Hoot
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Posts posted by Hoot
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Oh you are SO not alone. I am HORRIBLE at read alouds with DS13. I've been reading "Boy in the Striped Pajamas" to him for MONTHS. It's not that long or difficult, I just hate to read aloud. Funny because I used to do it faithfully and unfailingly every. single. day. when he was younger. :tongue_smilie:
The boy LOVES audiobooks though and goes through them like water so I don't feel as bad.
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Awesome!!!!! I love them too. :001_smile:
Too bad you weren't at my garage sale today. I had a HUGE table full of homeschool books (both curriculum and literature), educational games etc. We sold all but 2 bins of books and a few other little odds and ends.
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I don't know about science (or math) programs to use, however, she might be interested in the ed2go Veterinary Assisting classes online. This will give her some good introductory information on the veterinary field since she's still too young to attend any formal classes.
As for volunteering, if you have any local zoos, animal shelters or adoption centers she may be able to volunteer with an adult. My son volunteers with me at a small, local zoo and started when he was 11.
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I used Simply Phonics from Shoelace Books and Explode the Code for my son. He absolutely hated 100 Easy Lessons and BOB Books though.
For tutoring special needs students I typically use ABeCeDarian . We used it in the special needs classroom where I worked and the kids tended to do VERY well with it.
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That looks great; thanks, Janet.
For anyone else interested, I also picked up "Smart but Scattered" and "The Organized Student" from the library today. Hoping to find some inspiration. :001_smile:
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I have always been a very organized person. DS13, on the other hand, is SO not. When he was in school, his backpack was heavier than he was and some sort of black hole to another dimension. Somehow, he usually found what he was looking for (eventually) and made A's and B's in everything, but it was a constant struggle to find things quickly and efficiently.
Last year in 7th grade he took a class called "Study Skills & Health" (a ridiculous combination, if you ask me) and I felt like it was mostly a waste of time. The study skills portion was more about note-taking and finding things in the library vs. HOW to study and HOW to be organized. This year I would like to teach him these skills in a more focused manner. My problem arises in that I am so organized that it comes naturally to me and I can't seem to break it down into teachable chunks. If you were teaching a class on organization and time management what skills would you include? Any tips on how you would go about implementing it?
Ideally, next year I would like to be able to give him a weekly list of lessons to be completed but have him manage his own time and fill in his own daily lesson plan sheet for accountability as he completes each item.
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I have an undying and slightly unnatural affinity for office/school supplies. :001_wub: Unfortunately, I think I'm pretty well stocked on most things and don't need to buy much this year. I know I need a few more tab dividers (can one ever have too many of those... or binders?) and will probably buy some sort of Trapper Keeper type contraption for DS's co-op classes and some posterboard to have on hand. Otherwise, I think we're good.
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I love the "only on Friday" rule. We do one serving a day. If I make cinnamon rolls or something like that for breakfast, that is DS13's only sugar for the day. Otherwise, he can choose one sugary treat like a cookie each day. I'm not the food police and I've been known to be a little more relaxed about it on occasion but this is our general rule. He tends to eat pretty healthily and is very active anyway so it's not really much of a concern here.
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It's never bothered me at all. Last summer DS and I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art with one of his friends and his mom. While there was a bit of requisite giggling going on, the other boy and his mom seemed incredibly offended by the nude art. :::shrugs::: I don't see the big deal. It's a representation of the beauty of the human form.
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Hi, I'm Crissy (34) - married 14 yrs. with a 13 yr. old DS in Northern Delaware. I've lurked on the Hive on and off for many years but am only just now posting. My husband and I used to work for a homeschool supply store years and years ago before they went under (Great Christian Books). We homeschooled through kindergarten, for elementary school he went to a small public school where I used to work and then for 6th and 7th grade he went to an even smaller Christian school where I worked. Even though he was away from home for school, I have always afterschooled and summerschooled him. Now, however, for a variety of reasons we're bringing him home for 8th - 12th and utilizing the homeschool co-op through his former Christian school.
