Does anyone know where I can get a concise easy to follow scope and sequence for K (for New York if possible)...The education website is a nightmare if you aren't a certified teacher...I'm sure they do that on purpose. A bulleted list of what they need to know to enter first would be even better. DS is 5 and would be entering K in the fall. However we are well beyond K from what I can tell. There may be a few gaps I need to fill in before starting first but I'd like to do that before choosing a first grade curriculum. I'm still not 100% decided I want him to skip a grade, so I might just take all year to slowly fill in gaps and "unschool" as I understand it - just study things we are interested in. Anyway, help on what he needs to know would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
NY has adopted the CCSS, which I find fairly straightforward to understand. Here are the language arts & math links. Start on p. 11 for language arts & p. 9 for math. Science & Social Studies aren't listed until 6th grade. There is a lot of variation about what people think a K'er should know for those. LA http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA Standards.pdf Math http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_Math Standards.pdf
There's a book called "What your Kindergartener Needs to Know" by Ed Hirsch. I loved that book..... There's also the Learning At Home by the Core Knowledge Series (sponsored by Ed Hirsch's project)....covers the Core of what they need to know. They have books that go up by grades, too.
Here's one I found ages ago, but looking at the World Book one it seems fairly similar. I like all the examples it has. I'll see if I can find the 1st grade one as well if you like. Kindergarten Skills Mathematics Can count to 20 verbally Can count to 20 using different types of objects (buttons, pencils, fingers and toes, etc.) Can correctly use the concepts of more, less than, and same when presented with various numbers of objects (e.g. can say that a group of three buttons is less than a group of four buttons) Is able to put a sequence of events in order (e.g. pictures of a tree growing at different heights) Understands that numbers can be written down (e.g. can match the digit "3" with a picture of three mice) Is able to read the digits 1-20 Understands simple addition and subtraction (e.g. "If I have an apple, and you give me another apple, how many apples would I have?") Is able to locate numbers on the number line Is able to estimate the size of groups of objects (e.g. "about five" or "about 100"), correct to nearest order of magnitude Can read the time on both analogue and digital clocks Can read a calendar Knows the months of the year and their order Knows the days of the week and their order Can count money and recognise the value of each type of coin Is able to read very basic charts and graphs Science Is able to name common animals and plants Knows the sounds of common animals Knows about how animals and plants need each other Can classify living things (e.g. knows that a tiger is a cat, a gecko is a lizard, a chicken is a bird, a willow is a tree, etc. when presented with pictures of these things) Can name basic farm animals (chicken, goat, sheep, pig, cow, bull, horse, dog, duck) Knows how to care for any pets they or friends have Knows how to care for houseplants Can describe how animals are born and grow (e.g. chickens come from eggs, kittens come from mummy cats, etc.) Can describe how plants grow (seed-shoot-etc.) Can name basic animal parts (whiskers, tail, wings, etc.) Can name basic plant parts (leaf, stem, root, fruit, seed, flower) Can describe different types of weather Knows the four seasons and the months and predominant weather for each Can tell temperature using a thermometer and describe it as "hot", "cold", "warm", etc. Knows that the sun gives us warmth and light, which is why days are bright and warm but nights are dark and colder Can name primary and secondary colours and describe how to obtain secondary colours by mixing primary colours (e.g. green = blue + yellow) Can describe different senses (sight, sound, etc.) and which body parts are used to sense them with Knows a basic model of the solar system with the Sun, planets, the Earth, the moon, and the stars. Knows the difference between a planet, moon, and sun. Knows that the stars are all suns just like ours. Knows that although the Sun appears to move slowly through the sky, actually the Earth is turning away from the sun (models help to teach this) Can measure length, weight, and volume using the appropriate units Is able to test hypotheses e.g. what happens when ice gets warm? and can discuss this with others Can read a simple map and point out important locations e.g. city, country, home, etc. Health and Safety Brushes teeth independently daily Washes self independently daily Knows the importance of good hygiene Independent good grooming (tidy hair, clean clothes, etc.) Can name 20 major body parts (head, leg, etc.) Understands the importance of