Mater Amabilis™

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    • Language Arts
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      • L1A -Bible History
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      • Level 3 World History
        • L3-Y1|Y2 – World History Reading List
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    • Geography & Earth Studies
      • Introduction to Geography and Earth Studies
      • L1B-Map Location Key
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        • British Weather Lore
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    • How to Study Shakespeare
      • Shakespeare Plan
      • An Introduction to Shakespeare
      • Comedy of Errors
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        • Julius Caesar
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        • The Merchant of Venice
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      • Notes on Nature Study
      • L1B-Nature Study
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      • L3|L4-Science
        • L3-Science Through Time (Secrets of the Universe)
        • L3-ARCHIVED-Science
    • Poetry Plan
      • How to Read a Poem
    • Tales
      • L1A Tales
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      • Picture Study Resources – All Levels
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      • Plutarch
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    • On Track to Graduation
    • A Sample Daily Schedule

Kindergarten Syllabus

Extract from Charlotte Mason’s Parents’ Union School Preparatory Class Program, July 1965

Children of five still need plenty of quiet growing-time and as much out-of-door life as possible. Daily lessons should be regular but informal and the time-table regarded only as a flexible guide to a well-assorted arrangement of free play occupations, activities and quiet story times.

The periods on the time-table must be spaced to allow time to move around, put things away and get them out, change position and so forth between periods, so that there shall be no pressure of hustle and no lack of opportunity for movement: concentrated attention should never be required of this class for more than ten minutes on reading, writing or number, or for more than fifteen minutes on stories.

With these considerations in mind the following plan is suggested: it offers a suitable variety of organized occupations for each morning; particular attention should be paid to the arrangement: reading, writing and number should not be taken consecutively

  • Monday – Bible, Reading, Painting, Break, Number, Handwork, Geography, Writing
  • Tuesday – Tales, Number, Handwork, Break, Reading, Singing Games, Writing, Nature Study
  • Wednesday – Poetry, Reading, Nature Study, Break, Number, Handwork, History, Writing
  • Thursday – Bible, Number, Handwork, Break, Reading, Singing Games, Writing, Tales
  • Friday – Tales, Reading, Picture Study, Break, Number, Handwork, Nature Study, Writing

A break for free play must be included as shown above.

There should also be activities in the afternoon such as physical exercise, outdoor nature observation, gardening, outdoor geography, as well as more listening to stories. The arrangement of these must depend largely on weather and climate. Children should be allowed to help in the house and in the care of animals.

Lessons
The understanding of five-year-old children varies greatly; those who are already used to being read to will be able to cover the greater part of the syllabus during a year, others will only make a beginning and may need to be told the stories at first; in either case a foundation will have been laid for the more formal lessons required of a child of six. No narration, as such, should be required at this age, though there will be many who will enjoy “telling back,” and there could be plenty of talking about stories heard. Important proper names could be pointed out and repeated aloud beforehand, so that the story may be as uninterrupted as possible. There should be no examinations or tests.

At this age children usually have a fine dramatic sense, and acting stories or setting tableaux to illustrate them is both enjoyable and valuable. Some have also considerable ability to learn by heart and this can be put to good use by learning verse of good quality; however, learning by heart should not be considered compulsory at this age.

Sample Schedule 

Monday to Thursday

  • Session 1 (45 mins):
    • Religion (10 mins)
    • Reading (10 mins)
    • Picture study, Music Appreciation or Poetry (10 mins)
    • History or Geography (10 mins)
    • Handwriting (5 mins)
  • Session 2 (25 mins):
    • Math (10 mins)
    • Story time (15 mins)

Friday

  • Session 1 (45 minutes):
    • Reading (10 mins)
    • Art or craft activity (30 mins)
    • Handwriting (5 mins)
  • Session 2 (25 mins):
    • Math (10 mins)
    • Story time (15 mins)

Recommendations for Kindergarten

1 to 1.5 hours daily

    • Religion – four times weekly, for 10 to 15 minutes
    • Maths – daily, for 10 minutes
    • History  – twice weekly, for 10 to 15 minutes
    • Geography – twice weekly, for 10 to 15 minutes
    • Music appreciation – weekly, for around 10 minutes
    • Picture study – weekly, for around 10 minutes
    • Poetry – twice weekly, for 5 to 10 minutes
    • Story time – daily, for 10 to 15 minutes
these are guidelines – adapt them to suit your child and family.

