Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Silent reading: Peter Pan by J.M. Barre and American Girl's Money-Makers Book by Ingrid Roper
*Made envelope packs (project from the AG book)
*Outdoor play, shoveling snow and sledding today-lots of excersize! (It would have been a snow day if she'd been in school)
*Multiplication Quizzes-3 pages on multiplying with 4 and 1 pages on multiplying with 5. Plus oral quizzing from me & a bit from her Aunt.
*Computer play
*Making booklets-crayon, staple, notebook paper project. Simple, but self-directed and fun.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Began United States Regions: Standards Based Social Studies Reproducible book by the Clever Factory, INC. Read introduction to United States Regions and completed the New England Section.
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Spelling: Syllables-4 pages
*Silent reading: Peter Pan by J.M. Barre
School was interrupted by an afternoon visit with Pop-Pop (He came early for an appt. I had that got cancelled but he was already here to watch the kids for me when they cancelled. ). The kids played with lincoln logs. I showed Leanna how to make supper (simple-frying sausage, buttered noodles and mashed potatoes), she did dishes, put away laundry, swept & cleaned the table.
*Began United States Regions: Standards Based Social Studies Reproducible book by the Clever Factory, INC. Read introduction to United States Regions and completed the New England Section.
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Spelling: Syllables-4 pages
*Silent reading: Peter Pan by J.M. Barre
School was interrupted by an afternoon visit with Pop-Pop (He came early for an appt. I had that got cancelled but he was already here to watch the kids for me when they cancelled. ). The kids played with lincoln logs. I showed Leanna how to make supper (simple-frying sausage, buttered noodles and mashed potatoes), she did dishes, put away laundry, swept & cleaned the table.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Re-wrote letter to Deb (final version) and added stickers and addressed the envelope
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Context Clues
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Main Idea
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Sequencing
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Book Titles-2 pages
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills
*10 Things I Learned in 2010 Lapbook finished
*Girl Scouts-redidication ceremony (we attended as a family)
*Re-wrote letter to Deb (final version) and added stickers and addressed the envelope
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Context Clues
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Main Idea
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Sequencing
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills, Book Titles-2 pages
*Comprehensive Curriculum: Reading Skills
*10 Things I Learned in 2010 Lapbook finished
*Girl Scouts-redidication ceremony (we attended as a family)
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Timeline box idea
An idea I found on Heart of the Matter Online:
When we were still fairly new to homeschooling, a friend suggested we begin a perpetual timeline that would grow right along with my son, now sons. It was one of those advice nuggets I’m so glad we heeded. This timeline has been a tool we’ve used continually each and every year, it’s simple to implement, and it’s both versatile and portable. Here’s how we did it.
We purchased an ordinary card-file box from the office supply store along with big packs of blue, pink, green and purple colored index cards. I made a key and taped it to the inside lid of the box for reference. Each of the four card colors was designated to a category: Distant Past is blue (Creation to 1500 A.D.), Past is pink (1500 to 1950), Recent Past is green (1950 to 2004) and Present is purple (which was 2004 at the time). You can change your designations if it suits you. 2004 was simply when we began this.
Each time we study a certain event we put the year (or the specific date if we know it) in the upper right hand corner of the correct color card. On the left side of the card we write a simple explanation of the important occurrence.
I let the children file them in order. Once filed, I ask them to pull out the three cards that come before and after our new event. We read them to get some perspective on what was going on in the world at about the same time. This sometimes makes us curious to know more and we find ourselves chasing some fun rabbits while we thumb through more and more cards. That’s the gist of the process. Simple, right?
After several years now, our box is now delightfully full. We continue to add to it and use it over and over again in several different ways:
1.Looking through it we enjoy recalling all of the time we’ve spent together studying various histories and inventions. It gives us a little sentimental review on nearly everything that we’ve covered in our home school.
2.When we’re doing a specific study we can make a customized timeline. For example, when we studied the Presidents of the United States, we rolled out a length of butcher paper and taped each Presidents’ tenure card along the middle of the sheet in order. We left space between them in order to note what other events happened during their term. This simply gave us a different lens through which to interpret our timeline. When we were done, we trimmed the tape off and slipped the cards back into their cardfile home. Therefore, there are no huge timeline charts adorning our walls or doors for more time than necessary.
