Homeschooling kindergarten can be such a blessing! Find out why I loved using The Good and the Beautiful kindergarten language arts program and learn the hacks you need to know!
*Disclaimer: This post was originally written in 2019 and The Good and the Beautiful has made multiple updates to their kindergarten language arts program since then. Some of these simple homeschool tips may no longer be applicable or may be outdated.
The Need for Kindergarten Langauge Arts
Kindergarten is such an important year for homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike.
This is the year the magic happens!
From understanding important phonics sounds and writing techniques to learning math and motor skills that will last a lifetime.
With that said, kindergarten language arts is hands-down the biggest academic part of homeschooling kindergarten.
During this wonderful year of transformation, most children will learn how to use phonics to build words, turn those words into sentences, and begin reading simple chapter books.
That’s why having a solid kindergarten language arts curriculum is a must.
Why We Love The Good and the Beautiful
If you haven’t already added The Good and the Beautiful to your homeschool curriculum lineup, you are definitely missing out.
It’s just so good, you guys!
Making the switch from online schooling to The Good and the Beautiful was hands down the best decision I have ever made for our homeschool.
While my older boys didn’t start their homeschool journey until late in their grade school years, my youngest has been homeschooled since preschool.
First, with hands-on activities and other supplies.
Then, by using The Good and the Beautiful’s amazing Pre-K curriculum!
This curriculum was a game-changer for us.
The open-and-go approach, the beautiful artwork & literature, the fun activities, and the in-depth lessons all make this a total winner, you guys!
The Good and the Beautiful Level K Hacks
If you’ve stuck with me this long, my guess is you are already a huge TG&TB fan.
It’s amazing, right?
While I absolutely love all of The Good and the Beautiful language arts programs, I’m always finding unique ways to personalize this flexible curriculum — making it even easier to use!
Figuring out this whole homeschool thing can be a difficult task and if you’re struggling, just know you aren’t alone!
Over the years, I’ve had to figure out what works and what doesn’t, alongside my children.
These simple hacks for using The Good and the Beautiful level K are just a few of the little things I picked up and incorporated into our current homeschool year.
Check them out below!
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Utilize Binder Clips
While this hack can totally work for many types of curriculum, I actually have a few specific ways I use them for The Good and The Beautiful Level K.
For starters, binder clips work amazingly at holding your place in any curriculum.
Seriously though!
If you aren’t already using binder clips for place holding, you should totally start.
Using Binder Clips for TGTB Kindergarten Language Arts
Check out my breakdown of how I use binder clips for The Good and the Beautiful Level K!
First, I leave pages 1-16 completely un-clipped.
I do this simply because those pages are filled with reusable activities such as sight word ladders, spelling lists, and poetry memorization.
It easily separates them from the individual lesson plans and allows easy access to them whenever I need to fit them into our lesson.
Second, I clip page 17 up to the page we are currently working on.
Obviously, as time goes on, the amount of clipped pages increases.
We are about halfway through our book, so this method still works out just fine.
However, I may add a second clip down the road if needed. For now though, one works great!
Lastly, I use my binder clip for what I like to call double duty!
This means holding additional items needed for the current lesson — like the mini books for example!
One thing I absolutely love about The Good and the Beautiful curriculum is the little check boxes throughout each lesson.
However, If you are familiar with level K, you know the mini books are typically a read-for-3 days in a-row activity.
This can quickly become a forgotten task if you are already finished with the rest of the lesson.
Binder clips to the rescue!
I simply clip the book (or books) my little one is currently reading right to the current lesson we are working through. This is an easy reminder that we still have a little more reading to do from past lessons.
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Mix Things Up
As you dive into The Good and the Beautiful level K, you will notice a lot of lessons call for word or sentence dictation.
While I do think this is a great practice for young learners, it can also be a frustrating task for many.
If you have a kiddo who is struggling with this activity, mixing it up with different tools and methods may just be the answer you’re looking for!
We started our school year off by simply using a regular notebook for all dictation work.
It got the job done, but it wasn’t anything special.
When frustrations arose, we tried a simple dry-erase board instead.
Then, eventually, we landed on a boogie board as our best fit for this important task.
While utilizing a boogie board (something we already had on hand) was ideal for my learner, you may need to try multiple different sentence dictation methods and activities to find your ideal fit.
Making this task more fun and less of a chore is key.
