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JaneP

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Posts posted by JaneP

    Hands of a Child lapbooks?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    We've done them both ways. If you buy the printed book, you can just cut out the mini-books and assemble them. If you buy the e-book, you can print out the pages and then cut and assemble. The e-book route lets you use colored paper (which is always fun). It''s cheaper to go with the e-book version since you also save on shipping. I have a laptop, so we just read the pages. It would be a little more difficult if you only have a desktop. It's nice to have the pages close to you when the kids are filling out the mini-books.

     

    I would buy the ebooks personally because you can easily print up another page if one of your kids makes a mistake. And you can choose to use colored paper if you wish. In my experience, it isn't the printing that takes the time; it's cutting out all the mini books :tongue_smilie: so if the printed versions aren't already pre cut then I don't think they would be saving you that much time.

    BJU math 7 and 8 - any updates planned?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    The 7 and 8th grade have recently been updated...I think in the last 3-4 years. My ds used the new books when he did them. The improvements were great.

     

    Thanks! Did you teach your ds or did you use one of the DL options with him?

     

    I'm asking because I want to know if I will be able to teach from the year 7 and 8 TMs without using DL dvds (etc). The elementary math Teacher Manuals look easy to use but the TM 7 and 8 look less scripted and somehow less organised... I was assuming that is because they are 2nd editions and BJU are planning on updating them to be 3rd editions like the elementary math grades. That was just a guess though :001_smile:

    math for dd10 - get the CLE TM or consider switching?

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    I think adding a word problem books would be most helpful. Singapore would be perfect IMO. CLE nails everything down needed for Algebra so well. Decimals, percents, fractions, ratios and probability and uses word problems extensively in 6th and 7th (what I used last year with my two).

     

    I understand your concerns though. Some on the boards criticize CLE very vocally for being plug in math or something like that. I have a special ed son in the public school. They try to teach 100% concepts in regular ed and special ed and it is an utter disaster. So, I want my kids to plug in until it is rote and learn the concepts too. :)

     

    My daughter did very well in Duke Tip Sat testing for 7th grade in everything but math - qualified for honors, programs etc. However, I think it was bc she hasn't had algebra or geometry yet. She was a little worried about math though, and is going through Life of Fred and Khan Academy this summer on her own- just to think about math differently. Starting with Algebra in 8th, we are using Chalkdust. I love CLE for elementary - but I don't think adding Singapore to it would add to much time. Math is soooo important to get right. HTH!.

     

     

    Thanks for sharing your experience. :) Good to hear that CLE has more word problems later on.

    math for dd10 - get the CLE TM or consider switching?

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    My daughter has had CLE math through grade 7. What kind of questions is your child unprepared for? I looked at the test samples and they were all covered in CLE. I think end of year public school testing emphasized statistics and probablility in an overkill way. Is that what you are referring to? But it is taught in CLE, maybe not drilled daily. :)

     

    I went back and had a look at my dd's MCAS completed test. She had finished CLE math 501 when she did the MCAS grade 4 test.

     

    What she really struggled with was knowing how to tackle the word problems. Sometimes she used the wrong operation; sometimes she just didn't know where to begin and guessed an answer from the multiple choice.

    There were a lot of word problems in the test.

     

    Now it could be just a difference in the scope and sequence. For example, I noticed in CLE 502 (just finished) that they introduce "hidden questions in story problems" and now they are stepping up the complexity in word problems. So she may have done better if she done CLE 502 first. Which is fine.

     

    I don't want to blame CLE for dd having trouble with the MCAS test because I just assigned it so I could see how she would do and what areas we needed to work on.

     

    We will also keep going through Singpore's CWP and obviously that should be helpful in working through word problems :001_smile:. We are still doing CWP grade/level three.

     

    Anyway..... the best thing about doing the MCAS test was that we went through it together and reworked the problems. I was able to model how to work through the word problems.

    Which is one of the reasons I was asking about either building a teaching session into CLE or switching to another curriculum which has a built in teaching session, like BJU.

    HOD Preparing ?'s

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted · Edited by JaneP

    My boys are 8. They love books and reading but one still needs hands on or at least imagination engagement to learn.

