Play-based Scope and Sequence - THP Giveaway

So many people expressed interest in a Scope and Sequence for A Year of Playing Skillfully (AYPS) that I thought I would give it a shot! Below I provided an example of how I organized the first month, September, which you can receive as a free trial from their website, isn't that fun? [September Free Trial]

And in publishing it I decided there could be no better time for a book giveaway.  Now I realize that most of you who are navigating to this post already own The Homegrown Preschooler - and know how awesome it is - so this is your time to share it with your friends! 

By "Scope and Sequence" I mean a simple outline set up by week that gives a suggestion of what activities to complete together.  I did my best to group activities by a logical theme and order.  If you have purchased the entire curriculum and would like assistance putting together a sequence that works for your family, please feel free to contact me.  I am happy to help.

Click the link or the picture for your own PDF that outlines the first month of AYPS.

A Year of Playing Skillfully

 The Homegrown Preschooler Giveaway

 

Now for the added bonus - don't have your own copy of The Homegrown Preschooler yet? Leave a comment below telling me why you love Play-Based Learning or a suggestion of how to improve the Scope and Sequence.  I will draw a winner and ship out the book to you in time for the new school year.

As mentioned previously - I typically post our week's lessons here as a reference point for myself and my husband, like this: Week at a Glance.  You are welcome to follow along.  And I am slowly but surely getting back to crafting, sewing, and knitting so a few of those posts will hopefully come along too. Enjoy!

Scope & Sequence (In Progress)

For this year we are preparing for First Grade (6 y/o girl - G) and Preschool (almost 4 y/o boy - J). We are now officially required by Texas to include Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math, and Civics lessons into our schoolwork, not that we weren't including this previously, but now we have to be able to prove it.

G is reading right at a Kindergarten level and loves the Hooked on Phonics program.  She is a Math whiz and Singapore Math works well for her.  She enjoys seat work that "feels like school".

J disagrees.  He's very active but has just recently taken an interest in his sister's seat work.  He plays well on his own, which is good because sister likes to have absolute silence when working on seat work, but unfortunately brother's independent play time does not always coordinate with her desire for silence.  Handwriting has also been a challenge so we took some time off and will be returning to letter formation this year.

In an effort to address both their needs and integrate programs I am working on a Scope and Sequence for our activities and lessons.  It also helps should I ever have to present our curriculum to the state. Brother wants to do anything that sister does, but sometimes that interferes with both of their learning.  I plan to use a Quiet Box to keep him learning in a separate space from his sister when she needs to focus.

We are using:

• A Year of Playing Skillfully (The Homegrown Preschooler)
• Hooked on Phonics
• Hooked on Spelling
• Singapore Math
• Handwriting Without Tears
• My Bible Story Sketch book

I supplement from a number of sources, such as Sid the Science Kid coordinated Science lessons and Doodles Ave Lonestar State coloring books for Civics lessons.

I split the organization into three pages:

• First Grade (items only G completes; J joins for Shared Reading)
• Preschool (items only J completes, G joins for Literacy at her choice)
• Combined

These are a work-in-progress that I will update with additional activities and links over the next week or two.  We intend to start after Labor Day with our new school year.

A few things to note - since we live in Texas certain activities are earlier/later than may be usual in other parts of the nation.  For example, we have to pick apples early, but our foliage won't change until very late.

Very shortly I will also post a weekly outline similar to what we used last semester: Week at a Glance

Week #2 at a Glance - Lego, Noah, & Rainbows

Sunday
Ikea trip
Make a light box

Monday
Activity                                                       Supplies
Calendar Time                                            Supply box, dry erase board
Bible                                                           Read - The Early Reader's Bible (p. 19-33)
Noah's Ark carrier                                      Paper plates, crayons, stapler, animal crackers
Explore: How do computers work?
Freeze Dance

Tuesday
Activity                                                       Supplies
Calendar Time                                            Supply box, dry erase board
Bible                                                           Read - The Early Reader's Bible (p. 19-33)

Field trip: Play for All Abilities Park
Colors Book (p. 191)                                  Blank book, magazines, scissors, blue, markers
Lego Marble Maze                                     Lego board, legos, marbles
Father May I

Wednesday
Activity                                                       Supplies
Calendar Time                                            Supply box, dry erase board
Bible                                                           Read - The Early Reader's Bible (p. 19-33)

Noah's Ark Rainbow                                  Paper plate, cotton balls, streamers, hole punch, yarn

Kinetic Sand                                               Sand boxes and molds

Lego Patterns                                              Lego bricks, pattern cards

Family Rhythm Game (p. 191)                  

Dance Party                                                Playlist 

Thursday
Activity                                                       Supplies
Calendar Time                                            Supply box, dry erase board
Bible                                                           Read - The Early Reader's Bible (p. 19-33)

Sight Wordle
Rainbow Rice (p. 196)                               Rice, freezer bags, gel food coloring, rubbing alcohol
Color Mixing                                              Color Mixing Kit
Make Number Post Its                                Post Its, Stickers

Friday
Activity                                                       Supplies
Calendar Time                                            Supply box, dry erase board
Bible                                                           Read - The Early Reader's Bible (p. 19-33)

Letter Sounds Race (p. 192)                       Metal box and letters
What Color is Black? (p. 196)                   Black marker, coffee filter, jar, water, pipe cleaner
 Number Memory Match Up                     Match Up Post Its

This week's playlist: Kids 1 YouTube Playlist

This week's book list:

1. What's the Weather Today?
2. Weather
3. The Rainbow Fish
4. Max Found Two Sticks
5. The Jazz Man
6. Jesse Bear What Will You Wear
7. The Early Reader's Bible (pp. 19-33)

The week's 'extras':

1. How Legos are Made
2. The Lego Story
3. VeggieTales Noah's Ark
4. Rainbow Loom bracelets (craft cabinet)

Playing Skillfully in January and February - At Home Edition

We took about a week unofficially "off" this month for a convention and a visit from Grandma and Papa Hoot.  Even still we packed in a lot of activities.  In fact, I had to split up the photos in two posts because we had so many.  I guess next month I will have to post more often. How did y'all learn this month?

Making Porcupines

Sword fights.

Lego Castles

Block Castles (with Shopkins)

Newspaper Word Hunt

Play ball!

Havin a "parade"

Mud.

Brownies

Looking for a cool spot in the shade.

Pretend puddles & rain showers

Melting crayons into hearts

Valentine's Day paintings

Teaching Daddy Math

Making muffins

Making Valentines

Chocolate-covered marshmallows

Writing Books