It's spring and I'm looking ahead to next year for my three boys. The Robinson Curriculum (RC) reading list is going great for my oldest and I'm working on bridging my second son there. I have a previous post about that here.
Today's assignment was assessing all the spelling, grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing resources that I have used or plan to use and compile a K-6 language arts sequence. The goal is to chart a path to the RC plan of an essay a day and the reading list. My considerations are that the plan be fairly simple yet quality and affordable. There are so many resources out there it makes me dizzy but these are the ones that I landed on and am happy with so far. Link to my free printable with all the following sources linked and in order of progression here.
I thought I'd share in pictures what the list covers and a few extra things I found that I had around the house that could also be used. Let's start with KINDERGARTEN. I do a lot of read alouds with classic children's literature, complete Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and introduce their first formal handwriting and alphabet study with my own creation simply called The Alphabet.
That was pretty simple! How about FIRST GRADE? This is when I start the McGuffey Readers starting with the Primer. I actually use both the Original and Revised sets. You can print the revised set through RC or where ever you find them online for free but you do have to buy the originals from Mott Media. I love them both so much for their wholesome content and appropriate lesson length. I alternate which book I'm reading each day so that it takes longer as we were going a little too fast. I also give my boys the print copywork for the Revised Editions as they are reading them. I use some classic bridge books at this level for independent reading as my sons were not quite into starting the RC list yet and I want reading to be enjoyable. I also have a set of RC phonics cards I used at the beginning of the year but I purchased the larger set below on a whim one day and I may use them as well for spelling and reading help as needed. I introduced both print and cursive writing resources both from RC and those I made myself. Many of these are free in my tpt store.
I use the above weekly spelling packet program for grades 1-6 and handmade flashcards for playing memory with each new list. I printed the McGuffey's Spelling Book through RC. Another option for spelling is below and I may begin using the spelling lists in it after grade 6 with a weekly packet or I may continue on with the words in the McGuffey book. I haven't decided that far yet. Either way we keep the How to Teach English Spelling on hand to be able to look up more spelling rules and example words as needed although the packets have a good list of rules in them already. I'm just extra like that sometimes.
SECOND GRADE is coming up for my middle child. Here is my plan for him for language arts. We continue on in the McGuffey Readers for reading, he moves on to the copywork for the book he's on, he should be started on the RC reading list, we carry on with the McGuffey Spelling Packets and we add Gentle Grammar this year. I actually just printed them all out and put them in one comb-bound book.
Moving onto THIRD GRADE, the plan is to continue in the McGuffey's and alternate print and cursive copywork for the third reader. We will continue on with our McGuffey Spelling Packets and move onto the next book in Gentle Grammar.
FOURTH GRADE continues in the RC list and adds the Book Notes and Summary Guide. Copywork is the students choice, done in a notebook. Reading of the McGuffey Readers continues daily with me if they are not through the 3rd Reader yet. Spelling is continued with the weekly McGuffey Spelling Packet and the last two Gentle Grammar books are completed this year.
FIFTH GRADE; this year is fully independent reading with the Books Notes and Summary Guide completed for each book. Reading of the McGuffey Readers just falls where it does in the RC list sequence. This year we stop copywork and move to instructive writing practice with 2 books used together: Writing Fabulous Sentences & Paragraphs (WFSP) and How to Write an Awesome Paragraph. I have them also write a weekly paragraph with the Weekly Paragraph Packet designed to be used with WFSP. Spelling continues with the McGuffey Spelling List Packet for 5th grade and vocabulary is added with Red Hot Root Words Book 1 and the vocabulary packet designed to be used with it. This year a lot of dictionary and thesauraus use is necessary. I picked up a grammar book for his year but have not used it as we've been so focused on writing but we may use it for review next year.
The SIXTH GRADE is as far as I've formally planned so here goes the last bit of my language arts planning and we are sprinting for that essay finish line so we can get to the RC goal of an essay a day (or maybe working on their essay everyday?). This is the last year I have planned for McGuffey Spelling Packets. We move on to Red Hot Root Words Book 2 with an accompanying weekly packet (soon to be up my tpt store). We up our writing game with How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay, How to Edit & Revise your Essay, and How to Write a Book Report and Literary Analysis (not pictured as I'm waiting for it to be delivered). There is also the option to use a teachers pay teacher resource, Essay of the Month. I'm not sure if I'll use it but I have it. It may be helpful for writing prompts. I do own a Daily Grams for grammar review but I'll assess if it's needed when we get there. The RC reading list and Book Notes and Summary Guide will continue and perhaps a book report or two will be attempted this year.
There we are. Our language arts program charted from K-6. I hope this can be a help to someone who feels overwhelmed starting out or maybe not happy with what you're currently doing and don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on one years worth of curriculum. Don't forget if you download my list there are links to almost everything pictured here. Perhaps next I'll sequence our math resources on the way to Saxon.
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