3.We’ve interspersed white index cards throughout our box containing events in our State’s history. At a glance, we know what was happening in Colorado at the same time the combustible engine came about and the Statue of Liberty was unveiled.
4.At times, my young boys have filled the cards out serving as handwriting practice.
5.I’ve been known to dump a fistful of cards onto the floor and had my kids put them all back in order again. It’s a great sequencing practice and figuring out that B.C./A.D. order switch is very important.
6.We’ve used them for charade review games. Choose a certain era and have them pick a card to act out.
7.Naturally, our Present section is instantly outdated, but it’s still a valuable portion. First of all, at a glance they can see what has occurred in the years since they were young. It’s a personal history section that weaves their lives in with the story of the world and I’ve found that they feel very affirmed seeing their life events among things of such importance as Presidential elections and World Series winners. Secondly, when I have them do autobiographical writings they can refer to these cards for writing prompts and write about their interactions with lunar eclipses and the rumblings of Mt. St. Helens in our old backyard.
Of course, you don’t have to use this method in order to have an effective timeline, but there are several things I like about it. One, because I don’t like living in a schoolroom I have a readily available tool that is not doubling as home décor. Two, it’s something the boys create and interact with personally, rather than a prepackaged item they have no connection to. And three, on our most insane days, I have proof that we’ve really accomplished something all these years.
I’ve seen other fantastic timeline ideas at curriculum fairs, in my friend’s homes and here on Heart of the Matter Online. Whatever you choose, make sure it can grow with you and build on your child’s knowledge year after year after year.
Debra Anderson has three sons ages 11 and younger. Her passions are education, mentoring, her husband, writing, church ministry and missional living — not in that order. She has her seminary Masters degree in Christian Education, is married to her pastor-husband of 16 years, and resides in their newish home in Denver, CO. In spite of moves between four different states, she has always home educated her boys — even on the hard days. She maintains a blog at www.emergent-homeschool.blogspot.com.
When we were still fairly new to homeschooling, a friend suggested we begin a perpetual timeline that would grow right along with my son, now sons. It was one of those advice nuggets I’m so glad we heeded. This timeline has been a tool we’ve used continually each and every year, it’s simple to implement, and it’s both versatile and portable. Here’s how we did it.
We purchased an ordinary card-file box from the office supply store along with big packs of blue, pink, green and purple colored index cards. I made a key and taped it to the inside lid of the box for reference. Each of the four card colors was designated to a category: Distant Past is blue (Creation to 1500 A.D.), Past is pink (1500 to 1950), Recent Past is green (1950 to 2004) and Present is purple (which was 2004 at the time). You can change your designations if it suits you. 2004 was simply when we began this.
Each time we study a certain event we put the year (or the specific date if we know it) in the upper right hand corner of the correct color card. On the left side of the card we write a simple explanation of the important occurrence.
I let the children file them in order. Once filed, I ask them to pull out the three cards that come before and after our new event. We read them to get some perspective on what was going on in the world at about the same time. This sometimes makes us curious to know more and we find ourselves chasing some fun rabbits while we thumb through more and more cards. That’s the gist of the process. Simple, right?
After several years now, our box is now delightfully full. We continue to add to it and use it over and over again in several different ways:
1.Looking through it we enjoy recalling all of the time we’ve spent together studying various histories and inventions. It gives us a little sentimental review on nearly everything that we’ve covered in our home school.
2.When we’re doing a specific study we can make a customized timeline. For example, when we studied the Presidents of the United States, we rolled out a length of butcher paper and taped each Presidents’ tenure card along the middle of the sheet in order. We left space between them in order to note what other events happened during their term. This simply gave us a different lens through which to interpret our timeline. When we were done, we trimmed the tape off and slipped the cards back into their cardfile home. Therefore, there are no huge timeline charts adorning our walls or doors for more time than necessary.
3.We’ve interspersed white index cards throughout our box containing events in our State’s history. At a glance, we know what was happening in Colorado at the same time the combustible engine came about and the Statue of Liberty was unveiled.
4.At times, my young boys have filled the cards out serving as handwriting practice.
5.I’ve been known to dump a fistful of cards onto the floor and had my kids put them all back in order again. It’s a great sequencing practice and figuring out that B.C./A.D. order switch is very important.
6.We’ve used them for charade review games. Choose a certain era and have them pick a card to act out.
