My grandson is only 5 and can already read, write his name and write most small words.  But because he won't turn 6 until the end of September (rather than the first part of it) the public schools won't allow him to go into kindergarten.  My daughter is at  her wits end with fighting with them.

Anyway, she would like to continue teaching him at home this summer and I was wondering if anyone has any textbooks appropriate for his age and skills now; something that covers more than the colorbooks you can get at the dollar store?  I would assume kindergarten age would be appropriate.  If you can give us a good deal on swapping we'll even take more than one if we like them.

I could go through each of your sites to see but just don't have the time. I'm moving this week! :)  Wish me luck. LOL

Thanks in advance!

Dee (papdee)

Some of the best things she could use probably are not available on PBS due to their high demand. If you are willing to pay under $25 to buy the things it would be fruitful.

For example for about $11 on Amazon you can get the book "the Three R's" by Ruth Beechich which tells all to teach a child math, reading and other Lang Arts topics from birth through end of grade 3. You can do homemade stuff for free like she tells you in the book to teach reading or math. The book is also useful for school parents as it will help with homework or to supplement if the child is not getting it by the method being taught in the class. And it is a short and unintimidating books that is easy to read.

The popular phonics reading programs like Alpha Phonics and Phonics Pathways are usually snapped up when posted on PBS. Alpha Phonics is on Amazon for under $20 I believe. A free alternative is to print an antique reader from a website using your computer printer. YOu can find some on Don Potter's educaion site such as WORD MASTERY (which is very much like Alpha Phonics but a bit shorter in its lists.) (scroll down to find the free downloads)

http://www.donpotter.net/ed.htm

Also a tip if you are going to practice penmanship, learn the CORRECT pencil grip and get the child to use that (schools don't always teach it and some kids have writing problems due to using wrong grips). Also try to use a pencil as pens or markers or whiteboards can be slippery and cause errors (or use a chalkboard). Use non-slippery paper not write on/wipe off systems sold in drug stores and such. Look for fat pencils or buy a rubber triantle shaped pencil gripper for a standard pencil that costs $1.50 from an educational supply retail store or HS supply catalog. And let the child write on unlined paper and large at first.

Five in a Row is a unit study using picture books. After getting the manual (not usually available in public libraries) you could then borrow from libraries, some of the picture books used in the series. After getting her feet wet with using a fiction picture book for a learning expeirence she may feel confident enough to select her own different books from the library to make little unit studies with without the use of a manual. However if she wants mroe there is Five in a Row volume 2 and volume 3. For more info see the Five in a Row website.

Also very educational is to read nonfiction picture books (free from a library) to the child and discuss what is seen. Thsi helps grow vocabulary and works on reading comprehension. Asking questions (for fiction pictuer books too) such as "what do you think seeing this thing on the page tells us" and so forth will help.

I am of the mind that it does not take a TON of work at all for children of that age to benefit greatly from being read aloud to and having little discussions, that in and of itself is good enough.

Also take the child to chldren's museums and regular museums and go for nature walks. Do learning stuff unconnected to desks and workbooks, it is all worthwhile and fun too.

That is enough to keep a kid busy for their entier homeschool Kindergarten year so it is surely enough to supplement your grandchild before they start Kindergarten.

Hope this helps.

(sorry for any typos that may remain due to fast typing and the fact that I can't get this system to let me copy it into Word to use spellcheck since PBS doesn't have spellchecker in their system.)

Hi,

I have a bunch books that are used in kindergarden and first grade at my grandson's private school. They came from a hooked on phonic set.They are neat little stories that early beginner readers can read and like. They build on each other. About half of them can be colored in, which is fun and educational. I'll make you a deal for them. They don't seem to be moving off my shelf probably because people think they need the hooked on phonics system to read them, but the story books are just readers in their own right.

Thanks,

Elona