I think I made it to lesson 25 prepping as we went but over the winter holidays I prepped the remainder in a binder and it is a life saver! I also made a few basic templates for games like word bingo and roll and read for my son since he’s older and doesn’t enjoy most of the games like younger kids might. I will definitely be taking the Level 2 teachers manual in to be spiral bound when we get there!
We are starting the level 1 with our 4 year old. We are doing level 3 with our older kids. I never thought of spiral binding the teacher guide!!! We use their boxes. I love the idea of keeping everything together ready to prep!!!for our older kids it’s just increasing confidence so nothing is new but for my youngest I love the idea of putting new cards next to the lesson.
Great ideas! I’ve done Levels 1-4 also! The only thing I do a tiny bit different is that I have all the Fluency/Practice sheets sprial bound together. But I do have the binder with all the games and pieces together. I wished a video like this was available 3 years ago when I bought mine because I didn’t realize that I should even keep the activity pieces/games etc. I would have daughter recycle the pieces when we were done. 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ Luckily, when I was getting level 2 ready I got smart and saved everything. Because later that year I wound up having baby #2. So out of all the levels, I’ll just have to replace Level 1 student manual. Phew! I also use the program for tutoring, so it works well to save everything. ❤️😊
@@kasitouvell3895 I use Sonlight readers based on which grade level seemed appropriate. We breezed through 2nd grade and went to 3rd pretty quickly. It helped to get used to small chapter books.
This is EXACTLY what I do for our AAR. I like to use a pencil holder to hold the word cards that we haven't gotten to yet. I only have one more child to work through it. If I had more, I think I would invest in laminating it
I was just thinking about doing this (taking apart the activities book)! I’m so glad to see it works! We switch between this curriculum and another because that works best for my son and I need a better way to keep it organized.
We have enjoyed AAR1 so far! We've prepped the same way though couldn't find anywhere to spiral bind the teachers manual where we live. I did laminate the word and phonogram cards myself too and am glad I did as we don't have a fixed schooling space and it can be on the bed, floor, on the move and my 2.5 year old likes to help by holding up cards. They last longer for us this way 😅. Using AAR1 with my 2nd child now!
Thank you for the amazing tips! I don’t know why the office depot here doesn’t spiral bind books only loose sheets :( i ended up taking it to staples and they said they’ll give it a try but it might be too thick to cut. But the good thing is it made me realize how many other textbooks and manuals i’d prefer spiral bound and I gave those in as well! Love your channel!
Love this video! So many great tips! I am wondering which binder you prefer. I have the link for the sheet protectors but didn't notice the binder suggestion-- thank you!
I just got my AAR box today. Super excited. I love youur prep set up... my question is when its an activity that the child needs to glue do you allow them to glue or just put on the area and kind of reuse the activity for the next child.
My experience isn't recent ( used it about 10 years ago), but I remember loving the emphasis on rhyming and the gentle approach to phonemic awareness. My child responded well to the activities and Ziggy the Zebra. However, there's a big jump between pre-reading and level 1, and it's a bit pricey for the content. The quality is excellent, making it worth it if you plan to use it with multiple kids. For a single child, there are cheaper alternatives. That said, I highly recommend All About Reading levels 1-4-they’re worth the money because there's nothing else like them.
Thank you so much for these videos! I wanted to ask, as a Bible focused Christian, how has the content of the Readers been for your children ? We don’t like magic, witches, monsters, pirates, unicorns or disrespectful language. Have you seen any of these within the readers ? Also, after years of using this program and reusing it, do you think laminating any of the student pages is necessary ? Thanks so much!!
Great questions 1) As far as content in the books there are around 100 stories all together between the four levels and while I have gone through them all multiple times I do not remember every single one. But from what I know all of them are very wholesome, offer lots of diversity, always exemplifies positive character traits and corrects anything that may not be positive behavior. There is no disrespectful language, witches, magic, or unicorns. I do believe there is one pirate story in the 4th level but if you prefer to skip it you could. I will say if you buy your readers through All About Reading (vs used) you can return the material anytime within the first year so if you wanted to take a look at the readers to ensure the content meets your families convictions you can and could always return it if not. 2) I just put the student pages in sleeve protectors and don't see a need for laminating.