7.Naturally, our Present section is instantly outdated, but it’s still a valuable portion. First of all, at a glance they can see what has occurred in the years since they were young. It’s a personal history section that weaves their lives in with the story of the world and I’ve found that they feel very affirmed seeing their life events among things of such importance as Presidential elections and World Series winners. Secondly, when I have them do autobiographical writings they can refer to these cards for writing prompts and write about their interactions with lunar eclipses and the rumblings of Mt. St. Helens in our old backyard.
Of course, you don’t have to use this method in order to have an effective timeline, but there are several things I like about it. One, because I don’t like living in a schoolroom I have a readily available tool that is not doubling as home décor. Two, it’s something the boys create and interact with personally, rather than a prepackaged item they have no connection to. And three, on our most insane days, I have proof that we’ve really accomplished something all these years.
I’ve seen other fantastic timeline ideas at curriculum fairs, in my friend’s homes and here on Heart of the Matter Online. Whatever you choose, make sure it can grow with you and build on your child’s knowledge year after year after year.
Debra Anderson has three sons ages 11 and younger. Her passions are education, mentoring, her husband, writing, church ministry and missional living — not in that order. She has her seminary Masters degree in Christian Education, is married to her pastor-husband of 16 years, and resides in their newish home in Denver, CO. In spite of moves between four different states, she has always home educated her boys — even on the hard days. She maintains a blog at www.emergent-homeschool.blogspot.com.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Silent reading: Harry Potter(finished)
*Worked on copying 6th grade sight words & definitions, including recopying lists when she deemed them too sloppy. ( list 6,7,89,10 on 6th grade words.)
*Listed 10 things I learned in 2010-this involved our going back through our pictures and remembering things that we did over the year, then talking about what lessons we'd learned.
*Leanna also worked on a longer and better list of New Year's Resolutions. She told me she's always had tons of ideas floating around in her head, she just didn't want to write them down. It took a while to get her into it, but she finally wrote a (neat!) list of resolutions. She read them to me and explained them. This also lead to a discussion on how electric is one of our biggest bills and on ways to save energy.
*She took an online quiz on the Laura Ingalls Wilder timeline (info about Laura's life) and got one wrong out of ten. This was also self-directed.
*Later on she began copying her list of things she learned in 2010 into a lapbook. (This took longer than you'd think). I think tomorrow we'll add some color to make it look nicer, but all the pieces are in the book now.
*Silent reading: Harry Potter(finished)
*Worked on copying 6th grade sight words & definitions, including recopying lists when she deemed them too sloppy. ( list 6,7,89,10 on 6th grade words.)
*Listed 10 things I learned in 2010-this involved our going back through our pictures and remembering things that we did over the year, then talking about what lessons we'd learned.
*Leanna also worked on a longer and better list of New Year's Resolutions. She told me she's always had tons of ideas floating around in her head, she just didn't want to write them down. It took a while to get her into it, but she finally wrote a (neat!) list of resolutions. She read them to me and explained them. This also lead to a discussion on how electric is one of our biggest bills and on ways to save energy.
*She took an online quiz on the Laura Ingalls Wilder timeline (info about Laura's life) and got one wrong out of ten. This was also self-directed.
*Later on she began copying her list of things she learned in 2010 into a lapbook. (This took longer than you'd think). I think tomorrow we'll add some color to make it look nicer, but all the pieces are in the book now.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Music Ideas
Here are a handful of ideas to take this enormous span of music and narrow it to suit a normal day-in-the-life of a typical homeschooler:
■During reading time, play some Palestrina choral music, such as this CD. Palestrina has an ethereal and calming quality that fits perfectly in down times. We have been known to have “Palestrina parties” (my husband’s invention) when all of the kids have to conduct what they hear. Of course, for them it simply means waving their arms to the beat and the shape of the music.
■While flipping through a book of art by Monet, Degas, Renoir or Cassatt, play Debussy, who wrote music in the impressionistic style that paralleled the same movement in the art world.
■During the Christmas season, while decorating the tree or wrapping presents, play some Giovanni Gabrieli brass music or Handel’s Messiah. The story behind the Messiah is an inspiring one.
■While learning about kings and queens of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, listen to Handel’s Water Music and Fire Music suites. If you’re feeling up to it, learn some Baroque Dance moves.
■Watch Fantasia with your children. The music from the video includes Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, and Dukas.
