Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:21 am
Hello! I am teaching K and 1st this year! The difference for us is that we did not begin doing both at the same time. It has been a bit more challenging this year to combine and keep track of what I'm doing in which program. I am assuming that you are following this note on the MFW board under "Choosing Curriculum..."?
How to teach K and 1st grade together—MFW’s recommendation
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?t=191
I can’t remember, do you have older children (2nd-8th graders)? It looks like that would make a little difference in omitting some of the activities, but not much. One suggestion I have is to buy or make a lesson plan book. I was an elementary music teacher before having children, but I think this would help you, too. I use the little post-it flags, like some of the other readers above. I have one in the K manual on our day of the reading plan (yellow pages) and one on the unit study page (white, information about the Bible/science topics and activities like "penguin"). In my 1st gr. manual I have post-it flags on the yellow math page (more like a grid), the day we are on (like Day 113), the proverb for copywork, the math book ideas, and the science books ideas.
Anyway, I use a lesson plan book that has room for writing what I need to do with both children together and what I need to do with each child individually (reading/phonics and math). I combine teaching most things to both of them (even if they are review of the science topics from last year), except their reading/phonics and some math. I read aloud together our K science fiction/non-fiction books about each topic, all the Bible lessons (1st grade and K), memory verses, Books of the Bible, science or math read alouds for 1st, 1st gr. art and music, 1st science experiments and animal patterns on Exploration Days, 100chart, and calendar math. Sometimes they can even do the same CBoM worksheets, but sometimes not.
I think it's pretty easy to follow the 1st grade plan each day and then check on the math pages and use the other 1st post-it flag areas as needed. In K, it's basically the yellow pg (phonics) and the white page for unit study. I think the thing that is tricky is how to work with a 6 day schedule and a 5 day schedule at the same time!
What I did in the beginning of the year was to skip K on every 5th Exploration Day in 1st (we were doing a co-op). But now, in order to finish them at the same time I am going to do K Day 6 activities (lighter day) on that week's "Exploration Day" in 1st gr.
Another thing I have done is to print off a blank calendar page for each month of our school year and keep them in a folder. Each month or two I use a pencil and mark on each school day what day in each program it will be: “1st gr Day 1” and “K Sun Day 1”. This helps me to plan around field trips that we take out of town, co-op days, holidays, etc. and it gives me an idea of where we are headed.
I really think you will get the hang of it. In time, a lot of this will become routine. I hope you can find some strategies to help yourself so you can feel good about this! It will be a really great year! I think that the post-it flags, a lesson plan book, and a blank calendar will help you to feel prepared.
I hope I haven’t given you TOO much information for more information overload! Write back if you have more questions!
Rachel
Posted Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:52 pm by RachelT
I found my schedule from that year on my computer! :) Here it is:
15-20 min of Bible, where I read aloud our 1st gr. Bible story
15 min "Morning meeting" - we always sang a song (learning days of the week, months of the year, seasons, etc.), did 100 chart and calendar activities, etc.
30 min 1st gr. reading/writing with older
30 min. K phonics with younger (maybe 20 min.)
15 min snack break
15 min. play outside or read aloud
30 min. math activities (we did find a lot of the math read alouds to go with the 1st gr. math topics)
30 min. Projects for science or art or music time
In our case, we had done MFW K the year before, so we did most of 1st gr. together (Bible, science, art, music) instead of both, after a few weeks of trying to do that! Don't try to do two of everything, you won't need to!
I hope this helps you!
Rachel