Our Charlotte Mason-Inspired Homeschool Kindergarten Plans {2023-24}

Today, I'm showing "What's In Our Charlotte Mason-Inspired Kindergarten Drawers." 

As you may know, this is round two for homeschooling for me. God's plans for my life were two sweet girls in my twenties, and now, a sweet girl and sweet boy in my forties. ​I am raising the littles again! 

How wonderful are the plans of God. 

I will be sharing my story soon in Above Rubies Magazine. My cup is full and there is laughter in my home.  

Even after many years of experience with homeschool and education, I found myself listening to the voice of doubt as I revisited my kindergarten plans.

Let me encourage you ... don't doubt!  What God calls you to do, he will equip. We just have to be faithful. 

​I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. - Philippians 4:13

My recent graduate will be helping to teach homeschool. So, that is one way God is equipping! With a 5-month-old, I am grateful for a mother's helper.

We are using our own free Charlotte Mason-Inspired Kindergarten Booklist and Lesson Plans. 

That was another thing I wanted to doubt. Are my plans good enough?

As I looked at a boxed curriculum set, I was reassured that the Charlotte-Mason method is more than enough.

​I find the Charlotte Mason method to be . . .

• Freeing.  You can change it to fit your child.

 

• Peaceful. We have a peaceful morning schedule that does not overburden and builds the habit of attention.

 

• Living. Short lessons, variety in subject, and living books make learning fun and you avoid burn-out.

So, I ordered a hard copy of my own lesson plans.

This year, I am organizing my homeschool curriculum in drawers. It makes it easy to quickly access each subject. I wrote about it in this post, Organizing Your Curriculum.

​Here's a look at what's in each drawer. Links for all the books are at our Free Kindergarten Booklist. The (*) stars below indicate that I already own the book, so I had no additional cost for the year.

This year, I organized by subject. You are welcome to use my drawer labels free printable to organize your drawers too.

• Bible Stories to Read & Bible Pictures to Color. The stories are the perfect length for PreK-K and each story if followed by 3 questions (which helps my child listen better) and 1 short scripture memory verse. ($0*)

• King James Bible.  We love it for its literary beauty. Every child should be able to hold the most important book! ($0*)

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• Devotions. In addition, Dad reads evening devotions before bed. We love the Miller Series. Storytime with the MIllers is perfect for kindergarten age. We also have free devotions on our kindergarten booklist. 

• My First Writing Book: Level B. Adeline loves these reading/writing/phonics workbooks I made her. They are systematic and really teach the alphabet, but age appropriate and fun. Here are free printables if you want to try it, and it's availabe in spiral bound. ($0*)

• McGuffey's Primer. If after a month, we are not progressing as hoped, I will purchase Hooded on Phonics for Term 1 and then move onto the Primer. ($0*)

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• Letter Tiles for Word Building with Phonics. Word building is a great way to teach phonics and lots of fun! Letter Tiles are included in My First Writing Book and it teaches you how to read and use them. For additional word building, we might pull from The Nursery Lesson Book (under kindergarten). ($0*)

• For extra handwriting practice (our lesson plans include morning time with 1 handwriting page per day) we will be using Brainquest Kindergarten Workbook. ($10)

• Phonics & Reading Workbooks (Units 1 and 2) by Rod & Staff. In addition to our normal lesson plans, we will be using this thorough program to teach phonics and reading. We are using the first two units for Kindergarten, and then will continue with the remaining units for Grade 1. (This program is for Grade 1, but the beginning units are at a Kindergarten level.)

• Simply Good and Beautiful Math K Course and Math Box. (This was pricy - $50+shipping). I chose to invest in this for the kindergarten year as Adeline likes hands-on. My main questions are: "Is it systematic?" Does it dig-in and teach concepts step-by-step and thoroughly? I will be using this a a supplement to the following program.

• Math 1 by Rod & Staff is a very sound and proven program. This is our main math program. We will do the first workbook for Kindergarten and the second workbook for Grade 1.  

Science can certainly be read online, but I like to have the most important books in hand. Our copies are older, but I really like the new west press copies, pictured above.

• The Burgess Animal Book for Children. If Adeline isn't quite ready for Burgess Books, we will switch to Arthur Scott Bailey Nature Stories which is definitely a K-level book.($0*) 

 

• The Burgess Bird Book for Children. ($0*)

 

• Nature Notebook for Form I - I created this because I couldn't find a notebook that was for younger children that truly followed CM principals. ($10) 

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• For Nature Study, we will use pencils, colored pencils, and watercolors which are in a desk drawer. Field guides are referencend which are on various bookshelves. ($0*)

Most of the literature, such as the Fairy Tales, Fables, and Mother Goose Rhymes we will read for free online.

• Beatrix Potter Complete Tales

 

• Winnie-the-Pooh Complete Tales

I wanted to add to our living book library. I thought these books were worthy additions!  I found good prices at thriftbooks. ($10)​

The history and geography for kindergarten focuses on our country! 

• Stories of Great Americans for Litte Americans - reading free online*
• The Bird-Woman of the Lewis and Clark Expedition - free online*
• First Lessons in Geography - free online*
• A map to watercolor​ ($16)
• Various geography picture books

• Artistic Pursuits V. 1 2018 Ed. + Supply Pack ($100 at Rainbow Resource) - our most expensive pick for the year but it does include supplies.
• Music, Literature, Crafts will be either free online or free from local library.

​In addition to studies, our outside activities will be a free weekly preschool time at the library and a weekly ballet class.  We will wait to begin kindergarten until October as this is when her ballet class begins.  Do you have plans for your homeschool? Be sure to share or link-up on the blog!