Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
On Monday we did the mentos/diet soda experiment. Justin got one in his Christmas stocking, so I had Tom pick up some cheap diet soda for us. I had Leanna and Justin watch a short MythBusters video on you tube that explained scientifically what happens. Fun little experiement!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Link: Practical answers
http://sbees.blogspot.com/2010/10/beyond-survival-practical-answers.html
I'm marking this post so I can go back and read all the links on it.
I'm marking this post so I can go back and read all the links on it.
Friday, December , 2010
We did our last "schoolday" today before a Christmas break. But with all the holiday bustle, I didn't record that day's work. I cannot remember for the life of me what we did.
I do know that so far (it's December 26th as I write this) she did some of her "school" with Timothy and Justin, and she did some biography and time worksheets stuff, and some online research and computer play. We've done lots of projects (she did some sewing and made things with stickers and foam and popsicle sticks, we made photo frames as gifts, we made scented ornaments, and she did more baking and household cleaning.) She's been reading her Christmas present books too and writing in a notebook she was given as well. She played Trouble and put together a puzzle with Tony's daughter Gabby.
I do know that so far (it's December 26th as I write this) she did some of her "school" with Timothy and Justin, and she did some biography and time worksheets stuff, and some online research and computer play. We've done lots of projects (she did some sewing and made things with stickers and foam and popsicle sticks, we made photo frames as gifts, we made scented ornaments, and she did more baking and household cleaning.) She's been reading her Christmas present books too and writing in a notebook she was given as well. She played Trouble and put together a puzzle with Tony's daughter Gabby.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*2 Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets on summarizing and main points
*Helped Justin with math
*made a school worksheet for Justin to do
*Lifeskills/visiting-cleaning and visiting with Grammy, Jay, and Harry tonight.
*made cards and gifts for Aunt Claire and bookmark for Mommy
Silent reading: The Horse and the Blue Grass Country by Bradley Smith
*2 Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets on summarizing and main points
*Helped Justin with math
*made a school worksheet for Justin to do
*Lifeskills/visiting-cleaning and visiting with Grammy, Jay, and Harry tonight.
*made cards and gifts for Aunt Claire and bookmark for Mommy
Silent reading: The Horse and the Blue Grass Country by Bradley Smith
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets on multiplication
*Silent reading: Anne of Green Gables (we haven't finished yet but she's started reading from the beginning on her own) and the Bible.
*Craft projects-birthday gifts for Aunt Claire and other drawings and projects
*Journal questions on Anne of Green Gables
*Geography Standard 6-Places and Regions-all 13 activities
**Today was our 69th day of school. (I'm keeping track because I want to make sure I can take vacation time before Christmas) That leaves about nine spare days, plus I can always use weekends to catch up if needed.
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets on multiplication
*Silent reading: Anne of Green Gables (we haven't finished yet but she's started reading from the beginning on her own) and the Bible.
*Craft projects-birthday gifts for Aunt Claire and other drawings and projects
*Journal questions on Anne of Green Gables
*Geography Standard 6-Places and Regions-all 13 activities
**Today was our 69th day of school. (I'm keeping track because I want to make sure I can take vacation time before Christmas) That leaves about nine spare days, plus I can always use weekends to catch up if needed.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Online research and notes taken on NorthEastern Region of the U.S
*Phone call to Pop-Pop to ask about NE Region (because of his old job)
*Bonus facts written down about Oregon (I don't know why, she just did)
*.Silent reading-Super Fudge by Judy Blume
*Finished Geography Standard 5 lesson
For Further research:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/04/groceries.html
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/g912/usregions.html
http://www.sfsocialstudies.com/g4/na/u2/index.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/4552/
http://library.thinkquest.org/4552/ for all five regions
*Online research and notes taken on NorthEastern Region of the U.S
*Phone call to Pop-Pop to ask about NE Region (because of his old job)
*Bonus facts written down about Oregon (I don't know why, she just did)
*.Silent reading-Super Fudge by Judy Blume
*Finished Geography Standard 5 lesson
For Further research:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/04/groceries.html
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/g912/usregions.html
http://www.sfsocialstudies.com/g4/na/u2/index.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/4552/
http://library.thinkquest.org/4552/ for all five regions
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Geography
*Lifeskills: room cleaning/organizing, brownie-baking, helping with her brothers
*Silent reading: Bobbsey Twins, A to Z Mysteries At the Zoo
*Read Anne of Green Gables
*Geography
*Lifeskills: room cleaning/organizing, brownie-baking, helping with her brothers
*Silent reading: Bobbsey Twins, A to Z Mysteries At the Zoo
*Read Anne of Green Gables
Monday, December 13, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*BrainQuest Workbook: Pg. 125-jounalism, the five Ws, Pg. 126-127 Narrowing a topic and how to research
*Online research on gardening
*Took notes on gardening
*Created her own worksheet for teaching Timothy
*Sat down and did worksheet with Timothy (alphabet, recognizing patterns, copying whole words, recognizing sounds)
*Webkinz play
*Read two chapters of Anne of Green Gables
*BrainQuest Workbook: Pg. 125-jounalism, the five Ws, Pg. 126-127 Narrowing a topic and how to research
*Online research on gardening
*Took notes on gardening
*Created her own worksheet for teaching Timothy
*Sat down and did worksheet with Timothy (alphabet, recognizing patterns, copying whole words, recognizing sounds)
*Webkinz play
*Read two chapters of Anne of Green Gables
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Spelling Lists 8 & 9 recopied, and Lesson 10 begun
*Handwriting practice/letter writing-she recopied and revised her letter to Deb
*BrainQuest workbook pg. 31 contractions
*BrainQuest workbook pg. 33 apostrophes
*Webkinz play (educational quizzes, computer time, math & money decisions)
*Our solar system workbook page on Mars
*this is hard to describe, but she's been narrating (outloud to me) some Little House/Laura Ingalls play stories. She makes little play food out of paper and tells stories of Pa buying it at the store or growing it. She tells how much he paid and how much the store keeper owes Pa(for example Pa paid him 5 cents for some cheese so she told me that he still owed Pa 3 cents because the cheese was only 2 cents). So she's actually practicing math and to an extent history because the Little House books tell of real history, though in a semi-fictional way. It's pretty neat, actually.
*2 chapters of Anne of Green Gables
We did a lot of cleaning today and the kids visited with Grammy.
*Spelling Lists 8 & 9 recopied, and Lesson 10 begun
*Handwriting practice/letter writing-she recopied and revised her letter to Deb
*BrainQuest workbook pg. 31 contractions
*BrainQuest workbook pg. 33 apostrophes
*Webkinz play (educational quizzes, computer time, math & money decisions)
*Our solar system workbook page on Mars
*this is hard to describe, but she's been narrating (outloud to me) some Little House/Laura Ingalls play stories. She makes little play food out of paper and tells stories of Pa buying it at the store or growing it. She tells how much he paid and how much the store keeper owes Pa(for example Pa paid him 5 cents for some cheese so she told me that he still owed Pa 3 cents because the cheese was only 2 cents). So she's actually practicing math and to an extent history because the Little House books tell of real history, though in a semi-fictional way. It's pretty neat, actually.
*2 chapters of Anne of Green Gables
We did a lot of cleaning today and the kids visited with Grammy.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Online math multiplication games for 1-2 hours
*BrainQuest pg. 176-177 multiplication
*we worked out multiplication tables for review also.
*Practice counting money (she counted out our change box, multiple times since she enjoyed it so much)
*she made a cake, we decorated some for Christmas, and she helped straighten up the dining room in addition to regular chores.
*Read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables.
*Online math multiplication games for 1-2 hours
*BrainQuest pg. 176-177 multiplication
*we worked out multiplication tables for review also.
*Practice counting money (she counted out our change box, multiple times since she enjoyed it so much)
*she made a cake, we decorated some for Christmas, and she helped straighten up the dining room in addition to regular chores.
*Read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
(A very productive day for once! Not sure why-maybe because Tom finally put up a table in the dinning room, now we have a place to work! Or maybe because we talked about trying to get extra work done so we could stop school next week to focus on Christmas presents and Christmas crafts. Or just because we needed to make up for yesterday?)
*BrainQuest book: Math: Multiplication pages 172, 173, 174, 175! (this took a while, as her multiplication is VERY rusty)
*BrainQuest: spelling & vocab section: finished a page she'd missed a couple problems on, pages: 20 suffixes, 22 use context clues, some of page 25 ( I hadn't asked her to do that page yet) dictionary guide words, and 26.
*BrainQuest: Language Arts: page 28 compound words, 29 plurals, 30 plurals, 31 contractions.
*BrainQuest: Reading: pg. 66 reading schedules, pg. 67 following a recipie, pg. 94 and 95 Aesop's Fables.
*BrainQuest: Writing: Pg. 110 Narrative Writting, Pg. 111 Story Map, Pg. 112 Write a story
*BrainQuest: Science: Pg. 276-277 read & answer questions, Pg. 278 Shapes of the earth, Pg. 279 Rocks and minerals
*Comprehensive Curriculum book: Pg. 67 reading skills, sequencing
Pg. 69-Reading main ideas
Pg. 68-Reading skills main ideas in a sentence
Pg. 72-Reading skills main ideas
Pg. 75-Reading skills
Pg. 77-Reading skills sequencing
Pgs. 79-81 Reading skills
*Silent reading: Nancy Drew: The Bungalo Mystery (again)
Timothy voluntarily did more in his Dora math book: 7 pages, and he's getting better at writing his numbers and he's doing well in his counting.
Then Justin got out his math book and he did 6 pages. I notice he's making progress with counting as well. Jutin also helped me wash and peel apples to make apple bread. He's been making leaps in helpfulness lately!
(A very productive day for once! Not sure why-maybe because Tom finally put up a table in the dinning room, now we have a place to work! Or maybe because we talked about trying to get extra work done so we could stop school next week to focus on Christmas presents and Christmas crafts. Or just because we needed to make up for yesterday?)
*BrainQuest book: Math: Multiplication pages 172, 173, 174, 175! (this took a while, as her multiplication is VERY rusty)
*BrainQuest: spelling & vocab section: finished a page she'd missed a couple problems on, pages: 20 suffixes, 22 use context clues, some of page 25 ( I hadn't asked her to do that page yet) dictionary guide words, and 26.
*BrainQuest: Language Arts: page 28 compound words, 29 plurals, 30 plurals, 31 contractions.
*BrainQuest: Reading: pg. 66 reading schedules, pg. 67 following a recipie, pg. 94 and 95 Aesop's Fables.
*BrainQuest: Writing: Pg. 110 Narrative Writting, Pg. 111 Story Map, Pg. 112 Write a story
*BrainQuest: Science: Pg. 276-277 read & answer questions, Pg. 278 Shapes of the earth, Pg. 279 Rocks and minerals
*Comprehensive Curriculum book: Pg. 67 reading skills, sequencing
Pg. 69-Reading main ideas
Pg. 68-Reading skills main ideas in a sentence
Pg. 72-Reading skills main ideas
Pg. 75-Reading skills
Pg. 77-Reading skills sequencing
Pgs. 79-81 Reading skills
*Silent reading: Nancy Drew: The Bungalo Mystery (again)
Timothy voluntarily did more in his Dora math book: 7 pages, and he's getting better at writing his numbers and he's doing well in his counting.
Then Justin got out his math book and he did 6 pages. I notice he's making progress with counting as well. Jutin also helped me wash and peel apples to make apple bread. He's been making leaps in helpfulness lately!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
Slow school day because so much cleaning needed to be done after bringing home more stuff from the garage on Sunday.
*Physical excersize-walked to bank & dollar store
*Read 3 chapters of Anne of Green Gables
*Followed a recipie all on her own to make Snowdrop cookies. (she did well, only needing help making sure she had the right place on the measuring cup for 3/4). We just need to work on her cleaning up afterward skills. But to be fair, any recipie requiring confectioner's sugar can get very messy!
Slow school day because so much cleaning needed to be done after bringing home more stuff from the garage on Sunday.
*Physical excersize-walked to bank & dollar store
*Read 3 chapters of Anne of Green Gables
*Followed a recipie all on her own to make Snowdrop cookies. (she did well, only needing help making sure she had the right place on the measuring cup for 3/4). We just need to work on her cleaning up afterward skills. But to be fair, any recipie requiring confectioner's sugar can get very messy!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Made cards and a get well banner for Pop-Pop
*Read a book about oil spills and discussed with her brothers.
*Researched rainforrest animals (her choice and she did this on her own)
*Took notes on rainforrest animals and read this info to me
*Looked up and printed out worksheet/coloring pages on a few of these animals (from enchanted learning)
*Silent Reading: Arthur, Bobsey Twins, American Girls Taking Care of You, etc. (all books she's read before, nothing new)
*Webkinz play
*Lifeskills (took care of 3 year old Jacob while I signed insurance papers with a lady downstairs), general cleaning, dishes, voluntarily started organizing her room, folding laundry, sweeping floor & clearing & cleaning the table. All good practice.
*Made cards and a get well banner for Pop-Pop
*Read a book about oil spills and discussed with her brothers.
*Researched rainforrest animals (her choice and she did this on her own)
*Took notes on rainforrest animals and read this info to me
*Looked up and printed out worksheet/coloring pages on a few of these animals (from enchanted learning)
*Silent Reading: Arthur, Bobsey Twins, American Girls Taking Care of You, etc. (all books she's read before, nothing new)
*Webkinz play
*Lifeskills (took care of 3 year old Jacob while I signed insurance papers with a lady downstairs), general cleaning, dishes, voluntarily started organizing her room, folding laundry, sweeping floor & clearing & cleaning the table. All good practice.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*English For the Thoughtful Child-Lesson 10. She also (on her own) looked up a poem from the book that she liked, The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson.
*Silent reading: Bobbsey Twins Secret at the Seashore and Heidi
*Gym or excersize-walked to the bank and store today, then home to do lots of cleaning! Interspersed with dancing. It was a full day!
*We read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables
*English For the Thoughtful Child-Lesson 10. She also (on her own) looked up a poem from the book that she liked, The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson.
*Silent reading: Bobbsey Twins Secret at the Seashore and Heidi
*Gym or excersize-walked to the bank and store today, then home to do lots of cleaning! Interspersed with dancing. It was a full day!
*We read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*BrainQuest: Greater Than/Less Than, Roman Numerals, Negative Numbers (2 pages), Time.
*Writing practice: letters to Pop-Pop and Aunt Laura
*Comprehensive Curriculum-Context Clues (4 pages)
*One activity in the next chapter in Geography
*We read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables
*Girl Scout meeting-worked on badges
*BrainQuest: Greater Than/Less Than, Roman Numerals, Negative Numbers (2 pages), Time.
*Writing practice: letters to Pop-Pop and Aunt Laura
*Comprehensive Curriculum-Context Clues (4 pages)
*One activity in the next chapter in Geography
*We read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables
*Girl Scout meeting-worked on badges
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Wrote a friendly letter to Deb
*Wrote a paragraph about Mars after reading a page and a half of facts on the planet. Discussion.
*Geography Standard 5 (entire lesson & discussion of difficult concepts like density)
*She requested a blank map of the US and tried to fill it in correctly
*Completed/fixed a few pages that were already started in Brainquest book
*cutting/taping art projects (made some robots)
*Physical excersize with a brisk walk to the bank/store.
*Read another chapter in Anne of Green Gables.
*Lifeskills in general have been a theme since we moved here. It's a work in progress as she continues to do sloppy work and have to re-do it. Sometimes I give up and re-do it myself because I am too tired or emotionally drained to deal with her. I am a work in progress myself. Other days I explain or model and make her re-do. It doesn't seem to do a lot of good either way. But I'm perservering. Hopefully one day it will pay off.
*Wrote a friendly letter to Deb
*Wrote a paragraph about Mars after reading a page and a half of facts on the planet. Discussion.
*Geography Standard 5 (entire lesson & discussion of difficult concepts like density)
*She requested a blank map of the US and tried to fill it in correctly
*Completed/fixed a few pages that were already started in Brainquest book
*cutting/taping art projects (made some robots)
*Physical excersize with a brisk walk to the bank/store.
*Read another chapter in Anne of Green Gables.
*Lifeskills in general have been a theme since we moved here. It's a work in progress as she continues to do sloppy work and have to re-do it. Sometimes I give up and re-do it myself because I am too tired or emotionally drained to deal with her. I am a work in progress myself. Other days I explain or model and make her re-do. It doesn't seem to do a lot of good either way. But I'm perservering. Hopefully one day it will pay off.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*labeled all major oceans on a map
*read bedtime stories to her brothers
*painting projects (turkey themed)
*Wrote some poems
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets: Nouns, Proper Nouns, Capitalization,
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheet: Comprehension story
*Solar System workbook: 3 pages
*Read a chapter in Anne of Green Gables
*labeled all major oceans on a map
*read bedtime stories to her brothers
*painting projects (turkey themed)
*Wrote some poems
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets: Nouns, Proper Nouns, Capitalization,
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheet: Comprehension story
*Solar System workbook: 3 pages
*Read a chapter in Anne of Green Gables
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Online math games from 4th grade website
*One worksheet on rounding (10s, 100s, 1000s, 10000s)
*Two BrainQuest spelling and vocabulary worksheets
*Spelling workbook-Lesson 9
*US Presidents workbook-a few pages(some weren't all the way completed)
*Reading Comprehension: Hellen Keller
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets: 4 on subject and predicate, changing the predicate, 2 on compound subjects, compound predicate, one review sheet
*One page in solar system workbook
*journal writing
*We read Anne
*Online math games from 4th grade website
*One worksheet on rounding (10s, 100s, 1000s, 10000s)
*Two BrainQuest spelling and vocabulary worksheets
*Spelling workbook-Lesson 9
*US Presidents workbook-a few pages(some weren't all the way completed)
*Reading Comprehension: Hellen Keller
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets: 4 on subject and predicate, changing the predicate, 2 on compound subjects, compound predicate, one review sheet
*One page in solar system workbook
*journal writing
*We read Anne
Friday, Novmber 19, 2010
schoolwork Accomplished:
*Lapbooking-fixing a lot of mistakes, plus new
*Geography discussion/arguement with BOTH parents (England, Wales, and the subject of the major oceans) We used the internet and her globe.
