Explode the Code Annual Plan

 

Last week I shared quite a bit of reading plans & manipulatives I will be using to add a little extra fun to our phonics journey.  Originally starting our current school year I planned to finish Explode the Code books 1-3 this year.  Once we completed the first book I realized we needed to review quite a bit (mainly due to maturity on my boys part, I my desire to ease into reading & not rush them).  So, rather than feeling behind (don’t all homeschoolers hate playing the catch up game?  - why do we do that?  We are on our own time frame!)  I got to looking at the age range of the books & here is my goal for completing these books:

K/1 – Book 1, 1.5, & 2

1/2 – Book 3 & 4 (possibly Beyond the Code Book 1)

2/3 – Book 5 & 6 (possibly Beyond the Code Book 2)

3/4 – Book 7 & 8 (possibly Beyond the Code Books 3 &4)

I realize this is long term planning, & I have seldom seen this entire series used completely.  Both my older kids stopped at book 6, but this at least gives me an attainable goal that is not overwhelming for me or them. 

I am still entertaining the idea of purchasing the online membership for a little extra help & those crazy days.

Reading K/1: Handwriting

I plan on continuing to use HWOT as our main handwriting to guide the boys in using correct letter formation & such, but I also wanted to reinforce their reading lessons with handwriting practice as well.  I used handwritingworksheets.com to create pages that contained words & sentences from their I Can Read It! books.  I tried to keep some kind of flow to my pages, make them increasingly difficult day-to-day, but they do vary slightly each week.  I’ve only made the first 4 weeks of sheets, but here is the flow I have going so far:

*Trevor is only 4 & is still needing wider lines than Tucker.  I used size 3 for Tucker which has 4 lines & size 4 for Trevor (3 lines), but occasionally I printed both using size 3 (to help easy Trevor into a narrower writing line).

Week 1:  Phonics Focus:  short a/ –at ending

Day 1:  Capital & lower case letter review, new word(s), short sentence

Day 2:  New word(s), slightly longer sentence (1 line tracing, 1 line on their own)

Day 3:  Long sentence (1 line tracing, 1 line on their own)

Day 4:  Word reviews (tracing, then on their own, or write a sentence using a few of the words they  traced)

Week 3:  Focus is still on short a, but with different consonant endings

Day 1:  New/Review words, short sentence

Day 2:  Long sentence

Day 3:  Long sentence & short sentence

Day 4:  Long sentence

Here are samples of the pages I made:

Reading K/1: Sight Words

I will be using the sight words listed in each story from our I Can Read It! books & displaying the words using sight word cards in a pocket chart.  I purchased sight word cut & paste worksheets ($8) &  Lakeshore write & wipe sight words cards.

I love the concept of reading a word, building it, & then writing it.  I would like to have this as a regular activity for the boys, but haven’t decided on magnets.
My choices are:
Scholastics Little Red Tool Box High Frequency Word magnets or Lakeshore Sight Word Magnets
                                  
Each set has its own advantages.  I already have the Scholastic word building tiles, but I love how the Lakeshore magnets are color coded by level.  Decisions.  Decisions. 

***update***

After closely comparing the two sight word magnet sets, I decided to purchase the Scholastic's set.  I found that the Lakeshore magnets did not have near as many words.  Even after purchasing all the sets I still would not have near as many as in the Scholastic set.  Plus, I wouldn't even have all the sight words that I will be introducing.

Tomorrow:  Handwriting!

Reading K/1: Phonics “Word Families”

For Phonics (word families with short vowels):

I chose to ETC Book 1 *Focus on short vowel, constant combinations – I’m calling “word families”                 Each week they will do one lesson of ETC, plus add corresponding lessons from book 1.5 for review in between. 

I’m also going to use the following:

Lakeshore Learning Word Family House Pocket Chart Kit, Flip books, & magnets, plus Scholastics Word Family Mats.      

     

^{*pictures from Lakeshore Learning}

                   

These are a great alternative to the magnets I chose.  I may add this awesome pocket chart activity program later down the road.  It took major self-control to not purchase these or this . . . I do have a 20% off coupon . . .

My plan is to introduce new word families using the pocket chart.  They will also use Explode the Code throughout the week & will continue to make the mini books.  The flip cards & magnets will be used to build words.  The mats will also be used for word building & writing.

 

^{*picture from Sonlight}

I will be using the I Can Read It! books for their daily readers.  These correspond perfectly with the Explode the Code lesson focus & offer sight word lists for each lesson/story.  To expand on this further, I will be creating handwriting pages that also reinforce the lesson focus by using words & sentences from each story.

Tomorrow – Sight Words!

