First-Grade Read-Aloud: James and the Giant Peach

I read aloud to The Boy from a chapter book every day that we have school. It's my favorite part of the school day. (His is math. He takes after Isaac.)

We read James and the Giant Peach last month, and The Boy was positively wide-eyed through the entire thing. Giant insects, people in the clouds, and the Empire State Building...fascinating stuff for a seven-year-old. Roald Dahl is quickly rising to the top of our favorite-author list.

I asked The Boy just now what his favorite part was, and he said he liked the earthworm. Personally, I thought the centipede was better. Mostly because of its boots.

We watched the movie after we finished reading the book, and...it was all right. The movie is different--I don't mind if movies leave things out, but when they add new things in, I get grouchy.

The edition pictured here is the one we own; some more recent versions have more fun, cartoonish illustrations. Although I guess it doesn't matter all that much--a giant grasshopper is a wondrous thing, no matter how it's drawn.

First Grade!

We started first grade about a month ago. The Boy's only complaint is that school takes longer now than kindergarten did. I told him that it was because his brain is getting so big. He seemed to accept that.

Ideally, we'd be using the First Year curriculum from Latter-day Learning. Until we can afford it, though, we're doing just the basics--reading, writing, math--with some science or art thrown in once in a while. Here's what we're using:

• Horizons Math 1
• First Language Lessons
• Explode the Code 3
• Copywork 
• Spelling Workout, Level A
• The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading (just finishing up the last few lessons that we didn't get to last year)
• Various chapter books and picture books for reading aloud