2_girls_mommy
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Posts posted by 2_girls_mommy
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Yes, the stuff in workbooks, leave in workbooks. She even says that in the book in L.A. notebook section. Something to the effect of, put things not in workbooks in the binder.
We do notebooks. The only difference I see in ours is the history one. We do not separate narrations, mapwork, etc. Everything goes in in chronological order so that it reads like a history book. Each chapter has narrations, coloring sheet, any project sheets or drawings dd made, then the map. That is the way I understood to do it. But I am still in grammar stage. I think it is different when you get to logic.
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Brownies has been the best for us. We have a small mixed age girl scout troop run by a homeschool mom. The girls meet together each week for a group meeting w/the leader (girls from 5 up to high school) then split up into their individual groups ie daisies, brownies, juniors, etc to work on their current badges. We do field trips, camping, and ceremonies together. Sometimes the older girls teach the younger girls for some of their badges. We have a lot of fun. Also, there is a "brother" boy scout troop that meets the same night at the same church. Sometimes we do things with them as well.
My girls also participate in Sun. School and children's church on Sun. From Oct. to Dec. they meet at church for children's choir to practice for and perform in the Christmas pageant. This gives them the oppurtunity for public speaking and singing in a group.
We are members of a field trip only group for homeschoolers. This allows us to do group things at museums and get group pricing. Sometimes museums do special things for school groups (like living history museums) that we wouldn't necessarily get just going as a family. This group is good for that.
Mine also do sports, usually one at a time. They have done team sports like soccer, but most usually dance and gymnastics, swimming lessons, and that sort.
We are planning on trying to join a co op, but have no experience there yet. I am very pleased with our activities so far.
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Or mention that the fact that homeschoolers do so much better on test scores, including SATs. You could brush up on your data at Dr. Brian Ray's site. Can't remember the name of the org, but it will come up by googling his name.
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No dishwasher here except me. I am right there with you on this one. I hate doing dishes. But I also hate having dishes in the sink overnight, so I always do them at some point. But I refuse to like it.
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If it is a stranger I do the silent treatment thing. I have done it before to people who made comments to me in the store after hearing we homeschool.
If it is someone like a family member that I love and respect and want to be proud of me it is harder. I would have to go with the agree to disagree statement. Or let them know that I have my children's best interest at heart and surely they don't think I am going into anything without having done my research and coming to the conclusion that this is the best option. And then end it with, we will have to agree to disagree on this one.
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I haven't read everyone's yet, but I would say art supplies. I would head to the store and get tons of clay, huge packs of paint to last all year, paintbrushes, all kinds of art paper (watercolor, drawing, large sheets, sketch books) beads and string for fine motor skill work and making jewelry, playdoh, stickers, etc etc etc. We can never have enough of that stuff and it adds up.
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We are starting Aug. 3rd. I always start the first of Aug. It gives us a good month to get used to our new stuff before the business of all of our activities start back up in Sept. We "finished" the last day of May. That means we finished our core subjects and are taking a break from that. DDs are doing "fun" workbooks that they picked out at a bookstore whenever they want, and we are still doing a lesson of Science and a lesson of History each week over the summer. (just finished SOTW1 today:001_smile:) and they read for reading programs at the library and other places.
We are lucky that our neighborhood elem. school is a year round school, so they go back 1st of Aug. too, so dd's best friend goes back to her school the same time as us. We take less breaks than they do during the year though. They get several weeks off at Christmas and a couple off for fall and spring. We just keep on working, and take days of from curric when we have field trips and the like. I set goals for how many lessons of each subjects I want to accomplish each mo. as a guideline to keep us on track. This year due to their snow and ice days we finished 2 full weeks before dd's friend's school ended.
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We used R&S for 1st grade reading and phonics last year. We loved it. The T.M included vocab practice, and taught a lot more than was in the reader or workbooks. The workbooks did not take long to do, and had some good reinforcement activities after the lesson. I loved it. I haven't done any other higher grades yet.
I like the looks of the spelling, and am planning on using R&S English 2 & handwriting this year. I love everything I use from them.
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Mine are the same age as yours. We are doing SOTW2 this year, and the plan is to just move forward into 3 the next year for 1st and 3rd grade. I have heard worries about 4 also. When it comes time for that is when I plan to evaluate the situation. I may do more extra reading for the 2nd grader and less SOTW for her that year and only do SOTW4 chapters that are appropriate. We will see.
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Last year we read the music section in What Your 1st grader needs to know and did Rod and Staff music 1. The R&S is not fun:001_smile: It is just beginning to read music (eventually, not in grade 1.)