*More drawing pictures
*Silent Reading: Henry and Beazus by Beverly Cleary
*Read four chapters aloud of Anne of Green Gables
*Leanna wrote an Anne and Marilla story on her own in her journal
*Lapbooking-fixing a lot of mistakes, plus new
*Geography discussion/arguement with BOTH parents (England, Wales, and the subject of the major oceans) We used the internet and her globe.
*More drawing pictures
*Silent Reading: Henry and Beazus by Beverly Cleary
*Read four chapters aloud of Anne of Green Gables
*Leanna wrote an Anne and Marilla story on her own in her journal
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Brainquest workbook-finding patterns, rounding numbers, estimating numbers, using estimates to check answers.
*Computer work-math game on American Girl Website
*BrainQuest Geography worksheet
*Plum Creek lapbooking
*a chapter in Anne of Green Gables
*Brainquest workbook-finding patterns, rounding numbers, estimating numbers, using estimates to check answers.
*Computer work-math game on American Girl Website
*BrainQuest Geography worksheet
*Plum Creek lapbooking
*a chapter in Anne of Green Gables
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Workbook page on skip counting (10s,15s, 20s, 100s, & 1000s)
*Read more medieval history from What Your Fourth Grader Needs To Know. We covered: Chivalry, Medieval Towns, Learning your trade, charters and churches, England: the rise of a Medieval kingdom, William the Conqueror, Henry II, Murder in the Cathedral, From the Magna Carta to Parliament, The Black Death, and the Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc, to The End of the middle ages.
*Still life fruit drawing, plus a drawing of her father, and a few others she did on her own.
*Later on a bunch of drawings of winter dresses.
*Read new American Girl Magazine and promptly made a list of Christmas gifts to make, supplies needed, and later her own Christmas list.
*Attended Junior Girl Scout meeting.
*Plum Creek lapbook work
*Read a long chapter in Anne of Green Gables.
*Workbook page on skip counting (10s,15s, 20s, 100s, & 1000s)
*Read more medieval history from What Your Fourth Grader Needs To Know. We covered: Chivalry, Medieval Towns, Learning your trade, charters and churches, England: the rise of a Medieval kingdom, William the Conqueror, Henry II, Murder in the Cathedral, From the Magna Carta to Parliament, The Black Death, and the Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc, to The End of the middle ages.
*Still life fruit drawing, plus a drawing of her father, and a few others she did on her own.
*Later on a bunch of drawings of winter dresses.
*Read new American Girl Magazine and promptly made a list of Christmas gifts to make, supplies needed, and later her own Christmas list.
*Attended Junior Girl Scout meeting.
*Plum Creek lapbook work
*Read a long chapter in Anne of Green Gables.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Solar System worksheets-all planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth
*Helped Timothy & Justin with thier letters
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets: predicate, rounding numbers, estimating
*Copied all 4th grade sight words
Brain Quest book worksheets-five on place value, expanded/standard notation, filling in place notation, rounding tens, hundreds, and thousands, and ten thousands
*Read three chapters of Anne of Green Gables
From Legos and Army Men Are Calling:
Today my prayer is for all mothers. We’re all in this together. We all love our children, even if we parent them imperfectly sometimes. The schedule doesn’t matter; we must judge our progress by the year, and not by the day, the week, or even the month. If you have any kind of a special needs child, then sometimes a day without a major incident (however you define that) is a victory, even if no schooling to speak of was accomplished. Love your children, and trust that God gifted you with the ones who are right for you. He doesn’t make mistakes.
*Solar System worksheets-all planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth
*Helped Timothy & Justin with thier letters
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets: predicate, rounding numbers, estimating
*Copied all 4th grade sight words
Brain Quest book worksheets-five on place value, expanded/standard notation, filling in place notation, rounding tens, hundreds, and thousands, and ten thousands
*Read three chapters of Anne of Green Gables
From Legos and Army Men Are Calling:
Today my prayer is for all mothers. We’re all in this together. We all love our children, even if we parent them imperfectly sometimes. The schedule doesn’t matter; we must judge our progress by the year, and not by the day, the week, or even the month. If you have any kind of a special needs child, then sometimes a day without a major incident (however you define that) is a victory, even if no schooling to speak of was accomplished. Love your children, and trust that God gifted you with the ones who are right for you. He doesn’t make mistakes.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Geography standard 4-entire lesson
*Solar System worksheets-one of which required outside research (we tried several books we had, and those failing, searched the internet).
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets-3 on Context Clues, one on fact/opinion
*some journaling
*Geography standard 4-entire lesson
*Solar System worksheets-one of which required outside research (we tried several books we had, and those failing, searched the internet).
*Comprehensive Curriculum worksheets-3 on Context Clues, one on fact/opinion
*some journaling
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday November 12,13, 14, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished over the three days (because much cleaning had to be done to prepare for A. C.'s visit:
*Lots of lifeskills-including baking, cleaning, hosting.
*Anne of Green Gables-read 4 chapters over all days.
*A lot of reading on her own
*More lapbook work
*Comprehensive Curriculum book worksheets on reading lables
*Worksheets on the solar system and plantes
*Lots of lifeskills-including baking, cleaning, hosting.
*Anne of Green Gables-read 4 chapters over all days.
*A lot of reading on her own
*More lapbook work
*Comprehensive Curriculum book worksheets on reading lables
*Worksheets on the solar system and plantes
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*lots of reading on her own: Bobbsey Twins, Double Fudge, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
*Lapbook work
*Lots of lifeskills (we're prepping for Aunt Cindy's visit tomorrow)
*lots of reading on her own: Bobbsey Twins, Double Fudge, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
*Lapbook work
*Lots of lifeskills (we're prepping for Aunt Cindy's visit tomorrow)
Wednesday, November 10, 1010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Journal entry
*Solar System worksheets
*Read most of The Planets in Our Solar System by Franklyn M. Branley
*Tested the list of 4th Grade sight words (all 67 of them!)
*Plum Creek Lapbook
*Read aloud to me from On the Banks of Plum Creek
*Read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables
*Silent reading: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and Bobbsey Twins: Secret at the Seashore
*"ballerina" dancing
*Journal entry
*Solar System worksheets
*Read most of The Planets in Our Solar System by Franklyn M. Branley
*Tested the list of 4th Grade sight words (all 67 of them!)
*Plum Creek Lapbook
*Read aloud to me from On the Banks of Plum Creek
*Read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables
*Silent reading: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and Bobbsey Twins: Secret at the Seashore
*"ballerina" dancing
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Leanna and walked to the bank, dollar store, and grocery store. A brisk walk with just the two of us, but we carried heavy groceries home, so it was a bit of a workout!
*Plum Creek lapbook work
*Silent reading: Lanie and new Cleopatra book
*Reading Comprehension: Princess and the Pea story with questions
*Leanna and walked to the bank, dollar store, and grocery store. A brisk walk with just the two of us, but we carried heavy groceries home, so it was a bit of a workout!
*Plum Creek lapbook work
*Silent reading: Lanie and new Cleopatra book
*Reading Comprehension: Princess and the Pea story with questions
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Geography vocabulary
*Multiplication worksheet
*Read through history lesson on middle ages with discussion and references to other subjects
*Some Lapbook work
*Read two chapters of Anne of Green Gables
*she helped with teaching her brothers today also-they did a lot of math and a bit of reading, but they really wern't into the reading stuff (it was like pulling teeth). The best motivator for Justin: telling him Timothy was ahead of him! I'm not sure whether I should use this to my advantage now, or if this strategy will backfire on me later.
*Geography vocabulary
*Multiplication worksheet
*Read through history lesson on middle ages with discussion and references to other subjects
*Some Lapbook work
*Read two chapters of Anne of Green Gables
*she helped with teaching her brothers today also-they did a lot of math and a bit of reading, but they really wern't into the reading stuff (it was like pulling teeth). The best motivator for Justin: telling him Timothy was ahead of him! I'm not sure whether I should use this to my advantage now, or if this strategy will backfire on me later.
Monday, November 8, 2010
weekend
*Read Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man by Donald J. Sobol
*worked on lapbook
*read 3 chapters of Anne of Green Gables
*worked on lapbook
*read 3 chapters of Anne of Green Gables
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*worksheet: addition-regrouping
*English for the Thoughtful Child: Lesson9
*Spelling Lesson 8
*Read outloud Pioneer Schools: A Letter From A Student and discussed changes in schooling
*Played Mad-Libs with Aunt Laura
*Some lapbook work for on the banks of plum creek
*Computer play
*Read Anne of Green Gables
*worksheet: addition-regrouping
*English for the Thoughtful Child: Lesson9
*Spelling Lesson 8
*Read outloud Pioneer Schools: A Letter From A Student and discussed changes in schooling
*Played Mad-Libs with Aunt Laura
*Some lapbook work for on the banks of plum creek
*Computer play
*Read Anne of Green Gables
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Assembled her own book and began NEATLY copying her story about a hibernating bear into it.
*lots of lifeskills stuff-dishes, cleaning, making food, even reading aloud to her brothers.
*We began reading Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery together.
*She began Spelling lesson 8 but didn't quite finish due to an increasingly aching stomach. Not sure what's going on there, but she's been feeling sick a lot lately.
*Assembled her own book and began NEATLY copying her story about a hibernating bear into it.
*lots of lifeskills stuff-dishes, cleaning, making food, even reading aloud to her brothers.
*We began reading Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery together.
*She began Spelling lesson 8 but didn't quite finish due to an increasingly aching stomach. Not sure what's going on there, but she's been feeling sick a lot lately.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Magic School bus website-quizzes and games
*Silent reading: Magic Schoolbus Goes Batty
*3 pages in solar system workbook
*Wrote in mother/daughter journal
*Walked to bank, Rite Aid, & Grocery Store and to/from Girl Scouts (So lots of excersize!)
*Girl Scout meeting
*Magic School bus website-quizzes and games
*Silent reading: Magic Schoolbus Goes Batty
*3 pages in solar system workbook
*Wrote in mother/daughter journal
*Walked to bank, Rite Aid, & Grocery Store and to/from Girl Scouts (So lots of excersize!)
*Girl Scout meeting
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/quizzes/space/index.htm
Space quiz taken, also did the dinosaurs one
*Took a virtual field trip to the Liberty Science Musuem through Magic School Bus' website
*Drew a picture of our solar system with all planets in correct order, plus pluto, and comets and meteorites. *5 pages in solar system workbook.
*4 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek, which we have now finished!
*http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/quizzes/space/index.htm
Space quiz taken, also did the dinosaurs one
*Took a virtual field trip to the Liberty Science Musuem through Magic School Bus' website
*Drew a picture of our solar system with all planets in correct order, plus pluto, and comets and meteorites. *5 pages in solar system workbook.
*4 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek, which we have now finished!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Began reading Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
*she began a journal entry on the subject of Black Beauty (and that it's really good)
*Read info on Fascinating Facts About the Solar System and Space and did a matching crossword puzzle
*We read The Magic School Bus: Out of This World, A Book About Space Rocks by Joanna Cole
*We read The Magic School Bus: Sees Stars by Joanna Cole
*Leanna took notes on facts from our Space/Stars reading today
*Leanna read outloud to her brothers tonight as well
*Began reading Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
*she began a journal entry on the subject of Black Beauty (and that it's really good)
*Read info on Fascinating Facts About the Solar System and Space and did a matching crossword puzzle
*We read The Magic School Bus: Out of This World, A Book About Space Rocks by Joanna Cole
*We read The Magic School Bus: Sees Stars by Joanna Cole
*Leanna took notes on facts from our Space/Stars reading today
*Leanna read outloud to her brothers tonight as well
Friday, October 29, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*multiple madlib games with Aunt Laura
*Silent reading: Raggedy Anne & Andy Stories by Johnny Gruelle & American Girl Doll School book
*recopied lapbook stuff neater
*Excersize-walk to bank, Rite-Aid, Dollar Store, and grocery store
*Another chapter of On the Banks of Plum Creek
*multiple madlib games with Aunt Laura
*Silent reading: Raggedy Anne & Andy Stories by Johnny Gruelle & American Girl Doll School book
*recopied lapbook stuff neater
*Excersize-walk to bank, Rite-Aid, Dollar Store, and grocery store
*Another chapter of On the Banks of Plum Creek
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Rounding to the hundreds and 1000s place-online practice. She finally got it!!!!! (This took quite a while and much frustration on my part!)
*Read 7 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek-near the finish!!
*Worked on Plum Creek lapbook
*Halloween madlibs (English practice)
*Silent reading: Raggedy Anne & Andy Stories by Johnny Gruelle
*Read National Geographic Magazine for Kids
*Rounding to the hundreds and 1000s place-online practice. She finally got it!!!!! (This took quite a while and much frustration on my part!)
*Read 7 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek-near the finish!!
*Worked on Plum Creek lapbook
*Halloween madlibs (English practice)
*Silent reading: Raggedy Anne & Andy Stories by Johnny Gruelle
*Read National Geographic Magazine for Kids
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Finished Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*Took some more notes on Egypt in her notebook
*Comprehensive curriculum worksheets on Estimating & Rounding
*Silent reading: Raggedy Anne &Raggedy Andy Stories by Johnny Gruelle
*Helped teach her brothers some math & money
*Glue and paper art projects
*Lifeskills-chores galore!
*Finished Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
*Took some more notes on Egypt in her notebook
*Comprehensive curriculum worksheets on Estimating & Rounding
*Silent reading: Raggedy Anne &Raggedy Andy Stories by Johnny Gruelle
*Helped teach her brothers some math & money
*Glue and paper art projects
*Lifeskills-chores galore!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
*worksheet on the subject of sentences
*Copied 4th grade sight words list
*Finished Scout by Julie Nye
*
*Copied 4th grade sight words list
*Finished Scout by Julie Nye
*
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
*Walked to the bank, dollar store, and grocery store(some excersize).
*Silent reading-Farmer Boy
*We read several chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek together.
*Leanna spent some time on the computer today as well.
*we talked about the seasons and the weather, though that was mainly for the boys!
This was mainly a catch up day for cleaning since I was so backed up on dishes and Tom wanted me to make a ham dinner for him & Harry. So dishes & laundry and straightening up were the priority. I got my room cleaned and after having the kids clean their room I straightned up more in there as well. The place looks half decent, all the kids are bathed and sleeping earlier than they'd been. They all ate broccoli (even Justin) and the dog didn't go to the bathroom in the house today!
*Silent reading-Farmer Boy
*We read several chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek together.
*Leanna spent some time on the computer today as well.
*we talked about the seasons and the weather, though that was mainly for the boys!
This was mainly a catch up day for cleaning since I was so backed up on dishes and Tom wanted me to make a ham dinner for him & Harry. So dishes & laundry and straightening up were the priority. I got my room cleaned and after having the kids clean their room I straightned up more in there as well. The place looks half decent, all the kids are bathed and sleeping earlier than they'd been. They all ate broccoli (even Justin) and the dog didn't go to the bathroom in the house today!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Friday & Sunday October 22 & 24, 2010
*Friday I don't remember exactly what we did-I believe a lot of reading and a few worksheets from the comprehensive curriculum book. She read & finished Baked Beans for Breakfast by Ruth Chew. She also started reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
*Sunday we had a field trip (sort of). We went to visit Tony the plumber and his family. They raise chickens, goats, ducks, roosters, & turkeys and also have 3 dogs and several cats. So we toured the place and visited with all the animals, got to see the hens in their nests with eggs, swung in a hammock seat, and ran and played. They got along fine with Tony's kids and wife. Lots of excersize, and we learned about animals and raising animals to help with food (not necesarily as a food source.....I think they do sometimes). We learned, we socialized......the kids really had fun.
*Sunday we had a field trip (sort of). We went to visit Tony the plumber and his family. They raise chickens, goats, ducks, roosters, & turkeys and also have 3 dogs and several cats. So we toured the place and visited with all the animals, got to see the hens in their nests with eggs, swung in a hammock seat, and ran and played. They got along fine with Tony's kids and wife. Lots of excersize, and we learned about animals and raising animals to help with food (not necesarily as a food source.....I think they do sometimes). We learned, we socialized......the kids really had fun.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Silent reading-Freedom's Crossing by Margaret Goff Clark
*Went over 4th grade sight words, and one page in spelling workbook
*Nature observing-leaf finding in the backyard
*Also observed construction vehicles digging in the streets here.
*English for the Thoughtful Child-Lesson 9
*
*Silent reading-Freedom's Crossing by Margaret Goff Clark
*Went over 4th grade sight words, and one page in spelling workbook
*Nature observing-leaf finding in the backyard
*Also observed construction vehicles digging in the streets here.
*English for the Thoughtful Child-Lesson 9
*
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Super Hard math subtraction worksheet (from math is fun website)
*Read online article about cats & Egypt and explained it to me in her own words.
*Online Cleopatra madlib game (reviewed parts of speech and the Cleopatra story!)
*English For the Thoughtful Child-redid sloppily done lesson 5, also did lessons 6 & 7.
*Wrote two more poems and neatly copied them into her poem book.
*Began reading Freedom Crossing by Margaret Goff Clark
*Made waffles all by herself following a recipie I'd printed for her (lifeskills) She and her brothers ate them and said they were pretty good.
*Super Hard math subtraction worksheet (from math is fun website)
*Read online article about cats & Egypt and explained it to me in her own words.
*Online Cleopatra madlib game (reviewed parts of speech and the Cleopatra story!)
*English For the Thoughtful Child-redid sloppily done lesson 5, also did lessons 6 & 7.
*Wrote two more poems and neatly copied them into her poem book.
*Began reading Freedom Crossing by Margaret Goff Clark
*Made waffles all by herself following a recipie I'd printed for her (lifeskills) She and her brothers ate them and said they were pretty good.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Silent reading If You Lived 100 Years ago by Anne McGovern & finished reading Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
*Copied spelling words from list 6 & 7
*math is fun worksheets-one advanced, and one hard. Corrected together and done with few mistakes. They were done in a reasonable amount of time and done NEATLY and WITHOUT COMPLAINING!
(We had several talks about homeschooling in general and math in particular last night. For the first time ever they seem to have sunk in!! I really hope this lasts!)
*wrote a poem about cotton candy.
*Understanding Fiction book-read story and answered comprehensive questions
*Silent reading If You Lived 100 Years ago by Anne McGovern & finished reading Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
*Copied spelling words from list 6 & 7
*math is fun worksheets-one advanced, and one hard. Corrected together and done with few mistakes. They were done in a reasonable amount of time and done NEATLY and WITHOUT COMPLAINING!