I have and it’s a neat program BUT for the price I feel like there are cheaper options that can get the job done. I personally save my money for levels 1-4
I have only done pre reading once and that was almost 10 years ago so I’m not super fresh on this topic but from what I remembered there is way less prep you can just open and go through each lesson
Did they stop including the view finder? I didn't get those in my order. Also, do you take apart the All About Spelling book to put into a binder as well?
I am not sure about the view finders. The spelling book I am getting ready to put together this week and so I will let you know how I do it as soon as I get it done
We use the readers that come with the curriculum. As far as additional readers I like the dual readers from Usborne books they have simple text for kids to read and then mom and dad read the next section which is harder.
All About Reading Level 1 is an excellent choice for building foundational reading skills and beginning comprehension. To complement this, consider incorporating at least 20 minutes of read-aloud time daily, as it not only enhances comprehension but also fosters a love for reading. Spelling instruction can be introduced after completing AAR Level 1, with All About Spelling being a great follow-up that aligns well with the phonics concepts learned. Additionally, Grammar Galaxy offers a gentle introduction to grammar during AAR 1 or 2, using engaging stories and activities that require minimal writing, making it perfect for young learners. This combination creates a well-rounded language arts curriculum for your child.
any suggestions on what level to choose? My kiddo just finished first grade at a University Model School. They used Abeka. Should I start with level 2? He is not an advanced reader. He is currently finishing up vision therapy, so I'm expecting him to greatly improve in his reading. Thank you!
Can I keep the student workbook in tact and just cut out the loose pieces for each lesson? I don’t mind purchasing another workbook later on for my younger guy.
We are going to the Dominican Republic for 2 and a half months I’ll be doing school while we are there How many lessons of this for a kindergartener do you suggest I bring?
@@nicoles9223 Okay so if a child is already starting to read I would say they will probably be able to do one lesson a day except for the story lessons which are two stories in one day and they will probably take one story a day so 2 days per lessons for those. There is ramp up in difficulty around lesson 20-23ish so it may slow down more around that point too. I hope this helps
@@arose5682 okay then yes taking a break for a time might be a good idea. You could definitely use happy cheetah but a cheaper option might be to try explode the code with the teachers manuals. Just to give more practice until she is ready to keep going with AAR. We do still use Happy cheetah with one of my kiddos but now I feel she is ready for AAR so we will start with level 1 next month
Question to all of you who use all about reading. How long dose a lesson take!? Also I jumped right into homeschooling first year and did not plan a head now iam almost done with our language art curriculum and was thinking to concentrate on reading and writing and if that would be a great fit!? So any suggestions is appreciated. What you all think and also some writing programs!? Thank you
1. We set a timer for 20min and when it goes off we stop. Sometimes we complete a lesson in a day. Other times we take 2-3 days. 2. You could shift focus since you finished early or you could just go into the next level of AAR. As far as writing I don’t personally start that till the older years but here are things I do while they are young to nurture writing ua-cam.com/video/93Ip_o-kvZk/v-deo.htmlsi=D-woMGLLRJYNT5IL 3) I start my kids on IEW (Institutes for excellence in writing) once they are old enough.
It was such a nightmare taking in my teacher’s manual to Office Depot to have it spiral bound. I was looked at like I had two heads. They finally took the job but were very confused the entire time and backup was called.
I love that channel you were watching while prepping your student pages! 😆 Lol!
Yeah she’s the best homeschool youtuber out there lol 😂 and a pretty awesome friend
I think I made it to lesson 25 prepping as we went but over the winter holidays I prepped the remainder in a binder and it is a life saver! I also made a few basic templates for games like word bingo and roll and read for my son since he’s older and doesn’t enjoy most of the games like younger kids might. I will definitely be taking the Level 2 teachers manual in to be spiral bound when we get there!
