Learning Together With Five in a Row

I will be teaching Malachi and Eliana together with a fun literature based curriculum - Five in a Row. I have been wanting something planned out for me since I finished Malachi's preschool alphabet fun. And I am happy that I have something that will be perfect for us, which is something literature based and planned out, but still allows me much room for creativity and lots of hands on learning fun.

My sister-in-law blessed me with FIAR Volumes 1-3, the supplemental character book and cookbook, and after looking through them I knew that I wanted to do this - so I ordered Before Five in a Row and all the books I needed for B4 and Volumes 1-3! I elected to get a few of the more expensive books from the library, but I wanted to own the books we "row" so that my children will always remember the learning we had together.
Since we will be reading the same book five days in a row, I got as many books on CD that I could find at Rainbow Resource. I also plan to supplement other books that relate.

Here is what I was busy doing over our Spring break:
I printed out all the lapbook activities and resources from HSS and filed them with extra printables I found online and some craft items that I will need. I even laminated what needed laminated and each folder is ready to just grab and go.

This week we rowed the Runaway Bunny and it was so simple and effortless to pull it altogether.

Lap Journal

Instead of a lapbook, we will be making a lapjournal/notebook. My kids love to look through their lapbooks - this way they can look and I can help them pull out the sheet of cardstock if they want to open the books, without worrying about the books being torn. I think this is our answer to lapbook storage from now on. I love lapbooks, but I have been frustrated with all the work (and ink) that goes into them, just to have them torn, so I am happy with my idea (which I got from Jordan's Apologia lapjournal).
Since Before Five in a Row is geared towards ages 2-4, I thought this would be perfect for Mali and Elli (they just turned 3 and 5). Especially when I consider that girls mature more quickly than boys. So I am very excited that they will be able to learn together. We will work through B4FIAR and then move on to FIAR Volume 1.

Meanwhile, I will continue with the lessons I began with Mali's 5K Corner, using the resources I have already mentioned. His time will be independent from our time all together, but I will incorporate his studies as I am able to with FIAR. You will see what I am talking about in my next post. =)
For supplemntal science, we will be doing Nature Study. I have a great plan for that too and will share more in a future post.

I also plan to link up to Tot School and The Preschool Corner {& 5k too!} each week, but it will be in one post - together!

For more, see Learning Together Part 2: More Organizing ~ or how I do what I do!

11 comments

  1. Michelle,
    I have a questions for you. I have 4 year old twin girls (just turned 4) and I'm wondering if I should start with BFIAR or the alphabet fun first. They know all of their letters and sounds and did many alphabet crafts with my Kinder. daughter last year. Now that I'm planning preschool for them and looking at your work for inspiration I'm not sure what to do. I haven't seen BFIAR in person but it looks wonderful. Any suggestions would be so appreciated. I love your blog :)
    Isabel

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  2. Hi Isabel,

    I'm thinking that since they just turned 4 (B4FIAR is geared towards that age), and since they know their alphabet letters and sounds, I would lean towards using B4 and use the letter of the alphabet that corresponds to the book as a review. For example, when we rowed My Blue Boat, I did "B is for Boat" with my 3 yo. Of course, I could be partial because we are enjoying B4. =)

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  3. Can you explain the lapbook? I am just about to start fiar and like the way yours looks.

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  4. Thanks for responding :) I'm looking for the books now and am really excited to use this. Your blog will be such a wonderful resource as I plan our year. Thanks Michelle!

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  5. Congratulations on your new little bundle. I'm just now stumbling upon your blog from Chasing Cheerios comment about B4FIAR. Can you tell more about how you are doing your lapbook/journals? Do you still do it on the folders, but then store them in the plastic sleeves of the binder? I'm thinking of trying our B4FIAR and lapbooking with my 4yo.
    Thank you.
    Miranda

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  6. Thank You once again...I am looking foward to print this week, and I apreciated you mentioning about lapbook/journal notebook...Defenetly going to do that. I am going to do my almost 5 and my 6 years olds together . I still need to figure out how to aproach the oldest 3

    Enid

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  7. Do you make a lap journal for each of your children or do they share one?
    sueellenhafen@yahoo.com

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  8. Homeschool Share no longer has the "helpful chart" you linked. I wonder if you still have it and would be willing to share it? Thanks for considering.

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    1. Hi Shelly, I'm so sorry, but HSS has explicitly prohibited me from sharing any files I have from their site. I will consider putting together my own helpful charts from my personal experience in the future as I am able. If you know of something that would be particularly helpful, please let me know. :)

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