(We had several talks about homeschooling in general and math in particular last night. For the first time ever they seem to have sunk in!! I really hope this lasts!)
*wrote a poem about cotton candy.
*Understanding Fiction book-read story and answered comprehensive questions
Monday, October 18, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Online research on planets again. Notes taken on planets.Correctly recited planets in order of distance from the sun.
*Silent reading: Guerilla Art by
*math play with magnetic pattern blocks.
*Math worksheet with three levels of numbers, in the thousands, addition and subtraction.
*began reading Peter Pan by James M. Barre
*Online research on planets again. Notes taken on planets.Correctly recited planets in order of distance from the sun.
*Silent reading: Guerilla Art by
*math play with magnetic pattern blocks.
*Math worksheet with three levels of numbers, in the thousands, addition and subtraction.
*began reading Peter Pan by James M. Barre
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wednesday-Friday, October 13, 14, 15, 2010
Catch Up Post -this isn't comprehensive since I don't remember everything anymore!
Wednesday: Geography, Standard 2 pages (13 activities), Spelling workbook lessons 6 & 7. Math & English pages in comprehensive curriculum.
Thursday: Trying to catch up work before staying overnight at Grammy's house. Comprehensive curriculum sheets on math and English. Geography corrections. Spelling workbook corrections.
Friday: She was at Grammy's house. She made wheat/rye bread with Grammy, chatted with Pop-Pop, played with her Aunt Claire's old Egypt Legoes! (hey, that fits in perfectly with our studies!), visited the farmer's market and a thrift shop, and later at night went out with Grammy and Mommy to get a much needed pair of sneakers (and socks, tights, and a hat).
Wednesday: Geography, Standard 2 pages (13 activities), Spelling workbook lessons 6 & 7. Math & English pages in comprehensive curriculum.
Thursday: Trying to catch up work before staying overnight at Grammy's house. Comprehensive curriculum sheets on math and English. Geography corrections. Spelling workbook corrections.
Friday: She was at Grammy's house. She made wheat/rye bread with Grammy, chatted with Pop-Pop, played with her Aunt Claire's old Egypt Legoes! (hey, that fits in perfectly with our studies!), visited the farmer's market and a thrift shop, and later at night went out with Grammy and Mommy to get a much needed pair of sneakers (and socks, tights, and a hat).
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Grasshoppers
The cartoon is grasshopper that has been mangled from all of the ruckus and the backround depicts the dead, eaten crops and trees. I found this grasshopper plague very interesting and decided to look further into it.
The bugs that everyone were calling grasshoppers were actually Rocky Mountain locusts that descended on the prairies from the Dakota’s to Texas. In late July of 1874 millions of these locusts came without warning to Kansas crops and began their destruction. There were so many locusts in swarms so huge that they blocked out the sun and sounded like a loud rainstorm. The swarms were so big that when they landed, the locusts would almost completely demolish the entire crop.
The locusts would even eat things like the wool from live sheep, clothing off peoples backs, paper, tree bark and even wooden tool handles! The citizens referred to them as “hoppers” and reported them to be so deep on the ground that the locomotives couldn’t get traction because the locusts made the rail too slippery. The areas that were hit the worst were the ones that were least prepared like Kansas. To deal with the hoppers, settlers would rake them into piles and then burn them, but this didn’t solve the problem at all. Some of the people built things they called hopper dozers or grasshopper harvesters to fight any further swarms of them.
Source: http://www.kshs.org/portraits/grasshopper_plague.htm
THE GRASSHOPPER PLAGUE
Pioneer George Monlux relates how that in grasshopper days, in Lyon County, the pests were so thick that tall slim forest trees, in two hours’ time were loaded so with them that their branches touched the earth, not a leaf would be left on the thrifty willow hedges. After stripping the gardens clean they left on an early morning breeze for the north. This was in 1873, in June, and one month later, to a day, they returned from their northern journey. Small grain was nearly ripe and they literally swarmed in the grain fields, but left the prairies alone, so grass was good and hay plenty. They are the wheat stems off below the head and cut the branches of oats until the grain fell earthward. Mr. Monlux began to cut a thirty-acre field and before he had worked two hours, unhitched, for they had finished his harvesting for him! They were so thick that they crawled down the farmers’ backs and up their pantaloon legs and the bite was almost like the sting of a bee. When they left it was all at once and they were so numerous that the noonday sun was darkened and when they lighted in Cherokee County the track of the Illinois Central Railway was buried by them and a freight train was stopped by reason of the wheels slipping on the greasy rails. They left their eggs on every bare spot of ground and the following spring would be hatched out by the first warm sun. Plowing did not seem to hinder their maturing.
Strange to say, they even found their way into houses and if allowed to be almost bedding and clothes, they would eat and finally ruin the fabrics. They girdled forest trees, ate harness, got into open wells and pumps, so no water could be drawn or used until removed. Farmers had to tie strings about the lower ends of their pantaloon legs and wear handkerchiefs about the necks. In cases teamsters found it impossible to drive horse and ox teams against them, in their flight. But very little could be done to save crops—strong men stood sullen and powerless and watched the devouring of fine crops, upon which they had depended for a living. Women shed bitter tears at the side of their cherished garden plots, from which they had expected a fall and winter living. They thought of their dear children and of the long, cold winter months. Too much credit cannot be given to those brave heroes and heroines who, year after year, held down their claims during these “plague” years.
Do We Still have Grasshopper Plagues?
Some grasshopper plagues still exist in Africa. These plagues are caused by desert locusts. The effects of these locusts are much like that of the Rocky Mountain Locust in the United States in 1880's. They bring total destruction to an area. It is not likely that a grasshopper plague could happen here in the US. No Rocky Mountain Locust specimens have been found in more than fifty years and it appears certain that this species that caused so much destruction is extinct. No one really knows why these insects became extinct. Some theorize that it was because of plowing the land by humans or even climatic conditions. But no one knows for certain what happened to the Rocky Mountain Locust.
The bugs that everyone were calling grasshoppers were actually Rocky Mountain locusts that descended on the prairies from the Dakota’s to Texas. In late July of 1874 millions of these locusts came without warning to Kansas crops and began their destruction. There were so many locusts in swarms so huge that they blocked out the sun and sounded like a loud rainstorm. The swarms were so big that when they landed, the locusts would almost completely demolish the entire crop.
The locusts would even eat things like the wool from live sheep, clothing off peoples backs, paper, tree bark and even wooden tool handles! The citizens referred to them as “hoppers” and reported them to be so deep on the ground that the locomotives couldn’t get traction because the locusts made the rail too slippery. The areas that were hit the worst were the ones that were least prepared like Kansas. To deal with the hoppers, settlers would rake them into piles and then burn them, but this didn’t solve the problem at all. Some of the people built things they called hopper dozers or grasshopper harvesters to fight any further swarms of them.
Source: http://www.kshs.org/portraits/grasshopper_plague.htm
THE GRASSHOPPER PLAGUE
Pioneer George Monlux relates how that in grasshopper days, in Lyon County, the pests were so thick that tall slim forest trees, in two hours’ time were loaded so with them that their branches touched the earth, not a leaf would be left on the thrifty willow hedges. After stripping the gardens clean they left on an early morning breeze for the north. This was in 1873, in June, and one month later, to a day, they returned from their northern journey. Small grain was nearly ripe and they literally swarmed in the grain fields, but left the prairies alone, so grass was good and hay plenty. They are the wheat stems off below the head and cut the branches of oats until the grain fell earthward. Mr. Monlux began to cut a thirty-acre field and before he had worked two hours, unhitched, for they had finished his harvesting for him! They were so thick that they crawled down the farmers’ backs and up their pantaloon legs and the bite was almost like the sting of a bee. When they left it was all at once and they were so numerous that the noonday sun was darkened and when they lighted in Cherokee County the track of the Illinois Central Railway was buried by them and a freight train was stopped by reason of the wheels slipping on the greasy rails. They left their eggs on every bare spot of ground and the following spring would be hatched out by the first warm sun. Plowing did not seem to hinder their maturing.
Strange to say, they even found their way into houses and if allowed to be almost bedding and clothes, they would eat and finally ruin the fabrics. They girdled forest trees, ate harness, got into open wells and pumps, so no water could be drawn or used until removed. Farmers had to tie strings about the lower ends of their pantaloon legs and wear handkerchiefs about the necks. In cases teamsters found it impossible to drive horse and ox teams against them, in their flight. But very little could be done to save crops—strong men stood sullen and powerless and watched the devouring of fine crops, upon which they had depended for a living. Women shed bitter tears at the side of their cherished garden plots, from which they had expected a fall and winter living. They thought of their dear children and of the long, cold winter months. Too much credit cannot be given to those brave heroes and heroines who, year after year, held down their claims during these “plague” years.
Do We Still have Grasshopper Plagues?
Some grasshopper plagues still exist in Africa. These plagues are caused by desert locusts. The effects of these locusts are much like that of the Rocky Mountain Locust in the United States in 1880's. They bring total destruction to an area. It is not likely that a grasshopper plague could happen here in the US. No Rocky Mountain Locust specimens have been found in more than fifty years and it appears certain that this species that caused so much destruction is extinct. No one really knows why these insects became extinct. Some theorize that it was because of plowing the land by humans or even climatic conditions. But no one knows for certain what happened to the Rocky Mountain Locust.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*read The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole to all the kids
*Leanna took notes from Space: Answers to Questions About Voyage and Discovery by Martin Mobberley
*We did a physical demonstration of how the earth revolves around the sun and the moon revolves around the earth
*Leanna did a sticker activity where she placed all the plannets in the correct order by distance from the sun.
*Lifeskills-as a surprise for me Leanna did laundry and dishes (with Justin's willing help) and cleaned up the kitchen.
*Leanna played a mission to mars game from Nasa's kids site (you choose items that would be useful to take in space) and she explored several solar system websites.
*Filled in her new address on an envelope and chose a stamp to paste on in the correct spot. (a bit juvenille for her, but I figured it would reinforce her new address, which she needs to memorize).
*Several pages of math from the comprehensive curriculum book.
*the boys did pictures with the dot to dot markers and were active participants in the solar system activities.
*read The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole to all the kids
*Leanna took notes from Space: Answers to Questions About Voyage and Discovery by Martin Mobberley
*We did a physical demonstration of how the earth revolves around the sun and the moon revolves around the earth
*Leanna did a sticker activity where she placed all the plannets in the correct order by distance from the sun.
*Lifeskills-as a surprise for me Leanna did laundry and dishes (with Justin's willing help) and cleaned up the kitchen.
*Leanna played a mission to mars game from Nasa's kids site (you choose items that would be useful to take in space) and she explored several solar system websites.
*Filled in her new address on an envelope and chose a stamp to paste on in the correct spot. (a bit juvenille for her, but I figured it would reinforce her new address, which she needs to memorize).
*Several pages of math from the comprehensive curriculum book.
*the boys did pictures with the dot to dot markers and were active participants in the solar system activities.
Solar System
planet ideas
By M
I did a thematic unit on the Solary System. One activity that was fun was creating a planet postcard. Students could pretend that they could go on any planet and they would write to a friend describing their planet. They also did a planet advertisement where they needed to persuade people to come to their planet. There were also a ton of books available for teh class to read on planets. These books were placed on the chalkboard tray and were available for student use at any time. Hope this helps. By the way-this is a 5th grade unti.
Gravity and Weight lesson
By M
I did a thematic unit on the Solary System. One activity that was fun was creating a planet postcard. Students could pretend that they could go on any planet and they would write to a friend describing their planet. They also did a planet advertisement where they needed to persuade people to come to their planet. There were also a ton of books available for teh class to read on planets. These books were placed on the chalkboard tray and were available for student use at any time. Hope this helps. By the way-this is a 5th grade unti.
Gravity and Weight lesson
Monday, October 11, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*2 pages on kinds of sentences
*2 pages on analagies
*1 page classifying
*1 English review page
*1 page skip counting, 1 page on multiples
*short journal entry
*Silent reading: Girls and Dogs (American Girl book) And Lanie by Jane Kurtz
*more journaling
*2 pages on kinds of sentences
*2 pages on analagies
*1 page classifying
*1 English review page
*1 page skip counting, 1 page on multiples
*short journal entry
*Silent reading: Girls and Dogs (American Girl book) And Lanie by Jane Kurtz
*more journaling
Monday, October 11, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Student Planner additions
*Health and Safety book from the hospital
*Math pages in Comprehensive Curriculum
*Read a pile of stories to the boys, though Jacob only listened to a few, and Justin and Timothy each took a turn sitting on my lap to listen. So no one listened to the whole pile, but it was enjoyable, nonetheless.
*Student Planner additions
*Health and Safety book from the hospital
*Math pages in Comprehensive Curriculum
*Read a pile of stories to the boys, though Jacob only listened to a few, and Justin and Timothy each took a turn sitting on my lap to listen. So no one listened to the whole pile, but it was enjoyable, nonetheless.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Field Trip to the Easton Farmer's Market/Apple Festival. We walked around and saw lots of organic farmers. They had craft booths and jewelry and and all sorts of things. We stopped to talk to people at a booth selling shawls where they had spinning wheels and sheep (in a crate on the back of a truck). They let us have some wool/yarn samples. We watched a glass blower make pieces for jewelry, she made an alien spaceship! And we talked to a farmer about honey, I had no idea there were about 200 kinds of honey! We watched a painter doing portraits outside and looked at many displays of paintings.
Afterwards we walked around downtown Easton for a while. We got lots of excersize.
Afterwards we walked around downtown Easton for a while. We got lots of excersize.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Made a 3 dimensional model of the Ingalls family's house in Little House in the Big Woods. (would have been better for last year, but still fun and somewhat educational)
*Sight words for 4th graders
*work on egyptian cutouts
*
For future use: grasshopper plague link for on the banks of Plum Creek
*Made a 3 dimensional model of the Ingalls family's house in Little House in the Big Woods. (would have been better for last year, but still fun and somewhat educational)
*Sight words for 4th graders
*work on egyptian cutouts
*
For future use: grasshopper plague link for on the banks of Plum Creek
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Research to answer questions for Egypt lapbook
*Work on actual lapbook, coloring pages and cutting, pasting, redoing incorrect answers, etc.
*Silent reading: Just for Girls by Sarah Delmege
*Mummy quiz at: http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/egyptmummy.htm
*Pages in Comprehensive Curriculum: 2 pages on following directions: recipies; 1 page reading comprehension; 2 pages on "and, or, but, so, and because."; 1 page on "can and May"; 1 page on "sit and set"; 1 page math.
*Research to answer questions for Egypt lapbook
*Work on actual lapbook, coloring pages and cutting, pasting, redoing incorrect answers, etc.
*Silent reading: Just for Girls by Sarah Delmege
*Mummy quiz at: http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/egyptmummy.htm
*Pages in Comprehensive Curriculum: 2 pages on following directions: recipies; 1 page reading comprehension; 2 pages on "and, or, but, so, and because."; 1 page on "can and May"; 1 page on "sit and set"; 1 page math.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Wednesday October 6, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*We read 3 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek and discussed common sayings.
*Leanna researched Egypt on this website: http://egypt.mrdonn.org/index.html
and took notes and drew pictures. This will eventually become an Egypt lapbook of her own making.
*Explored the website: How to Love Your Dog, particularly the page on what dogs cost. I printed out a worksheet for her to figure out how much a dog will cost for a month, year, & lifetime. She happily read the page on how to teach your dog tricks.
I am including this as schoolwork because we just picked up a stray on Sunday afternoon and she needed to learn some about dog care and because it falls in with lifeskills. Plus the worksheet involves real life math. : ) Always better when it's the real life kind!
*We read 3 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek and discussed common sayings.
*Leanna researched Egypt on this website: http://egypt.mrdonn.org/index.html
and took notes and drew pictures. This will eventually become an Egypt lapbook of her own making.
*Explored the website: How to Love Your Dog, particularly the page on what dogs cost. I printed out a worksheet for her to figure out how much a dog will cost for a month, year, & lifetime. She happily read the page on how to teach your dog tricks.
I am including this as schoolwork because we just picked up a stray on Sunday afternoon and she needed to learn some about dog care and because it falls in with lifeskills. Plus the worksheet involves real life math. : ) Always better when it's the real life kind!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Online Egypt quiz
*Online Mummy activity-she repeated this one several times-it goes through the steps for mummification in a not too gross way! I walked her through it first and Timothy sat and watched the whole process!
*Silent reading
*webkinz math
*Online Egypt quiz
*Online Mummy activity-she repeated this one several times-it goes through the steps for mummification in a not too gross way! I walked her through it first and Timothy sat and watched the whole process!
*Silent reading
*webkinz math
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Read chapters 7 & 8 in The Story of the World and discussed Hammurabi's code and weather the laws were fair and why.
*I had Leanna come up with her own code of laws (hoping to make the lesson stick in her head, and to help give an idea of how tough it is to come up with truly fair laws.) Then she recopied it.
*I had her cut out a paper on Vocabulary for Mespotamia and paste it on notebook paper to keep in a History Notebook. Then we added Cuneiform, the Ziggurat, the sumerian City-State, Sargon I, and Hammurabi of Babylon. The idea is to make a visual reminder of the history we're reading. I hope to have her add drawings and maybe cartoons to this Notebook.
*Recopied 3X each all the mispelled words on the first five Lessons spelling test.
*Prefix page, reading advertisements page, Context clues, 3 pages on Classifying (reading skills) from Comprehensive Curriculum workbook.
*She began a lapbook of her own creation on Egypt. This required reading to look for information, then deciding how to include it and pasting it into her book.
*We had an evening walk to the atm and store. We discussed religion and atm machines, and she made purchases at the store as well.
The Boys:
*Timothy did several pages of math in his workbook.
*Justin did quite a few pages in his math book.
*The boys also came up with thier own laws (if they were in charge).
*We read I want to be like Jesus by L. J. Sattgast
Hammurabi Activities:
brainstorm with you as you come up with positive and negative aspects of people starting to live in villages, towns, and large communities. Write these ideas on the board or on an overhead projector. A possible list may include the following:
Positive Aspects Negative Aspects
protection from danger army, taxes, slavery
greater supplies of food waste disposal
opportunity for commerce governing large groups of citizens
new job opportunities.
