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Welcome to the first year of formal homeschooling! This homeschooling curriculum is more advanced than public school and expects that your child can read short words, recognize the alphabet, write letters/numbers/words, and has a grasp on basic arithmetic. If your child isn't there yet, that's okay! Head over to the Early Years​ page and work through those concepts before stepping into this stage.

Year One serves as an excellent jumping in point for young students. This homeschooling program operates on a quarter system and teaches all subjects. You can learn about the system and schedule HERE. Since everyone has different lives, I will provide the resources to use and leave it to you to build the schedule - -this is important because every child works at a different pace. I recommend buying a teacher's planner and taking a few weeks before the school year to pencil in (please use a pencil...you will regret it if you use a pen and need to adjust it down the road) the lessons. Use the books' tables of contents and natural stopping points to schedule the lessons. Also, don't give into the urge to finish a textbook if you discover that your child needs more time. 

The library will be an important resource for you this year as your child expands her reading abilities. Continue providing loads of books, whether they are at, above, or below her reading level. Many kids like to re-read easy books once they have gotten the hang of things, and that's okay. Remember, that you need to be spending time daily reading to your child in addition to your child reading to you. New readers like an audience. We aim to make this program as free as possible by providing links to sites, free books, and worksheets, but many times you might find it easier to buy the textbooks we use.

Art and music should be very free flowing subjects. Many times you will find ways to incorporate art into the other subjects. For music, we recommend selecting an instrument and teaching your child how to play (or hire somebody or take classes, etc…). For art, you can supplement with lessons at your community center or just follow what we do. 

Below are the subjects and the resources covered this year. The print versions are what we use in our house and can be purchased. The downloads are completely free and are often the PDF version of the print copies. If I couldn't source the PDF version, I have located a comparable text/workbook that will work for you. This is the easiest way to make it free for your family. You can choose to download it onto your computer and either print it out or simply read it like an ebook.  

Subjects & Books


Geography

Geography is poorly studied in public education systems, but our program places an important emphasis on it. Geography should be discussed in terms of physical and cultural aspects. At this stage, we love to introduce maps, globes, and local features. Some of the topics covered this year are:
  • Reading Maps
  • Types of Maps
  • Grids and Maps
  • Directions
  • Geography Features
  • Continents
  • Oceans
 
Printed Versions
  • ​​Daily Geography Practice, Level 3
  • Geography & Maps Activities: Beginner

Downloads
  • Geography Workbook

History

There are a billion ways to do history in school. Some do the four-year rotation. Others do the ancient to beginning. In Year One, we take a different, albeit similar, approach – we focus on citizenship, democracy, world cultures introduction, and early American history. This first year is less formal and more about reading and engaging the student.

​Printed Versions
  • People and Places Textbook​
  • ​We Live Together Textbook
​
Downloads
  • ​People and Places Workbook
  • We Live Together Workbook

Language Arts

Your child has spent the past few years learning the basics of reading and writing, and this year will be critical in reinforcing and building upon those skills.  Language arts serves as the umbrella for several integrated topics including spelling, reading, writing, and grammar. You will notice that concepts show up in each sub-subject.
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Since this year is more about acquisition of literacy and building confidence in doing schoolwork, it's important to be patient -- we've also made a list of texts that we recommend. 

Spelling
Spelling is accomplished through dictation. Every week your child will write a list of words and write sentences to practice those words.

Print Version
Year One (perfect-bound) or Year One (spiral-bound)

Download
Year One

Grammar
Here is a brief list of the topics we will cover: Sentences, word order, types of sentences, nouns, verbs, different verb tenses, simple to be verbs, contractions, adjectives, synonyms, subjects/predicates, pronouns, possessives, linking verbs, helping verbs, and adverbs.

Print Versions 
  • Treasures Grammar Practice Book, 1
  • Treasures Grammar Practice Book, 2
Downloads
  • Grammar Practice 1
  • Grammar Practice 2

​Reading
Here are the concepts we will cover in Year One and that should aim to have your child master:
  • Read 1-syllable words
  • Create rhyming word families
  • Recognize common sight words
  • Identify contractions
  • Be able to tell you the who, what, when, where, and why of a simple story.
  • Briefly explain what plot, character, and setting are.
  • Read 2-syllable words
  • Understand syllables
  • Understand commonly used abbreviations
  • Compare and contrast different stories
  • Understand features of a text: title, table of contents, index, glossary, chapters, charts, diagrams, etc.
  • Follow simple instructions
  • Understand figurative language such as simile, metaphor, alliteration, rhyme, etc.