K/1 Reading with Mustangs

So, what am I going to do?  I’ve put a lot of time & research shopping into developing a lesson plan with materials & activities that I know will encourage my boys in reading.  It was important to continue the same approach as WP with different types of material that corresponded a little better & met the needs of my boys more specifically.  I wanted:

• A workbook for phonics & sight word study
• Readers that correspond to the phonics focus
• Sight words that correspond to the reading
• Handwriting that reinforces phonics & sight word concepts
• Hands-on activities & games to reinforce all the above as well as grow a love & interest for reading

Here is my scope & sequence for using both Explode the Code Books 1 & 1.5:

Week	Book:  Lesson	Focus
1	1 : 1	-at
2	1 : 2	a (-n, d, m, p, nd)
3	1 : 3	a (consonant endings)
4	1.5 : 1	review:  a
5	1 : 4	i
6	1.5 : 2	review:  i
7	1 : 5	review a, i (end in s)
8	1.5 : 3	review:  a, i
9	1 : 6	u
10	1.5 : 4	review:  u
11	1 : 7	review:  a, i, u
12	1.5 : 5	review:  a, i
13	1.5 : 6	review:  a, i, u
14	1 : 8	e
15	1.5 : 7	review e
16	1 : 9	review:  a, i, u, e
17	1.5 : 8	review:  a, i, u, e
18	1 : 10	o
19	1.5 : 9	review: o
20	1.5 : 10	review: e, o
21	1 : 11	review:  ALL
22	1.5 : 11	review:  ALL

Originally, I was hoping to just add the 11 lessons of book 1.5 for review before moving on, but after comparing the books I realized that the 1/2 books are slightly more difficult & my boys really need just as much practice of the “easy” stuff as they do the other. 

Winter Promise “Just Learning To Read”

After using Winter Promise PK/K Basic Phonics last year (& LOVIN’ it!!), I decided to move on to WP “Just Learning To Read”.  I especially liked this curriculum because it incorporated Explode the Code (huge fan!) & I love the Now I’m Reading beginning readers. 

*Before I go any further in detail, I want to make it clear that I have not used this curriculum consistently, due to the way life has gone for us it has been more of a stop & go :)

I like Just Learning To Read, but for me (TYPE A) & my boys (well, 100% boys), it jumped around a little too much.  The key focus wasn’t clear throughout the program.  For example the focus may be short a, but a particular word family was not a main focus.  So using Explode the Code the focus could be –at, but the worksheets were –at, –an, & –ap, which were not explained or taught anywhere else in the program.  The readers correspond to the vowel focus, but also contained other blends & sounds that had not been covered.  Sight words were not formally introduced in any particular part of the program either.  For some kids these are not issues, for us it was just too jumpy to master any particular focus.  So that was my main issue with the program.  Here is my overall opinion:

• The guide – wonderful, informative, very easy to use.
• Handwriting pages – the lines were not wide enough for my boys.
• Explode the Code books – love.  However, after book 1 is completed I noticed the program uses book 2 & 3 out of order (a couple weeks on book 2, then a couple lessons in book 3 & back & forth).
• The Word Family Activity book – I liked parts of this, but much of it was over their head & just became busy work.  The space allowed for writing is extremely small & this was a big problem for us.
• Read & Write Mini books – this was my boys’ favorite part.  They took great pride in making their books & we will continue using these as we review.
• Readers Set – I really do like these books & my boys enjoyed reading them a great deal – I just wish they would have corresponded more to the program.

We began the K program this fall & I have seen great progression & maturity for reading, but I don’t think my mustangs are ready to continue on to Explode the Code Book 2 (which is where the program is headed).  So, I decided to take a little break from WP & do my own thang – REVIEW!  At first I thought I’d just pick up ETC Book 1 1/2 (1/2 levels are review).  But I actually think they not only need 1.5, but they also need to redo book 1.  Some of the material in WP was just too advanced for them when we started & I really haven’t pushed them, but would like to see more concepts understood before we continue.  I will be sharing over the next few days how I plan to tie things together more for them.

The Southern Border of the United States

 

By an over zealous 4 year old.

My boys LOVE memorization through songs – especially Trevor.  For memorizing our geography facts the boys listen to Geography Songs daily.  First, they memorized all their continents & oceans, but there was a major fight in the middle of the making of that video.  Next, we moved on to the southern border of the United States.  We are now working on the northern border which is not near as easy. 

Themed Writing Folder

 

To encourage my mustangs writing, Write Shop suggests creating themed writing folders. 

Words about seasons his our first theme:

The Mustangs’ Reading Books

The boys are learning to read this year & as part of our Language Arts lesson plans with Winter Promise they are each to have their own personal reading dictionary.  There were a few other things I wanted to keep track of in addition to the new words they are learning, so I added a few things to it:

Here is the actual dictionary part.  Click here to download the page template I created.  I used one of the LIFE alpha’s from Weeds & Wildflowers for the letters on the side & stapled them on each page with a mini stapler.  I did the binding using my proclick.

