Homeschooling First Grade

What exactly does homeschooling first grade look like?

In our home, it is a little of this and a little of that.
We have lessons indoors and out.
There are hands on projects, books to read, and field trips to take.
Some lessons are planned and some are decidedly unplanned, happening as we experience life.

Through it all, we hope to foster a life long love of learning and exploring.

This is my fifth time through first grade. When I was five going on six, I experienced it first hand. My second go at first grade was twenty some years later through the eyes of our oldest child. This year may just be my last time through first grade, and I want to savor it as much as I can. For the record, the fifth time is a whole lot better than the first.


Pictured above are some of the most recent learning experiences in our first grader's days.
starting at the top center, following around clockwise ~
Operation Christmas Child: We pack boxes every year. Fantastic way to teach children to give.
Art: Artistic Pursuits, Grades K-3, Book 1
Nature Observations
Geography: Legends and Leagues Workbook
Field Trip: wildlife sanctuary
Observing metamorphosis


Main Subjects ~
As a family, we teach our children with eclectic methods, which lean toward classical. Our curriculum choices reflect this.

During first grade, both history and science are taught in units. We began the school year with Creation and are currently studying Ancient Egypt. We will progress chronologically over the next few years until we reach modern history. It is his first time through chronological history, but my third time. I am learning more each time I begin again and find it fascinating! 

By the end of this school year, our first grader will have studied birds, insects, geology, and simple machines. I've included a bit about his current science unit on insects below.

Studying Insects ~
Our first grader has finished a unit study on birds and is now learning about insects.

In the first collage, at the very top of this post, you can see a picture of our current metamorphosis observation: caterpillars to butterflies. There were five caterpillars. One met an untimely death when the chrysalis failed to remain attached to the provided fabric. Three other caterpillars are in the chrysalis phase, firmly attached onto the provided fabric and successfully moved into the butterfly habitat. This last one in the picture was always smaller than the rest. He finally grew larger and attached himself to the makeshift covering we made after we moved the other three. We'll be moving him to the butterfly habitat soon.

As part of his insect study, our son made an insect trap out of a soup can. It worked?! He donned the hat to look for insects.