■While learning about Napoleon and his time, listen to Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony. Beethoven wrote it as a tribute to Napoleon, but then rescinded that dedication when Napoleon betrayed the people. Check out this book from the library.
■Listen to the entire Mozart Requiem and have your children come up with 5 adjectives for each movement. The movements are so diverse and beg for discussion. The story behind the Requiem is fascinating as well, as it was unfinished at Mozart’s death. Mystery, intrigue, illness all figure in to the end of Mozart’s life.
■Many pieces have a specific story that they illustrate (think “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” in Fantasia) or a something that they represent. Listen to “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev, Saint Saens’ “Carnival of the Animals”, or Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition. Get a book on the subject to look through and then have the kids draw or write about what they are hearing.
■Mike Venezia’s books on composer’s are favorites in our home. They give interesting and easily readable life stories of many of the well-known composers I have mentioned. They are cheap too!
■Have fun at this website trying to put the composers in their time periods once you’ve explored some of their music in the activities above.
Music need not be a difficult “Do I have to??” addition to your homeschool. Five to ten minutes of planning and web surfing per week could allow you one great lesson. Or, better yet, let the music speak for itself as you play it around the house or in the car. Make the choice to include it, and you and your children will be blessed.
Christine is a Christian, homeschooling mom to three boys and a girl, ranging in age from 9 to 2 years old. She is a musician by trade, eclectic in homeschool style, and continues to grow and learn along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. Visit her blog at Fruit in Season.
■During reading time, play some Palestrina choral music, such as this CD. Palestrina has an ethereal and calming quality that fits perfectly in down times. We have been known to have “Palestrina parties” (my husband’s invention) when all of the kids have to conduct what they hear. Of course, for them it simply means waving their arms to the beat and the shape of the music.
■While flipping through a book of art by Monet, Degas, Renoir or Cassatt, play Debussy, who wrote music in the impressionistic style that paralleled the same movement in the art world.
■During the Christmas season, while decorating the tree or wrapping presents, play some Giovanni Gabrieli brass music or Handel’s Messiah. The story behind the Messiah is an inspiring one.
■While learning about kings and queens of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, listen to Handel’s Water Music and Fire Music suites. If you’re feeling up to it, learn some Baroque Dance moves.
■Watch Fantasia with your children. The music from the video includes Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, and Dukas.
■While learning about Napoleon and his time, listen to Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony. Beethoven wrote it as a tribute to Napoleon, but then rescinded that dedication when Napoleon betrayed the people. Check out this book from the library.
■Listen to the entire Mozart Requiem and have your children come up with 5 adjectives for each movement. The movements are so diverse and beg for discussion. The story behind the Requiem is fascinating as well, as it was unfinished at Mozart’s death. Mystery, intrigue, illness all figure in to the end of Mozart’s life.
■Many pieces have a specific story that they illustrate (think “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” in Fantasia) or a something that they represent. Listen to “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev, Saint Saens’ “Carnival of the Animals”, or Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition. Get a book on the subject to look through and then have the kids draw or write about what they are hearing.
■Mike Venezia’s books on composer’s are favorites in our home. They give interesting and easily readable life stories of many of the well-known composers I have mentioned. They are cheap too!
■Have fun at this website trying to put the composers in their time periods once you’ve explored some of their music in the activities above.
Music need not be a difficult “Do I have to??” addition to your homeschool. Five to ten minutes of planning and web surfing per week could allow you one great lesson. Or, better yet, let the music speak for itself as you play it around the house or in the car. Make the choice to include it, and you and your children will be blessed.
Christine is a Christian, homeschooling mom to three boys and a girl, ranging in age from 9 to 2 years old. She is a musician by trade, eclectic in homeschool style, and continues to grow and learn along with her children in this journey of life and discipleship at home. Visit her blog at Fruit in Season.
Monday, January 3, 2010
Schoolwork Accomplished:
*Multiplication.com play 2-3 hours on multiplication games and a video on multiplication.
*Read outloud the list of fourth grade sight words and went over definitions of words she didn't know-which was one word-Empathy. She made up sentences for most of the words (her own doing, I didn't request it). She went and printed out lists for fifth and sixth grade sight words as well, and began keeping a notebook of the sightwords and their definitions.