They add each new word they learn to read to it & draw a picture of it above:

    

I also added a reading review section & sight words lists with all the words they will be responsible for.

They are so proud of their new books & are doing fabulous with learning to read. 

My Mustangs . . .

    

I mean, My Mummies . . . 

         

           

My mustangs mummies are having a lot of fun learning about ancient history!

K/1 Goals

I really like to set goals for my kids (& me) for each new school year.  One of the resources I frequently use is the “What Your ____ needs to know” series.  I do not follow this strictly, rather pick through what is important to me & what I feel is attainable for my kids.  I especially like the language arts section (because this is my weak area).  Here are my K/1 Language goals for this year that I set using this book & some online resources:

• Recognize upper & lower case letters
• Knows the sounds of all the letters
• Can print upper & lower case letters
• Knows the difference between consonants and vowels 
• Knows alphabet in sequence
• Recognizes:
  • beginning consonant sounds
  • final consonant sounds
  • short vowel sounds
  • long vowel sounds
• Can mark vowels in a word or sentence if asked
• Knows:
• L Blends:  bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl
• beginning blends:  sk, sm, sn, sp, st, sw, tw
• R Blends:  br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr
• digraphs:  ch, sh, th, ng
• r-controlled vowels:  ar, er, ir, or, ur
• basic word families? (at, bat, cat, fat go together & an, ban, can, Dan, fan)
  
• Can sound out simple words
• Knows sight words
• Recognizes rhyming words
• Read two and three letter words easily
• Read months and days on a calendar
• Speaks in complete sentences
• Can complete assignments based on oral direction? (draw a red line over the cat, circle the blue monkey...)
• Can identify:
  • characters in a story
  • the main idea
  • the setting
  • the conclusion
• Uses Letter Sounds to write words (using phonetic spelling)
• Write his/her first and last name 
• Write simple sentences, such as "The cat is fat"
• Draws illustrations to match sentences
• Uses punctuation correctly:  period, question mark,exclamation point
• Capitalizes letters
  • beginning of a sentence
  • beginning of names
  • beginning of places
  • when you refer to yourself as “I”
• Can identify:
  • compound words
  • nouns
  • proper-nouns
  • pronouns
  • verbs
  • linking verbs:  am, is, are, was, were
  • antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms
  • contractions
  • plurals

Memorization:

• First Language Lessons
• If Wishes Were Horses
• The Pasture
• The Frog
• The Purple Cow
• I Know All The Sounds That the Animals Make

Morning Routine

My goal was to start school – dressed (*make-up is a bonus) & in the schoolbarn at 9am AND -

WE DID IT!!!

Here is a peek at our morning activities wall:

First we pray.  Then we go over the boys’ AWANA verses.  Then we pick who the sheriff for the day is.  Next, we start with the calendar – What’s today, what was yesterday, what will tomorrow be?  We say the months of the year (every month very quietly until we get to the current month, then they shout it).  Then we do a little time telling activity.  I love this magnetic chart.  I wish I could remember where I found this one.  It is awesome – you can’t tell from this picture, but it is even color coded. 

I will be adding more to our morning routine soon – including light-switch plates :)

Games For Reading

I am soooooo excited to share my latest HOT reading find!!!  Somewhere during my hoppin’ around at the Heart of the Matter Curriculum Blog Hop I discovered a FANTASTIC book by Peggy Kaye, “Games For Reading.”  I’ve always got my eye out for any kind of reading activities – I just couldn’t help but to order it!  And I am I EVER SO GLAD I DID!!!  This book is WONDERFUL!!!  It is full of playful ways to help your child read.  I can’t tell you how excited I am to have found this book right before I begin helping my Mustangs read.  It is perfect!  I love how Peggy explains, “If you have fun with a game, your child will begin to associate reading with enjoyment.  Nothing could be more valuable.  And if some memorization takes place, too, all the better.”  This is exactly the philosophy I want to have with my Mustangs as we begin to read.  I want to make reading fun.  I want to get my boys excited about about learning to read!  And Games For Reading is going to be the tool that helps me to make this process fun.

Throughout the book Peggy suggests games to specifically strengthen possible weak areas for visual & auditory learning.  You can choose games from several different target areas:

• Games for Learning Words
• Games for Learning Sounds
• Games for Understanding
• Games for Reading Every Day

My favorite game for learning words is “Gift Words” – Think of a word that has special significance, write the word onto an index card & decorate it, then give it to your child as a gift.  Here are a couple of my “Gift Words” for my Mustangs:

 

I can’t wait to go on a word hunt the next time we are grocery shopping & you better believe we are going to have some major picture labeling going on as well!!!