good food Can determine the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods Understands the importance of fitness Knows how to cross the road safely Knows when and how to ring police/fire/ambulance Knows the function of a doctor and hospital Is able to travel to and from school (or equivalent landmark) safely. Knows how to swim and water safety Knows how to signal if they are drowning (waving fist) Language Arts Speaks in complete and coherent sentences Is able to make themself understood verbally to adults and other children (speech is clear) Knows the alphabet song Can recognise all the letters of the alphabet and make their sounds Can read simple words by sound, e.g. "MAN", "BIG", etc. Listens to a variety of story books being read daily Listens to a variety of music Is able to listen to others in a group and not interrupt Is able to listen to a story and describe it back Is able to pretend to be a character in a specific story and stay within the realms of the story Can listen to and follow instructions Can give others clearn instructions Can summarise and organise ideas Can describe their own experiences verbally Is able to correct own speech when prompted by adults (e.g. says "ate" rather than "eated" when told) Beginning to write (can write letters but handwriting is still being developed, although it should be legible) Social Studies Knows common local holidays, traditions, and customs Understands and respects other customs Helps others Understands the importance of helping others Knows safety rules and symbols Knows how to be polite and when to do so (please, thankyou, etc.) Knows and demonstrates appropriate behaviour depending on social setting (e.g. not shouting indoors, not screaming, etc.) Is able to explain good points about themselves and others (e.g. "red hair", "pretty eyes", "polite", etc.) Knows basic human needs (food, drink, health, etc.) Understands when others have needs different to their own and responds appropriately (e.g. does not shout at a deaf person, does not mock someone with a food allergy, etc.) Can draw a diagram of home Can explain and follow the individual's role in a family and group (listen to and help others, etc.) Can explain what a job is and list several
I don't think it's possible to come up with a concise one. Those mentioned as in above are very good, but they are GENERAL GUIDELINES. Especially at Kindergarten, where so many of the things listed are very general, or are taught simply through living.
Exactly. Most of them are behavioural or habitual: brushing teeth, listening to others, being polite, etc. And nearly all the rest can be picked up from just talking to a child about things and involving them. As long as they can read, count, and look after themselves, they're good.
Yes. I have that book and I love it too. Its very thorough. I think though, most kids in our school district don't learn half of that in K. Thank you for the other great responses. That bulleted list was very helpful as is the world book site, I've emailed that to myself and stored for future reference I think there would be just a few things for him to learn on those lists. Its possible we could start 1st in the fall...but the question is...should we? What did you do with your advanced kids at this point? Move them up or just take it slow? I don't have to report until he is 6 in NYS. I think the biggest thing keeping me from starting first is choosing curriculum. I just don't want to. We kinda unschool now but I know he is going to need more structure. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and commit this year. But then again, he's 5 until March and if I can get away with being "lazy" for one last year, why shouldn't I? Hmmm...so much to think about. What do you all think?
Teach your child AT THE LEVEL HE'S AT. "Grade" has NO MEANING for the hs'ed child.If your child is reading at age four, there is no reason at all why he should be reading pre-primers when he's capable of chapter books! When my son was in "first" grade, he was using a first grade math book, a second grade reading workbook, and did history/science with his older sisters (grades 4 and 6). When a child is ready to move on, move him on. If he's not ready, he keeps at it. My middle one spent a year and a half doing Pre-Algebra, but I'd rather go slowly and have her understand, than rush her through and have her confused for Algebra 1.
I'd suggest that when you do paperwork for the state/district, you put him down as being in his chronological grade (like K at age 5, or 1st at age 6/7, wherever he would be if he were in public school), no matter what materials you buy for him to learn at his own level of challenge. "Level" is a number put on materials by the publisher. For one publisher, *this skill* might be 1st grade, but for another publisher the same skill is taught in 2nd grade, while yet another publisher puts it in at the end of K. It's very artificial, just like the concept of "grade". Yes, we all use those terms, but you have to call it something....
