Down_the_Rabbit_Hole
-
Posts
3,873 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by Down_the_Rabbit_Hole
-
-
My dd never clicked with WWE. We are using BJU but for 4th grade she will use Wordsmith Apprentice. It has grammar review but is a writing curriculum.
-
My one regret was being to rigid schedule wise. With dd we take lots of breaks allowing her to explore interests more. It also allows her to be interested in studying things on her own. The boys were bogged down with schedules so their off time was relaxing after a hard day of school.
-
Dd had lice last year and I got the best advice from here. Use conditioner and tea tree oil. The conditioner helps the lice comb glide through and helps keep the lice from moving around. Lather it on real thick, then comb it out small sections at a time. Wash the comb in a tub of water so you can see if any lice come out. We had to do this daily for a week before we did not see any more live lice. Then every other day for a week just to catch any eggs that might have been missed and hatched, then every 3 days for a week then once more a week later. Sounds like a lot but after the 2nd time combing you get a rhythm and it moves fast.
The conditioner was the best idea since it was cheap and no harsh chemicals (which do not kill all the lice I found out).
I was horrified when she got lice and I got it too), but with the conditioner it was no biggie. We did wash all the bed sheets daily and I had sheets over all the furniture plus gave dd her own chair to use.
-
My dd had no interest in World History. I think it was just too abstract for her. I was fine dropping world history until the 5th grade year. Instead we did short studies on different topics with a historical and/or geographical subject to it for 1st and 2nd.
We first constructed a timeline so anything we studied went on the timeline. This can be as simple as a clothes line and placing the items on the line in the order they need to go. We used index cards cut in quarters and added title and date, dd sometimes drew a picture or cut one out. Each time we added a item she had to find the place where it went between.
Archeology
Genealogy
Pirates
Native American Indians
Vikings
Geography (we did cultures and countries over many months but not continually)
Map making
History of transportation
Wild West
American Symbols and iconic people
State Study
Art History
Clothes
Holidays
Social Study topics
We read lots of books with a historical setting. If she was interested in the history then we studied it too. Some times we spent a few days on a topic others a few weeks and with the geography it went over a year since we did not study it straight through. I do think it is important they learn about major countries (where they are in relation to the child and something about the country and the people) and important American (or country they live in) people and icons since these things will be seen/mentioned/celebrated and knowing something about them helps understand their own setting.
With elementary age (K-4th) you don't need to study history as a whole. Some curriculum companies don't teach history all year. It is taught half a year and the other half is science.
-
Check out Maximum Math by Kathryn Stout...it sounds like what you might be looking for:)
This is my recommendation also. We have used it in the past and found it to be very helpful. It has a list of everything needed for each grade (usually listed in groups of 2-3 grades) which you pick the order you want to teach. It also has a section on how to teach these skills in a very easy to understand, no nonsense way.
-
I once took 4 preteen boys to observe some animals at a living museum. The plan was for them to write a poem or report about one of the animals. I guess goats mate in the spring. The boys wrote some interesting poetry. :eek:
Too funny. Bet you had more then poetry questions to answer.
My boys use to try and catch the lizards when they were mating so they can pull them apart. In their defense, the mating dance of lizards does not look enjoyable to the female at all and they felt it was more humane to remove the male and free the female.
-
I am very big on nature study and will use both the big and small for study. The most interesting studies have been with things that just drop in our yard or our path. This summer has been the season of dead animals at our house. 4 dead adult birds, 2 dead baby birds, and a baby squirrel. With one of the adult birds we decided to watch it decompose. It was gross but interesting watching the different stages and insect invasion at different stages. The bird actually stayed looking like a bird, feathers intact, and slowly the bones were revealed. Nature then provided another specimen for our outdoor science table, a baby squirrel. The squirrel was most likely a new born and dropped from the nest (part of the skull was exposed but no bite marks so we think it was dropped on purpose), it had no fur and eyes not open yet. However the decomposition of a mammal is not the same as a bird. It took 3 days from going from a formed carcass to a pile of goo with a head. :ack2: and last night it rained...who knows where the goo has gone, dreading going out there. I am now thinking not EVERYTHING nature gives us needs to be studied quite so closely.
-
Hm... The first thing that jumps out at me is that some of them are massively longer than others. And while it shouldn't matter, realistically, for many kids, it does. So even if the language in Encyclopedia Brown might be harder than, say, Little House - it's so much shorter and that would have made a big difference to my kids when they were in second grade. Honestly, it still kind of would, though less so.
This and also look at the length of chapters. My dd used this as a deciding factor on whether a book was hard or not.
-
We are using ACE Paces for Chemistry. We just finished the first Pace and my son has actually enjoyed it (he has been dreading doing chemistry). This course does not have labs but my ds hates labs anyway so he likes this. According to him the writing was easy to understand without it being "babyish" and "actually interesting". The first Pace introduced the subject, gave some history, and taught temperature conversions and significant numbers. Comparing it to Apologia, the Paces cover pretty much the same things. I feel confident he is getting a good chemistry course with the Paces and since he is enjoying it he is more apt to learn it. The paces cost very little (I think it was about $40 for all 12 Paces and answer keys) and he works alone.I just grade his quizzes and booklet test, the rest he checks himself (he is trust worthy).
-
We have only used TT for the upper levels, Algebra 2 and now Geometry. My son HATED math and now he says it is one of his best subjects. He also says he finally gets it (Algebra that is). I have found even if a curriculum might be on the light side (not saying TT is for us but for some it might be), sometimes the lack of complication makes the concepts easier to grasp. For me it is the concept I want my son to learn, not how to solve massive equations with lots of twists and tricks (these types are not on your average test anyway).