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Invest in Special Tools
When I first started teaching my daughter using The Good and the Beautiful level K, spelling became something we both dreaded.
I immediately knew that simply practicing orally or writing them down multiple times a week wasn’t going to cut it.
If you have a little one who is constantly fidgeting, investing in fun manipulative items for spelling time is a must!
My daughter is constantly on the go and definitely keeps me on my toes.
Because of her need for hands-on learning, traditional spelling exercises would bore or frustrate her.
So, I created a simple spelling box and began utilizing a fun list of spelling activities to use alongside our kindergarten language arts program.
And you know what?
She totally thrived!
Honestly, though, this little hack will work with almost any kindergarten language arts curriculum.
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Practice Advanced Prep
I know The Good and the Beautiful is known for being an open-and-go curriculum, but hear me out.
I am a huge planner girl and practicing advanced homeschool prep will always, always be my secret to a successful homeschool day.
Taking just a little time each weekend to look over your upcoming homeschool week can save you from simple mishaps throughout the week.
For example, some lessons may call for an extra craft supply or ingredients for a snack/recipe.
While I absolutely love that The Good and the Beautiful curriculum has little reminders a few lessons ahead of time for bigger projects, I still tend to forget what was needed by the end of the day.
That’s why I always look over our upcoming lessons and fill out a supplies needed list when applicable.
I simply like to know what’s coming up because I thrive best with a plan in my hand.
Thankfully, when I realized I needed this handy little list in my life, my husband was able to throw one together in just a matter of minutes.
While this list is incredibly simple, it’s also incredibly useful for this homeschool mom!
Using a Supplies Needed List for TGTB Kindergarten Langauge Arts
- Look over all lessons or pages you plan to complete for the upcoming week.
- Jot down supplies such as mini book titles, sentence dictation extras, spelling activity supplies, scissors, and any other random items that are out of the ordinary.
- Simply glance over your supplies needed list before starting language arts with your kinder each day and gather your supplies.
This simple process allows me to prep for our entire lesson in only a few short minutes.
No more running around looking for supplies mid-lesson!
Those of you currently use The Good and the Beautiful level K, already know that sometimes lessons are best done split up over several days time.
Having a supplies needed list works wonders for this type of scenario!
I sometimes use our supply list as a reminder for how I want to break up the lesson over the next few days, which in turn allows me to jump back and forth however I need to without missing something!
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Laminate the Extras
Are you even a homeschool mom if you don’t own a laminator?
For real though.
Joking aside, investing in a good laminator for your homeschool is a must if you are homeschooling multiple ages or enjoy the idea of reusing printed activities!
Since we started using The Good and the Beautiful curriculum, I have found that there are certain activities my young daughter wants to do over and over again.
I knew right off the bat that I wanted these activities to last so that she could do them whenever she wanted.
It was officially time to pull out the laminator.
Activities We Laminated From the level K language arts
- Rhyming Cupcakes (pg 56)
- Silent E Job #1 Chart (pg 132)
- Cloud Path (pg 133)
- Zoo Path (140)
My daughter still has quite a bit of learning to do, so I’m sure this list will grow as we finish out her kindergarten year!
I have also laminated countless activities from the K Primer as well as many, many bonus activities from the K Math book!
Kindergarten Langauge Arts Hacks
While homeschooling kindergarten may feel overwhelming at first, it truly doesn’t need to be.
Take some time to look over your curriculum and don’t be afraid to try different methods along the way.
Simple things to remember while homeschooling kindergarten.
- Kindergarteners aren’t made to sit all day.
Working in small increments, playing between lessons, or taking full days off for free-range play is okay!
- Make learning fun
Taking a a simple and light approach to learning is a must when homeschooling kindergarten. Lean on quality curriculum (like TG&TB), hands-on activities, and lots of playtime.
- All children learn at a different pace.
If your kiddo isn’t ready to start the reading process or needs 2 full years to get through their kindergarten curriculum you are not failing them! Not all children learn the same and taking the extra time needed will benefit them more in the long run.
Kindergarten Language Arts Extras
While I absolutely love The Good and the Beautiful kindergarten language arts program and it truly does include everything you need, you can always add simplistic extras to any curriculum.
Not only do extras give your kiddos something educational to work on in their free time, but they are great for reinforcing certain concepts your little one may be struggling with.
Try adding on some of these fun language arts printables or check out our FREE online language arts resources.
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