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I don't know about an online course but I'm kind of in love with the All Japanese All the Time blog. It's all about creating an immersion environment at home.
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DS13 is a baseball fanatic. He plays spring and fall ball every year and has since he was 5. He's also a black belt and student teacher in Korean Martial Arts and has been involved in this for 8 yrs. In the fall this year he will be testing for his 2nd degree.
Outside of sports, he's REALLY into film-making and acting. He used his iPod to film a recreation of Harry Potter using Lego sets. In July he is going to a film-making camp at a local community college and if we can swing it financially, we're contemplating sending him to an acting camp that focuses on auditions, portfolios, monologues etc. He's also into music but doesn't take lessons or anything right now. He's done drum lessons in the past when he was in public school but we just haven't found a good private teacher yet.
Together we volunteer at a local zoo.
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I think organization and labeling will be your saving grace for an arts inspired room like this. Check out the Dollar Store for cheap organizational bins, boxes, tubs and buckets. Also, check Pinterest. I've seen TONS of cool craft room organizational ideas. We're not really crafty here so it doesn't apply to me so much, but the ideas are always SO. COOL.
Off the top of my head I would say that various colors and types of paper should be separated either in a rolling paper cart or the cardboard type. Make sure at least one compartment is designated for scrap paper. I would then use shelves with a variety of bins to keep everything neatly separated and then label every bin with what belongs inside. One rolling cart or large bin should hold misc. "trash to treasure" type supplies - toilet paper tubes, scraps etc. On the back of the door make an Over the Door Art Easel. Hang one or more clotheslines across one wall and add clothespins to display artwork. Make as large an areas as you can on your wall designated for a whiteboard and chalkboard. Store rolls of ribbon on dowel rods either vertically, horizontally or inside of a box with little holes cut out for the ribbon to be pulled and cut from. You could use pegboard on a wall for hanging baskets or buckets of supplies.
Some ideas for things to have on hand:
Large table for creating
Smock
Camera
Easel
Paper (all different kinds and colors)
Crayons
Markers
Colored Pencils
Drawing Pencils
Dry-erase markers
Chalk
Pastels
Plastic sewing needles
Felt squares and shapes
Foam pieces and shapes
Watercolors
Tempera paint
Puff paint
Fabric paint
Paint brushes
Sponges
Rollers
Large drop cloths or a sheet to cover the floor when painting
Popsicle sticks - different sizes
Velcro dots
Scissors - including fun shape scizzors
Spray bottles - add paint to water and spray paper, fabric etc.
Straws
Beads - organized in hardware organizer drawers
String - all kinds
Yarn
Cardboard
Poster board
Ribbon
Various wood scraps
Pipe cleaners
A gallon of craft glue
Rubber cement
Fabric remnants
Cotton balls
Tulle (if you have girls)
Glitter
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Thanks Sebastian! You have some very good ideas and I appreciate your feedback.
Honestly, I have to say that I am less worried about high school than this year only because DS will be moving to a "diploma program" with a local umbrella school. I have their graduation requirements and they meet with you a couple of times a year to make sure you're on track for graduation etc. This year I'm simply trying to make sure that he's ready for high school. You've given me a lot to think about though.
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I'm a paper and pencil girl. I have a large 3-in. binder with tabs. At the front are tabs with all of my necessary forms - curriculum list, key, field trip log, volunteer log, attendance sheet, calendar etc. Then, I have a tabbed section for each month. Behind each tab are weekly plan sheets that I made up using the "table" feature in a Word Document. Then, there is a pocket folder behind that for each month to hold things that I may need for the month but aren't able to be hole-punched (invitations, event tickets etc.). In looking around I couldn't find a planner that I liked well enough to spend money on. Most just didn't have enough blocks for my taste or were not labeled in a way that I felt was most efficient.