*Silent reading: Nancy Drew and the Secret of the Wooden Lady by Caroline Keene (finished the book) & Harry Potter by JK Rowling.
*Leanna painted a piece of wooden doll furniture (a breakfront) that she got for Christmas.
*Later at night a multiplication quiz (to see what she'd retained). 2 X tables, about 3 minutes to complete, 0 wrong, 3X tables, 3 min. 31 sec., 2 wrong. and the 4X tables she wrote down instead of doing the online quiz-when she did them in order it took 1 minute, none wrong. Then she mixed them up and this time it took 3 minutes, with 2 wrong.
*We talked about New Year's Resolutions and made a list of personal, family/friend, and outside world resolutions. We'll work on this more tomorrow.
**the boys and I did some counting to 100 practice and each did a page of math plus Timothy worked on some letters. Timothy glued the pieces on his car (a Melissa & Doug set) and later painted it and added stickers. Justin put the PerfectCast mold into his shark/teeth molds. And later painted them.
***Note, we did some "schoolwork" over our Christmas break. Never a full schoolday though, but if you added it all up it would amount to a day or two of school. I'd like to note that Leanna did it on her own as well. Lots of reading-Nancy Drew books, she even began Harry Potter! (I'm looking forward to her reaction to that one!) We watched some MythBusters, we did the Mentos/Diet Soda experiment and I explained it plus had her watch a video which also explained the science of it. She wrote a letter to her Aunt, did some multiplication, looked up info online, plus a lot of Webkinz play which includes $ management, decisions, lots of play on Quizzies Corner which means answering questions in various subjects. She also helped her brothers on Webkinz, so she got some teaching experience in there as well! We did lots of arts and crafts-using paint, wood, stones, foam, stickers, etc. She did a little bit of sewing (made a sleeping bag for Justin's little cowboy woody). She began reading Art Fraud Detective by Anna Nilson.(it involves searching the pictures of great art for details and deciding which ones are frauds and you read info on the real painting/artist). And more that I can't think of right now.
*Multiplication.com play 2-3 hours on multiplication games and a video on multiplication.
*Read outloud the list of fourth grade sight words and went over definitions of words she didn't know-which was one word-Empathy. She made up sentences for most of the words (her own doing, I didn't request it). She went and printed out lists for fifth and sixth grade sight words as well, and began keeping a notebook of the sightwords and their definitions.
*Silent reading: Nancy Drew and the Secret of the Wooden Lady by Caroline Keene (finished the book) & Harry Potter by JK Rowling.
*Leanna painted a piece of wooden doll furniture (a breakfront) that she got for Christmas.
*Later at night a multiplication quiz (to see what she'd retained). 2 X tables, about 3 minutes to complete, 0 wrong, 3X tables, 3 min. 31 sec., 2 wrong. and the 4X tables she wrote down instead of doing the online quiz-when she did them in order it took 1 minute, none wrong. Then she mixed them up and this time it took 3 minutes, with 2 wrong.
*We talked about New Year's Resolutions and made a list of personal, family/friend, and outside world resolutions. We'll work on this more tomorrow.
**the boys and I did some counting to 100 practice and each did a page of math plus Timothy worked on some letters. Timothy glued the pieces on his car (a Melissa & Doug set) and later painted it and added stickers. Justin put the PerfectCast mold into his shark/teeth molds. And later painted them.
***Note, we did some "schoolwork" over our Christmas break. Never a full schoolday though, but if you added it all up it would amount to a day or two of school. I'd like to note that Leanna did it on her own as well. Lots of reading-Nancy Drew books, she even began Harry Potter! (I'm looking forward to her reaction to that one!) We watched some MythBusters, we did the Mentos/Diet Soda experiment and I explained it plus had her watch a video which also explained the science of it. She wrote a letter to her Aunt, did some multiplication, looked up info online, plus a lot of Webkinz play which includes $ management, decisions, lots of play on Quizzies Corner which means answering questions in various subjects. She also helped her brothers on Webkinz, so she got some teaching experience in there as well! We did lots of arts and crafts-using paint, wood, stones, foam, stickers, etc. She did a little bit of sewing (made a sleeping bag for Justin's little cowboy woody). She began reading Art Fraud Detective by Anna Nilson.(it involves searching the pictures of great art for details and deciding which ones are frauds and you read info on the real painting/artist). And more that I can't think of right now.
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