See Year at a glance Overview and Sample Weekly Schedule

After reading syllabus, see Prep Kindergarten “Plan book” to help you plan and organize your school year. MA Prep Kindergarten Plan Book

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Suggested Resources for Living the Liturgical Year

Adult Resources:

      • Advent, Christmas and Epiphany in the Domestic Church by Catherine and Peter Fournier
      • Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church by Catherine and Peter Fournier
      • Marian Devotions in the Domestic Church by Catherine and Peter Fournier
      • Celebrating the Church Year With Young Children by Joan Halmo- hands-on approach to faith formation for 3 to 6 year olds
      • Around the Year With the Trapp Family (Maria Augusta Trapp)
      • Formerly Catholic Mosaic was recommended. However many of the books have become hard to find and many new catholic picture books have been written. If you have access to an affordable copy you may find it useful. But we no longer suggest it as a core purchase for the prep level. This resource gives suggestions for picture books to read during each month of the year, along with a selection of activities to go with each book.

Kindergarten Resources:

      • New Catholic Children’s Bible  by Fr. Thomas J. Donaghy, (two stories each week)

Ordinary Time Only (20 weeks)

      • Speak, Lord, I Am Listening: A Rosary Book by Christine Haapala (one mystery each week)
      • My First Book of Saints by Kathleen M. Muldoon (one saint story each week)
      • OR Saints Around the World by Meg Hunter-Kilmer, illustrated by Lindsey Sanders (this is a great new option for those wanting saint study to correspond to geography studies below.

Advent, Lent and Easter

      • Books of your choice from the Catholic Mosaic list.

Optional Reading

      • Catholic Children’s Treasure Box (Maryknoll Sisters) This fun, classic series is a delightful assortment of stories, games and songs. A highlight is a serial story about St. Therese as a little girl. *Note: While overall this is a lovely series, the Wupsy stories (found at the end of each volume) are not recommended.

MATHEMATICS

There are many resources you can use to begin number work with your Prep Level child. A formal curriculum is not necessary, but if you choose to use one, do be sure to fit the curriculum to the child and not the other way round. At this age readiness varies widely; the most important thing is to go at your child’s pace. Some will race ahead in this area, others will struggle. Trying to force a young child into doing what a curriculum provider says they “ought” to be doing at this age can result in a child who hates numbers for years to come.

Suggested Activities and Topics

    • Counting songs
    • Number games (dominoes, number lotto)
    • Board games with dice
    • Make and copy sequences and patterns
    • Time (clock with movable hands)
    • Measuring (ruler, weight scale)
    • Cooking (measurement)
    • Money (learn different coins, count pennies)
    • Math(s), reading and writing – daily, for 10 minutes each (less for handwriting)

Optional Resource: The Oxford First Book of Maths by Rose Griffiths

Some Math Curriculum Options

Some of our Members have used and liked:

  • Mathematics Enhancement Project Reception Level
  • Kindergarten Math with Confidence by Kate Snow

Math Resources

The Following Math Resources are listed on both Prep-Preschool and Prep-Kindergarten syllabi.

Number and Counting Books:

  • 1 Is One (Tasha Tudor)
  • The Icky Bug Counting Book (Jerry Pallota)
  • Anno’s Counting Book (Mitsumasa Anno)
  • 10 Apples Up On Top (Dr. Seuss)
  • Numbers in Art (Lucy Micklethwait)
  • One Odd Day and My Even Day (Doris Fisher)
  • One Hundred Hungry Ants Paperback and other books by Elinor J Pinczes

Some Formal Resources:
There are many resources you can use to begin number work with your Prep Level child. A formal curriculum is not necessary, but if you choose to use one, do be sure to fit the curriculum to the child and not the other way round. At this age readiness varies widely; the most important thing is to go at your child’s pace. Some will race ahead in this area, others will struggle. Trying to force a young child into doing what a curriculum provider says they “ought” to be doing at this age can result in a child who hates numbers for years to come.

  • Counting With Stickers 1-100 (Kumon)
  • Numbers 1-30 Write & Wipe Flash Cards (Kumon)
  • My Book Of Numbers 1-30 (Kumon)
  • My Book Of Number Games 1-70 (Kumon)
  • My Book of Easy Telling Time: Learning about Hours and Half-Hours (Kumon)(Available at bulk discount from Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op)
  • Family Math for Young Children: (Jean Kerr Stenmark and Grace Davila Coates)
  • Let’s Play Math: How Families Can Learn Math Together and Enjoy It (Denise Gaskins)
  • Math You Can Play Combo: Number Games for Young Learners (Denise Gaskins)
  • The Oxford First Book of Maths (Rose Griffiths)

READING & WRITING

See Language Arts page

STORY TIME

    • Term 1: The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter
    • Term 2: Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White
    • Term 3: Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A.Milne

Optional Extra Reading (Chapter Books):

    • Happy Little Family by Rebecca Caudill
    • Happy Times in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
    • Little Old Mrs Pepperpot by Alf Proysen
    • The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook by Joyce Lankester Brisley
    • My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
    • My Naughty Little Sister by Dorothy Edwards
    • A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
    • The Children’s Book of Virtues by William Bennett

Picture Books

See Prep Level Preschool Syllabus for suggestions.

