# Lesson Planning



## kinderfeld (Jan 29, 2006)

I am having problems with my first grade A Beka Book lesson planning. Can you help me? I know this may seem late in the year but with my being in and out of the hospital like I was, it has put us behind. I started getting sick back in October. Then my husbands dad passed in November. It has been rough. 

Anyways...

I didn't order the parent kit since it doesn't cover every subject. I figure it was a waste of money. It's only first grade. How do you recommend or set up your lessons for a 6 yo boy? I was told it would take about 4 hours a day to complete every subject. 

For kindergarten we did one hour a day. While the 6yo did his work, the 2yo would color. What am I supposed to do with the 2yo for 4 hours? 

I thought about only doing half the subjects on one day then the others the next. Then have Friday test and fun day. Would that put him having a longer school year?

I looked at the samples on the A Beka website. I'm just not getting it. I don't know,maybe the medicine I'm taking is causing me not to think clearly.:smack


----------



## DownHome (Jan 20, 2006)

We take it pretty easy on history, science, and health in first grade. We read over those and talk about them. We focus on Language, math, spelling, and reading. Language and math are a worksheet a day. 1 Spelling list and test per week. Reading is done twice a day, but I like to lump it into one as long as the student is a good reader. We don't use the parent books that often, but sometimes they do come in handy.

Although it will take the child approximately 4 hours. It doesn't require you to be there constantly as long as they understand what they are doing and they keep working. Get them going and then check back in. When they are ready move on to the next subject.

Maybe you could be more specific about what you are having trouble with, so answers could be more specific.

downhome


----------



## kinderfeld (Jan 29, 2006)

DownHome Thank you! You were very helpful. 

It is overwhelming at times being a new homeschooling parent. I don't know any other homeschooling families, just the ones from here. 

I have taught my son since preschool at 3yo. I bought the Abeka Kindergarten and only used some of it as a guideline. When I got all of the books in the first grade child kit, I had no clue how to get all subjects taught in one day. I am going to take your advice and focus on the main subjects : reading, math, spelling, and language. Then one day a week do the science, history, and health. (Those books are not very big, maybe 50 pages.) Now all I need to do is get the day schedual and the goal chart set.

Thanks again!


----------



## jamala (May 4, 2007)

I agree focus on the main subjects and let science/history/health be fun. Enjoy the journey


----------



## mommathea (May 27, 2009)

Third it. Right now my 7yr old is doing her Abeka workpages in Language. She sits at her desk and when she is ready for the next group of work she comes to me and asks what she's supposed to do, like - match the rhyming words, mark the vowels and read the words, fill in the word that completes the sentence. 
We take 10-15min to talk about her lesson and what she is learning each day, sometimes it's all review and she knows how to do most of it herself. then when she's done we'll go over the page together talking about anything she might have missed. 

Same thing with math. 
With Science and History we just read the page and answer the questions oraly (she's dyslexic so for her to read/go back and find answers/and write the answers she would get totally discouraged and give up)
With reading she goes to a quiet spot and reads the short story, and then comes to me and reads it to me. 
Penmanship is totally on her own then I check it and if there is anything that is really messy then I have her erase it and try again.


Same thing with my 3rd grader (he does a hodge-podge of curriculum)


I do NOT do lesson planning of any kind. I will sit down on Sunday and go over their work for the week, ie. look at the next 5 lessons, gather material off the net if needed for reinforced learning. And many times if there is TO much review I'll have my 3rd grader skip stuff, my 7yr old needs the repetition. 

Also I DO NOT do any kind of tests Until 2nd grade, including spelling. Most of the curriculums have so much review, and if they are getting their work correct then I don't see a need for tests at a young age. Even my 3rd grader skips most tests. If he isn't getting his work pages correct then we go back and cover what he's not learning. I do not see tests as a vital part of their education at this point.


----------



## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

Hi Kinderfield! 
Don't stress out about it! Just do the basics and add other stuff in when you can. Michael is so smart and way ahead of the game anyway. Can Thomas play by you and Michael while you are doing school work? Blocks, pots and pans, anything to keep his attention?
Take care if yourself! Love ya!


----------