-
I have been contemplating the idea of doing math journals this year. I'm just trying to figure out how to fit doing them into our schedule. It's fairly easy for my youngest, but for my 3rd and 5th grader, I find their schedules to be too full already. :( I have tons of ideas of what to put in them (have been to numerous blogs, etc), but just can't figure out when and how much time.
So, for those of you that do a math journal (or notebook, or whatever you may call it), when do you do them and how long does it take your kids to work on?
We dropped all math curriculum and just played math and wrote math journal pages. I only did this 3 x a week but we did do daily math fact practice. On the days we worked in our journal it could take 5 mins to over an hour depending on what we did and how much dd was having fun.
To make sure I covered the necessary topics I used Maximim Math (a book that lists topics needing to be covered for grade groups) and this web site http://mathlearnnc.sharpschool.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4507283&pageId=4993281.
-
Neat seeing this old thread. Our year using a math journal was one of the best we had and I have been thinking of doing another. I know dd would love it. I will say that it was more work for me though. I had to find fun and interesting ways to learn and journal each concept without them feeling too mathy. Coming up with ideas to write about math was hard but the web site, http://mathlearnnc.sharpschool.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4507283&pageId=4993281, had weekly writing prompts that helped.
I feel the year we dropped the math curriculum and did just math journaling and playing math was pivotal in my dd's learning math. It removed the pressure of math workpages/ curriculum and gave her a more relaxed way to learn math allowing her confidence to build in this area. She still does not like math but she does not approach the subject anymore with an I can't do it attitude which was causing a block for her.
-
Like the PP said, depends on the subject. Anything that will be made into a bound book at the end of school gets put on white printer paper or graph paper if lines are needed. This way when it is time to get the books made the edges wont have any holes in them to weaken the pages for the printer. If the work is not going to be saved then it will be in a notebook. I don't use loose leaf much except for rough draft work or for the lines where we then cut out the work and glue it to printer paper.
-
Not exactly what you are looking for but thought I would mention Beautiful Feet books has a curriculum on the History of Science. They are a Christian company and this curriculum has a Christian bent to it. We really enjoyed it and it does compare thinking of the scientists with Biblical backing or things along those lines.
-
Next week hubby and I will be married 25 yrs. We will do the dinner thing but I would like to get him a small (not expensive) gift. I am stumped. I know he LOVES chocolate and I usually get him some special chocolate but wasn't sure I want to get that for him this year since it is a big one. Any ideas?
-
Just picked it up at the library and am curious. The jacket flap mentions this being by J.K Rowling writing under the name Robert Galbraith. So if the jacket lets you know it is really J. K. Rowling writing it then why all the flap about her secret identity being leaked? Was there another jacket for the book before this news was leaked?
Also has anyone read this...is it worth my time ?
-
Henry and Ribsy books
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Bad Kitty books
Wally McDoogle books (some Christian content)
Geronimo Stilton books
-
He has been reading the ones written by Randy Singer. They do have Christian content if that is an issue. I like them because they are similar to John Grisham books but more suitable for a 12 year old. Actually, I can't remember if John Grisham's regular books are ok for a 12 year old... are they??
The Theodore Boone books are written by Grisham for children/youth. We have listened to the first one on audio and I never felt there was anything in it that would be too mature. My 8yr old enjoyed it as well as my 16yr old and me. We plan on listening to more.
There are some things in the adult Grisham books I would not let a 12 yr old read yet.
-
For fun he could read the Theodore Boone books.
-
I have a notebook that has the full 12 years planned out for each child. This of course gets changed each year along with notes added. It is fun to go back and see what I had planned out for each child and wonder "what was I thinking?"
-
I don't like the fact that quotes can be moves about. Some quotes taken out of context could bring a different meaning to the quote. If it is in a social group you cannot access how can you know your quote is being used correctly or not altered in any way? The more I think about it, I don't like this at all.
-
Masterpiece
Shakespeare's Secret
-
I ship books with media mail but I insure it. This gives a tracking number plus peace of mind. I find if the item is insured it will arrive with minimal handling damage.
-
No and no.
Chemistry is a hit!
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
I wrestled with what to use for chemistry for my ds for a long time. He DID NOT want to do this subject. He hated biology and doing another year of science he was not going to like was real upsetting to both him and me. After an extensive search I found ACE Paces Chemistry. This is not a rigorous Chemistry class and does not contain labs, however it does cover most of the topics a High School Chemistry text covers. It will give the student a general overview of Chemistry, enough for general college admission tests and other tests (like ASVAB).
My son approached the first Pace booklet with a bias against the book and chemistry....very negative attitude to start the class with. After the first days readings and work he mumbled something about it being okay for that day. After the first week he gave a positive comment about it not being to bad. Last week he finished the first booklet with a score of 91. During these few weeks he did not complain once, all work was done on time, and I even got a few "it's not so bad" out of him.
The first booklet covered the history of Chemistry, what chemistry is, scientific numbers, and temperature conversions. I felt the daily work for the math portions was not too light, giving a generous amount of problems to master the skill.
I am so thankful to have found this curriculum. Even though it is not rigorous, he is learning about chemistry and more importantly enjoying it and retaining it. With the biology last year we used BJU then Apologia...he has not retained much from either, and in my opinion this means a wasted year. This year he is only scheduled to do 6 of the 12 Paces with plans to fill in the rest of the year with work on the Micro Chem kit and reading books about chemistry and biographies on chemists. Chemistry labs are suppose to be offered once a month at the homeschool assist program this year and he will do these also.
I am posting this for those looking for a chemistry option that will give basic knowledge on the subject for a child not interested in chemistry. This course will not work for a child interested in a more in depth chemistry course or will be seeking a degree in science.