Blossom and Root First Grade (Science and Nature Study ONLY)

Important: This is a PDF download. No physical product will be mailed to you.

This listing is for Blossom and Root First Grade Science and Nature Study ONLY. Please see our store for the full First Grade bundle.

IMPORTANT UPDATE! Please read!: The original Book Seed issue on John Muir has been replaced with an issue inspired by the book Young Water Protectors. If you plan to use Hard Copy HQ for your printing needs, please note that this change will not be reflected in their automatic order form for Blossom and Root until 2021. You will need to request the Young Water Protectors issue specifically until then. Thank you!

Blossom & Root First Grade: Wonder, Discovery, and Delightful Foundations!

Are you struggling to find a secular first grade curriculum for your child?

Do you dream of providing a hands-on program for your young learner but aren't sure where to start?

Do you wish you could find a creative, adaptable, easy-to-use first grade curriculum full of discovery-filled science and nature, the arts, and engaging children's literature, in addition to a gentle introduction to key academic foundations?

Do most of the available programs make you cringe with the thought of extensive weekly preparation or hours of screen time, with no hands-on or play-based learning?

Do you long to provide your child with an experience that is joy-filled, low-pressure, and full of delight?

We know. You want your child to fall in love with learning, right from the start. You want to nurture their hearts, as well as their minds. You want their days to be full of discovery and beauty, not repetitive drills and random workbook pages.

Well, you've come to the right place!

Blossom & Root First Grade was designed to provide parents with a first grade curriculum that focuses on the development of the whole child. Our program includes:

- A lively, adventure-filled science curriculum and coordinating nature study curriculum focusing on geology, weather, and seasons. Includes a student notebook for science and a nature notebook to document your adventures.

- Complete parent curriculum guides (includes lessons, book and supply lists, budget-friendly tips for curriculum implementation, and more)

* Please note that this purchase also includes six special editions of our Book Seeds curriculum, focusing on great thinkers in the STEAM world. These six issues will focus on Marie Tharp, Mary Anning, William Kamkwamba, Isatou Ceesay, Charles Darwin, and Water Protectors.

We carefully designed our curriculum to work for the parent on a budget, and provide suggestions for acquiring all of the needed books, music, art, and supplies at minimal cost. You won't find a $800.00 minimal investment requirement here! Most of our activities use what you already have around your home, and are designed to be flexible for all budgets and families.

We also designed our curriculum with the busy parent in mind. Whether you're a working parent, or a homeschooling mom of five kids in different learning stages, you can give your first grader an exceptional year with Blossom & Root First Grade. Most days require approximately 3 hours of focused time together.

With Blossom & Root First Grade, you can truly give your child a year of wonder and discovery! They will make friends with some of the most influential and important artists in human history, listen to you read from the best children's literature ever written, explore their own artistic voice, discover the beauty of the world right outside their door, and play with science concepts, all while developing a solid foundation in reading, writing, and investigative thinking that will provide them with confidence in the years to come.

Who is Blossom & Root First Grade for?

- Parents who need a secular first grade curriculum for their child

- Parents who want their child's first elementary year to be filled with exposure to the arts, nature, science, and quality children's literature

- Parents who need a curriculum that gently builds academic foundations in a developmentally-appropriate way, and moves at their child's own unique pace

- Busy parents who need an open-and-go program with minimal prep time each week (half an hour or less!)

- Parents on a budget that cannot afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a boxed curriculum package

- Parents who want their child's first grade experience to be beautiful, rich, and full of delight and wonder

- Parents with hands-on learners

Who is it NOT for?

- Parents who need a curriculum that includes Bible study or a religious perspective (our curriculum is built upon a secular world view)

- Parents who want a curriculum that their child can do completely independently (Our curriculum requires about three hours a day, 4 to 5 days a week, of focused time together.)

- Parents who prefer workbooks to hands-on activities. Our first grade curriculum does include three notebooks / workbooks, but they are not what you will find at the local school supply store. They were designed for open-ended exploration of subject matter, imaginative responses, and developmentally-appropriate reflection. You will not find endless pages of handwriting or math drills here. (Our package includes Student Nature Notebook, Student Language Arts Notebook, and Student Science Notebook, all of which integrate with the parent guides.)

