Jump to content

Menu
Giving You and Your Child a Road Map to the Best Possible Education
The Well-Trained Mind Community

carriecs

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    47

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by carriecs

    Favorite American history chapter books?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Hi all!

     

    I would LOVE to see your recommendations for fun/interesting chapter books my eight year old son might enjoy reading while studying American history this year.  

     

    **Bonus points for anyone with Virginia history chapter book suggestions**  :001_smile:

     

    So far my list is the following: Ben and Me, The Matchlock Gun, and Cinnabar the One O'Clock Fox.  I am feeling overwhelmed with the vast selection of books and thought my hive friends could point me to some gems.   ^_^

     

    Thanks!!!

    ~Carrie

    learning Sudoku

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Try Colorku... It is a version with marble in colors instead of numbers. It has been great to teach mine. We just do the puzzles together and I would walk them through te steps, talking out the thought process. They start to think in terms of the logic and there are a number if different levels included in the game. I know you can get it at Mindware, but try probably have it in amazon too...

     

    How fantastic! I am definitely putting this at the top of my Christmas wish list.

     

    Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions and ideas. I feel so much better equipped to introduce Sudoku in ways each of my kids will best understand. Yay!!!

    learning Sudoku

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Here you go... easier than standard sudoku, but the same rules. I started my DS on these, and he LOVES them.

     

    THANK YOU for this link! I used to print off krazydad mazes for my kids all the time, but this summer my laptop died and I lost all my favorite bookmarks (I can never remember the addresses on my own :) ). These puzzles are just the type I was hoping to find to start my older two with getting how Sudoku-type puzzles works. Thank you!!!!!

    learning Sudoku

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Thank you for the suggestions! The jigasawdoku one especially looks like a good start for my kids.

     

    I feel like I need to clarify my wording in my first post - I am just looking for assistance in introducing Sudoku to my kids so they understand how the puzzle works and can complete it on their own, at their own levels. That is what I meant by "complete Sudoku Puzzles." I am not looking for ways to teach them short cuts. :001_smile: I'm hoping to add Sudoku puzzles to activities they can do when I need to do school one-on-one with another.

     

    Thanks again!!!

    learning Sudoku

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Hello! I've been searching, with no success, for a good website to assist me in teaching my kids how to complete Sudoku puzzles. As you can see from my signature, my kids are early elementary ages, so a site that has easy puzzles that graduate into harder ones would be a great fit. So far, I have mostly come across sites with one level puzzles.

     

    Anyone have any suggestions? Or experience introducing Sudoku at these ages?

     

    Thanks!!!

    What's your second grader doing?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Hello! You can see in my signature most of the programs my second grader is using. He also uses an MCP Phonics book & HWT. We are using All About Spelling . . when I remember to use it, slacker mom that I am. ;-)

     

    I also wanted to throw in that we started using Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett over the summer. It was my attempt at having fun but keeping "school" going without my kids realizing it. :-) Anyway, my second grader in particular has enjoyed the ones we have used. I am working on a plan to incorporate more unit studies into our science time.

    Does anyone know the difference in editios of Well trained mind?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    It's just DETAILED. It's "homeschooling classically for dummies". As a first-time homeschooler, I needed every one of those details to truly believe I could do this, and could do it well. I wanted to see exactly what the ideal goals were before 1st grade, exactly what order to introduce new subjects, what subjects to introduce when, which curricula, and for how many minutes. It does that.

     

    I'm one who needs scripted programs too. :)

     

    SWB & JW put the details in at the insistence of the publisher, but didn't really want them in there, so once they had established themselves, they were able to remove them.

     

    They know nobody follows the schedules to the tee, but those schedules are still extremely useful. I can say to myself "SWB, whose favorite subject is history, puts x minutes on history in 1st grade. To me, music is more important, so I will put a few less minutes in history, and a few more in music."

     

    The schedules really probably aren't needed. *I* just needed them for confidence.

     

    Cool! I will definitely have to check them out when a first edition copy is free at my library. I SO understand what you said about needing them for confidence. I know that experience/time will help me build my confidence but great resources can boost it, too! Thanks for sharing!

    Does anyone know the difference in editios of Well trained mind?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    The 1st edition included schedules that the publisher insisted be included. I LOVE those schedules! I don't adhere to them by any means, but they give such a clear nuts & bolts picture that they are a great starting point. I'm not sure I would have been confident enough to pull together various things without those schedules - I think I would have felt like I had to go with a box program to be sure I had all my bases covered. The 1st edition also gave great notebooking suggestions, which are perfect for covering your bases if you are required to keep a portfolio for legal purposes.

     

    I'm so curious about these schedules! How are they different than what is listed in the chapters on schedules in the second and third editions?

