When I started my at-home journey, I was hesitant to educate my kids, and the Five in a Row program confused me. However, as I grew to understand the point of the curriculum, I realized it is simple, meaningful, and full of opportunities for connection.
There are 10 Five in a Row manuals to follow for a homeschool curriculum. Five in a Row encourages learning, play, and creation through the consistent use of classic literature. Re-reading books provide opportunities for children to engage in conversations, clarification, and bonding.
The Five in a Row manual has many suggestions, step-by-step guides, resources, and activities. Incorporating these routines and understanding the resources will help you better navigate the cherished program.
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What is the Point of Five in a Row?
Five in a Row manuals guide parents into learning through the use of literature. You might need to read the title of the series a few times to understand, and Five in a Row understands the value of re-reading, as the name suggests. The instructional manuals aim to help parents and caregivers learn how to teach their children to fall in love with reading. Through repetition, caregivers give themselves opportunities to expand on previously learned knowledge and create moments for children to forget about distractions and focus on the love of learning.
“Each unit provides creative ideas and enjoyable activities designed to cultivate joyful intimacy with your child while building vital learning-readiness skills.”
Before Five in a Row- Ages 2-4 Early Homeschooling Unit Studies
The flexible curriculum is based on learning that can be child-led and taught through the child’s eyes. Suggested activities are simple to follow but cover a range of subjects and ideas that add purpose to the program’s repetitive nature. You can see more in-depth conversations, creation, and learning opportunities as you continue reading your books.
What is Included in the Five in a Row Curriculum?
There are 10 Five in a Row manuals to follow for this recommended homeschool curriculum series. There is one for ages 2-4, one for ages 3-5, four for ages 5-10, and four for ages 8-12. The age ranges vary depending on the reader’s ability to focus and engage but can be used throughout early childhood, school-age, and beyond.
The volumes listed provide various options depending on the age and should be used according to the child’s development. They are grouped into three categories (ages ranging from 2 to 12); Before Five in a Row, Five in a Row, and Beyond Five in a Row.
The literature is not included in the manuals. You must purchase and rent out the books to use with the manuals. My family has a lot of luck finding the books at thrift stores and discount shops.
When to Start Five in a Row– Before & Beyond
- Before Five in a Row (ages 2-4)
- More Before Five in a Row (ages 3-5)
- Five in a Row (ages 5-10)
- Beyond Five in a Row (ages 8-12)
The Difference Between Beyond Five in a Row
The reading literature recommended in Beyond Five in a Row is more challenging with fewer pictures. Beyond Five in a Row is geared toward older children who would benefit from the more in-depth writing, complex story structures, and biographies. These manuals typically recommend chapter books with accompanying activities and supplemental materials.
What To Do With Five in a Row?
Each Five in a Row guide provides valuable information. Whether you have a toddler or a teenager, the Five in a Row series gives you information about each book included in the suggested reading series. You not only get a great list of book recommendations for your family, but you also get organizational sheets, story disks, teaching resources, planners, and more.
Since each manual is for a different age range, you can expect that each activity will differ slightly depending on the content of the literature. These can easily be copied and pasted from the original book to preserve the integrity of the curriculum. They are available to purchase at fiveinarow.com and are very affordable. The website also provides additional information about purchasing the recommended literature or finding the books at the library.
What are the Lessons in Five in a Row?
Topics that Five in a Row covers vary depending on the literature. Since books differ, the manuals’ topics depend on the characters, settings, and plot. The instructions, however, can all be used similarly. The goal is to read the same book multiple times to familiarize yourself with all aspects of the book at hand to encourage learning academics like math, science, language, social studies, and art.
It is less daunting for an educator to teach a subject to a child when the child has begun to imagine and recreate the setting. Once the book has been read multiple times, it becomes easier to delve into specifics like geography or human anatomy.
“Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners and teachers will all benefit from Five in a Row’s variety of lessons and activities which are carefully laid out and available for you to choose whichever one fits your schedule for the day.”
Five in a Row(Ages 5-10) – Five in a Row
Some book topics may be more related to social studies. When that is the case, the direction to head in will encourage strengthening those skills. If another in the series emphasizes language, ensure that vocabulary would be in the lesson plan.
The Curriculum For Five in a Row
Five in a Row lessons teach children through imagination. A book like Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans is rich in vocabulary and history. The Madeline series is full of colorful artworks that help the reader imagine what it would be like to live in Paris, France. The author also uses repetitive language and poetry to encourage interaction and promote interest.
“But the biggest surprise was by far– on her stomach was a scar!“
Bemelman, L. (1939). Madeline. New York, New York: Penguin Books USA.
Madeline is great for studying buildings and architecture because the illustrations reflect living in the surrounding areas. The Louvre, for example, may not be in your traveling budget, but reading Madeline can introduce imagery and concepts that children cannot experience in real life. This allows caregivers to expand on prior knowledge and opens the door to a richer, exciting, and more profound learning style.
Additional Resources Available For Five in a Row
In addition to the curriculum books, there are many other products that you can add to make this the richest experience possible. Physical planners, digital mini-units, physical notebook builders, Fold and Learn activities, digital supplemental studies for the seasons, and Christian study books.
The mini-units, for example, can be supplemented digitally for use while reading.
The idea of the mini-units is to add more value to the curriculum and suggested readings by reinforcing skills and concepts that the reader is introduced to. This may be more appropriate for older readers and is a great habit to get into as you continue this journey. Seasonal studies are helpful as well. Suppose you are rowing a book that is set in the winter. In that case, it is helpful for the reader to use these additional digital materials to learn more about the book’s setting or to understand the brushstrokes the illustrator used to portray snow or flakes.
The options are endless here, and the adaptive nature of these materials lets you decide which are appropriate for your tiny learned as a caregiver. Some of the materials are free to use on the website, and the others are inexpensive. Once these materials are part of your daily routine, you’ll see that the cost is a small price to pay for the depth of learning that this program provides.
What Happens When You Explore Five in a Row?
Five in a Row simply means read five times in a row. When you start the Five in a Row program, you are teaching your child to learn how to fall in love with reading. Once you understand the concepts the manuals teach you, reading the books multiple times becomes easier. When I first started, I thought I would go crazy reading the same book repeatedly. Once I figured out that certain aspects of literature are put in place to encourage learning, it became easier for me to see each new read through a different lens.
“The important thing is that you choose something that works for you as a parent and teacher and works for your children and the way that they learn best.”
Five in a Row – Homeschool Curriculum (homeschool-curriculum.org)
Each time you read the chosen book, you must remember to pinpoint an area of study to satisfy. Using the Five in a Row instruction manuals in conjunction with children’s literature teaches you, as a caregiver, how to identify concepts and conflicts, propose solutions and encourage creativity. Even if you don’t fully understand the idea yourself, you are still reading a great book!
Conclusion
Reading books continually throughout children’s lives reinforces themes, morals, and lessons. Five in a Row has one of the most powerful approaches to this concept as they keep kids engaged in truly amazing literature. There are tons of different manuals for various ages. Match your child to a book that reflects their reading level to keep them interested in the colors, poems, and text.