Downloads
  • Treasures Reading Level 1
  • Treasures Reading Level 2

Print Versions
  • Treasures Reading Level 1, Book 1
  • Treasures Reading Level 1, Book 2
  • Treasures Reading Level 1, Book 3
  • Treasures Reading Level 1, Book 4
  • Treasures Reading Level 1, Book 5
  • Treasures Reading Level 2, Book 1
  • Treasures Reading Level 2, Book 2

Suggested Literature/Book List 
  • Leveled readers (fiction and nonfiction): go to the library and start with the first level. Work your way through the levels. Books should be read by the child, by you, and you should help them when they struggle with a word. Don’t move on from a book until the child can read it and you can confirm that he/she knows the words that were previously difficult.
  • Poetry collections
  • Piggy and Gerald books
  • Dr. Seuss books
  • Froggy books
  • Berenstain Bears books
  • Junie B. Jones Complete First Grade Collection Box set by Barbara Park
  • Bad Kitty Books
  • Grimm Tales
  • Fairy Tales from all different cultures
  • The Bad Guys
  • Owl Diaries
  • Dragon Masters
  • Pippi Longstocking
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • Cat in the Hat Learning Library

Writing
This year is all about getting comfortable stringing sentences together and expressing ideas. The workbooks help teach semantics, but I recommend buying composition notebooks and encouraging your child to write freely (the actual quality of the letters are not as important as the child just learning to love writing). Here are some things we will cover:
  • Write contractions
  • All uppercase and lowercase letters written legibly
  • Write short sentences and use spacing between words.
  • Write simple 1- and 2-syllable words
  • Capitalize first word of a sentence.
  • Use punctuation at the ends of sentences.
  • Complete writing projects such as: book reports, short stories, poems, letters…
  • Know how to format a letter
  • Writing stories
  • Stories vs. reports

Print Version
  • ​180 Days of Writing for First Grade

Downloads
  • Level 1 Writing Workbook
  • K12 Handwriting Worksheets

Art

Art is such an important part of education and life that I insist that you include it in your education program. Art is liberating, creative, and gives humans a feeling of accomplishment. Art should be both instructive and it should also allow budding art students the freedom to create as they wish – so it’s important that all criticism is constructive, not demeaning. To get started, head over to my art page to make a plan to jump start creativity!

Music

  • Rhythm, melody, etc…
  • Memorize songs
  • Listen to classic compositions
  • Begin learning instrument
  • Play other simple instruments

Science​

Science in the earlier years is also about simple comprehension and learning to enjoy the topics through ample reading and activities. Here’s what we explore:
  • States of matter
  • Magnetism
  • Electricity
  • Animals and Habitats
  • Food chain
  • Botany and gardening
  • Extinction and dinosaurs
  • Conservation
  • Human body – systems
  • Basics of astronomy
  • Names of planets
  • Earth’s composition
  • Weather and clouds
  • Simple machines/Newtonian physics
  • Friction
  • Life cycles of plants and animals
  • Seasons
  • Cell theory
  • Five senses
  • Water cycle 

Print Versions
  • McGraw-Hill Science Grade 3
  • 180 Days of Science: Grade 3

Downloads
  • Science Level 1 Text
  • Science Level 1 Workbook
  • Science Level 1 Activity Lab Book


Math

For Year One, we use Saxon Math 3. Not the homeschool edition (beware of those homeschool editions and packets – they are a total waste of your time and money), just the good ole fashioned textbooks. Saxon Math 3 has 110 lessons. For many young students, you may be better off deciding at first to aim to complete two lessons per week (meaning do one lesson over the span of two days each…) AND if that’s too slow, then add in a lesson. Some of the concepts taught in this text are: time, calendars, addition, subtraction, and multiplication. We’ve set up our curriculum so that Math 3 takes one year, but it’s important to go at your child’s pace, so your child may end up moving through math more quickly or more slowly. Remember, we aren't competing -- we are working together to make brilliant and beautiful people.

Print Version
  • Saxon Math 3 

Downloads
  • The Entire Saxon Book
  • Lessons 1-10
  • Lessons 11-20
  • Lessons 21-30
  • Lessons 31-40
  • Lessons 41-50
  • Lessons 51-60
  • Math Lessons 61-70
  • Math Lesson 71-80
  • Math Lesson 81-90
  • Math Lesson 91-100
  • Lessons 101-110
  • Lesson 111-120

In addition to Saxon Math 3, here are some fun math books and games that reinforce the concepts:
  • 98, 99, 100! Ready or Not, Here I Come!
  • Eating Fractions
  • Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
  • M Is for Mirror
  • How Much is a Million?
  • Lemonade for Sale
  • Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream
  • Measuring Penny
  • Spaghetti and Meatballs for All
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  • Home
  • Educate
    • Oregon Homeschool Laws
    • The Schedule
    • Early Years
    • Year One
    • Year Two
    • Year Three
    • Year Four
    • Year Five
    • Year Six
  • Subjects
    • Grammar
    • Writing
    • Spelling
    • Reading
    • Science
    • Geography
    • History
    • Math
    • Art
  • Homeschooler Meals