Part of me would like to be able to have our plan book, attendance, calendar etc. online so that my MIL and DH could log in and see what we've got planned on any given day but I just haven't found a solution that would be easy for me and not eat up a lot of input time. I'm also not overly fond of having to rely on the computer during the day as it can be too much of a distraction for me.
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One thing to think about is how you're going to handle the credit if you continue AW180 into 9th. Have you charted out all your times for this? AW180 is very open-ended and research-driven, so it can eat a lot of time. You could actually dump MOH3 and the IEW and just do AW180 whole hog, writing papers from the AW180 topics that interest you. Or you can do it the way you're proposing. I'd just think about where that puts you for 9th. Means in 9th you're going to do a year of US history? While you're finishing world geography? Or are you going to start back over in ancients?
Just think it through. There are 20 right answers. Main thing is to think it through so you know where it's going. :)
I hadn't really even thought about credits, to be honest or even what we're going to do next year. :blushing: :eek: DS13 is VERY into history and language, which is why our schedule is so heavy in that area. These particular classes are all things that our co-op offers that he asked to do. Thanks for the feedback. Definitely something to think about.
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I think you are covering a lot. TT pre-algebra may be a lot to accomplish over the summer.
I would agree that this is a possibility and have considered it since math is not his strongest subject. Honestly, I don't expect that he will complete all of TT Pre-Algebra by September. I'm thinking he will either be able to finish enough of it to handle starting TT Algebra at co-op OR we will drop the co-op class and just continue straight on through Algebra whenever he finishes Pre-Algebra.
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DS13 didn't learn cursive in either the public or Christian schools that he went to. They just don't seem to teach it anymore. He can read it just fine and he taught himself to sign his name. Over the summer this year I've been teaching him cursive though because I think it's a skill that he should know whether he ends up using it or not in the future.
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For 7th grade last year and for dd's upcoming 8th grade, my method of teaching spelling is to test her on vocabulary words 1-2 per month. Along with this I go over everything she writes and whenever I see a misspelled word I underline it and have her write the word out 10 times. This has worked really well with her, especially at this age and level. Her spelling is vastly improved from what it was last year at this time.
Blessings,
Lucinda
I really like that idea! With what he's doing now I've been underlining words but haven't been making him write them. That sounds like it would work very well. Thanks for the feedback.
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I'm a HUGE animal person, volunteer at a zoo, am taking Vet. Asst. classes and actually have all of these animals right now with the exception of the guinea pig, which we did have a couple of years ago.
Cats - We have 3 and they make good kid pets, however, some kids really want something they can cuddle and most cats just don't fit the bill. Litter boxes are easy to clean though, which is a plus.
Rabbits - We currently have 1. If you choose a rabbit, my suggestion would be to stay away from the mini and small breeds. They are usually pretty flighty, nippy and are relatively fragile. The medium - large breeds are very hearty but need a LOT of time out of the cage to be happy. Our rabbit free ranges on our enclosed deck 24/7 and comes inside to roam occasionally. Unlimited hay (timothy, NOT alfalfa) and water are all you NEED food-wise but pellets and fresh lettuces are great treats. They poop A LOT. Seriously, whatever you're imagining right now - double it. :)
Guinea Pigs - I acquired one after I agreed to pet-sit and the owner never took it back. They are MESSY to the nth degree and stink. They actually don't make good pets for kids as they are skittish and very fragile. I have known several that have fallen from very short distances or been handled improperly only to end up with a broken back. They require a lot of horizontal space in a well-ventilated cage.
