What other subjects will I need to add?

This is a Bible and Literature core. Your student will still need Math, Language Arts, and Science lessons . Some families will also want or need to do history or social studies lessons, while others will opt to delay formal history lessons till 2nd grade.

What books do I need to buy?

There are a LOT of books scheduled in this literature-rich program. You can find the complete booklist in the sample. You do not need to purchase all of these titles, although if you are in a season of life where you are looking to build up your home library with good children's books, these are great titles to choose from. If you have good library access, many of these titles are widely available at libraries. If you do not, the vast majority of the weekly picture books have Youtube read-alouds that are linked on the course webpage so that you can still listen to the book. A physical copy is preferred, of course, but Youtube read-aloud videos come in handy in a pinch.

Most of the picture books are scheduled for use in just one week.

The books scheduled for multi-week use are the following:

The Kingdom of God - New Testament by Lithos Kids (use my affiliate code RACHEL10 for 10% off at LithosKids.com)

The Parables of Jesus by Lithos Kids

Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey (Part 1) by Lithos Kids

A Treasury of Children’s Literature edited by Armand Eisen

The Pot of Wisdom: Ananse Stories by Adwoa Badoe

Smithsonian Children’s Illustrated Atlas (DK)

If You Lived Here: Houses of the World by Giles Laroche

Lost Cities by Giles Laroche

Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! Edited by J. Patrick Lewis

Music and How It Works: The Complete Guide for Kids (DK) by Charlie Morland

The Children’s Book of Virtues by William J. Bennet

If you decide to opt out of one element of the program, for example, the Music or Nature readings, you can simply skip that particular book.

Can I read a different version of the fairytale or folktale if I already own a different anthology or different version?

Yes, absolutely. I checked out many anthologies and rejected many options before finally landing on this one (edited by Armand Eisen) because I appreciated the depth of language, the illustrations, and the variety of tales. We do not cover every single tale in the anthology, however.

The

Is this Like The Curious Kinder?

But First, Fairytales was created in response for those asking for the “next level” after The Curious Kinder. In my “ideal” plan, I would use Purely Preschool with a 3 year old, Alphabet Adventures with a 4 year old, The Curious Kinder with a 5 year old, and But First, Fairytales with a 6 year old. In reality, what happens in homeschool is often more complex and doesn’t quite fit such a “neat” plan.

What are the Themes?

But First, Fairytales is composed of a series of ten 3-week segments, each of which explores a particular classic tale, read repeatedly, or else a particular category of classic tale. The guiding concept behind this year is that before diving into learning about world history through literature, we want our children to master the fundamentals of how literature, how story, works. Hence the name: But First, Fairytales. You will read a number of fairytales throughout the year, as well as other types of tales, including tall tales, trickster tales, and fables. These are not heavily-themed units in which every single element is tied to one theme, because we prioritize things that are useful to learn and valuable to experience over purity of theme. However, when working through these weeks, the connections between readings and activities will become apparent.

How is Bible integrated?

Three storybooks from Lithos Kids are scheduled throughout the program, and you are encouraged to have your child memorize one Bible verse each segment. Use my affiliate code RACHEL10 for 10% off your purchase on the Lithos Kids website. We are not continuing with sequencing the stories of the Bible this year, as we did in The Curious Kinder, because as we study the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus, the focus of understanding shifts from understanding the “big picture” story arc of the Bible (as practiced through sequencing events of the Old Testament), now to understanding the meaning and application of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.