for things. I will probably start going through The Learnables French Level 1 with him at some point this year.
Music: He is eager to start piano lessons. Our piano teacher wasn’t sure if she could take him on as she had some other new students this year, but I’m hoping she can fit him in for a half hour before E and D’s lessons.
Physical Education: He’s old enough for parkour class now, and will have his first soccer game of the season on Saturday. 🙂
