Gearing up for First Grade

After hours and hours, days and days of research, I think I've finally come to a place of understanding of what there is to offer in terms of first grade curriculum and what may work best for Gabriel. A homeschool chat group I belong to has been extremely encouraging, uplifting and helpful in terms of resources (even more so than the real life homeschool group, but that may be due to the nature of online and less about the group itself).

I've read the book Top 100 Homeschool Curriculums by Cathy Duffy and have pinpointed the six major philosophical teaching methods as well as the four main learning styles. They have charted out the philosophical approaches married with the child's learning style so clearly. We will go to either or both of the GHEA Conference and Southeast Homeschool Expo at Cobb Galleria to explore, touch and talk with veterans and publishers of each. For now, this is where I've narrowed it down to...of course the caveat being my husband who may change everything! LOL....

Reading - Explode the Code (or Spell to Read and Write)
www.explodethecode.com/02_how/

Writing - Create a Story
www.createpress.com/pages/story.htm

Math - MathUSee
www.mathusee.com/default.php?langua...

History - Ultimate Geo
www.rocksolidinc.com/catalog/the-ul...

Science - AIMS edu
www.aimsedu.org/

or seriously considering a unit study program called KONOS
www.konos.com/index.html

We may still supplement with other Language Arts materials, and he still has a Time4Learning account which is fun to do together online (www.time4learning.com/) and of course, while this includes most of his academics, he is also in the midst of spring soccer, looking for an art/drama/music camp to join, starting golf in summer and we are teaching him swimming and tennis. We want to start piano and cub scouts come fall as he needs to be six years old for each.

I'm super obsessed about his education which from time to time drives Jimmy nuts. I just can't help getting so excited about the endless opportunities!!