January 2, 2010
Do your kids love stories? Would you rather pick up a stack of library books and snuggle together on the couch with a blanket than break out the school work?
Jane Claire Lambert has designed a great curriculum where you read and reread a classic book to your children each week, while focusing each day on lessons taught by the story in five subject areas; Social Studies, Language, Art, Applied Math and Science.
This curriculum is called Five in a Row, and is an excellent first curriculum for younger children. The daily lessons, including any facts and details, are spelled out very clearly and little preparation is needed.
My younger kids have loved these books and lessons. Fun pieces of the classic stories have made their ways into our daily lives. For example, we call the kids to come to evening prayer by singing, “La, la, la, la, LI!”, from “The Story About Ping” and the little duck that was too afraid of the swat he would get if he was the last one on the boat.
Has your family used the Five in a Row curriculum? What did you like/dislike? Please share in the comment section!
Five in a Row: Volume 1 includes lessons on the following children books:
This is an excellent list of classic childrens’ books to read, even if you don’t purchase Five in a Row. I’d also love to hear which is your favorite classic children’s book? Please share – I’m always looking for good books to read to the family!
The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese
Lentil by Robert McCloskey
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno
The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills
Who Owns the Sun? by Stacy Chbosky
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
The Glorious Flight by Alice and Martin Provensen
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin
Another Celebrated Dancing Bear by Gladys Scheffrin-Falk
Papa Piccolo by Carol Talley
Very Last First Time by Jan Andrews
The Clown of God by Tomie DePaola
Storm in the Night by Mary Stoltz
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost (with illustrations by Susan Jeffers)
Enjoy!
Posted under Books to Read, Reading Curriculum
I love FIAR. I enjoyed it when my older three children were little, and now I’m doing it again with my three smallest. Such fun!
I know, Christy, isn’t it a great program? I’m pulling it out again, now that my youngest two haven’t been through all the great stories. Off to the library to check out some more FIAR-recommended books!