The list could go on and on. It may take a bit of leading, but eventually, the students will come up with the problems governing large groups of people. People have been killing, stealing, and maiming for quite a long time. How did the earliest civilizations handle these situations? Have we made any progress in four thousand years?
Hammurabi wasn't the first ruler to establish a code of laws. Earlier records date back four hundred years. Many of Hammurabi's laws, as it turns out, were exact copies of earlier Sumerian laws. His code, however, is the best preserved legal document giving us an idea of the life and social structure of the people during Hammurabi's reign. It is now time for your students to determine if he was an enlightened, benevolent ruler, or a cruel, demanding tyrant. Web site located at http://www.phillipmartin.info//hammurabi. You will need to access this site to get the list of eight situations to use in this activity.
In groups of three or four, have the students go to various stations in the room. (These stations could be sheets of paper set up on the wall or cardboard posters on the floor. My personal favorite is the table tops where students may freely write with white board markers.) At each station is one situation faced by Hammurabi. The students are to read the situation and, as a group, decide what should be done under the circumstances to achieve justice. It must be a group decision -- no tyrants allowed in this activity.
Each group should proceed from station to station making their just and fair decisions. It doesn't take long, and when all groups have made most decisions, gather the students around the computer monitor for a time of discussion.
4. The Discussion Remind the students that the rulers of ancient Babylon believed that the gods had entrusted them to deal fairly with their people. These laws were to protect the oppressed and safeguard human rights. Hammurabi called himself the "king of justice to whom Shamash has committed the truth".
Talk about each of the situations individually. What decisions did they have for the various situations? Did they strive to protect the oppressed and safeguard human rights? If so, then Shamash would be proud of them. After the students' responses have been given, click on the appropriate clay tablet located on the situation index to learn Hammurabi's judgments. When all is said and done, remember the prologue and epilogue declare the divine commission which Hammurabi received from the gods to secure the general welfare of the people.
5. Clay Tablet Time This is not a hard activity to generate opinions, very strong opinions. And, it is a good opportunity for the students to pull out their clay tablets -- or paper, if you must -- to write a letter to the editor of the Babylonian Times. In the letter, they must clearly state the code number they are discussing, their opinion of the code, and why they feel that way. If they disagree with the code, they should offer suggestions for Hammurabi to consider. Generally, it is recommended that one signs a letter to the editor. However, when dealing with Hammurabi, that may not always be advisable. He may add code 283 to this list which could possibly concern disrespectful citizens who disagree with his divinely inspired judgments.
6. Evaluation of the Clay Tablet This Holistic Rubric, or a variation of it, may be used to evaluate the editorials for the Babylonian Times written by the students .
Scale Level 4
.... The written response is very specific to the task assigned. Information about the code is clearly stated along with the author's personal convictions. Writing is expressive, clear, concise and to the point. The opinion is logical. A conclusion ties up the letter. The piece is written with nearly no grammatical errors.
Scale Level 3
The written response is specific to the task assigned. The information is correct and an opinion is given. However, the writing neither manages to grasp the reader's attention nor provide a convincing argument. A weak conclusion leaves the reader unsatisfied. Several grammatical errors.
Scale Level 2
The information provided is generally accurate but no insight is provided. There may or may not be an opinion about the code or a conclusion to the letter. If an opinion is provided, there may be problems with the logic. The student needs a dictionary for a Christmas present -- paper or clay optional.
Scale Level 1
An assignment is turned in but it is unclear if it is for the task given or if the student ever heard of Hammurabi. Information is lacking, missing, inaccurate, or illogical. There may be problems with the reasoning if an opinion is stated. Reader is left unsatisfied with the editorial and certain the author has never heard of the editing process.
7. Digging in a Little Deeper After the letters to the editor are written, have the kids dig in and do research on Hammurabi, Mesopotamia, and the Code. There are always two sides to an issue. There had to be reasoning behind the judgments of Hammurabi. What were the living situations like at the time? Daily life? Government? Threats to the government? Use online research to find these answers. (Use the references on the Links page for a starter. My search engine of choice, Dogpile, has tons more "clay tablets" under Hammurabi.)
Next, divide the class into sides on a few of the issues. Using researched based information, argue specific laws either pro or con. Finally, hooking up with another class online through Global Schoolnet or the Intercultural Email Classroom Exchange, debate the issues over the net.
And the Proof that it Works! I have taught long enough to know that most of what my students learn seems to be forgotten in two months -- gone completely! No trace! Never heard of that! However, several of my former students came to my room and saw me as I drew the illustrations for this Web page. At the mention of the name Hammurabi, they smiled and told me all about the activity concerning his laws. That was well over two months ago, actually well over a year ago, and I knew for certain that I had come up with a fun activity that kept their attention and taught them something at the same time.
This activity crosses over into other areas of the curriculum. You may wish to coordinate lessons with other subjects and/or with teachers of other disciplines.
Art 1 Draw maps of both ancient Mesopotamia and the modern-day Middle East.
2 Explore cuneiform. Find samples of the ancient writings and let the student have a try. Yes, it could be done on paper but --WOW! -- try clay with a stylus!
3 Research the Standard of Ur. What is it? Try to make a replication of it in glass or paper.
Drama 4 Create an advertising commercial for an eternal youth potion like the one Gilgamesh sought. What does it look like? How much does it cost? What must you do to get it?
Literature 5 Share the story of Gilgamesh, the oldest story ever written. Have the students act it out! The gods created the hairy man Enkidu in the exact image of Gilgamesh. Then, a goddess dressed him in her clothes and sent him to Earth. Students are amused with the idea of these two hairy men in women's clothing.
Writing 6 Compare Gilgamesh to a modern day hero. What similarities or differences do you see?
7 Eternal youth, or everlasting life, is a goal that many throughout history have tried to obtain. Describe what others in history have done to search for eternal life, the fountain of youth, or whatever title they may have used. Do people still search for this today? In what ways?
8 "Alduch, you worthless slave!! I have been calling for you! Change into your clean tunic and present yourself for duty in five minutes. You are to serve the head table tonight. Ach, what an honor for a slave such as you!" In story form, write about the banquet, describing the food, the way people behaved, and the entertainment. Yes, it will require research for authenticity.
Home Economics 9 Imagine the kitchens of Hammurabi's palace are bustling with preparations for tonight's magnificent banquet in honor of visiting dignitaries from all corners of the trading world, even the distant shores of the Indus River. You have been mistaken for Digesh's cooking assistant. Digesh instructs you to prepare a delectable and typical Babylonian dish for the night's festivities. He points to the table with the clay recipe bricks. Choose one to prepare. Bring samples for your favorite teacher and fellow classmates.
Math 10 Draw a scaled diagram of a typical Sumerian city.
11 Use sugar cubes (or sun dried bricks) to recreate a scaled Sumerian ziggurat.
Science 12 Make sun dried bricks. Create an authentic background where other projects may be displayed.
History 13 Research the region and time to create a travel brochure. Include photos, drawings, daily life activities the tourist will join, weather, food, and what clothes to bring -- just to name a few ideas.
14 Compare styles of dress and jewelry of ancient Mesopotamia found in research to the illustrations of this Web site. Find examples that support the authenticity of the cartoons.
Technology 15 Research the region and time to create a HyperStudio or Power Point presentation on ancient Mesopotamia. Include pages that deal with religion, daily life, government, art and literature, technology, and reasons for decline.
16 Search the Web for additional information to expand our classroom "hotlist" of relevant WWW resources. Write an annotation describing what the Web site offers to assist other students in their research. Possible topics to search under would include: Mesopotamia, Sumeria, Babylon, cuneiform, ziggurat, and, of course, Hammurabi.
*Read chapters 7 & 8 in The Story of the World and discussed Hammurabi's code and weather the laws were fair and why.
*I had Leanna come up with her own code of laws (hoping to make the lesson stick in her head, and to help give an idea of how tough it is to come up with truly fair laws.) Then she recopied it.
*I had her cut out a paper on Vocabulary for Mespotamia and paste it on notebook paper to keep in a History Notebook. Then we added Cuneiform, the Ziggurat, the sumerian City-State, Sargon I, and Hammurabi of Babylon. The idea is to make a visual reminder of the history we're reading. I hope to have her add drawings and maybe cartoons to this Notebook.
*Recopied 3X each all the mispelled words on the first five Lessons spelling test.
*Prefix page, reading advertisements page, Context clues, 3 pages on Classifying (reading skills) from Comprehensive Curriculum workbook.
*She began a lapbook of her own creation on Egypt. This required reading to look for information, then deciding how to include it and pasting it into her book.
*We had an evening walk to the atm and store. We discussed religion and atm machines, and she made purchases at the store as well.
The Boys:
*Timothy did several pages of math in his workbook.
*Justin did quite a few pages in his math book.
*The boys also came up with thier own laws (if they were in charge).
*We read I want to be like Jesus by L. J. Sattgast
Hammurabi Activities:
brainstorm with you as you come up with positive and negative aspects of people starting to live in villages, towns, and large communities. Write these ideas on the board or on an overhead projector. A possible list may include the following:
Positive Aspects Negative Aspects
protection from danger army, taxes, slavery
greater supplies of food waste disposal
opportunity for commerce governing large groups of citizens
new job opportunities.
The list could go on and on. It may take a bit of leading, but eventually, the students will come up with the problems governing large groups of people. People have been killing, stealing, and maiming for quite a long time. How did the earliest civilizations handle these situations? Have we made any progress in four thousand years?
Hammurabi wasn't the first ruler to establish a code of laws. Earlier records date back four hundred years. Many of Hammurabi's laws, as it turns out, were exact copies of earlier Sumerian laws. His code, however, is the best preserved legal document giving us an idea of the life and social structure of the people during Hammurabi's reign. It is now time for your students to determine if he was an enlightened, benevolent ruler, or a cruel, demanding tyrant. Web site located at http://www.phillipmartin.info//hammurabi. You will need to access this site to get the list of eight situations to use in this activity.
In groups of three or four, have the students go to various stations in the room. (These stations could be sheets of paper set up on the wall or cardboard posters on the floor. My personal favorite is the table tops where students may freely write with white board markers.) At each station is one situation faced by Hammurabi. The students are to read the situation and, as a group, decide what should be done under the circumstances to achieve justice. It must be a group decision -- no tyrants allowed in this activity.
Each group should proceed from station to station making their just and fair decisions. It doesn't take long, and when all groups have made most decisions, gather the students around the computer monitor for a time of discussion.
4. The Discussion Remind the students that the rulers of ancient Babylon believed that the gods had entrusted them to deal fairly with their people. These laws were to protect the oppressed and safeguard human rights. Hammurabi called himself the "king of justice to whom Shamash has committed the truth".
Talk about each of the situations individually. What decisions did they have for the various situations? Did they strive to protect the oppressed and safeguard human rights? If so, then Shamash would be proud of them. After the students' responses have been given, click on the appropriate clay tablet located on the situation index to learn Hammurabi's judgments. When all is said and done, remember the prologue and epilogue declare the divine commission which Hammurabi received from the gods to secure the general welfare of the people.
5. Clay Tablet Time This is not a hard activity to generate opinions, very strong opinions. And, it is a good opportunity for the students to pull out their clay tablets -- or paper, if you must -- to write a letter to the editor of the Babylonian Times. In the letter, they must clearly state the code number they are discussing, their opinion of the code, and why they feel that way. If they disagree with the code, they should offer suggestions for Hammurabi to consider. Generally, it is recommended that one signs a letter to the editor. However, when dealing with Hammurabi, that may not always be advisable. He may add code 283 to this list which could possibly concern disrespectful citizens who disagree with his divinely inspired judgments.
6. Evaluation of the Clay Tablet This Holistic Rubric, or a variation of it, may be used to evaluate the editorials for the Babylonian Times written by the students .
Scale Level 4
.... The written response is very specific to the task assigned. Information about the code is clearly stated along with the author's personal convictions. Writing is expressive, clear, concise and to the point. The opinion is logical. A conclusion ties up the letter. The piece is written with nearly no grammatical errors.
Scale Level 3
The written response is specific to the task assigned. The information is correct and an opinion is given. However, the writing neither manages to grasp the reader's attention nor provide a convincing argument. A weak conclusion leaves the reader unsatisfied. Several grammatical errors.
Scale Level 2
The information provided is generally accurate but no insight is provided. There may or may not be an opinion about the code or a conclusion to the letter. If an opinion is provided, there may be problems with the logic. The student needs a dictionary for a Christmas present -- paper or clay optional.
Scale Level 1
An assignment is turned in but it is unclear if it is for the task given or if the student ever heard of Hammurabi. Information is lacking, missing, inaccurate, or illogical. There may be problems with the reasoning if an opinion is stated. Reader is left unsatisfied with the editorial and certain the author has never heard of the editing process.
7. Digging in a Little Deeper After the letters to the editor are written, have the kids dig in and do research on Hammurabi, Mesopotamia, and the Code. There are always two sides to an issue. There had to be reasoning behind the judgments of Hammurabi. What were the living situations like at the time? Daily life? Government? Threats to the government? Use online research to find these answers. (Use the references on the Links page for a starter. My search engine of choice, Dogpile, has tons more "clay tablets" under Hammurabi.)
Next, divide the class into sides on a few of the issues. Using researched based information, argue specific laws either pro or con. Finally, hooking up with another class online through Global Schoolnet or the Intercultural Email Classroom Exchange, debate the issues over the net.
And the Proof that it Works! I have taught long enough to know that most of what my students learn seems to be forgotten in two months -- gone completely! No trace! Never heard of that! However, several of my former students came to my room and saw me as I drew the illustrations for this Web page. At the mention of the name Hammurabi, they smiled and told me all about the activity concerning his laws. That was well over two months ago, actually well over a year ago, and I knew for certain that I had come up with a fun activity that kept their attention and taught them something at the same time.
This activity crosses over into other areas of the curriculum. You may wish to coordinate lessons with other subjects and/or with teachers of other disciplines.
Art 1 Draw maps of both ancient Mesopotamia and the modern-day Middle East.
2 Explore cuneiform. Find samples of the ancient writings and let the student have a try. Yes, it could be done on paper but --WOW! -- try clay with a stylus!
3 Research the Standard of Ur. What is it? Try to make a replication of it in glass or paper.
Drama 4 Create an advertising commercial for an eternal youth potion like the one Gilgamesh sought. What does it look like? How much does it cost? What must you do to get it?
Literature 5 Share the story of Gilgamesh, the oldest story ever written. Have the students act it out! The gods created the hairy man Enkidu in the exact image of Gilgamesh. Then, a goddess dressed him in her clothes and sent him to Earth. Students are amused with the idea of these two hairy men in women's clothing.
Writing 6 Compare Gilgamesh to a modern day hero. What similarities or differences do you see?
7 Eternal youth, or everlasting life, is a goal that many throughout history have tried to obtain. Describe what others in history have done to search for eternal life, the fountain of youth, or whatever title they may have used. Do people still search for this today? In what ways?
8 "Alduch, you worthless slave!! I have been calling for you! Change into your clean tunic and present yourself for duty in five minutes. You are to serve the head table tonight. Ach, what an honor for a slave such as you!" In story form, write about the banquet, describing the food, the way people behaved, and the entertainment. Yes, it will require research for authenticity.
Home Economics 9 Imagine the kitchens of Hammurabi's palace are bustling with preparations for tonight's magnificent banquet in honor of visiting dignitaries from all corners of the trading world, even the distant shores of the Indus River. You have been mistaken for Digesh's cooking assistant. Digesh instructs you to prepare a delectable and typical Babylonian dish for the night's festivities. He points to the table with the clay recipe bricks. Choose one to prepare. Bring samples for your favorite teacher and fellow classmates.
Math 10 Draw a scaled diagram of a typical Sumerian city.
11 Use sugar cubes (or sun dried bricks) to recreate a scaled Sumerian ziggurat.
Science 12 Make sun dried bricks. Create an authentic background where other projects may be displayed.
History 13 Research the region and time to create a travel brochure. Include photos, drawings, daily life activities the tourist will join, weather, food, and what clothes to bring -- just to name a few ideas.
14 Compare styles of dress and jewelry of ancient Mesopotamia found in research to the illustrations of this Web site. Find examples that support the authenticity of the cartoons.
Technology 15 Research the region and time to create a HyperStudio or Power Point presentation on ancient Mesopotamia. Include pages that deal with religion, daily life, government, art and literature, technology, and reasons for decline.
16 Search the Web for additional information to expand our classroom "hotlist" of relevant WWW resources. Write an annotation describing what the Web site offers to assist other students in their research. Possible topics to search under would include: Mesopotamia, Sumeria, Babylon, cuneiform, ziggurat, and, of course, Hammurabi.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Lesson 3 in Read and Understand Fiction
*Math is fun worksheet-still borrowing (this took FOREVER!)
*Science journal
*Outside gardening
*Sewing practice
*More lifeskills stuff-cleaning, dishes, learning how to cook.
*Lesson 3 in Read and Understand Fiction
*Math is fun worksheet-still borrowing (this took FOREVER!)
*Science journal
*Outside gardening
*Sewing practice
*More lifeskills stuff-cleaning, dishes, learning how to cook.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Schoolwork Acomplished:
*Science journal writing
*Math is fun worksheet
*Sewing practice-made several pincusions and started a quilt
*Reading stories to her brothers
*Science journal writing
*Math is fun worksheet
*Sewing practice-made several pincusions and started a quilt
*Reading stories to her brothers
Monday, September 27, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Largely a lifeskills day. Lots of cleaning.
*2 English grammar worksheets from comprehensive curriculum book.
*Spelling tests on all five spelling lists.
*Silent reading-she keeps re-reading her favorite books.
*Largely a lifeskills day. Lots of cleaning.
*2 English grammar worksheets from comprehensive curriculum book.
*Spelling tests on all five spelling lists.
*Silent reading-she keeps re-reading her favorite books.
Friday, September 24, 2010
We did do school this day, but I cannot remember everything we did.
*I know she did the Stormalong Story from Reading and Understanding Fiction.
*I believe she did a math is fun worksheet on borrowing. (She wasn't firm on this concept they learned in 2nd grade! So I've been trying to get her to the point where it's easy)
*I know she did the Stormalong Story from Reading and Understanding Fiction.
