We completed our last ‘official’ day of PreK for Elizabeth on Friday, June 20. It was Daddy’s birthday so we quickly did a bit of reading and handwriting, and then decorated and make him a cake! It was a fun and relaxed day, and a good way to end our year.
However, this years end and next years beginning are going to be pretty anticlimactic around here! We finished PreK on Friday and will be beginning Elizabeth’s official Kindergarten year tomorrow, June 23. We’re continuing most of our same materials that Elizabeth is working through right now – so just plugging along. Because we’re expecting baby girl in August, I’d like to get a few weeks in so we are able to take time off when she arrives.
I am so extremely proud of the progress both kids made this year! We had some major life changes going on this year (cross-country move, Daddy’s new job, expecting a baby!) but Libby and Ian handled everything so well and continue to amaze me each and every day!
Math
This year Elizabeth learned: counting to 100, greater vs. less, single digit addition and subtraction and fractions.
She officially finished Singapore Math Essential B about a week ago after flying through the last section on fractions.
Ian learned to count to 20 this year, and is able to recognize numbers up to 20 written. He is working on writing his numbers 1-10.
Handwriting
Over the last year, Elizabeth has learned to write all her letters in print, upper and lowercase. She has gone through the Handwriting Without Tears Kindergarten workbook and is now currently half way through Zaner-Bloser Kindergarten workbook.
Reading
Elizabeth learned to read this year! She came into her PreK year knowing her letter sounds and was able to put simple CVC words together, but she is now reading level 1 books with fluency. Her confidence in reading has skyrocketed and I love to seeing her constantly picking up books and reading them!
Libby completed All About Reading Level 1 and ten lessons of All About Reading level 2 this year. We love AAR and will be continuing with it this year.
Ian knows the majority of his letters and their sounds. We’ll continue to review this as he begins All About Reading Pre-Level this coming year.
Read Aloud Chapter Books we read as a family this year include:
- A Bear Called Paddington
- Polar Bears Past Bedtime (Magic Tree House Series)
- Toys Go Out
- A Spotlight For Harry
- Beatrix Potter Treasury
- Little Pear
- Little Pear and his Friends
- Monday with a Mad Genius (Magic Tree House Series)
- Little House in the Big Woods
- Charlotte’s Web
- Stuart Little
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins
- Milly-Molly-Mandy
- Socks
- Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales Treasury
- Teddy Robinson Storybook
- Twig
- Magic School Bus and the Giant Germ
- American Girl Caroline Books 1 – 4
Learning through Literature: American Girl Caroline and the War of 1812
I questioned jumping into the topic of the War of 1812 with Elizabeth, wondering if she would be able to understand. I’m glad we went ahead and began reading the American Girl Caroline books. She is really enjoying the adventures and is picking up history along the way!
We are lucky to live in the Chesapeake Bay area where many of the battles were fought, and because of this, throughout the month of June, there are several local events featuring the history of the War of 1812. These events have been an amazing way to make what we’re reading come to life – from the clothing to the daily work such as sewing, farming and shipbuilding (Caroline’s Papa was a shipbuilder). We even were able to witness a reenactment of a naval engagement between several tall ships and soldiers on shore of the bay. The cannons thundered as we watched explosions on giant ships in the bay. Because Caroline also lives on a bay where battle is taking place, it really helped to make this history come alive.
Celebrating Dad’s Birthday
On to a new year with a Preschooler and a Kindergartner!