HISTORY

    • First Timeline by Mary O. Daly
    • Turn of the Century: Eleven Centuries of Children and Change by Ellen Jackson
    • UK Alternative:How Children Lived by Chris and Melanie Rice (Dorling Kindersley)

GEOGRAPHY

    • The Oxford First Book of Children of the World by Rebecca Treays
      OR
    • Children Just Like Me by Annabel and Barnabas Kindersley.
      • Parents should be aware that the 2016 edition contains references to same-sex families. Earlier editions, like the one linked here, do not contain these references.
    • As part of religion studies, Saints Around the World by Meg Hunter-Kilmer is a great option to coordinate saint studies with this geography plan.

Picture Books

There are many picture books set in different parts of the world suitable for children of this age. Depending on the quality of your local library you could read book each week. If you have trouble getting books from the library then you might prefer to buy just two or three for each continent. If you would like a non-fiction introduction to life in other countries the “Child’s Day” series are good (though not all the books are still in print). Listed below are some books we can recommend, divided by continent.

Around the World

    • How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marion Priceman
    • W Is for World: A Round-the-World ABCby Kathryn Cave

Africa

Pick 2-5 picture books from this list or from your library.

    • Bongani’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a South African City by Gisele Wulfsohn
    • Boushra’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in an Egyptian City by Khaled Eldash
    • Nii Kwei’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Ghanaian City by Francis Provencal
    • Chidi Only Likes Blue by Ifeoma Onyefulu – central Africa
    • A is for Africa by Ifeoma Onyefulu – Africa
    • Ebele’s Favourite: a Book of African Games by Ifeoma Onyefulu – Nigeria (10 traditional children’s games are described)
    • Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book by Muriel L. Feelings – southern Africa
    • Jamela books by Niki Daly – South Africa
    • Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe – Zimbabwe
    • The Day of Ahmed’s Secret by Florence H. Parry – Egypt
    • Honey . . . Honey . . . Lion! by Jan Brett – Africa

Asia

Pick 2-5 picture books from this list or from your library.

    • Geeta’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in an Indian Village by Prodeepta Das – India
    • Huy and Vinh’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Vietnamese Village by Jim Holmes – Vietnam
    • Yikang’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Chinese Village by Sungwan So – China
    • The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire H. Bishop – China
    • The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack – China
    • I is for India by Prodeepta Das – India
    • The Story of Little Babaji by Helen Bannerman – India
    • Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say – Japan

Europe

Pick 2-5 picture books from this list or from your library.

    • Polina’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Russian Village by Andrey Ilyin – Russia
    • Iina Marja’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Lapp Village by Jaako Alatalo – Lapland
    • Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans – France
    • Papa Piccolo by Carol Talley – Italy
    • The Mitten by Jan Brett – Ukraine
    • Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett – Germany
    • The Hat by Jan Brett – Scandinavia

South and Central America

Pick 2-5 picture books from this list or from your library.

    • Cassio’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Brazilian Village by Maria de Fatima Campos
    • Enrique’s Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Peruvian Village by Sara Andrea Fajardo
    • B is for Brazil by Maria de Fatima Campos (read on archive)
    • Victoria Goes to Brazil by Maria de Fatima Campos (read on archive)

NATURE STUDY

US Options:

    • The Year at Maple Hill Farm by Alice and Martin Provensen
    • Crinkleroot books by Jim Arnosky
    • One Small Square series by Donald M. Silver

UK Option:

    • Usborne Book of the Seasons  

PICTURE STUDY

    • An Alphabet in Art by Lucy Micklethwait
    • Numbers in Art by Lucy Micklethwait
    • Animals in Art by Lucy Micklethwait

POETRY

    • Prayers From the Ark: Selected Poems by Carmen De Gasztold; translated by Rumer Godden
    • My First Oxford Book of Poems by John Foster

MUSIC

Making Music Praying Twice

You might want to listen to music from around the world that corresponds to the countries you are learning about in geography.

To find books for the best price used visit Book Finder.

Year at a glance Overview and Sample Weekly Schedule

Prep Kindergarten Plan Book (pdf) 

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