Many children are able to go far beyond these concepts, others are barely able to master these. This is a list of what is generally expected from a five or six year old child. (I used this when I taught Kg in the US public school system)
Language Arts
Master name and sound of all letters in alphabet
Print all letters of the alphabet- capital and lower case on UNLINED paper
Print first and last name (1st half of year teach first name, 2nd part of year, teach last name)
Color within the lines of a given picture
Know how to hold a book upright and understand where the beginning and end is located
Recognize that sounds make up words
Understand the difference between a letter and a word.
Begin to blend simple words together using "invented spelling."
(I agree with case studies and from my own experiences that invented spelling is not detrimental to a child's later ability to spell correctly when it is allowed during the brief period a child is learning to read.)
Write simple words (dog, cat, mom, dad, etc...)
Read aloud very simple words.
e.g. dog, cat, the, love...
Retell a story
Understand author, illustrator
Social Studies
Understand what is a globe
Know what is a family
Know complete name
Know address and phone number
Understand major holidays and their meanings
Math
Count to 30
Recognize numbers to 30
Write numbers 0 to 10 on unlined paper
Understand 'before and after', opposites.
Sort various objects by color, size and shape
Know major colors and shapes
Understand addition and subtraction of combinations to five using objects and stories, but it is not necessary to know how to write it in symbolic form
e.g. A child may understand, "I had five cookies, but I ate two cookies. Now I only have three left. However, a child may not understand the symbols 5-2=3. Although, towards the end of the year you should introduce sums in written form.
Introduce money and it's value- nickel, dime, penny
Make a simple patterns (AB, ABC, AAB, AABB) using collections ( buttons, blocks, beads, etc)
Compare same/different, large/small, long/longer/longest, under/over, in/out
P.E/Music
Know how to keep a simple beat (clapping)
Hop on one foot
Gallop/skip
Throw a ball/Kick a ball
Science
Understand basic needs of plants and animals
Explore -insects, birds, other animals, trees and flowers
weather
Know the three primary colors
(Experiment with mixing food coloring)
Now, here is what Charlotte Mason expected:
1. To recite, beautifully, 6 easy poems and hymns
2. to recite, perfectly and beautifully, a parable and a psalm
3. to add and subtract numbers up to 10, with dominoes or counters
4. to read--what and how much, will depend on what we are told of the child
5. to copy in print-hand from a book
6. to know the points of the compass with relation to their own home, where the sun rises and sets, and the way the wind blows 7. to describe the boundries of their own home
8. to describe any lake, river, pond, island etc. within easy reach 9. to tell quite accurately (however shortly) 3 stories from Bible history, 3 from early English, and 3 from early Roman history (my note here, we may want to substitute early American for early English!)
10. to be able to describe 3 walks and 3 views
11. to mount in a scrap book a dozen common wildflowers, with leaves (one every week); to name these, describe them in their own words, and say where they found them.
12. to do the same with leaves and flowers of 6 forest trees
13. to know 6 birds by song, colour and shape
14. to send in certain Kindergarten or other handiwork, as directed
15. to tell three stories about their own "pets"--rabbit, dog or cat.
16. to name 20 common objects in French, and say a dozen little sentences
17. to sing one hymn, one French song, and one English song
18. to keep a caterpillar and tell the life-story of a butterfly from his own observations.
Practical ways to apply the Charlotte Mason's educational ideas in your home and school.