     

    Of course, both copies of the first edition are presently checked out at my library. :)

    Writing the SWB way...does it work?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I really needed this thread today! It is a wonderful reminder that right now my job (via WWE & FLL) is laying the foundation for my kids to really learn how to write and, hopefully, write well. Sometimes I get too caught up in comparisons. I'll see school work posted on my friends' refrigerators and start worrying that I'm not doing enough with my kids. Thank you momsuz123 for posting your question and to all those who answered!

    Looking for neat gift ideas for my insect enthusiast & my rock collector

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

     

    I cannot believe we do not have that book! But I'm also glad so now I can gift it to my bug catcher! :001_smile: Thanks!

    Looking for neat gift ideas for my insect enthusiast & my rock collector

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    Hello friends!

     

    I am trying to find some neat (okay, yes, maybe educational-ish) gifts to support the interests of my boys. My six year old is all about bugs. And my eight year old has been adding to his rock collection for several years now.

     

    Of course, we have tons of books on each subject. :) I was wondering if anyone else had kids with similar interests and could suggest ideas or activities I could turn into gifts. I'm not feeling very creative with my gift ideas so I need some help! Thanks!

    It really does take a full "work day" to do school

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Once, while I was in the middle of grammar and writing with my kids, he sat down at the table and literally PASSED A NOTE to my 8yo. :banghead: True story.

     

    That is so funny to me. Probably not so much for you at the time, but it gave me a much needed laugh this morning! Thank you for sharing!

     

    BTW, I think this will take some getting used to, that I actually resolve in my mind, heart, body, soul, and everything within me that I REALLY need to spend this much time with homeschooling each work day, and that's just the right thing to do (for our kids & our family - not trying to preach or anything). :tongue_smilie:

     

    JenniferB, this year I am (finally!) finding that resolve and its been quite freeing for me, but I am still getting used to it. I have this lovely tendency to stress out so when our school time would stretch into the late afternoon I would, well, stress out. ;) For me having the mindset that homeschooling IS my full-time job has really helped me. I now expect our school day to be a full day - sounds kind of simple but it made a big change for me (who thought we'd have our afternoons free to frolic & be like homeschoolers in a glossy magazine ad). :) We do take plenty of breaks during our school day - their ages kind of dictate that.

     

    Now if only this resolve carried over into house stuff and helped me tackle the laundry piles . . .

    OPGTR- can you buy this/these separately??

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    "2 magnetic letter boards (1 set of the board and letters, 1 additional letter storage board)"

     

    I already got the book, and am about to purchase the flash cards. I believe they use the magnets in the book at some point, but I see no way to just buy that from PHP??

     

    I did not see an option to purchase the letter board separately on the Peace Hill Press site. I searched and found one on amazon.com (I also already owned the OPGTR). I believe it's called "fun with letters magnets" or something along those lines. I've found an extra magnet board for letter storage unnecessary. I store the letters in labeled sandwich bags ("capital vowels", "lowercase vowels", etc).

     

    I also chose to make my flashcards using index cards and permanent markers. But I think the flash cards are reasonably priced.

     

    So, we do use the "extras!" :) With my oldest I did not use the letter board every time it was suggested. He liked creating the words and I'm glad it was available for reinforcing what he was learning. My younger two often request to use the letters & board with their reading lessons - especially since they watched their brother use it.

    Anyone use an IPAD with homeschooling ?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    I don't have an IPAD but my husband asked me if I would like one for Christmas to use to keep a homeschool schedule and do applications for the kids ie. writing assignments etc.

    I am also wondering if you can use enhanced CDs or student worksheet CDs and convert them to PDF files then put them on the IPAD and write directly on the worksheets with the stylis ? It would be nice to be able to do worksheets directly on the IPAD and not have to photocopy so much.

    I would love to hear any feedback or experience that you might have with an IPAD for doing school and or scheduling/record keeping.

    Blessings,

    AM

     

    Just thought I'd share my two cents. :) After reading all these great replies to your questions, I realize there are so many ways I can utilize and incorporate my iPad into our homeschooling. It's exciting!

     

    Presently I use my iPad to keep one or more of my kids occupied when I need one-on-one instruction time with another. My rule is that it has to be an educational app or show. My kids love Rocket Math and Dinosaur Chess. My younger two also enjoy abc phonics. I try to set them up with something that will reinforce what they are working on that week.

     

    I make use of the Netflix app (since we subscribe to the instant streaming) so they can watch a nature or animal show - esp if my one-on-one time needs to run longer.

     

    I do not just use the iPad for keeping the kiddos occupied though. I use it with my read alouds for history, science, and art & music. It is fantastic to have quick access to real photos of Ancient Egyptian art or the solar system, how to properly pronounce names and places in The Odyssey, or explore & listen to classical music sections.

     

    I am looking forward to loading my PDFs to my iPad and trying out how the stylus works. Thanks for posting your question. I've learned much from all the responses! :)

×
×
  • Create New...