Yes, it’s a game changer having it spiral bound
Give all the things
Watching Megans channel while prepping the blast kit. ❤️❤️
Best way to prep
Love the idea of spiral bounding the teacher's manual! Thank you so much for your ideas.
Happy to help
Thank you! Absolutely helpful! After watching your video I’m def ready to prep my son’s AAR level 1 material.
Glad it was helpful!
We are starting the level 1 with our 4 year old. We are doing level 3 with our older kids. I never thought of spiral binding the teacher guide!!! We use their boxes. I love the idea of keeping everything together ready to prep!!!for our older kids it’s just increasing confidence so nothing is new but for my youngest I love the idea of putting new cards next to the lesson.
That's a great idea!
Great ideas! I’ve done Levels 1-4 also! The only thing I do a tiny bit different is that I have all the Fluency/Practice sheets sprial bound together. But I do have the binder with all the games and pieces together.
I wished a video like this was available 3 years ago when I bought mine because I didn’t realize that I should even keep the activity pieces/games etc. I would have daughter recycle the pieces when we were done. 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ Luckily, when I was getting level 2 ready I got smart and saved everything. Because later that year I wound up having baby #2. So out of all the levels, I’ll just have to replace Level 1 student manual. Phew! I also use the program for tutoring, so it works well to save everything. ❤️😊
I love the idea of binding the fluency sheets that's brilliant
What do you use after level 4?
@@kasitouvell3895 I use Sonlight readers based on which grade level seemed appropriate. We breezed through 2nd grade and went to 3rd pretty quickly. It helped to get used to small chapter books.
Thank you, thank you for the heads up on the box art!!! My son was so excited!!!!!
Happy to share
This is EXACTLY what I do for our AAR. I like to use a pencil holder to hold the word cards that we haven't gotten to yet. I only have one more child to work through it. If I had more, I think I would invest in laminating it
That’s a great idea
I was just thinking about doing this (taking apart the activities book)! I’m so glad to see it works! We switch between this curriculum and another because that works best for my son and I need a better way to keep it organized.
Yes, definitely works and helps so much.
We have enjoyed AAR1 so far! We've prepped the same way though couldn't find anywhere to spiral bind the teachers manual where we live. I did laminate the word and phonogram cards myself too and am glad I did as we don't have a fixed schooling space and it can be on the bed, floor, on the move and my 2.5 year old likes to help by holding up cards. They last longer for us this way 😅. Using AAR1 with my 2nd child now!
That’s awesome
Thank you for the amazing tips! I don’t know why the office depot here doesn’t spiral bind books only loose sheets :( i ended up taking it to staples and they said they’ll give it a try but it might be too thick to cut. But the good thing is it made me realize how many other textbooks and manuals i’d prefer spiral bound and I gave those in as well! Love your channel!
Yes I love spiral bound manuals they make life so much easier. I’m glad you found a place that will do it for you.
It really makes a huge difference prepping all the materials. Just got level 3 today.
Yes it does, and yay for level 3
So many great tips Katie! I really need to get my teacher book bound!
It makes a huge difference
This was so helpful!! I'm starting homeschooling for the very first time with my pre-schooler. Excited to be a new subscriber 🤗
I’m excited to have you here. Let me know if you have any questions.
Amazing! Love it!
Happy to help
Love this video! So many great tips! I am wondering which binder you prefer. I have the link for the sheet protectors but didn't notice the binder suggestion-- thank you!
I have always just used the Walmart brand ones. I’m sure there are better heavy duty ones but I’m to cheap lol 😂
I have always just used the Walmart brand ones. I’m sure there are better heavy duty ones but I’m to cheap lol 😂
So, once you prep the activity book this way, are you able to re-use the same book with a different kid in the future?
Yes, there is zero need to buy it again in the future.
I just got my AAR box today. Super excited. I love youur prep set up... my question is when its an activity that the child needs to glue do you allow them to glue or just put on the area and kind of reuse the activity for the next child.
