I’m so excited to be reviewing the Footsteps for Fours curriculum! Easy for mom and exciting for the 4 year old, this one box curriculum has a lot to offer.
This well-planned and diverse curriculum includes a variety of units: The Sidewalk to My House, Neighborhood Streets, Going Places in Books, Along Autumn Trails, Paths Long Ago, Step by Step in Science, etc.
As an example the first unit, The Sidewalk to My House, is sub-divided into lesson groups entitled All About Me, Fun with the Gingerbread Man, and My Family and My Pets. The 37 people who helped write and put together all these fun lessons did a great job!
Footsteps for Fours: They’ve Thought of Everything! Yippeee!
Each unit is previewed in the Teacher’s Books so that you can prepare ahead for each lesson. I think it is so great that the materials needed are listed as well as any preparations. For example, in lesson 46 you need to copy 2 pages (Leaves and Baskets) for a matching activity, copy an Apple Tree reproducible for each child, and cut a 36″ length of yarn to be ready for a sewing activity. Two additional books are recommended if you want to use them: Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins and Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington.
At the beginning of a lesson, SKILL STEPS lets you know your teaching objectives.
Lesson 46 Pre-reading works with Bb and the /b/ sound. In partnership with a speech pathologist, suggestions are given to help the child make the sounds correctly. In this case, students are encouraged to look in a mirror and use their lips to say the /b/ sound. What a great idea!
Handwriting with Max (a dog character used throughout the lessons) has complete directions for making an uppercase and lowercase Bb.
There’s a listening activity that introduces a story: A Trip to the Orchard. Questions are included to use with the story to promote upper level thinking skills.
Apple Rain is an action rhyme that is included. The actions look a little bit like exercise and go right along with the lesson. When apples rain on your head in this rhyme, it makes for lots of fun.
An Apple Race is next teaching eye-hand coordination (see what I man about saying they thought of everything!) The Science section teaches exploration and observation as there is an apple tasting activity. A motor development activity is next. The students use the yarn to lace around an apple picture. Leaves are sorted today and all week long.
Students estimate height, length and quanity in math. To the tune of “Did You Ever See a Lassie?” the children sing, I am counting all the apples, the apples, the apples. . . Don’t you just love how music is incorporated into this lesson?! Another worksheet has the children differentiating between apples that are alike and apples that are different.
Wrap It Up Review!
The review section is crucial for the 4-year-old crowd. By using the songs and action rhyme from earlier in the day, the child is reminded of the lessons of the day.
Footsteps for Fours: Listening CD’s
Two Listening CD’s contains over a 100 songs and sounds to enhance the lessons. I am not a good singer and the CD helps me a lot!
One problem with some curriculums is finding out where all the material are! You can find the material you need with Footsteps for Fours! Reproducibles are clearly marked by page and lesson number. The activity packet has regular paper in the front of it and card stock pages in the back, all clearly marked.
I chose lesson 46 to review specifically: From Under the Teaching Tree to Wrap It Up! I was impressed. The skills you are teaching are clear, the materials you need are listed, the teaching methods are well-presented, and there are LOTS of enrichment activities.
Each lesson for the year is presented in a similar fashion and I have no trouble recommending Footsteps for Fours to your family!
Disclosure: I used BJU Press Curriculum for all my four children, K-12th grade, that I purchased with my own money. Now I am a BJU affiliate and review material sent to me. If you purchase material through my link, there is no additional cost to you. Thanks for shopping! Click the image below.