*I believe she did a math is fun worksheet on borrowing. (She wasn't firm on this concept they learned in 2nd grade! So I've been trying to get her to the point where it's easy)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Geography-activities 7-12-finally finished the lesson!!
*English for the Thoughtful Child-Lessons 4 &5
*Math online worksheets on borrowing-we had do re-do this together to ensure she was "getting it"
A pain in the butt, but worth it if she actually finally understands the concept.
*Lots of lifeskills stuff today-cleaning, mopping, sweeping, washing laundry, folding laundry, helping to sing Jacob to sleep.
*Geography-activities 7-12-finally finished the lesson!!
*English for the Thoughtful Child-Lessons 4 &5
*Math online worksheets on borrowing-we had do re-do this together to ensure she was "getting it"
A pain in the butt, but worth it if she actually finally understands the concept.
*Lots of lifeskills stuff today-cleaning, mopping, sweeping, washing laundry, folding laundry, helping to sing Jacob to sleep.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*2 pages of Vocabulary: Homophones (from Comprehensive Curriculum book)
*1 page of Vocabulary: Words that sound alike. (from Comprehensive Curriculum book)
*Composed 2 poems
*We read from the Story of the World-three chapters (learned about Sargon and about Joeseph and Egypt).
*Leanna read some Psalms with Grammy today.
*She played outside and watched city workers digging up a water main on the street.
*Timothy did four pages of math and Justin did 3 pages of math.
*2 pages of Vocabulary: Homophones (from Comprehensive Curriculum book)
*1 page of Vocabulary: Words that sound alike. (from Comprehensive Curriculum book)
*Composed 2 poems
*We read from the Story of the World-three chapters (learned about Sargon and about Joeseph and Egypt).
*Leanna read some Psalms with Grammy today.
*She played outside and watched city workers digging up a water main on the street.
*Timothy did four pages of math and Justin did 3 pages of math.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Rewrote her page of info on Cheops and the Great Pyramid. Then I checked for errors which I had her fix. It still needed to be re-written, there were too many errors and it wasn't neat enough, so she recopied it again twice.
*Silent reading: Rachel's Journal (prairie diary)
*Read Miriam: The Big Sister's Secret told by Carine Mackenzie (to see similarities between this story and the Sargon myth mentioned in our history book.
*Read aloud to brothers (Dr. Seuss, etc.)
*began working on student planner-listing activities, chores, hobbies, etc. and figuring out how to put them in a pie chart. We discussed fractions and addition and division as part of this.
*Rewrote her page of info on Cheops and the Great Pyramid. Then I checked for errors which I had her fix. It still needed to be re-written, there were too many errors and it wasn't neat enough, so she recopied it again twice.
*Silent reading: Rachel's Journal (prairie diary)
*Read Miriam: The Big Sister's Secret told by Carine Mackenzie (to see similarities between this story and the Sargon myth mentioned in our history book.
*Read aloud to brothers (Dr. Seuss, etc.)
*began working on student planner-listing activities, chores, hobbies, etc. and figuring out how to put them in a pie chart. We discussed fractions and addition and division as part of this.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*We read some poems from the What Your Fourth-Grader Needs To Know book. We focused on Paul Revere's Midnight Ride, and I had her watch an episode of Liberty Kids on You-Tube to supplement.
*Copied the spelling lists for the first five lessons (the lessons we've done already)
*3 worksheets on Synonyms/Antonymns
*Silent reading, Johanna Spry's Heidi.
*later recopied more spelling words.
*Began reading Rachel's journal.
*We read some poems from the What Your Fourth-Grader Needs To Know book. We focused on Paul Revere's Midnight Ride, and I had her watch an episode of Liberty Kids on You-Tube to supplement.
*Copied the spelling lists for the first five lessons (the lessons we've done already)
*3 worksheets on Synonyms/Antonymns
*Silent reading, Johanna Spry's Heidi.
*later recopied more spelling words.
*Began reading Rachel's journal.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
(bad day, not a lot got done)
*reading comprehension story from Read and Understand Fiction Grades 4-6 by Evan Moor. Four pages of questions and then we went over corrections and she re-did the parts that needed it.
*Designed a cover for her student planner.
*Silent reading-Arthur books and Fairy books. Some reading outloud to her baby brother from the fairy books.
*Watched the movie Call of the Wild with Christopher Lloyd.
*outdoor frisbee game with her brothers.
*lifeskills stuff (making the beds, straightening the rooms, etc.)
(bad day, not a lot got done)
*reading comprehension story from Read and Understand Fiction Grades 4-6 by Evan Moor. Four pages of questions and then we went over corrections and she re-did the parts that needed it.
*Designed a cover for her student planner.
*Silent reading-Arthur books and Fairy books. Some reading outloud to her baby brother from the fairy books.
*Watched the movie Call of the Wild with Christopher Lloyd.
*outdoor frisbee game with her brothers.
*lifeskills stuff (making the beds, straightening the rooms, etc.)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Journal entry on what's she's learned recently
*Online research on Cheops and the Great Pyramid. She took notes and watched a video and drew pictures to illustrate.
*Silent reading-The Bobbsey Twins in Rainbow Valley by Laura Lee Hope.
*Journal entry on what's she's learned recently
*Online research on Cheops and the Great Pyramid. She took notes and watched a video and drew pictures to illustrate.
*Silent reading-The Bobbsey Twins in Rainbow Valley by Laura Lee Hope.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*She colored and read another page in Everyday Dress of the American Colonial Period.
*Lessons 2 and 3 in English for the Thoughtful Child.
*Chapters 2, 3, and 4 in The Story of the World. (Justin chimed in on this as well, I think I may have a history fan on my hands!!)
*Some editing and more writing on her story notebook.
*One chapter in On the Banks of Plum Creek.
*She colored and read another page in Everyday Dress of the American Colonial Period.
*Lessons 2 and 3 in English for the Thoughtful Child.
*Chapters 2, 3, and 4 in The Story of the World. (Justin chimed in on this as well, I think I may have a history fan on my hands!!)
*Some editing and more writing on her story notebook.
*One chapter in On the Banks of Plum Creek.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*She wrote a story based on a picture (she had so much trouble with this-she can't seem to come up with anything for an assigned topic, she can write only when it's of her own chosing. We will be working on this skill.)
*She finished her skill drill page. This was also a major accomplishment, she's been struggling with math.
*She did two lesson's worth of spelling assignments.
*Silent reading-Bobbsey Twins.
Lessons were cut short by my parents' visit for my birthday.
*She wrote a story based on a picture (she had so much trouble with this-she can't seem to come up with anything for an assigned topic, she can write only when it's of her own chosing. We will be working on this skill.)
*She finished her skill drill page. This was also a major accomplishment, she's been struggling with math.
*She did two lesson's worth of spelling assignments.
*Silent reading-Bobbsey Twins.
Lessons were cut short by my parents' visit for my birthday.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*two sheets of cursive writing practice-one upper case, one lower case
*English for the Thoughtful Child, continued. She's having a lot of trouble with NEATLY copying sentences. She mispells words, forgets punctuation, and it definitely isn't her best handwriting! Very frustrating for me.
*We sat in the backyard and read the introduction and first chapter of the Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer. (she started out not at all interested, but by the end of the first chapter, I could tell interest was building. I stopped there though, because I had promised to only read one chapter.)
*She began writing a story, entirely on her own, in her newly designated Story Notebook
* A skill drill page on subtraction, with borrowing. This is still review, but it's something she struggles with.
*We read 4 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek.
I read the boys The Three Little Pigs and would have read more but they were too unruly tonight to completely pay attention.
Over the weekend we read the last Aesop's fable, she did laundry on her own twice, and she of course did more reading on her own!
*two sheets of cursive writing practice-one upper case, one lower case
*English for the Thoughtful Child, continued. She's having a lot of trouble with NEATLY copying sentences. She mispells words, forgets punctuation, and it definitely isn't her best handwriting! Very frustrating for me.
*We sat in the backyard and read the introduction and first chapter of the Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer. (she started out not at all interested, but by the end of the first chapter, I could tell interest was building. I stopped there though, because I had promised to only read one chapter.)
*She began writing a story, entirely on her own, in her newly designated Story Notebook
* A skill drill page on subtraction, with borrowing. This is still review, but it's something she struggles with.
*We read 4 chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek.
I read the boys The Three Little Pigs and would have read more but they were too unruly tonight to completely pay attention.
Over the weekend we read the last Aesop's fable, she did laundry on her own twice, and she of course did more reading on her own!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Wrote down geography vocabulary words and searched through lesson 1 for the definitions for them.Then made appropriate corrections.
*Did another page in geography workbook.
*Did a page in her spelling workbook.
*We began working in English for the Thoughtful Child (which Leanna enjoyed!) but we were interrupted by the arrival(s) of Grammy, Harry, and Laura.
*At night when I went out with Grammy & Laura, Leanna did her webkinz (which is semi-educational)
*I also showed Leanna how to load the washing machine (at her request!). I've already shown her in the past about sorting laundry. So she had some lifeskills instruction today as well.
*Leanna also made some paper flowers and put them in a vase I'd recently found in our boxes. So even a bit of art!
*Wrote down geography vocabulary words and searched through lesson 1 for the definitions for them.Then made appropriate corrections.
*Did another page in geography workbook.
*Did a page in her spelling workbook.
*We began working in English for the Thoughtful Child (which Leanna enjoyed!) but we were interrupted by the arrival(s) of Grammy, Harry, and Laura.
*At night when I went out with Grammy & Laura, Leanna did her webkinz (which is semi-educational)
*I also showed Leanna how to load the washing machine (at her request!). I've already shown her in the past about sorting laundry. So she had some lifeskills instruction today as well.
*Leanna also made some paper flowers and put them in a vase I'd recently found in our boxes. So even a bit of art!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Schoolwork accomplished:
4 pages in her spelling workbook
A page in her Skill Drills workbook.
We read two chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek.
I read the entire poem section and 3 of the 4 Aesop's Fables to the three older kids. I asked them what they thought the moral of each fable was (Timothy had no clue, Justin would do a decent guess, and most of the time Leanna had the right idea, although with one she just kept giving me a plot summary. Even with the poem/nursery rhyme Simple Simon, I though the meaning was pretty clear, but none of the kids understood what was going on.....good reminder to me to always have them summ it up in their own words so I can see what they're actually getting out of it!
We watched the movie Stuart Little.
We had cable/internet installed today, so she also watched many PBS shows, like word girl and martha speaks (which emphasize vocabulary words).
4 pages in her spelling workbook
A page in her Skill Drills workbook.
We read two chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek.
I read the entire poem section and 3 of the 4 Aesop's Fables to the three older kids. I asked them what they thought the moral of each fable was (Timothy had no clue, Justin would do a decent guess, and most of the time Leanna had the right idea, although with one she just kept giving me a plot summary. Even with the poem/nursery rhyme Simple Simon, I though the meaning was pretty clear, but none of the kids understood what was going on.....good reminder to me to always have them summ it up in their own words so I can see what they're actually getting out of it!
We watched the movie Stuart Little.
We had cable/internet installed today, so she also watched many PBS shows, like word girl and martha speaks (which emphasize vocabulary words).
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
Leanna wrote in our mother/daughter journal.
2 pages in her spelling workbook
The first page of her Down to Earth: Geography Grade 4 book.
She colored 2 more pages in her Everyday Dress of the American Colonial Period coloring book.
She read several of her books, multiple times during the day (silent reading)
We watched the movie Finding Neverland, as a family. It was recommended to us for the kids, but was really not a movie for children. Still, I think it was a bit interesting for Leanna.
Leanna wrote in our mother/daughter journal.
2 pages in her spelling workbook
The first page of her Down to Earth: Geography Grade 4 book.
She colored 2 more pages in her Everyday Dress of the American Colonial Period coloring book.
She read several of her books, multiple times during the day (silent reading)
We watched the movie Finding Neverland, as a family. It was recommended to us for the kids, but was really not a movie for children. Still, I think it was a bit interesting for Leanna.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
Leanna designed her own science experiment involving measuring the temperature of water in different cups.
She drew illustrations of the science experiment as well.
She colored a page in her American Colonial period coloring book
She did 2 pages in her spelling workbook
She did a journal entry about history.
We read 5 chapters of On The Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
We discussed bones and joints with a Young Explorers Human Body Book.
We began a mother/daughter journal together.
Timothy did 8 pages in his math book today (he did four pages on September 2)
Justin did 5 pages in his math book, and joined our human body discussion.
Leanna designed her own science experiment involving measuring the temperature of water in different cups.
She drew illustrations of the science experiment as well.
She colored a page in her American Colonial period coloring book
She did 2 pages in her spelling workbook
She did a journal entry about history.
We read 5 chapters of On The Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
We discussed bones and joints with a Young Explorers Human Body Book.
We began a mother/daughter journal together.
Timothy did 8 pages in his math book today (he did four pages on September 2)
Justin did 5 pages in his math book, and joined our human body discussion.
September 3, 2010
Leanna read Invisible Stanley by Jeff Brown.
She made multiple crayon/colored pencil foil art projects of her own design.
I never finished recording this day's work, I don't remember what else we did.
She made multiple crayon/colored pencil foil art projects of her own design.
I never finished recording this day's work, I don't remember what else we did.
September 2, 2010
The first day of school! (Official school, anyway)
We got the letter saying our educational program was accepted, and we were so excited we began right away!
Leanna started her journal.
She colored in the Everyday Dress of the American Colonial Period coloring book and read the accompanying information.
She read from the Space: Answers To Questions About Voyage and Discovery by Martin Mobberley.
She read from the Rock guide.
She finished the Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene.
She read the entire Magic Tree House: Eve of the Emperor Penguins book by Mary Pope Osbourne.
She read the entire Magic Tree House: Vikings at Dawn book by Mary Pope Osbourne.
She put together a Human Body Puzzle
She helped Timothy to work with clocks and learning to tell time.
She did a the first page of her Skill Drill Math: Grade 4 book.
We got the letter saying our educational program was accepted, and we were so excited we began right away!
Leanna started her journal.
She colored in the Everyday Dress of the American Colonial Period coloring book and read the accompanying information.
She read from the Space: Answers To Questions About Voyage and Discovery by Martin Mobberley.
She read from the Rock guide.
She finished the Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene.
She read the entire Magic Tree House: Eve of the Emperor Penguins book by Mary Pope Osbourne.
She read the entire Magic Tree House: Vikings at Dawn book by Mary Pope Osbourne.
She put together a Human Body Puzzle
She helped Timothy to work with clocks and learning to tell time.
She did a the first page of her Skill Drill Math: Grade 4 book.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Today we took a couple bus rides around Easton/Palmer. I feel these are always educational-the people you meet and observe, learning about how to get around, navigating maps, behavior lessons, all the different things we see and do and the conversations we have.
We went to the park today, and Leanna played tag with two and three girls (a couple years younger than her this time) and played on the jungle gym and slides, etc. She talked to many kids of different ages.
Leanna wrote in her journal tonight-completely on her own-and she wrote a story in addition to the journal entry. Then she began reading Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.
Other recent educational moments:
On Sunday afternoon we made Ladybugs from the caps of milk and other bottles. We glued on googly eyes and colored the black dots with a marker. Then the kids worked on making a house and a few pieces of furniture for them. They've played with them several times since, wonderful imagination sparkers!
Leanna's been reading and rereading the Bobbsey Twins books. She's been playing with Daysha at night too, mostly with doll babies and American Girl dolls. The kids walked the dogs yesterday too-an adventure! They play outside every day, and frequently with Noah. We went to a carnival twice last week, the second time Nanny Sue let Leanna and Kylie walk around by themselves all night (which I did not really approve of) so that was quite an adventure. Kylie and Kobe visited twice last week. And we had Leanna's doctor appt. on last Thursday so that was a bus trip and a visit with Grammy and Pop-Pop. We've also had Harry's company quite a bit recently (both nights at the carnival and on Mon. and Tues. nights for dinner) which is an extra person to talk to and learn from. She continues to make purchases at the dollar stoer and K-mart, etc. Leanna's made quite a few drawing on her own lately, and a few stapled books and projects. So even though we haven't been doing any "school", she's still been busy doing things and learning.
We went to the park today, and Leanna played tag with two and three girls (a couple years younger than her this time) and played on the jungle gym and slides, etc. She talked to many kids of different ages.
Leanna wrote in her journal tonight-completely on her own-and she wrote a story in addition to the journal entry. Then she began reading Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.
Other recent educational moments:
On Sunday afternoon we made Ladybugs from the caps of milk and other bottles. We glued on googly eyes and colored the black dots with a marker. Then the kids worked on making a house and a few pieces of furniture for them. They've played with them several times since, wonderful imagination sparkers!
Leanna's been reading and rereading the Bobbsey Twins books. She's been playing with Daysha at night too, mostly with doll babies and American Girl dolls. The kids walked the dogs yesterday too-an adventure! They play outside every day, and frequently with Noah. We went to a carnival twice last week, the second time Nanny Sue let Leanna and Kylie walk around by themselves all night (which I did not really approve of) so that was quite an adventure. Kylie and Kobe visited twice last week. And we had Leanna's doctor appt. on last Thursday so that was a bus trip and a visit with Grammy and Pop-Pop. We've also had Harry's company quite a bit recently (both nights at the carnival and on Mon. and Tues. nights for dinner) which is an extra person to talk to and learn from. She continues to make purchases at the dollar stoer and K-mart, etc. Leanna's made quite a few drawing on her own lately, and a few stapled books and projects. So even though we haven't been doing any "school", she's still been busy doing things and learning.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Today, Sunday July 25, 2010 Leanna and Justin were sick. Particularly Leanna. She just sat on the couch all afternoon, just lying there. She watched some tv, and later I brought her up a doll sticker set and she made pictures with that. She did play on the computer for a while too. Later in the evening she seemed to be returning to her old self, even eating. She played on the porch for a bit with Daysha. At night she came out and watched some Les Miserables videos with me. I was trying to summ up the storyline for her, to help her understand these songs, some of which she's been hearing since she was about a year old. She keeps waking up though, and had an episode which was almost like one of her night terrors.
Sat. Leanna went with her Aunt to see the Ramona movie! Then she came home and got to visit with Grammy also. She finished reading Ramona the Brave in the afternoon, before she went to the movie.
