Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #134140 in Books
• Published on: 1997-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 159 pages

Customer Reviews

Five in a Row, Volume 1
For a homeschooler, this wonderful curriculum is exceptionally well-written and organized so that anyone can pick it up and teach from it at a moment's notice. Jane Lambert has included all information necessary to teach geography, social studies, language arts, art, applied math and science for each unit so that if library materials or other research materials were currently unavailable, the teaching could still continue.

There are nineteen picture book titles (ex: Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say) with extensive lesson plans for each title. Units can be repeated easily without repeating the same information each time. My children have been using Five in a Row for three years and the knowledge they have gained is incredible! This is a fun and enjoyable curriculum that teaches a love for learning and I highly recommend it!

Great resource for top children's books
While I am a homeschooling mom, I have to say that it would be foolish to dismiss this book simply because you don't homeschool. If you love books and want your children to love them, too, this can point you to the kind of book they will love. Many of the books are a joy to read, both for the parent and the child.

Also, one might get the impression that this book is not readily available from the way it is listed here, as a hard to find title. This isn't true. Amazon may have to special order it, but they should be able to get it without a problem.

I do have to offer one clarification, of sorts, from what some others have said. It is suggested that the lessons require no further preparation than glancing at this book and then getting started. That isn't true. If you want a curriculum where all the information your child needs is right there in front of him, this is NOT it. Five in a Row suggests *topics* on which to teach based on the book of the week. You may be learning about the Revolutionary War, or Japan, the sense of taste, or ducks. But if you want pictures related to that topic or some information about it on the child's level, you need to supplement with other books.

That should be achieved easily enough in the public library, same place many people get the FIAR books themselves. But it helps to know that in advance, rather than assume this material is something it's not.

For those who are interested in teaching their children the Charlotte Mason way, FIAR makes a GREAT curriculum. It will grow a love of literature. While my son sometimes resists his math and phonics lessons, he LOVES FIAR. He often asks me, "What are we learning today from the book?" I don't have to tell him, "It's time for *Papa Piccolo* (or whatever book we are on that week) twice. He's there, ready and waiting for the next lesson!

How This Curriculum Has Influenced Our Schooling
We have used this curriculum for our first year of homeschooling, and I can't possibly tell all the benefits, but here are a few. The books used to study have all been gotten very easily through our library, either on shelf or interlibrary loaned with ease. The ideas given are fun, packed with info, and a wonderful springboard for further exploration, if chosen. I have learned how my daughter learns best by introducing these lessons, and following her interests to further her learning experience. This has taken time--a trip to the library, a search on the web, a look through a book from home, a field trip, etc, but the decision to homeschool my daughter wasn't one of "reaction"--but one of "conviction" that a real education is one that teaches that life is filled with learning experiences, and how can we best use these. The "love of learning" that Five in a Row teaches has shown up in so many ways this year--from a glance at a cloud that resembled "Sri Lanka" (How to Make an Apple Pie & See the World), to seeing "concentric circles" on a button, reminding her of how a tree grows (All Those Secrets of the World), to working on bravery when we were camping, to be more "mature" (Very Last First Time), and so on. I truly believe that this approach to education, the literature unit study, is accomplished with the use of this curriculum in a life changing way. It recommends approaching learning in a natural, fun, explorative & continual process--so, if you're looking for a curriculum that gives you a dated, scheduled, textbook & worksheet approach, keep looking. But, if you're looking for a rich, broad, eye-opening and thrilling education for your children that includes reading while snuggling, learning while talking, re-inforcing while doing a project, understanding & seeing the world while doing life, exposing them to many cultures around the world while deepening their love for God, or teaching about the life long need and value of learning at it's best--THIS IS IT! Hope this helps someone!