Resources
Curriculum
Being eclectic homeschoolers, we pull from quite a few different resources for our curriculum. I wanted to share the ones we are using this year for grade 1!
Transparency: I am not an affiliate with any of these companies or resources. I do not make any profit if you click the links to the respective sites.
Now, with that out of the way let’s hop in!
- Blossom and Root is our main curriculum we are using this year. The approach to learning through nature and activities appealed to us! Moving from Dallas, TX to Orlando, FL we wanted any excuse we could find to enjoy the year round wonderful weather here!
- While looking for a geography and culture study, I had trouble finding one that wasn’t faith based. UNTIL I came across The Waldock Way! We are using her “Traveling the World” curriculum. We found this was the most secular and structured approach to this topic we could find.
- For math (I know, I know. Not very fun..) we are using Singapore Math Dimensions for Grade 1. While I wanted to focus on relaxed learning and activities I know my son will fall behind in math if we don’t keep up with it. So that is why we are choosing to use this. We are not using the test books you can purchase as I’m not a huge fan of testing at his age, but they do have them if that is something you are interested in!
Resources
We have quite a few hands on things we utilize for math along with all other subjects. To make things easier, I wanted to list out the manipulatives that we use!
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math
- We utilize a magnetic dry erase board that is double sided for our math. This is exceptionally helpful when we are doing practice for certain problems! Having a blank space on one side and lined on the other also makes it versatile for us to use for not only math, but writing as well!
- One ahh-mazing math resource we utilize is two color counters! These are so perfect when you are working on addition and subtraction but need that visual aspect. My son really likes these since he can see exactly how many are coming and going!
- Speaking of counting helpers, the linking cubes we use are also a great addition. Now do you need both counters and linking cubes? Probably not, but I am a manipulative-aholic. These serve the same purpose as the counters, really the only difference is that the cubes are 3-D and can stack up, which may be more visually appealing to your little one.
- Ten-Frame trays are something I quite enjoy because of the ease of visualizing addition and subtraction on them. I have seen many online pintable’s for these though as well if you aren’t looking for something bulky!
- This next one we use is so simple but effective! We use a 10 sided die for anything we need randomized to work on word problems or simple math!
- Now, we do have these 6 colored dominoes, we haven’t used them very much as of yet but I do see these getting more use as we get into bigger problems!
- The attribute blocks we use are perfect for geometry for young ones! Obviously, with my son being in first grade we’re not gung-ho on tons of geometry at this stage. But, these do help to lay a foundation for when we move onto more heavy math with shapes! So I do recommend these to get the kids familiar with all the shapes you’ll see in math.
- And of course, what’s math without dry erase pockets? These make it so easy to re-do worksheets for additional practice without wasting ink on re-printing or copying them!
language arts
- When we do language arts we love to do story retelling through activities. Air dry clay is perfect for that! My son is able to mold and make items, people, etc… to retell the story in his own way! I cannot recommend this enough if you have a little one on the creative side!
- This one may seem a little odd, but I do think this has helped with sight words! We use smooth river rocks to paint on sight words that can help with story re-telling! For example, my son can paint on words like “then”, “and”, “before”, etc… to place them down when he’s telling his story!
Art supplies
Below are some art supplies items that we use! You definitely don’t have to use these exact ones, but I did want to list them in case you wanted to have them all in one easy place!
- Tinsel pipe cleaners
- Brown acrylic paint (for painting natural colors)
- Fake foliage (for trees, plants, etc…)
- 20 piece paint brush set
- Mod Podge (what isn’t this stuff good for!)
- Foam paint brushes
Online resources
- We use ABC Mouse for fun time online when we need a break from “structured” schooling. You can click this link for a 30 day free trial!
- Discount School Supplies is a great site we use to purchase our items we can’t find in store near us! You can click this link to shop by age/grade!