Kolbe review, addendum

This could really be an update to the first post, but I don't want to risk it being missed. I didn't have the course plans when I wrote my first review so I couldn't include this information.

Long story short: Some of the lesson plans and material for kindergarten into first grade is redundant. I don't mean the math, really; it's the same series and is as redundant as you expect math to be.

The science, though, involves some of the same experiments or investigations in both. Examples are growing caterpillars to butterflies and sprouting lima beans. Interesting, really, no matter how many times you do it, but if you don't get around to it the first time it's coming right back at you!

The reading and spelling, though, really hit it. The first quarter of reading in first grade is spent with the Catholic National Primer and the quarterly test is from McGuffey's Primer--a bad idea if the student has already read it. But the kindergarten lesson plans are based on the McGuffey's, so what do you do? The first grade spelling, too, is from the CNR and starts with words like in, is, and the for first grade. Kindergarten ended with them reading words like lighthouse.
We'll be starting with the second quarter plans, where you start the actual First Reader and are done with the Primer.

I think it's because 2006-07 was the first year for Kolbe's kindergarten course plans and thus they haven't aligned the first grade curriculum yet; in my book, that's a forgiveable offense. I'm sure someone has already brought it to their attention, so when The Boy comes around to it things will be different--I hope. It's also one of the downsides of changing textbook series from one year to the next--something that never happens in public school (ha!).

There. Now I've reviewed.