leaird
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Posts posted by leaird
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I used Miquon with my oldest way back when and neither one of us enjoyed it. It just didn't make much sense to me at the time. Since then, we have use Math U See which also uses blocks. Math U See made much more sense to me than Miquon ever did.
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I have not read TWTM and do not know if I will ever read it. I am not one to read many homeschool help books for parents. I am not using a classical approach to homeschool my kids either. However, there is plenty here on TWTM forums to keep me happy. Everyone here seems to be so knowledgeable about different curriculums. It is also a very active forum. There is nothing more frustrating than asking a question on a forum and not receiving any responses. I don't see that happening here. I hope those of us who homeschool in ways other than classical don't bother the rest of you. We just enjoy all that TWTM boards have to offer.
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I want to extend an invitation for you to join the Apologia Yahoo Group.
The website is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Elem_Apologia_Science/. Be sure to check out the files because they have schedules people have designed for dividing the books up into a 1/2 year or a full year.
Also, the best places I have found to order the Elementary Apologia books are:
Rock Solid: www.rocksolidinc.com $24.97 (free shipping on $95+ orders)
Christian Book: www.christianbook.com $24.99 (no free shipping) :sad:
Rainbow Resource Center: www.rainbowresource.com $26.50 (free shipping on $150+ orders)
These companies price the books way below retail, which is $35/book. If you haven't done so already, order a copy of the Rainbow Resource catalog. It is as thick as a phone book!
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I am so glad I could be of some help!
We started with the Astronomy book, which is much shorter and easier than the Zoology books (IMO). I had a 3rd and 4th grader at the time. The botany book is also much shorter, but I haven't used it yet. I have it scheduled for this school year.
You can take the whole year to do one book, which will be a very relaxed pace. Or, you can move a little faster and do 2 books in a school year. We have successfully done 2 books in a year without overloading ourselves.
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I have also color-coded my kids...as well as other people's kids!
The kids are assigned specific color cups which they are to use all day long. The kid's friends get their own color, too.
My kids all have their own color towels because my teenager will use the whole closet full of towels if she can get away with it. Now she has 4 blue towels of her own and everyone knows if she steals theirs - not that it stops her. We even have four sets of different color towels for guests.
The kids have different color cordless phones for their rooms so they don't run off with mine all of the time. Again, this does not always stop them from doing it.
Of course, the school supplies are color coded as well. It just makes it easier to keep up with what belongs to each child.
Now, if only I could color-code their socks without making them look like a bunch of weirdos. :confused:
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The summer before I began homeschooling, I changed our rec room into a school room. I had a very nice school table with four chairs, tons of bins for storage, 4 bookshelves, a large dry erase board, a decorated bulletin board, etc... I used the room for about a month before I realized we were much more comfortable just lounging in the living room with our school stuff. After a year of not using the school room, we removed all of the school stuff from the room and filled it full of exercise equipment. The bad thing is that we use the exercise room even less than the school room. :lol:
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It just occured to me that you are wanting to use different books with your 3rd graders and 5th grader. The Apologia books are not written for a specific grade level. You can combine all three children in the same book. It will make your life so much easier. Believe me, I have two children that I have attempted to teach in different books. After three months, I ditched the separate curriculum and combined them in one book for my own sanity.
It is hard to get out of the "public/private school mindset." We all think we must teach our kids based on the school's scope and sequence/course of study when we first begin homeschooling. That is not necessary. Who says a 5th grader must learn about chemistry and 3rd graders must learn about life science? Some school official was given the job of dividing all the topics a child needs to learn in their school career between K and 12th grade. I am sure if you look at the scope and sequence/course of study from different states or different private schools, they will be very different. Don't let the schools dictate what your children will learn each year unless you have to.
A 3rd grader is perfectly capable of learning about any science topic a 5th grader is learning. The level of work you expect from each child will differ based on their age and ability. The 5th grader can be assigned extra reports, projects, reading, etc... However, the content of the Elementary Apologia books is more than enough for a 5th grader without adding anything extra. If your 3rd graders aren't quite able to complete an assignment, modify it to fit their ability or skip it all together.
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If you would like to see samples of the Elementary Apologia books, visit the website at https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1. Click on the title of the book and you will see several pdf files. The sample module is a complete chapter from the book. It is a wonderful way to familiarize yourself with their books.
Jeannie Fulbright has a website that you may also want to check out. The address is http://www.jeanniefulbright.com/home.html.
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Apologia does not have a Chemistry book that is appropriate for a 5th grader. The Elementary Apologia books are:
Astronomy
Botany
Flying Creatures
Swimming Creatures
Land Animals
Jeannie Fulbright, the author of the elementary series, is releasing The Human Body this summer or early fall.
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Can Growing with Grammar be purchased anywhere other than the publisher's website (www.growingwithgrammar.com)?
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My children are going to be in the 5th & 6th grades. They do well in math, but still do not know their math facts instantaneously. They tend to skip count in their hands, or worse yet on their fingers, to get the correct answer. I know this can become a major problem when they get into advanced math. I would like to incorporate some daily math fact drill into our day in an effort to correct this problem. I want it to be something that they don't dread doing. Did I mention that I hate checking papers? A computer-based program would be wonderful. Some free internet sites would be even better!
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I used BJU Math for 4th & 5th this year. I purchased the Student Materials Packet for both of my kids and did not use them at all. They just were not necessary, atleast not at their age. All it consists of is:
Fraction Bars
Rulers (inches & centimeters)
Hundred Squares, Ten Strips, & One Squares (many sheets)
Fraction Squares (shows relation of 1 whole, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, & 1/12)
Oval Shaped Counters
You can easily download any of these manipulatives online.
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The link includes an extra http:// at the end. Just delete it and you should go right there.
Hour Seven. Need more coffee.
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
I wish I was only on hour seven of planning. I think it must be more like week seven by now. It really is so much work to get everything planned out and prepared for the new school year. I know if I don't do it our homeschooling will crash and burn shortly after school begins. We get very busy with co-ops, sports, scouts, etc... and I just do not have the time or energy to do it week by week during the school year. However, I would like to get outside to see the sunshine soon. Who's with me?