Friday Timothy got sick in the afternoon. I walked to the store with Leanna and Jacob. We saw Korinna and Maree' and her grandmother when we were leaving. When we came home we heard Timothy had thrown up on the couch. We assumed it was heat related since he seemed fine afterwards. Laura visited with the kids for a bit before we went out. We took Leanna with us so she could claim her summer reading program reward at Borders-a free Ramona book!
Sat. Leanna went with her Aunt to see the Ramona movie! Then she came home and got to visit with Grammy also. She finished reading Ramona the Brave in the afternoon, before she went to the movie.
Friday Timothy got sick in the afternoon. I walked to the store with Leanna and Jacob. We saw Korinna and Maree' and her grandmother when we were leaving. When we came home we heard Timothy had thrown up on the couch. We assumed it was heat related since he seemed fine afterwards. Laura visited with the kids for a bit before we went out. We took Leanna with us so she could claim her summer reading program reward at Borders-a free Ramona book!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Today Leanna and I worked in the basement. We were putting things in the two new bins each of us got from Home Depot. Leanna went with Nanny Sue to buy them. (Leanna paid for her two with birthday $ and I paid for my two) We mainly just consolidated stuff, not so much sorting. But the basement has clear pathways all throughout and Nanny Sue was very happy. She admitted that we didn't have too much stuff down there, it WAS just not packed right or stacked right (due to the circumstances of our move. I threw out a few things and made brownies. Sausage, potatoes, and buttered noodles for dinner, saved some for Tom. I did three loads of laundry and cleaned out the stuff that gathers on the kids' beds. I deleted a bunk of junk from my email. I cleaned the bathroom sink with cleaner and the front of the cabinets. I cleared the floor by the boys' bed, and got rid of trash twice today. I did a little bit of reading, not much. Tons of dishes (as usual). I had the kids done with baths and upstairs before 9:30. And I started going through bills tonight, throwing away all the extra papers and envelopes. I even got rid of some of the junk in my purse! I was feeling like I got something accomplished for a change. Which is always nice.
Leanna also started and finished Going For Great by Carolee Brockmann. She played outside a bit, and traded small toys with Daysha. Noah came in and watched a little bit of Scooby Doo with the kids too.
So Leanna had reading and socialization and cleaning and sorting (lifeskills), and playing outside.
Leanna also started and finished Going For Great by Carolee Brockmann. She played outside a bit, and traded small toys with Daysha. Noah came in and watched a little bit of Scooby Doo with the kids too.
So Leanna had reading and socialization and cleaning and sorting (lifeskills), and playing outside.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday, July 21, 2010
Sunday was Jacob's birthday party. Tom didn't work so he and Laura took us to Grammy's house. It was a quiet sleepy celebration. It didn't feel like a real birthday party, but the kids were glad enough to be in a "normal" situation, one that felt familiar with our old life, and Jacob's too young to notice. Tom had a headache and stayed on the couch for most of the day.
Monday Nanny Sue went out and so when I figured she'd probably be home soon, we walked to Rite-Aid and then to the Hallmark store and Giant. She was still gone when we came home though. It was good excersize though very hot. Then the kids biked and played out front. I watched Noah and read him and the boys some stories. Sue watched him after I took the kids up for baths and bed. His Nanny came for him at 10:30! Leanna expressed a new interest in saving dolphins and was trying to talk her brothers into feeling the same way.
Today, Tuesday, the kids played with blocks, talked to Jennifer, watched Boomerang, and Leanna made paper gifts for us (a heart bag for me, a gun for Justin and a football for Timothy) by colring them and stapling them together. I'd planned to go out since it's Chuck's day off. We left between 2:30-3:00 in the afternoon. We walked to the dollar store (at Leanna's request) and then all the way downtown to get our mail, since Tom keeps forgetting. This was quite a trip, especially in this heat. I called Tom to make sure where to turn to get to the postoffice, and he surprised us by showing up just as we got to the Crayola Factory. So we walked with him to get the mail and then to Tony's. We ate pizza and rested before the long walk home. And it was a long, hot walk. We had some good talks though and saw lots of stuff: nature, pretty buildings and homes, we looked to see what kind of local businesses were around. We talked about NS and tempers. And at night when I was putting them to sleep, I asked them each what their favorite part of the day was. Justin immediately said NONE! but as Leanna and Timothy kept naming favorite parts, Justin kept adding, yeah that was my favorite too! I pointed that out to them and talked about how it's easy to focus on how hot and tired you were and let that make you forget all the good parts that were very enjoyable. I think Leanna understood, whether she will apply it or not..............another story. We stayed outside after we got home and had just come inside when Tom finally got home. It was actually a pretty nice day. Very hot and tiring, but nice to be doing something and get away from the constant stress of worrying that I or the kids will do something wrong.
Monday Nanny Sue went out and so when I figured she'd probably be home soon, we walked to Rite-Aid and then to the Hallmark store and Giant. She was still gone when we came home though. It was good excersize though very hot. Then the kids biked and played out front. I watched Noah and read him and the boys some stories. Sue watched him after I took the kids up for baths and bed. His Nanny came for him at 10:30! Leanna expressed a new interest in saving dolphins and was trying to talk her brothers into feeling the same way.
Today, Tuesday, the kids played with blocks, talked to Jennifer, watched Boomerang, and Leanna made paper gifts for us (a heart bag for me, a gun for Justin and a football for Timothy) by colring them and stapling them together. I'd planned to go out since it's Chuck's day off. We left between 2:30-3:00 in the afternoon. We walked to the dollar store (at Leanna's request) and then all the way downtown to get our mail, since Tom keeps forgetting. This was quite a trip, especially in this heat. I called Tom to make sure where to turn to get to the postoffice, and he surprised us by showing up just as we got to the Crayola Factory. So we walked with him to get the mail and then to Tony's. We ate pizza and rested before the long walk home. And it was a long, hot walk. We had some good talks though and saw lots of stuff: nature, pretty buildings and homes, we looked to see what kind of local businesses were around. We talked about NS and tempers. And at night when I was putting them to sleep, I asked them each what their favorite part of the day was. Justin immediately said NONE! but as Leanna and Timothy kept naming favorite parts, Justin kept adding, yeah that was my favorite too! I pointed that out to them and talked about how it's easy to focus on how hot and tired you were and let that make you forget all the good parts that were very enjoyable. I think Leanna understood, whether she will apply it or not..............another story. We stayed outside after we got home and had just come inside when Tom finally got home. It was actually a pretty nice day. Very hot and tiring, but nice to be doing something and get away from the constant stress of worrying that I or the kids will do something wrong.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
On Monday, July 12, we took a bus into a town because I thought it was the day for Justin's dental cleaning, but it turned out to be a mistake. I took only Justin and Jacob. We visited with Mom and Dad before going home.
Tuesday, July 13, we ended up going out because Justin was trying to talk to Pop-Pop and he started yelling at him. So I figured we'd better go before there was more yelling. So we went to the bank, the dollar store (overnight diapers), then down to K-Mart and Wendy's. I was pleased to find deals at K-Mart's clearance shelves. A lady with two kids sat next to us outdoors at Wendy's and my four were better behaved than her two. It was nice to not feel like the only one who has those days.
On Wednesday, July 14th, we took a bus into a town for Justin's dental cleaning, went to DD and the dollar store, stopped by Leanna's dentist to get her dental records for homeschooling (yay! Check that off the list, next will be her medical records after her 9 year old checkup!). Timothy stayed with my Dad while Justin got his checkup, then we visited with Dad and Laura for a bit before heading home. A lady asked if the four kids were mine and said, "Nice! You are lucky!" Always so nice to hear positive comments! When we got home Kobe and Kylie were here so they all had fun playing together.
I had Leanna do a journal entry the other day. I want to get her back on track, make things like that a habbit. I need to start doing tiny amounts of school again. She played with Kylie on Monday and went with Nanny Sue and Timothy to Walmart. She's been trying to read Peter and the Starcatcher's, but mainly because I'm trying to read it (I got it for her for her birthday). She's been playing with dolls and stuffed animals, and since we started Justin on Webkinz, her interest in them has been renewed. Today she brought down two of the Nancy Drew books Nanny Sue got her for her birthday. She's been into mystery books the past month.
Tuesday, July 13, we ended up going out because Justin was trying to talk to Pop-Pop and he started yelling at him. So I figured we'd better go before there was more yelling. So we went to the bank, the dollar store (overnight diapers), then down to K-Mart and Wendy's. I was pleased to find deals at K-Mart's clearance shelves. A lady with two kids sat next to us outdoors at Wendy's and my four were better behaved than her two. It was nice to not feel like the only one who has those days.
On Wednesday, July 14th, we took a bus into a town for Justin's dental cleaning, went to DD and the dollar store, stopped by Leanna's dentist to get her dental records for homeschooling (yay! Check that off the list, next will be her medical records after her 9 year old checkup!). Timothy stayed with my Dad while Justin got his checkup, then we visited with Dad and Laura for a bit before heading home. A lady asked if the four kids were mine and said, "Nice! You are lucky!" Always so nice to hear positive comments! When we got home Kobe and Kylie were here so they all had fun playing together.
I had Leanna do a journal entry the other day. I want to get her back on track, make things like that a habbit. I need to start doing tiny amounts of school again. She played with Kylie on Monday and went with Nanny Sue and Timothy to Walmart. She's been trying to read Peter and the Starcatcher's, but mainly because I'm trying to read it (I got it for her for her birthday). She's been playing with dolls and stuffed animals, and since we started Justin on Webkinz, her interest in them has been renewed. Today she brought down two of the Nancy Drew books Nanny Sue got her for her birthday. She's been into mystery books the past month.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Why homeschool?
The short answer for why I homeschool is here. It's a list of benefits stated in simple one-line sentences.
The longer version is:
*Homeschooling fosters a strong sibling relationship.
*Nurture love of learning
"The class is talking about spring, flowers blooming, rain falling, may be rabbit and easter. A child hears a fire engine sirene and asks what that is. Teacher answers : Fire engine, then goes back to talking about spring. But the child mind is still with the fire engine. He wants to know more about it. But he has to wait until everybody else is done with spring."
There are many things about learning that are not going to be fun. The multiplication tables for most kids are not fun, no matter how you slice it. But learning, and the love of learning, can be enjoyable. Learning should be a lifelong pursuit. It shouldn’t stop when you graduate. If you can teach your kids to learn how to learn (and to love it), they can do anything.
*"A child can't see the difference between I (upper case i) and l (lowercase L). Others in her class can. Everybody reads but she. She's too embarrassed to ask for help and thinks she's stupid. Now she hates reading."
Every child is different. They learn differently. But all children want to learn so we have to nurture that. By homeschooling my children, I believe I'm nurturing their love of learning.
*Improved family relationships. Homeschooling allows family members to understand one another more holistically. For parents, watching their children progress academically and watching them occasionally struggle, allows for a more compassionate view of their efforts. Children being schooled by parents get a new appreciation and respect for the skills, knowledge and patience which parents can impart. While there is always the danger of having too much of a good thing, the end result of homeschooling seems likely to improve rather than damage family relationships.
*To eliminate so many of the negative behaviors picked up from peers.
*Personal Safety: With every week bringing another report of school violence, sexual abuse by school personnel and transport accidents, the anxiety of parents of public school children increases.
*Use of Available Expertise-One can make the best use of available expertise in all fields of learning. Teachers in public schools must be certified to teach at a particular grade level and in a particular subject area. Homeschooling children allows parents to seek out true expertise in all fields, but especially in the subject area the child enjoys most. The child is able to receive instruction beyond the standard levels and will likely find his or her interest in a subject area enhanced.
*Variety of Scheduling: Homeschooling allows parents to generate their own schedule which effectively means that every day is not like every other day. Time spent on one subject area can be lengthened or curtailed as the needs or interests of the studentdictate. Public schools by necessity must adhere to a relatively rigid schedule.
*Building Diversity Through effective networking, parents can achieve diversity. Too often public school children go to school with children who come from the same socio economic backgrounds and live very similar lifestyles to everyone else in the class. Home schooling gives parents the option to put a little effort into creating learning situations that promote education thorough diversity.
*Providing Moral Training: By taking responsibility for homeschooling, parents make it possible to nurture and oversee the moral development of their children. Reprimands, directives, interaction can all take place within the moral framework set by the parents, not by disconnected teachers. Children benefit by the consistency of demands made upon them for honest, caring , fairness, self- control and other parent determined values throughout the entire day.
*On Site Learning (especially from the children's point of view) is a system which allows for and even encourages, on site learning experiences. For children, this can mean time spent in the woods, at the seashore, in a museum , maybe even in a mall. With homeschooling, there really are no limits on the places where you can go to learn.
*More time to concentrate on what children like and enjoy
If a child is interested in collecting rock, he/she can spend all the time learning about the different rocks there are.
* No limit on how much materials and time, you can follow their passion!
You can go all out finding informations about rocks(or whatever) on the internet, at the library, ask the experts, spend your whole day (even week) learning about rocks.
* Integrating Learning into Life. One of the more subtle reasons for homeschooling children is that the homeschooling system helps parents to integrate learning and intellectual curiosity into a child's daily living. Those who attend public school may come to the conclusion that education only happens from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Homeschooled children will discover that learning is not on the clock.
*Parents Learn Too. Homeschooling gives parents an opportunity to continue their own learning process along with their children. Self education may not start out as the most important reason to home school but often turns up as an unplanned bonus in the process.
*lack of play time in elementary school
*.You can sleep in. (School kids typically get less sleep than the recommended amount for healthy development.)
*Fewer back injuries. (Homeschooled students don't have to haul around 22% of their body weight in textbook-laden backpacks.
*No debt-inducing back-to-school sales. (Who knew parents are racking up credit card debt to outfit their kids for school?) You can wear whatever you want!
*No need for "socialization" as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary -- a verb meaning, "To place under government or group ownership or control."
*No peer pressure
No 'everybody else in the class does it' problem
Most of our modem school-based socialization is of the foolish, harmful sort. Pooled ignorance leads to poor taste in clothing, music, films, and TV - the kind of people who read the grocery store tabloids and believe them. But the harm is far more than cultural. Disinterest in school, disrespect for teachers, rapacious dating, promiscuity, substance abuse, and gang violence also come in waves-- pounding waves of youth culture that erode moral standards. Good socialization is primarily age-integrated. It occurs when the young are included in the lives of older and wiser people, especially parents and other family members at home and the spiritual family of one\'s local church. Walking with the wise is a lifestyle, not a program. It is a club of fellow enthusiasts, not a class of uninterested age-mates.
*Children can retain their innocense and grow at their own 'speed', no pressure from school friends.
*By participating in community life, homeschooled children feel comfortable with a wide variety of people. Without the social pressure from peers and age-segregated classrooms, kids feel more comfortable forming friendships. At our family baseball games, we see kids of all ages — siblings, friends, and newcomers — playing with each other and with adults in an unself-conscious way. Many people who come into contact with homeschooled kids remark on how easy it is to talk with them.
*Less stress caused by school demands (largely homework) Families can practically become strangers to each other-sharing hurried breakfasts, chaotic suppers, and struggles over homework. With independent learning, they have more time to talk and listen; more time to spend in libraries, museums, and concert halls; or to hike, ride bikes, read, or think. These changes are what happens when family life is driven by the needs of families, rather than the needs of institutions.
*Pure selfishness on my part. I don’t want to miss any of the milestones in their lives. I want to see them learn to read, excel in sports and even eat lunch with them each day. I get to see their faces light up when something finally “clicks” for them. Plus I will have the pleasure of knowing I had helped with that!
*
*You're in the driver's seat when it comes to your children's education. They can go at a pace appropriate to their wishes and needs rather than to a state-imposed idea of what should be learned when. You can enjoy child-led learning, if that's what suits you. You can hunker down with some good old-fashioned basics, if that's what your family likes and needs.You emphasize what you feel is important for academic promotion and success in life. You can also encourage your child's exploration of passionate interests and spend more time in the areas in which he needs extra help.
*Even if there is support and resources available, ultimately, homeschoolers have to shovel most of their own snow. In other words, homeschoolers have to be willing to stop complaining about what’s not working, and instead focus on finding what does work. Strength of character, creativity, and tears may result. Ultimately good for the kids too!!
*Your principles, morality, ethics, and ideas about appropriate behavior have a really good chance of becoming your children's, too. Your kids aren't being fed the idea that their peer group is the arbiter of standards. You have the chance to model the kind of behavior and philosophy you want them to learn, and you've got plenty of time in which to do that.
*Your child's social life will be just fine — better than ever, if you have the schoolyard jungle to compare it to. You're right there to keep a sharp eye out for bullying and other problems. You can guide your little ones through successful conflict resolution by teaching them skills they'll actually be able to use as adults.
*You and your family have lots of time to just be together. You get to learn who your children really are: their interests, passions, hopes, and dreams. You're all about family togetherness.
*Homeschooling familes are forced to learn confidence, self-acceptance, and acceptance of others because the world is an unforgiving place for those who do not blend in.
*Unlike kids who are either at school or doing homework all day, your kids have the time and opportunity to learn the work that goes into running a household. If your local educational authority requires you to keep records, you can record time spent teaching them how to do laundry and other important household tasks under the heading of Social Studies, Health, or Life Skills.
*Your kids won't be bringing home lovely new words they learned from that adorable little sailor every classroom has at least one of.
*If your child learns primarily by doing, rather than hearing or seeing, then you can structure the lessons in home school so he learns in the mode in which he is best suited. (This is especially important for children who are not highly verbal--the population on which traditional school places its focus. If your child is a slow learner, it may be because his is more visually or kinesthetically oriented.)
*you can include important subjects that are often neglected in traditional school.
*In a home school environment, you can insulate your children from bullying, teasing, foul language and other inappropriate behaviors. By homeschooling your kids, you'll have more control over the influences to which your child is exposed.
*Another advantage of homeschooling is that the family can take a break and go on vacation whenever it's convenient. This means that you can travel off-season and take advantage of reduced airfare and hotel costs. You can make travel a part of your child's studies. If you can afford to take a road trip or travel internationally, you can make it a fun, but educational trip. This is a great way to expose your child to different regions and cultures. Rather than just reading about these places, your child wil be mired in the experience. This will open his eyes to the world.
*No one's telling you what to do. It's all you. (This is a con as well as a pro: No one's telling you what to do. It's all you! egads!).