Rats - Currently I have 2 rats (one of which is sitting on my shoulder right now) and I personally think they make the absolute BEST pet of the 4 options you gave. If your child wants something to cuddle, a rat is PERFECT. Some other pluses - they have a very short life-span (3 - 5 yrs.), which is perfect for a child, they are inexpensive, they are downright loveable, they are active and really respond to people. Before I had rats I imagined that they would leap out and attack my face everytime I opened the cage (too many movies, I guess). They are very docile though and I've never been bitten even though I'm on my third rat. Even my husband, who is not an animal lover, now has quite the soft spot for my rat girls. Mine climb all over me and ride on my shoulder all the time. Most rat owners will tell you that you need 2 rats for them to be happy and I would 100% agree with that. They are very social animals. Their dietary needs are pretty simple - plain rat blocks (not seeds) and fresh water are all they NEED but some fresh foods are always appreciated. They do need a large open-air cage (no tanks) and lots of things to do to keep them from getting bored. Toilet paper tubes, PVC pipes, cardboard boxes, fleece scraps etc. are all great toys. Contrary to popular belief, rat cages do not smell that bad as long as you clean them regularly. I clean mine with a Chlorhexadine (Nolvasan) solution once a week and line all of the shelves with newspaper. My husband has a VERY sensitive nose so he would not put up with it if it smelled. Just a note though, un-neutered males smell A LOT more than females.
Edited to add:
Yes, you can get rats and guinea pigs fixed. It will help with spraying in the males just like in a male cat. In females it reduces the risk of mammary and reproductive cancers. I've only had female rats though and have never spayed any of them. Their lifespan is so short regardless that I've never seen the point. Rabbits are the same, however, my female will be spayed soon because reproductive cancers plague almost 100% of unfixed females and shorten their life by about 50%.
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Hmm.. I hadn't even thought about spelling. DS13 is a good speller and with vocab. in US History Based Writing Lessons, the lit. guides and the Latin roots I'm thinking that might be enough. Maybe I'll wait on that and if I see that he's misspelling a lot of words I'll add something to supplement.
Thanks for the feedback, Trish.
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This is a list of the curriculum that we're going to be using over the upcoming 8th grade year. Being that this is our first year, I'm afraid that I'm forgetting something. What are your thoughts?
Summer Session
Math -
TT Pre-Algebra
Language Arts -
Easy Grammar Ultimate Gr. 8
Lots of literature in a variety of subjects
Electives -
Typing
Filmmaking class
Unit Study on Olympics segueing into Around the World in 180 Days
Fall/Winter/Spring Session
Math -
TT Algebra
Language Arts -
U.S. History Based Writing Lessons Vol. 1
Total Language Plus Literature Guides (The Hobbit, The Hiding Place)
Word Roots & Vocabulary Vine
Science -
Apologia Exploring Creation With General Science
Science Olympiad (meteorology)
History -
Mystery of History 3
Geography -
Around the World in 180 Days (informally and over the course of a couple of years in conjunction with our other literature and history studies)
Bible -
Who Is God and Can I Really Know Him?
Spanish -
?
PE -
Tang Soo Do Karate (he is a student instructor and is testing for his 2nd degree black belt in the fall)
Baseball (spring)
Electives -
Photography
Drawing Master Class (?)
Drama (Alice In Wonderland intensive)
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My son is in 8th grade this year and this will be our first year homeschooling (besides Kindergarten). He has taken 2 yrs. of haphazardly implemented Spanish in private school so he knows a lot of basics but not so much how to put it together into conversation. I'm looking for a mostly independent Spanish program for the upcoming year. He is a strong auditory learner so, ideally it would be primarily DVD, computer or CD based. However, I also want some grammar and writing at some point as well. We had considered Rosetta Stone, however, because he has a slight stuttering problem I am concerned that the voice recognition portion will be an issue. I have an older version of Power-Glide but honestly, it looks rather cluttery and confusing.
Does anyone have any feedback on the Rosetta Stone voice recognition or another program that may fit my needs a little better?
Thanks!!!!
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I'm new here but just thought I would chime in on this one. I use Raspberry Leaf Tea and drink it like a fish, particularly on day 2. It works anytime but that tends to be the worst day for me. I try to stay away from synthetic drugs if I can help it and this helps TREMENDOUSLY.
The Read Aloud that Never Ended . . .
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
Hahahahaha! Funny how Pinocchio seems to be a popular one here. It took us forever too and neither of us really enjoyed it.