Do I need to do all of Five Senses Literature Lessons programs in order?
In a word, no.
Our programs are designed to work for a variety of ages in whatever order makes sense to you! While you can do Red before Orange, you can also choose to use Orange for a school year and use a short Red unit over the summer. If you try out our Children of the Longhouse Unit Study and your child wants to learn more about Native Americans, you can follow it up with the American History: Indigenous People of North America and Hawai’i lessons.
There are two Orange Levels and those can be completed in any order that works best for your child. While Foundations & Fundamentals is a program that builds on itself and needs to be completed in order, Wonderful World is composed of several smaller units that can be completed in any order that works for you. Because Foundations & Fundamentals teaches the skills of early reading and writing, your child will need to be able to hold a pencil correctly before starting that program.
Flexibility is key.
Our programs are designed to become gradually more challenging as you move up through the color system. But that doesn’t mean you need to just keep moving up and up. The suggested age ranges overlap. The activities are adaptable and many have suggestions for making them simpler or more challenging. So you can tailor the lesson to your child.
Children at one end of an age range or with some learning differences may be most comfortable firmly in one level at a time. But some children can who can do the work in the Green Level enjoy and learn from both Yellow and Orange. Our programs are designed to give you the power to work at your child’s best level.
Looking for some more clarification about what level is best for your child? Here’s our quick guide:
Red
· Ages 3 to 6
· Picture books
· Simple concepts and themes young children can relate to
· Songs and nursery rhymes included
· Gross motor games for developing bodies
Orange
· Ages 4 to 8
· Picture books
· Tangible topics
· Songs and rhymes for memory work
· Hands-on science activities
· Fine motor activities to prepare for writing
Yellow
· Ages 6 to 10
· History-based picture books
· More complex ideas and discussion topics
· Proverbs or Quotes for copy work
· More emphasis on fine motor activities and writing readiness.
Green
· Ages 8 to 12
· Historical Fiction Chapter book unit studies
· Lessons introduce abstract ideas and critical thinking skills
· Challenging hands-on activities to build confidence and independence.
About the Author
Laura Sowdon, OTR/L is an occupational therapist, writer, speaker, educator and creator of the Five Senses Literature Lessons homeschool curriculum. She has worked as an occupational therapist with children in public and private schools, as well as private practice. Laura has taught and managed homeschool co-ops as well as homeschooling her own three children. Laura is dedicated to the idea of educating children at a pace that aligns with brain and physical development milestones and respects neurodiversity in all its forms.