Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Evaluating James

So I found this list of common things that kids need to know in Kindergarten, and before I start I thought it would be nice to have a rough idea of what James knows and what we'll be working on next semester. This is a rough estimation because he's not home right now. I'll probably change as we go :) My goal is to have all these 'skills' crossed off :)

Numbers and counting up to 3

* Count to 3
* Represent numbers up to 3
* Count by typing

Numbers and counting up to 5

* Count to 5
* Represent numbers up to 5
* Count by typing up to 5
* Count up
* Count down

Numbers and counting up to 10

* Count to 10
* Represent numbers up to 10
* Count by typing
* Count up and down - with pictures
* Count up and down - with numbers report C.5 Count up and down - with numbers
* Tally marks
* Number lines
* Before, after, and between
* Count forward and backward
* Names of numbers up to 10
* Complete a sequence report

Numbers and counting up to 20

* Count to 20
* Represent numbers up to 20
* Count by typing
* Count up and down
* Tally marks
* Number lines
* Before, after, and between
* Count forward and backward
* Names of numbers
* Complete a sequence
* Count tens and ones

Numbers and counting beyond 20

* Count to 30
* Count to 100
* Count groups of ten
* Number lines
* Count tens and ones

Skip-counting

* Skip-count by twos
* Skip-count by fives
* Skip-count by tens
* Skip-count by twos, fives, and tens

Comparing

* Fewer, equal, and more
* Fewer and more - comparing groups
* Fewer and more - with charts
* Fewer and more - mixed

Patterns

* Similar patterns
* Complete missing parts of patterns
* Growing patterns

Adding

* Addition with pictures - sums up to 5
* Add two numbers - sums up to 5
* Addition sentences - sums up to 5
* Addition with pictures - sums up to 10
* Add two numbers - sums up to 10
* Addition sentences - sums up to 10

Subtracting

* Subtract with pictures - numbers up to 5
* Subtraction - numbers up to 5
* Subtraction sentences - numbers up to 5
* Subtract with pictures - numbers up to 10
* Subtraction - numbers up to 10
* Subtraction sentences - numbers up to 10

Positions

* Inside and outside
* Left, middle, and right
* Top, middle, and bottom
* Above and below
* Location in a three-by-three grid

Fractions

* Identify halves, thirds, fourths
* Equal parts

Time

* Match clocks and times
* Read clocks and write times
* Times of everyday events
* Match analog and digital clocks
* A.M. and P.M. report M.6 A.M. and P.M.

Sorting, ordering, and classifying

* Same
* Different
* Same and different
* Classify by color
* Venn diagramss
* Put numbers up to 10 in order
* Put numbers up to 30 in order

Data and graphs

* Making graphs

Probability

* More or less likely

Measurement

* Long and short
* Tall and short
* Light and heavy
* Holds more or less
* Compare size, weight, and capacity

Money

* Coin names - penny through quarter quarter
* Coin values - penny through quarter
* Count money - pennies only
* Count money - pennies and nickels
* Count money - pennies, nickels, and dimes
* Equivalent coins I
* Compare two groups of coins

Geometry

* Identify shapes
* Identify solid figures
* Relate planar and solid figures
* Count sides and corners
* Compare sides and corners
* Geometry of everyday objects
* Symmetry


Vocabulary

* Sum and difference

Why hello!

Starting just after Christmas we will become a homeschool family! I cannot tell you how nervous/excited/scared/worried/happy I am! Basically if you name an emotion I'm feeling it right now :)

A little about moi, I'm Renae. I'm 26 years old and the happy, blessed stay-at-home Mama of 3 wonderful kids. James, my guinea pig, is 5 years old. He's at the kindergarten/first grade level. Aldria is 3, we're not doing any forms of formal education with her just yet but she's traveling along with us and learning every day! Emmett is the baby, he is only 10 months old.

Our reasons for homeschooling are numerous and ever changing. I, truly, have nothing against the public school system. It's a wonderful system for those that need it. I do think it's wonderful that we live in a country that provides free education to all it's citizens. I'm also thankful to live in a country that lets me have options about how I educate my children.

I'm not religious so we're not one of those fringe Conservative Christians that homeschool so we can teach our kids that Cain and Able hung out with Little Foot and Ducky ;-) Juss sayin...

Anyway, sit back and read about my (hopefully numerous) successes and my (hopefully few, but likely numerous) failures. This is new territory for me and I really have zero clue what I'm doing. I just hope I don't screw it up too badly.

Cheers!