- Parents who want an online school experience for their child

- Parents who need a rigorous academic program for their first grade child

- Parents who need every supply, book, and material for their year included in their purchase (Our curriculum is designed to use a few basic art supplies, typical household items, and many books that can be found at a library or on amazon.com. Our curriculum does include the notebooks your child will use in conjunction with the parent guides. We recommend you print and bind them before beginning.)

Frequently Asked Questions:

1) How much time is required every week to complete this curriculum?

Most of our lessons can be divided up into about three hours of focused time together, five days a week. Our lessons are short, most of them around twenty to thirty minutes long. We want your child to have LOTS of time for free play and outside time, and believe they can have a rich learning experience without spending their entire day buried in worksheets.

2) How much preparation time will it require?

A typical week in our curriculum will require around half an hour (or less) to prepare for. We suggest looking at the book and supply lists in the parent guide as soon as possible, and collecting your materials before the school year begins. Books can be ordered online, found in used book stores, or borrowed from the library. Be sure to print and bind the student notebooks before beginning. You can also simply put them into a three-ring binder.

3) Does my child need to know how to read at all before beginning?

For language arts, your child should be familiar with blending simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words together, such as "cat" and "mat." We do spend some time on reviewing these, but a familiarity with them with help when beginning this curriculum.

4) Can I read a sample first?

Yes you can! Visit http://www.blossomandroot.com to download a free sample of ANY of our curriculum programs. Just click on "First Grade Curriculum" in the menu bar.

5) Should I add a more structured math program to this curriculum if I wish?

Yes, we highly recommend that you add a complete, sequential math program to our first grade curriculum. Wild Math is a wonderful, nature-based option that we feel integrates well with our curriculum. Right Start and Singapore are also wonderful options.

6) Can non-secular families use Blossom & Root curriculum?

Of course! You are free to add a favorite Bible study to our curriculum to make it work for your family. Blossom & Root was designed to make an early education that is rich in nature, the arts, and quality literature, accessible to ALL families.

7) Are there any refunds, returns, or exchanges?

Unfortunately, we cannot provide ANY refunds, returns, or exchanges. Due to the nature of a digital download, these options are NOT available. Please be certain of your decision before you purchase this curriculum. If you would like, you can visit http://www.blossomandroot.com for a FREE sample download to try before you buy. If you have any technical difficulties downloading your curriculum, please contact us immediately and we will help you.

8) How many weeks of lesson plans are there in this curriculum?

We provide 36 full weeks of lesson plans.

9) Where can I learn more about Blossom & Root?

You can visit us at http://www.blossomandroot.com or at any of our social media channels (Instagram and Facebook are the most frequently updated.) @blossomandroot

10) Who created this curriculum?

Kristina Garner, the voice of Blossom & Root, wrote the Early Years, Kindergarten, and First Grade curricula for parents looking for a home education for their child with an emphasis on nature, the arts, quality literature, and a hands-on approach to learning. She has a B.A. in theatre from the University of Colorado at Denver, is ECE teacher and director certified, and spent over 15 years working with children ages 2 1/2 to 13 in a variety of educational and outreach settings. She now homeschools her two young daughters and dedicates her time and energy to developing high-quality educational materials for homeschooling parents. Her passion for the arts and nature in education drives her to create the best possible curriculum and materials for early home education at an affordable price for homeschooling families.

Please note: This program will include several downloads. You should receive 2 parent guides, 1 lab guide, and 2 student notebooks, as well as six special edition Profiles in Science Book Seed issues. If you do not receive all of your materials when you purchase our curriculum, email me right away at kristina@blossomandroot.com and I will assist you. 

This is a digital download. You will not be mailed any physical products, and we do not offer printed / bound curriculum at this time. Your downloads will come from Gumroad, not Blossom and Root, so please check your junk mail if you do not see them in your inbox. We highly recommend Hard Copy HQ for your printing needs: https://www.hardcopyhq.com/.