I just have them place it in the spot and not glue
Would you recommend starting with their pre-reading program for a kindergartener? He knows all his letters and most sounds.
My experience isn't recent ( used it about 10 years ago), but I remember loving the emphasis on rhyming and the gentle approach to phonemic awareness. My child responded well to the activities and Ziggy the Zebra. However, there's a big jump between pre-reading and level 1, and it's a bit pricey for the content. The quality is excellent, making it worth it if you plan to use it with multiple kids. For a single child, there are cheaper alternatives. That said, I highly recommend All About Reading levels 1-4-they’re worth the money because there's nothing else like them.
Thank you so much for these videos! I wanted to ask, as a Bible focused Christian, how has the content of the Readers been for your children ?
We don’t like magic, witches, monsters, pirates, unicorns or disrespectful language. Have you seen any of these within the readers ?
Also, after years of using this program and reusing it, do you think laminating any of the student pages is necessary ?
Thanks so much!!
Great questions
1) As far as content in the books there are around 100 stories all together between the four levels and while I have gone through them all multiple times I do not remember every single one. But from what I know all of them are very wholesome, offer lots of diversity, always exemplifies positive character traits and corrects anything that may not be positive behavior. There is no disrespectful language, witches, magic, or unicorns. I do believe there is one pirate story in the 4th level but if you prefer to skip it you could. I will say if you buy your readers through All About Reading (vs used) you can return the material anytime within the first year so if you wanted to take a look at the readers to ensure the content meets your families convictions you can and could always return it if not.
2) I just put the student pages in sleeve protectors and don't see a need for laminating.
Thank you so much!! Your videos about AAR have been so helpful! I’ve watched them many times and I finally placed my first order for AAR Level 1. 😁
@@ellehcim307 I’m so glad this helped
Awesome tips! Thank you. Have you used the pre-reading level? I'm looking for curriculum for my preschooler.
I have and it’s a neat program BUT for the price I feel like there are cheaper options that can get the job done. I personally save my money for levels 1-4
@@LifeintheMundane exactly what my hesitation is!
How much was it to bind the teachers manual ? Starting my son with AAR1 and your video was very helpful to get started!
I don’t remember the exact total but I believe it was between $5-$7
Hi! I have twin girls. Would you recommend having an activity book for each or do you think they could share one?
About how many sheet protectors do you need for each level?
Hello! Do you recommend organizing this way for prereading as well?
I have only done pre reading once and that was almost 10 years ago so I’m not super fresh on this topic but from what I remembered there is way less prep you can just open and go through each lesson
@@LifeintheMundane Thank you so much! Love your videos/content by the way!! So unbelievably helpful!!
@@aleanapaucar7938 I am glad it has helped
What size spiral coils do you use? I got my spiral bond and they are huge. It's more difficult to use now then before
I don’t know they just selected a size for me. I’m sorry 😞 that’s not much help.
Hi, Thank you for sharing these... I wanted to know how much did it cost you to spiral bind it?
$7ish dollars I think
Did they stop including the view finder? I didn't get those in my order.
Also, do you take apart the All About Spelling book to put into a binder as well?
I am not sure about the view finders. The spelling book I am getting ready to put together this week and so I will let you know how I do it as soon as I get it done
@@LifeintheMundane Awesome thank you!
What do you use for readers? Thanks
We use the readers that come with the curriculum. As far as additional readers I like the dual readers from Usborne books they have simple text for kids to read and then mom and dad read the next section which is harder.
What are your thoughts on combining AAR level 1 with IEW's PAL?
I think it could be done but maybe doing shorter lessons of each or alternating days
We will be using AAR 1 with my 6 yo. What else do you recommend to go along with it for our school year LA wise?
All About Reading Level 1 is an excellent choice for building foundational reading skills and beginning comprehension. To complement this, consider incorporating at least 20 minutes of read-aloud time daily, as it not only enhances comprehension but also fosters a love for reading.