My favorite games for the eye are “Set the Table” – use 3-4 objects & arrange them in a design on the table.  Your child looks at this arrangement, & takes the identical objects from his own bag & duplicates the design.  My boys are going to have a blast with the “Goofy Sentences”  Peggy suggests.  I can only imagine what they are going to come up with . . .

In addition to playing lots of rhyming games, I am also going to play “Talk a Drawing” – Tell you child what to draw with clarified instructions.

I know my boys are going to LOVE the “Chickens & Whales” game!!  - You gotta buy the book to learn how to play this one!

K/1 Storytime Book List

Our storytime book list:

• Big Red Barn
• Time for Bed
• What’s Opposite
• I went walking
• Little Tim & the Brave Sea Captain
• Edward & the Pirates
• The Library
• The Cowboy Kid

August:

• Johnny Appleseed
• Brer Rabbit & His Tricks

September

• The Velveteen Rabbit
• I Can’t Said the Ant
• The Little Engine

October

• Goldilocks & the 3 Bears
• The 3 Billy Goats Gruff

November

• Cranberry Thanksgiving
• The Pilgrim’s First Thanksgiving

December

• The Legend of the Candy Cane
• The Gift of the Tree
• Polar Express

January

• A New Coat for Anna
• The Mitten
• Town Mouse, Country Mouse

February

• Katy & the Big Snow
• Footprints in the Snow
• The Snowy Day

March

• All the Pretty Horses
• Eric Carle Books

April

• Just in Case You Ever Wonder
• The Crippled Lamb
• Because I Love You
• You Are Special

May

• Stone Soup
• George & the Dragon

June & July

• Thy Friend, Obadiah
• Chanticleer & The Fox
• Madeline
• The Star-Spangled Banner
• The Story About Ping
• 5 Chinese Brothers

Mustangs School 2010-20011

As I consider curriculum & a plan for our upcoming school year I find myself in the same position I was in last year – Right in the middle. . .

Last year they were passed most of the PK goals, but weren’t quite ready for Kindergarten so I called them PreKinders.  This year as I reevaluated their “level” I found that Trevor could pretty much keep up (if not surpass) his Irish-Twin brother.  Trevor’s fine-motor (writing & cutting) are the only area that he isn’t equal or ahead of Tucker.  He is a very sharp little mustang!  He loves learning & memorizing is fun to him.  Tucker is doing great!  He has found a new motivation called “brotherly competition” & works very hard to stay ahead.  He is my hands-on child & loves to draw & color right now.  Here is are some of my goals that we still need to work on:

• Recognizes sight words
• Recognizes beginning sounds of words
• Identifies & writes last name in print
• Simple rhyming
• Illustrator, Author
• Memory Work
  • Easy poems, nursery rhymes
• Tie shoes
• Independence - CHORES!
• Understanding of city/town, state, country, continent
• Recognizes Texas on a state map
• Directions (N,S,E,W)
• Oceans & Continents
• Understands concepts of addition & subtraction
• Adds to 10
• First – Fifth
• Simple graph
• Counting by 2's & 5's

So where does all this leave us with curriculum for next year?  I feel like we are almost ready for first grade so we will:

• Finish MUS Primer & start Alpha in January
• Winter Promise Advanced K “Just Learning To Read” (includes handwriting & spelling practice)
• Trevor will use Handwriting Without Tears K book
• Tucker will use Handwriting Without Tears 1st grade book
• Possibly Wordly Wise for a little vocab
• Writeshop Book A for beginning writing concepts

I am prayerfully considering our Science & History work . . . My mind is a mess in this area!  I have considered several options.  If I were ONLY schooling the mustangs I would choose Winter Promise’s Hideaways in History hands down!  However, I have truly enjoyed schooling ALL the boys together this year with our Animals & Their Worlds studies.  I was very diligent in our schooling & it was much easier to keep up with as a group so I am very hesitant to separate them.  (Hideaways is NOT an option for Tyler.)  So, I am debating on Hideaways in History or using the younger learners guide in Tyler’s studies.  To confuse me even more WP has changed a few things i the Hideaways package, so I’m not sure I would use the old guide & books or the newer version.  AHHHH!!!  And to make me even crazier, we are leaning towards joining a Classical Conversations group.  I am convinced this is a great opportunity for my big kids; however, I am super worried about how this will work for my MUSTANGS!!  To summerize these ramblings:

• Winter Promise Hideaways in History 
• Winter Promise Hideaways in History & CC
• Winter Promise Sea & Sky Younger Learners
• Winter Promise Sea & Sky Younger Learners & CC
• Or just CC

. . .  I’m praying diligently!