*Time. "school is a waste of time." This isn’t to say that people don’t learn important things in school, or that school is a total and complete waste of time. It is simply that, from an instructional perspective, too much of the precious time allotted to childhood is wasted in school, primarily because of the two reasons stated above (poor instruction, and learning outcomes that are not worthwhile). A simple way to conceptualize the amount of time spent engaged in meaningful, purposeful and effective learning-related activity is to think about a typical student in a typical day at school. Imagine how much time this child might spend throughout the school day practicing worthwhile skills while receiving personal feedback. Although there are other factors related to effective instruction, none are more important than practice with adequate and timely feedback. I have actually used a stopwatch while observing classrooms to measure the amount of time individual students spent actively engaged in practice over worthwhile skills throughout an entire day in school. Believe it or not, I have never observed more than 30 minutes of effective practice experienced by an individual learner within the six hours constituting a school day. It was usually closer to 10 minutes. On a more grand scale, I asked education graduate students (enrolled in one of my instructional design courses) who took four years of Spanish in high school to complete a basic assessment of conversational Spanish skills (translating common Spanish phrases into English). In most cases, their scores were not significantly higher than those of the students in my class who had never taken Spanish. I then helped them calculate the amount of time spent in high school studying the Spanish language. Five hours per week in class, plus two hours per week doing homework, multiplied by 36 weeks per academic year, multiplied by four years. This equals 1008 hours devoted to Spanish. I asked my students if they felt this was a good use of their time during their teen years, considering their level of Spanish proficiency as adults. Most agreed that, in fact, it was a rather significant waste of time.........It isn’t just the amount and type of learning that doesn’t take place IN school because of ineffectual instruction that leaves me such a strong sense of time wasting. I also recognize that quite a bit of learning cannot occur OUTSIDE school because of the limited number of hours in the day.
Other related stuff:
*We all went to school and we're all right.
Gosh, do you really think so? I think that, as a society, we are most emphatically NOT all right, and I think that a lot of it has to do with school. We are a fragmented, narcissistic bunch, with a strong tendency to submit to the authority of "experts". We have little connection to or compassion for others, especially between generations. Old people are largely disregarded, children viewed with contempt. It is quite fashionable to speak of children, even one's own children, even in their presence, as though they were revolting and scarcely human. The same people who talk like this often have the colossal nerve to wonder why teenagers are so bloody hostile. Hubris is like that.
It's worth noting, too, that every generation of schooling takes up more and more of the child's life. Kids today spend more of their time in and about school than you did, you spent more time than your parents did, and so forth. Just over a hundred years ago, the "school year" was only a few weeks long. Now, in addition to the increasing presence of school, families are shrinking and children's access to other adults becomes less and less, while television absorbs available "free" time. If children are segregated from adult life, it is absolutely to be expected that they will become preoccupied with "peer pressure", no surprise at all that they find it difficult to take their places in adult society when the time comes, having had no experience of it, and sadly predictable that they should exclude and ignore old people, those being the very people who excluded and ignored them. Is this a healthy society? I think not.
*From an article about why so many teachers choose to homeschool:
"I didn't want my children to be treated the way I treated some kids," the teacher volunteered apologetically. It's not that she was mean or uncaring, but in order to run a class with so many children, she had no choice but to engage in some form of manipulation, however subtle and well-intentioned it was......"
".....school is mostly day care and most parents are more concerned about the time table and schedule than about the contents of the school day. School is so entrenched in our culture that most parents do not fully appreciate that there are alternatives. For their family, learning takes place all the time and everywhere, and school has no special magic with which to educate children. The school system repeats the mantra "We are the magic place where it happens, you people just don't know how." Then people send off their kids to this "magic place". But teachers, however sincere and hard-working, cannot accommodate all the learning styles and end up being burned out by the process. Kids quickly get labeled as "can't read", but Francine insists that many children are simply not ready to learn because of extenuating circumstances. She recalls one child in Grade 1 who was asthmatic and allergy sensitive; the child reeked of smoke, obviously in a smoking environment at home. She looked pale, tired, and unhealthy. What this child needed was rest, food and love, and only then could she be ready to learn.
Francine thinks school should not take all day; at most, it should take half a day. Children need time to play and time in which they have "nothing to do". She recommends switching off the TV and the computer. Kids need time to run, sing, play and day dream.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teachers are not mean and they do care; they are passionate about education. They want the best for their students and their own children. With work experience, they know the limitations of the class room and school setting. In a very difficult decision, risking ostracism and labels of hypocrisy by their colleagues, they choose to have their children learn outside the public school system. The names and locations in this article have been changed to protect the careers and privacy of the individuals."
Quote: Mary said: Homeschooling is forging your own path. That absolutely takes a degree of courage, confidence and fortitude. Because we must be firm in our resolve (even when feeling doubts), it may come off as arrogance.
The longer version is:
*Homeschooling fosters a strong sibling relationship.
*Nurture love of learning
"The class is talking about spring, flowers blooming, rain falling, may be rabbit and easter. A child hears a fire engine sirene and asks what that is. Teacher answers : Fire engine, then goes back to talking about spring. But the child mind is still with the fire engine. He wants to know more about it. But he has to wait until everybody else is done with spring."
There are many things about learning that are not going to be fun. The multiplication tables for most kids are not fun, no matter how you slice it. But learning, and the love of learning, can be enjoyable. Learning should be a lifelong pursuit. It shouldn’t stop when you graduate. If you can teach your kids to learn how to learn (and to love it), they can do anything.
*"A child can't see the difference between I (upper case i) and l (lowercase L). Others in her class can. Everybody reads but she. She's too embarrassed to ask for help and thinks she's stupid. Now she hates reading."
Every child is different. They learn differently. But all children want to learn so we have to nurture that. By homeschooling my children, I believe I'm nurturing their love of learning.
*Improved family relationships. Homeschooling allows family members to understand one another more holistically. For parents, watching their children progress academically and watching them occasionally struggle, allows for a more compassionate view of their efforts. Children being schooled by parents get a new appreciation and respect for the skills, knowledge and patience which parents can impart. While there is always the danger of having too much of a good thing, the end result of homeschooling seems likely to improve rather than damage family relationships.
*To eliminate so many of the negative behaviors picked up from peers.
*Personal Safety: With every week bringing another report of school violence, sexual abuse by school personnel and transport accidents, the anxiety of parents of public school children increases.
*Use of Available Expertise-One can make the best use of available expertise in all fields of learning. Teachers in public schools must be certified to teach at a particular grade level and in a particular subject area. Homeschooling children allows parents to seek out true expertise in all fields, but especially in the subject area the child enjoys most. The child is able to receive instruction beyond the standard levels and will likely find his or her interest in a subject area enhanced.
*Variety of Scheduling: Homeschooling allows parents to generate their own schedule which effectively means that every day is not like every other day. Time spent on one subject area can be lengthened or curtailed as the needs or interests of the studentdictate. Public schools by necessity must adhere to a relatively rigid schedule.
*Building Diversity Through effective networking, parents can achieve diversity. Too often public school children go to school with children who come from the same socio economic backgrounds and live very similar lifestyles to everyone else in the class. Home schooling gives parents the option to put a little effort into creating learning situations that promote education thorough diversity.
*Providing Moral Training: By taking responsibility for homeschooling, parents make it possible to nurture and oversee the moral development of their children. Reprimands, directives, interaction can all take place within the moral framework set by the parents, not by disconnected teachers. Children benefit by the consistency of demands made upon them for honest, caring , fairness, self- control and other parent determined values throughout the entire day.
*On Site Learning (especially from the children's point of view) is a system which allows for and even encourages, on site learning experiences. For children, this can mean time spent in the woods, at the seashore, in a museum , maybe even in a mall. With homeschooling, there really are no limits on the places where you can go to learn.
*More time to concentrate on what children like and enjoy
If a child is interested in collecting rock, he/she can spend all the time learning about the different rocks there are.
* No limit on how much materials and time, you can follow their passion!
You can go all out finding informations about rocks(or whatever) on the internet, at the library, ask the experts, spend your whole day (even week) learning about rocks.
* Integrating Learning into Life. One of the more subtle reasons for homeschooling children is that the homeschooling system helps parents to integrate learning and intellectual curiosity into a child's daily living. Those who attend public school may come to the conclusion that education only happens from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Homeschooled children will discover that learning is not on the clock.
*Parents Learn Too. Homeschooling gives parents an opportunity to continue their own learning process along with their children. Self education may not start out as the most important reason to home school but often turns up as an unplanned bonus in the process.
*lack of play time in elementary school
*.You can sleep in. (School kids typically get less sleep than the recommended amount for healthy development.)
*Fewer back injuries. (Homeschooled students don't have to haul around 22% of their body weight in textbook-laden backpacks.
*No debt-inducing back-to-school sales. (Who knew parents are racking up credit card debt to outfit their kids for school?) You can wear whatever you want!
*No need for "socialization" as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary -- a verb meaning, "To place under government or group ownership or control."
*No peer pressure
No 'everybody else in the class does it' problem
Most of our modem school-based socialization is of the foolish, harmful sort. Pooled ignorance leads to poor taste in clothing, music, films, and TV - the kind of people who read the grocery store tabloids and believe them. But the harm is far more than cultural. Disinterest in school, disrespect for teachers, rapacious dating, promiscuity, substance abuse, and gang violence also come in waves-- pounding waves of youth culture that erode moral standards. Good socialization is primarily age-integrated. It occurs when the young are included in the lives of older and wiser people, especially parents and other family members at home and the spiritual family of one\'s local church. Walking with the wise is a lifestyle, not a program. It is a club of fellow enthusiasts, not a class of uninterested age-mates.
*Children can retain their innocense and grow at their own 'speed', no pressure from school friends.
*By participating in community life, homeschooled children feel comfortable with a wide variety of people. Without the social pressure from peers and age-segregated classrooms, kids feel more comfortable forming friendships. At our family baseball games, we see kids of all ages — siblings, friends, and newcomers — playing with each other and with adults in an unself-conscious way. Many people who come into contact with homeschooled kids remark on how easy it is to talk with them.
*Less stress caused by school demands (largely homework) Families can practically become strangers to each other-sharing hurried breakfasts, chaotic suppers, and struggles over homework. With independent learning, they have more time to talk and listen; more time to spend in libraries, museums, and concert halls; or to hike, ride bikes, read, or think. These changes are what happens when family life is driven by the needs of families, rather than the needs of institutions.
*Pure selfishness on my part. I don’t want to miss any of the milestones in their lives. I want to see them learn to read, excel in sports and even eat lunch with them each day. I get to see their faces light up when something finally “clicks” for them. Plus I will have the pleasure of knowing I had helped with that!
*
*You're in the driver's seat when it comes to your children's education. They can go at a pace appropriate to their wishes and needs rather than to a state-imposed idea of what should be learned when. You can enjoy child-led learning, if that's what suits you. You can hunker down with some good old-fashioned basics, if that's what your family likes and needs.You emphasize what you feel is important for academic promotion and success in life. You can also encourage your child's exploration of passionate interests and spend more time in the areas in which he needs extra help.
*Even if there is support and resources available, ultimately, homeschoolers have to shovel most of their own snow. In other words, homeschoolers have to be willing to stop complaining about what’s not working, and instead focus on finding what does work. Strength of character, creativity, and tears may result. Ultimately good for the kids too!!
*Your principles, morality, ethics, and ideas about appropriate behavior have a really good chance of becoming your children's, too. Your kids aren't being fed the idea that their peer group is the arbiter of standards. You have the chance to model the kind of behavior and philosophy you want them to learn, and you've got plenty of time in which to do that.
*Your child's social life will be just fine — better than ever, if you have the schoolyard jungle to compare it to. You're right there to keep a sharp eye out for bullying and other problems. You can guide your little ones through successful conflict resolution by teaching them skills they'll actually be able to use as adults.
*You and your family have lots of time to just be together. You get to learn who your children really are: their interests, passions, hopes, and dreams. You're all about family togetherness.
*Homeschooling familes are forced to learn confidence, self-acceptance, and acceptance of others because the world is an unforgiving place for those who do not blend in.
*Unlike kids who are either at school or doing homework all day, your kids have the time and opportunity to learn the work that goes into running a household. If your local educational authority requires you to keep records, you can record time spent teaching them how to do laundry and other important household tasks under the heading of Social Studies, Health, or Life Skills.
*Your kids won't be bringing home lovely new words they learned from that adorable little sailor every classroom has at least one of.
*If your child learns primarily by doing, rather than hearing or seeing, then you can structure the lessons in home school so he learns in the mode in which he is best suited. (This is especially important for children who are not highly verbal--the population on which traditional school places its focus. If your child is a slow learner, it may be because his is more visually or kinesthetically oriented.)
*you can include important subjects that are often neglected in traditional school.
*In a home school environment, you can insulate your children from bullying, teasing, foul language and other inappropriate behaviors. By homeschooling your kids, you'll have more control over the influences to which your child is exposed.
*Another advantage of homeschooling is that the family can take a break and go on vacation whenever it's convenient. This means that you can travel off-season and take advantage of reduced airfare and hotel costs. You can make travel a part of your child's studies. If you can afford to take a road trip or travel internationally, you can make it a fun, but educational trip. This is a great way to expose your child to different regions and cultures. Rather than just reading about these places, your child wil be mired in the experience. This will open his eyes to the world.
*No one's telling you what to do. It's all you. (This is a con as well as a pro: No one's telling you what to do. It's all you! egads!).
*Time. "school is a waste of time." This isn’t to say that people don’t learn important things in school, or that school is a total and complete waste of time. It is simply that, from an instructional perspective, too much of the precious time allotted to childhood is wasted in school, primarily because of the two reasons stated above (poor instruction, and learning outcomes that are not worthwhile). A simple way to conceptualize the amount of time spent engaged in meaningful, purposeful and effective learning-related activity is to think about a typical student in a typical day at school. Imagine how much time this child might spend throughout the school day practicing worthwhile skills while receiving personal feedback. Although there are other factors related to effective instruction, none are more important than practice with adequate and timely feedback. I have actually used a stopwatch while observing classrooms to measure the amount of time individual students spent actively engaged in practice over worthwhile skills throughout an entire day in school. Believe it or not, I have never observed more than 30 minutes of effective practice experienced by an individual learner within the six hours constituting a school day. It was usually closer to 10 minutes. On a more grand scale, I asked education graduate students (enrolled in one of my instructional design courses) who took four years of Spanish in high school to complete a basic assessment of conversational Spanish skills (translating common Spanish phrases into English). In most cases, their scores were not significantly higher than those of the students in my class who had never taken Spanish. I then helped them calculate the amount of time spent in high school studying the Spanish language. Five hours per week in class, plus two hours per week doing homework, multiplied by 36 weeks per academic year, multiplied by four years. This equals 1008 hours devoted to Spanish. I asked my students if they felt this was a good use of their time during their teen years, considering their level of Spanish proficiency as adults. Most agreed that, in fact, it was a rather significant waste of time.........It isn’t just the amount and type of learning that doesn’t take place IN school because of ineffectual instruction that leaves me such a strong sense of time wasting. I also recognize that quite a bit of learning cannot occur OUTSIDE school because of the limited number of hours in the day.
Other related stuff:
*We all went to school and we're all right.
Gosh, do you really think so? I think that, as a society, we are most emphatically NOT all right, and I think that a lot of it has to do with school. We are a fragmented, narcissistic bunch, with a strong tendency to submit to the authority of "experts". We have little connection to or compassion for others, especially between generations. Old people are largely disregarded, children viewed with contempt. It is quite fashionable to speak of children, even one's own children, even in their presence, as though they were revolting and scarcely human. The same people who talk like this often have the colossal nerve to wonder why teenagers are so bloody hostile. Hubris is like that.
It's worth noting, too, that every generation of schooling takes up more and more of the child's life. Kids today spend more of their time in and about school than you did, you spent more time than your parents did, and so forth. Just over a hundred years ago, the "school year" was only a few weeks long. Now, in addition to the increasing presence of school, families are shrinking and children's access to other adults becomes less and less, while television absorbs available "free" time. If children are segregated from adult life, it is absolutely to be expected that they will become preoccupied with "peer pressure", no surprise at all that they find it difficult to take their places in adult society when the time comes, having had no experience of it, and sadly predictable that they should exclude and ignore old people, those being the very people who excluded and ignored them. Is this a healthy society? I think not.
*From an article about why so many teachers choose to homeschool:
"I didn't want my children to be treated the way I treated some kids," the teacher volunteered apologetically. It's not that she was mean or uncaring, but in order to run a class with so many children, she had no choice but to engage in some form of manipulation, however subtle and well-intentioned it was......"
".....school is mostly day care and most parents are more concerned about the time table and schedule than about the contents of the school day. School is so entrenched in our culture that most parents do not fully appreciate that there are alternatives. For their family, learning takes place all the time and everywhere, and school has no special magic with which to educate children. The school system repeats the mantra "We are the magic place where it happens, you people just don't know how." Then people send off their kids to this "magic place". But teachers, however sincere and hard-working, cannot accommodate all the learning styles and end up being burned out by the process. Kids quickly get labeled as "can't read", but Francine insists that many children are simply not ready to learn because of extenuating circumstances. She recalls one child in Grade 1 who was asthmatic and allergy sensitive; the child reeked of smoke, obviously in a smoking environment at home. She looked pale, tired, and unhealthy. What this child needed was rest, food and love, and only then could she be ready to learn.
Francine thinks school should not take all day; at most, it should take half a day. Children need time to play and time in which they have "nothing to do". She recommends switching off the TV and the computer. Kids need time to run, sing, play and day dream.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teachers are not mean and they do care; they are passionate about education. They want the best for their students and their own children. With work experience, they know the limitations of the class room and school setting. In a very difficult decision, risking ostracism and labels of hypocrisy by their colleagues, they choose to have their children learn outside the public school system. The names and locations in this article have been changed to protect the careers and privacy of the individuals."
Quote: Mary said: Homeschooling is forging your own path. That absolutely takes a degree of courage, confidence and fortitude. Because we must be firm in our resolve (even when feeling doubts), it may come off as arrogance.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Saturday, July, 10, 2010
What's been going on this week:
*Leanna's been playing Uno lately with Nanny Sue (and Wednesday with Kylie too)
*Leanna went to Kylie's house on Thursday and played card games and sat in a little pool.
*She reread the growing up book three times.
*Tonight she biked again
*She made a paper Robot with staples and printer paper this week.