     

    How hands on is Preparing--is it all drawing only as the hands on portion? I'm wondering what it's like! I've used LHTH and LHFHG but nothing sense then.

     

    Is 8 too young for this program?? I think we would only be using the history and bible.

     

    I have been doing US history on my own. I lost my plans for ancients and I'm just not up to making new ones. I need open and go right now. I don't want to repeat US history and my boys are very interested in world history but maybe Preparing (content or style) is too old for eight?

     

    A friend told me there are some inaccuracies (historical) in A Child's History. That concerns me.

     

    I don't think 8 is too young for using Preparing as you plan. The only issue may be if you wanted to do CTC exactly as it is written the next year with your dc when they are 9. They may be fine but my dd10 is finding CTC a big jump up from Preparing.

    Please tell me more about your experience with the Robinson Curriculum.

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted · Edited by JaneP
    wasn't clear enough in my first post

    Great advice, Hunter.

     

    The only thing is that I wouldn't ever consider ordering the cds, even as a last resort. You might want to check with the yahoo group, but my understanding was that the cds used old technology which is not suited to the way we read books today on kindles etc. I may be wrong though so please ask at the RC yahoo group. They are very helpful!

    Please tell me more about your experience with the Robinson Curriculum.

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted · Edited by JaneP
    wrong info

    I haven't bought the cds or ever implemented the curriculum but I do think the simplicity of one hour writing, two hours math and two hours reading a day very appealing.

    I think the idea is that the dc school 6 days a week and don't take many holidays.

     

    In the end, I just didn't like the book lists. This was a big problem since the books are supposed to cover history, early science and of course literature! If you wanted to "do" the curriculum I would consider making my own list from sources such as Ambleside, Old fashioned Eduction, Rosegate harbour etc and then loading the books onto a kindle. Maybe you could make a book list during summer to work through the school year?

     

    When I considered the RC list I realized that if dd couldn't do the curriculum because the books were too hard to read (etc) then the curriculum would no longer be "self teaching".

     

    All the best with your plans. I can imagine how you feel and I'm sure you will find something that will suit your particular needs.

    math for dd10 - get the CLE TM or consider switching?

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    I don't know what the CLE lessons look like, but since you've used MM in the past and might happen to have the whole set, you could look at how MM presents the particular topic and then teach that on the white board before she begins the CLE lesson.

     

    I don't have the whole set but thankfully they are cheap enough to buy for that purpose and I know that the topics are well organized.

     

    I guess I am a little reluctant to try that as neither dd and I actually "got" the way math mammoth taught. I think I need something more to hold my hand through the teaching. Thanks for the suggestion though

    math for dd10 - get the CLE TM or consider switching?

    in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

    Posted

    DD10 has used CLE math from 104 - 502. It has been a good fit for her since it introduces new concepts gently and has constant review. We have supplemented CLE with math mammoth in the past and now supplement with singapore CWP.

     

    However, since we began with BJU English 5 (a week ago LOL) I realised that dd benefits from having a teaching session before she goes off and does her independent work. Now I want to do that with her math too.

     

    I don't have the CLE math TM. Just the answer key. I didn't find the TMs useful in the earlier years but maybe they are better in the higher grades?

     

    I would want a scripted math lesson, hopefully something that is laid out well and easy to use.

     

    And....... a little while ago someone here linked http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/student/2010

    When dd and I went through the grade 4 test I felt that CLE hadn't really prepared her for this kind of testing (we don't have to test or report here. I was curious)

     

    So, should I try and rework the way we using CLE or switch curriculum?

    A Beka 4th Grade Science

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thanks for the input. I am wanting to keep science challenging for my son who will be 4th while still helping my friend. Her son is 2nd. I'm planning on telling them which pages to read each week, then I'll plan activities, experiements, etc., to do when he's at my house. Do you think a 2nd grader can handle it if all they are doing is listening and reading, not doing the tests and quizzes?

     

    I think the 2nd grader might enjoy some of the topics more than others but supplementing with your hands on plans would make it more memorable. You could supplement with easier science books from the library and match to the Abeka chapter. Sometimes everyone enjoys a quick read of a short, picture science book before jumping into the heavy stuff. . . . all the best with your plans.

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