Spelling instruction can be introduced after completing AAR Level 1, with All About Spelling being a great follow-up that aligns well with the phonics concepts learned.
Additionally, Grammar Galaxy offers a gentle introduction to grammar during AAR 1 or 2, using engaging stories and activities that require minimal writing, making it perfect for young learners. This combination creates a well-rounded language arts curriculum for your child.
any suggestions on what level to choose? My kiddo just finished first grade at a University Model School. They used Abeka. Should I start with level 2? He is not an advanced reader. He is currently finishing up vision therapy, so I'm expecting him to greatly improve in his reading. Thank you!
First of all yay for vision therapy! Second, have you had a chance to take the placement test on the All About Reading website?
Can I keep the student workbook in tact and just cut out the loose pieces for each lesson? I don’t mind purchasing another workbook later on for my younger guy.
You could
So I have 2 kids that will be on level 1 next year can I just buy 1 copy and use it for 2 kids or would it be better to buy a 2nd student workbook?
One copy should be fine. Here is a video on how to use AAR with multiple kids that might help ua-cam.com/video/AdmA4TeB9Vo/v-deo.html
We are going to the Dominican Republic for 2 and a half months
I’ll be doing school while we are there
How many lessons of this for a kindergartener do you suggest I bring?
That is hard to see as each one of my kids have gone at very different paces. have you started the program yet?
We have not
My son has almost completed good and the beautiful preschool prep so he can read a little already
@@nicoles9223 Okay so if a child is already starting to read I would say they will probably be able to do one lesson a day except for the story lessons which are two stories in one day and they will probably take one story a day so 2 days per lessons for those. There is ramp up in difficulty around lesson 20-23ish so it may slow down more around that point too. I hope this helps
I was considering adding tgatb new language arts program to this. Do you think that would be too much? My son completed AAR 1 already.
I honestly don’t know as I have never used it but Megan at “Pennies and Salt” has used both programs and may be able to give you more insight
We like AAR but are completely stuck half way through level 1... are you still using happy cheetah? We are considering purchasing that instead.
How old is your kiddo?
@@LifeintheMundane thanks for replying:). She is 7 years old
@@arose5682 okay then yes taking a break for a time might be a good idea. You could definitely use happy cheetah but a cheaper option might be to try explode the code with the teachers manuals. Just to give more practice until she is ready to keep going with AAR. We do still use Happy cheetah with one of my kiddos but now I feel she is ready for AAR so we will start with level 1 next month
@@LifeintheMundane thanks so much! This is so so helpful. I really appreciate you taking time to answer. God bless you!!!
About how much was it to spiral bound it
$5-$7
@@LifeintheMundane oh wow that's not bad at all
Question to all of you who use all about reading. How long dose a lesson take!? Also I jumped right into homeschooling first year and did not plan a head now iam almost done with our language art curriculum and was thinking to concentrate on reading and writing and if that would be a great fit!? So any suggestions is appreciated. What you all think and also some writing programs!? Thank you
1. We set a timer for 20min and when it goes off we stop. Sometimes we complete a lesson in a day. Other times we take 2-3 days.
2. You could shift focus since you finished early or you could just go into the next level of AAR. As far as writing I don’t personally start that till the older years but here are things I do while they are young to nurture writing ua-cam.com/video/93Ip_o-kvZk/v-deo.htmlsi=D-woMGLLRJYNT5IL
3) I start my kids on IEW (Institutes for excellence in writing) once they are old enough.
It was such a nightmare taking in my teacher’s manual to Office Depot to have it spiral bound. I was looked at like I had two heads. They finally took the job but were very confused the entire time and backup was called.
That’s crazy 😜 they must not have enough homeschool business lol bc I know so many people who get there books bound there
Hi! I have twin girls. Would you recommend having an activity book for each or do you think they could share one?
I do just one activity book for two. Here are some tips for doing it with multiple students ua-cam.com/video/AdmA4TeB9Vo/v-deo.htmlsi=Dz0MBZ5cFhcmhXOq