*She's been playing with Barbies and her littlest pet shop house a lot this week.
*We went to the park twice this week. And Giant at least twice.
*Leanna's been playing Uno lately with Nanny Sue (and Wednesday with Kylie too)
*Leanna went to Kylie's house on Thursday and played card games and sat in a little pool.
*She reread the growing up book three times.
*Tonight she biked again
*She made a paper Robot with staples and printer paper this week.
*She's been playing with Barbies and her littlest pet shop house a lot this week.
*We went to the park twice this week. And Giant at least twice.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Leanna continues to read, lately she's been into mystery books and on Friday was writing mystery stories.
Captain Underpants: And the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People by Dav Pilkey
Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman by Dav Pilkey (she says she's read this one twice in one day!)
Just for Girls: A Book About Growing Up by Sarah Delmege
Mystery of the Empty House by Dorothy Martin
Nancy Drew: The Secret in the Old Attic (#21) by Carolyn Keene
Also she's been glancing through some books on Egypt that she persuaded my mother to buy for her at a yard sale.
As always, lots of biking and walking.
Captain Underpants: And the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People by Dav Pilkey
Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman by Dav Pilkey (she says she's read this one twice in one day!)
Just for Girls: A Book About Growing Up by Sarah Delmege
Mystery of the Empty House by Dorothy Martin
Nancy Drew: The Secret in the Old Attic (#21) by Carolyn Keene
Also she's been glancing through some books on Egypt that she persuaded my mother to buy for her at a yard sale.
As always, lots of biking and walking.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
June 30th-Tom's Birthday! 2010
Just wanted to add a few things, although we turned in our portfolio yesterday and we stopped officially homeschooling for the summer a few weeks ago. We received a positive evalutation from our evaluator, Lisa Hays! I'm relieved to have my portion of this over! Now it's just waiting for the district to say everything's A-OK.
Leanna's been reading, always reading. Judy Blume, Lanie (the new AG book I got for her birthday), a few other birthday books. She's done a few pages in the brainquest book she got for her birthday. She's been attending vacation bible school at Olivet along with Justin and Timothy. And biking, always biking too! Today we're making cards for my cousin Erika who is in the hospital.
Leanna's been reading, always reading. Judy Blume, Lanie (the new AG book I got for her birthday), a few other birthday books. She's done a few pages in the brainquest book she got for her birthday. She's been attending vacation bible school at Olivet along with Justin and Timothy. And biking, always biking too! Today we're making cards for my cousin Erika who is in the hospital.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Catching Up
Just catching up, I haven't posted much this week since we're really just preparing the portfolio and I was scanning everything to send to the evaluator. Justin had a dental appt. on Monday and Leanna had one on Wednesday, so that killed most work on those days (bus into A-town). I also had a wisdom tooth along with two others removed on Friday afternoon (and Friday evening is my night out with Laura). Now I just await the evaluator's call so that we can interview with her and then as soon as she sends me her evaluation, I add it to the portfolio and turn it in to the district. I'm so nervous!! It will feel so great to have that done and over with. But having the evaluator tell me that I have an intelligent and well rounded daughter on my hands was a big relief!!
Schoolwise this week was really about re-copying sloppy work (so handwriting practice and review of the subjects). She did a lot of reading on her own too. Today, Saturday June 19 (her birthday!) was a girl scout field trip to Krystal Cave, with a picnic lunch and minature golf afterwards. So she got in an extra field trip for this school year as well. I'm having her do a couple English worksheets and maybe some music because I didn't have much grammar or music for the portfolio. Some things are harder to prove in paper form. She's also coloring something for her father for father's day. She made him a little father's day craft at Brownies as well and proudly gave that to him tonight. She got to spend a little time with Aunt Laura, who picked her up from Brownies, and with Grammy, who she convinced to come over here at 9:30 tonight!!
Schoolwise this week was really about re-copying sloppy work (so handwriting practice and review of the subjects). She did a lot of reading on her own too. Today, Saturday June 19 (her birthday!) was a girl scout field trip to Krystal Cave, with a picnic lunch and minature golf afterwards. So she got in an extra field trip for this school year as well. I'm having her do a couple English worksheets and maybe some music because I didn't have much grammar or music for the portfolio. Some things are harder to prove in paper form. She's also coloring something for her father for father's day. She made him a little father's day craft at Brownies as well and proudly gave that to him tonight. She got to spend a little time with Aunt Laura, who picked her up from Brownies, and with Grammy, who she convinced to come over here at 9:30 tonight!!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
*Re-copying frog stories neatly
*We finished reading the last three chapters of Mr. Popper's Penguins.
*Bike-riding outside.
*Playing games with Carolee and Noah and her brothers.
*We finished reading the last three chapters of Mr. Popper's Penguins.
*Bike-riding outside.
*Playing games with Carolee and Noah and her brothers.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Bus trip into Allentown today for a dentist appt. for Justin. (walking, socializing, learning to get around)
*Leanna read Cleopatra by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema
*Leanna re-read Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole.
*the kids went for a very short trip to the park with their grandmother and then stayed outside catching fireflies with neighbors & Nanny Sue's friend's kids.
*journal entry
*Leanna read Cleopatra by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema
*Leanna re-read Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole.
*the kids went for a very short trip to the park with their grandmother and then stayed outside catching fireflies with neighbors & Nanny Sue's friend's kids.
*journal entry
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saturday, June 12 and Sunday June 13, 2010
Saturday
*Walked to the bank, the dollar store, Giant, then home again, exhausted. This took about three hours.
*Leanna finished and re-copied her Antarctica and Penguin notes.
*Magic Treehouse worksheet on Greek and Roman Gods Matching Game.
*Silent reading-finished Double Fudge by Judy Blume.
*Walked to and from the carnival, rode rides, had fun.
Sunday
*Finished Fractions workbook (6 pages)
*Read about Sumerian crafts and trade from Ancient World book.
*Drew a picture of the leaning tower of Pizza.
*Journaling-catch up entry since she hadn't written for a few days.
*Walked to the bank, the dollar store, Giant, then home again, exhausted. This took about three hours.
*Leanna finished and re-copied her Antarctica and Penguin notes.
*Magic Treehouse worksheet on Greek and Roman Gods Matching Game.
*Silent reading-finished Double Fudge by Judy Blume.
*Walked to and from the carnival, rode rides, had fun.
Sunday
*Finished Fractions workbook (6 pages)
*Read about Sumerian crafts and trade from Ancient World book.
*Drew a picture of the leaning tower of Pizza.
*Journaling-catch up entry since she hadn't written for a few days.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Re-did charting, award, and reporting pages.
*Journal questions on Mr. Popper
*Math workbook
*Reading The Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnette.
*Began Double Fudge by Judy Blume
backyard play with brothers and neighbor.
*Re-did charting, award, and reporting pages.
*Journal questions on Mr. Popper
*Math workbook
*Reading The Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnette.
*Began Double Fudge by Judy Blume
backyard play with brothers and neighbor.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Money lessons from Mr. Popper
Procedure: Day One
Have students complete Activity 6, Assessment Activities.
Answers follow.
(Situation 1)
Benefit: Jamal's mom will have the outfit to enjoy in time for her birthday.
Opportunity cost: Something else Jamal would like to spend the money for in the future when he must repay.
Risks: The store owner can't be sure that Jamal will repay.
Responsibilities: Jamal must pay the store the money he owes.
(Situation 2)
Benefit: Guadalupe will have the camera to use right away.
Opportunity cost: Something else Guadalupe would like to spend the money for.
Risks: The store owner can't be sure that Guadalupe will repay.
Responsibilities: Guadalupe must pay the store owner the money she owes.
(Situation 3)
Benefit: Seth will be able to enjoy CDS right now instead of waiting.
Opportunity cost: Something else Seth would like to spend the money for.
Risks: The store owner can't be sure that Seth will pay what he owes.
Responsibilities: Seth has to pay for the CD player on time.
(Situation 4)
Benefit: Dr. Porada's clinic will have more business with the new X-Ray machine.
Opportunity cost: something else that the clinic could buy with the money.
Risks: The X-Ray company can't be sure that the clinic will be able to repay on time.
Responsibilities: Dr. Porada and the clinic must pay what they owe on time.
(Situation 5)
Benefit: The students will benefit immediately from using the new equipment.
Opportunity cost: Some other school supplies that could be bought with the money.
Risks: The company can't be sure that the PTO will pay what is owed.
Responsibilities: The school PTO must pay what it owes before the deadline.
(Situation 6)
Benefit: The Nguyen family will enjoy a vacation now.
Opportunity cost: They must give up something else that they could be doing now.
Risks: The travel company doesn't know for sure if the family will pay on time.
Responsibilities: The family must pay for the trip when it returns.
Extension:
- After students have read the book, Mr. Popper's Penguins, point out Antarctica on a world map. Explain that most of the world's penguins live at the South Pole. Discuss the following:
- What is it like at the South Pole? (extremely cold, windy, snow covered)
- Why did Mr. Popper have to remodel his home to accommodate Captain Cook? (It would be too warm for the penguins in an ordinary house.)
- Ask students to think about the time that Mr. Popper hired a serviceman to drill air holes in the refrigerator door and what Mr. Popper thought. (Mr. Popper was sad to pay $5 for the service man because he thought of "how many beans it would have bought for Mrs. Popper and the children.")
- Explain that Mr. Popper had to make a choice - spend $5 to change the refrigerator or buy beans for his family.
- Define opportunity cost as the next best alternative that is given up when a choice is made. Give some examples of opportunity cost from the story. (People hired Mr. Popper to either paint or wallpaper. If they chose to paint their kitchens, the opportunity cost would be wallpaper in the kitchen. Mr. Popper could either read a book or listen to the radio for entertainment. If he read a book, his opportunity cost would be listening to the radio. At the end of the book, Mr. Popper had to choose between allowing the penguins to appear in a series of movies or allowing them go to the North Pole. When he decided to allow them go to the North Pole, the opportunity cost was that they could not appear in the movies.)
- Discuss the following:
- What were the two ways that Mr. Popper could have spent his $5? (He could have paid the serviceman or bought beans for the family.)
- Which did Mr. Popper choose? (pay the service man)
- What was his opportunity cost? (buying beans for the family)
- Explain that Mr. Popper made the choice that he thought was best. He spent $5 to hire a serviceman to fix the refrigerator so Captain Cook would be comfortable. But, when the baby penguins were born, more room was needed for them to be comfortably cool. Discuss the following:
- What did Mr. Popper decide to do so that all the penguins would be cool? (He had a freezing plant installed in the basement.)
- Did you think the price would be higher or lower than the $5 the serviceman charged to change the refrigerator? Why? (Higher, because it was a bigger job.)
- Point out that the author says that "Mr. Popper had practically no money. However, he promised to pay as soon as he could, and the man let him have everything on credit."
- Explain that credit is an agreement to receive goods or services now and to pay for them at a later date. Discuss the following:
- What did Mr. Popper receive? (the freezer plant in the basement)
- Why did the man agree to let Mr. Popper have everything on credit? (Mr. Popper promised to pay as soon as he could.)
- Explain that the engineer trusted Mr. Popper to pay him back, but the engineer was taking a risk.
- Ask the students to identify the risk the engineer was taking. (Mr. Popper might not have paid him back.)
- Explain that the engineer trusted Mr. Popper for a number of reasons. He had a good job, owned his own home, had lived there for a long time, and was well known in the community. When people use credit to buy goods or services, they must prove that they are trustworthy. Often credit companies check on information about an applicant's employment and whether he or she owns a house or rents. This information helps the credit company by reducing the risk that at a borrower might default on at a credit agreement (that is, fail to repay the loan).
- Discuss the following:
- How do we know that Mr. Popper repaid his creditors? (The author says that when Mr. Popper earned income from the penguins' performances, the first thing he did "was to pay off the man who had installed the freezing plant in the basement. . . . Next he sent a check to the company who had been shipping the fresh fish all the way from the coast.")
- Why was Mr. Popper a trustworthy person? (He repaid his debt as soon as he was able.)
- Remind students that Mr. Popper used credit wisely. He was able to use credit for goods and services even though he did not have enough money to pay for them at the time. He made an agreement with the engineer to pay him when he got the money. Then Mr. Popper fulfilled his agreement by paying the man as soon as he got the first paycheck for the Performing Penguins.
- Ask students if they think that the engineer would give Mr. Popper credit again and why. (Yes, because Mr. Popper paid his debt on time.)
- Explain that when people buy things on credit, they benefit. They can use the thing they buy right away, even though they don't pay for it until some time in the future. Mr. Popper was able to have his basement remodeled immediately; he did not pay for the engineer's services until he earned income from the penguins' performances.
- Explain that when people use credit they usually must pay for the convenience. The fee that they pay for the credit is called interest or finance charge.
- Display Visual 1 and point out that if the students bought the bike with cash, it would cost $129. However, if they used credit to purchase the bike, it would cost $144 ($12 per month for 12 months). The finance charge or interest is $15 ($144 - $129 = $15).
- Discuss the following:
- Why do store owners charge interest for using credit? (They are taking a risk, and they are giving consumers the opportunity to use products before they are paid for. Also, the store is lending its money and would like a return.)
- What risks do store owners that offer credit take? (The consumer might not repay the loan.)
- What do store owners give up when they offer credit (that is, what is their opportunity cost)? (When store owners give credit, they actually lend money to customers to make their purchases. When they give credit to one customer, they give up the opportunity to use the money they've lent in another way. For example, they could use it to purchase more goods to sell; they could place the money in savings; they could use it to offer credit to another customer.)
- Procedure: Day Two
- Remind students that they have learned some basics about credit from the book, Mr. Popper's Penguins.
- Explain that students will play a game requiring them to make wise decisions about using credit. Display a visual of Activity 2 and distribute a copy of Activity 1 to each student. Read the directions together.
- Point out that the students have a credit limit of $130. A credit limit is the maximum amount that a borrower may borrow from a specific lender.
- Distribute a copy of Activity 3 to each student. Display a visual of Activity 3 and demonstrate how it is completed. For example, if a player's first three rolls of the die were 3, 6, and 1, here is how the tally sheet would look.
- Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students and distribute a copy of Activity 2, game pieces, a pair of scissors, a die, and a copy of Activity 4to each group. Tell students to cut out the Credit Check Cards, shuffle them, and place them face down in the appropriate rectangle on the game board.
- Allow students time to play the game, checking to see whether they are completing the tally sheets accurately. After each team has declared a winner, discuss the following:
- What was your credit limit in the game? ($130)
- Why do stores usually set at a credit limit? (to reduce their risk)
- What are the game consequences for going over your credit limit? ($10 fee)
- How much was the interest or finance charge on the cap? ($5) the jeans? ($10) the socks? ($2) the shoes? ($15) the shirt? ($7)
- Why do lenders charge interest for credit? (Lenders could choose to save the money and earn interest on it; therefore, they expect to earn a similar return on their money when they lend it.)
- What is the benefit in the game of buying on credit? (You can own what you want right away. You don't have to wait until you have the money to afford it.)
- What is the opportunity cost in the game of buying an item with cash? (another item that you could buy in the future with the money plus the interest)
- Remind students that Mr. Popper was a responsible user of credit because he paid his debts as soon as he could. Point out that students were responsible users of credit in the game, paying for their clothes as soon as they had the money.
- Remind students that using credit has benefits - people can buy goods and services now instead of waiting. But there's an opportunity cost for using credit - the other thing that could be bought in the future with the money and the interest or finance charge.
- Finally, remind students that producers take at a risk when they offer credit to consumers. The consumers might not pay for the goods or services. On the other hand, consumers must be responsible and pay for the use of credit.
- Distribute catalogs from a local toy store. Ask each student to cut out at a picture of a toy with a price of approximately $50. Have students glue their pictures near the top of a sheet of notebook paper and write these opening sentences below the picture: "I'd like to have this toy, but I don't have enough money. I must buy it on credit. If I buy it on credit . . ."
Have students complete a paragraph that: - identifies their opportunity cost
- describe the risk the store owner is taking
- describes the risk they are taking
- Assign groups of students to design posters that identify the responsibilities of borrowers. They should use colored markers to illustrate their posters.
Have students complete Activity 6, Assessment Activities.
Answers follow.
(Situation 1)
Benefit: Jamal's mom will have the outfit to enjoy in time for her birthday.
Opportunity cost: Something else Jamal would like to spend the money for in the future when he must repay.
Risks: The store owner can't be sure that Jamal will repay.
Responsibilities: Jamal must pay the store the money he owes.
(Situation 2)
Benefit: Guadalupe will have the camera to use right away.
Opportunity cost: Something else Guadalupe would like to spend the money for.
Risks: The store owner can't be sure that Guadalupe will repay.
Responsibilities: Guadalupe must pay the store owner the money she owes.
(Situation 3)
Benefit: Seth will be able to enjoy CDS right now instead of waiting.
Opportunity cost: Something else Seth would like to spend the money for.
Risks: The store owner can't be sure that Seth will pay what he owes.
Responsibilities: Seth has to pay for the CD player on time.
(Situation 4)
Benefit: Dr. Porada's clinic will have more business with the new X-Ray machine.
Opportunity cost: something else that the clinic could buy with the money.
Risks: The X-Ray company can't be sure that the clinic will be able to repay on time.
Responsibilities: Dr. Porada and the clinic must pay what they owe on time.
(Situation 5)
Benefit: The students will benefit immediately from using the new equipment.
Opportunity cost: Some other school supplies that could be bought with the money.
Risks: The company can't be sure that the PTO will pay what is owed.
Responsibilities: The school PTO must pay what it owes before the deadline.
(Situation 6)
Benefit: The Nguyen family will enjoy a vacation now.
Opportunity cost: They must give up something else that they could be doing now.
Risks: The travel company doesn't know for sure if the family will pay on time.
Responsibilities: The family must pay for the trip when it returns.
Extension:
- Ask students to check their local newspapers for advertisements that contain information about credit terms, such as ads for automobiles, furniture, electronic equipment, carpeting, appliances. Have them show their ads to the class, identifying the length of the credit agreement, the amount of each monthly payment (if given), and the total cost of the item, including all finance charges. After their presentations, display the ads on a bulletin board with the title: "How'd You Like to Buy Some of These?"
- Have students role-play buyers and sellers who are negotiating credit agreements. Make sure they talk about opportunity cost, risk, and responsibility.
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