Anyway, we read a section of WYFGNTK, and then did any activities that were listed, checked out videos and books and C.Ds. that were suggested and really had a good time w/music. 1st grade started w/instrument families. After reading about them, we took all of our play instruments and divided them up into families and we listened to and then watched Peter and the Wolf. Then there were sections on Classical, Opera, Jazz, Ballet, and other things. We learned and practiced the songs it gives in the books. I just checked ahead to reserve anything I needed from the library. This combo was just enough fun for our music. We will continue w/ WY2GNTK this year and the R&S 2.
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If you have $ to buy the next levels of their math and language then it looks to me like you have everything else.
You have SOTW which covers history, literature, crafts and some other things. You have Considering God's Creation for Science which is meant to be used year after year. You could look for something for art or music, or you could use your library for that. I use the What Your X Grader Needs to Know for a spine for those, and pick up C.Ds and books from the library to teach it. Maybe something like that? You have a lot to work with, luckily.
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Oh, and how are the phonics?? Well, I really liked grade 1. We skipped the first of the 5 sections, and dd did the 2nd section in K. ( I truly think the first section is K level work of grade 1.) Then for 1st she did sections 3-5. I think they really taught the rules, and cemented them in her mind as far as spelling too. I think it was very thorough.
I was a little disappointed when I got phonics grade 2. I had thought we should finish the program, since we started it, and I wanted to be thorough. Once I got it, I realized it is really going over the same rules as in grade 1. I could have gone w/a spelling suggestion from WTM that would incorporate phonics practice, and skipped it.
This may not apply to everyone. My dd has been reading since before we started phonics, and has no trouble remembering a rule once she has mastered it. Other kids may need 2 years of it. We will go ahead and do it since she is familiar w/the program and I have it. It will keep up her practice of the rules and we will use it as a springboard for spelling. If nothing else, it won't take her but 5 min. a day to do it anyway.
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We are planning R&S English 2, phonics 2, & handwriting 2 for L.A this year.
I am not using the Spelling. It is too easy for my dd, and the 3rd is in cursive which she is not yet reading. So I will do spelling using her phonics rules similar to how they did it in the R&S reading & phonics 1 that we used last year. I do like the looks of the spelling books and will maybe use in the future.
We are not using the Bible stories and reading workbooks this year, but did last year and dd and I both loved it. I would use it again, but I really wanted more time to focus on the WTM ideas for reading, and the literature suggestions from SOTW than I had last year. That is the only reason I am not doing the grade 2 reading. We really loved it last year.
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Thanks ladies. I think I will not worry too much. She is probably dry from swimming, and not hydrated enough. I will start with that and break out the humidifier. I will keep in mind swabbing inside with something if they keep up after that, and talk to her ped at her next appt.
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We start first week of Aug to last week of May, officially. We do not take an official Spring Break, Christmas Break or Fall Break. But we do go easier around those times as things come up. Last year, we took 4 days off in mid Sept. for a family visit (but did field trip things, read, and did math and Science while there.) We took off 2 days before Christmas, Christmas Day and started right up the first weekday after, including New Year's Day. My dh works that day. We did not do a Spring Break. We take a day off as needed during any given week for field trips, extra projects, etc.. avging 4 days of work, although we could usually count the 5th day as it was a field trip day, or extra project day.
Our local elem. is a year round school. They start the same time we do, and we end the same time. The difference is we don't take near as many breaks as they do. They get 3 weeks off at Christmas, 3 weeks for Spring Break and 1 or 2 for fall break.
We also do work during the summer if needed. Obviously we keep up reading and do many reading programs at the different stores and libraries offering, do P.E. stuff, and this summer we are doing a chapter of Science and History a week still as there is so much to learn and we love it.
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This morning, it was no trouble at all. She sat up, applied pressure and it was done in 5 min. or so. There was one day at Walmart that seemed to go on forever. We had people that worked there in the bathroom coming and going to check on us because they were worried. So I know that one was longer. I haven't seen her picking, but could be a factor, who knows?
I forgot to mention there are no headaches. I also don't think she drinks enough water. I have to remind her to drink, and she never asks for a drink on her own. That could be related.
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My 6 yr old has had nosebleeds fairly often lately. She woke up with one this morning. She had 2 in one day 2 weeks ago, and probably another one or two I am forgetting this summer. Before that she hasn't had any trouble with them in over a year. We googled, and just found things about dry air and using a humidifier. I need to dig mine out.
I will bring it up at her next well visit in a month or two. Just wondering if it was something I should take her in for sooner?
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I order directly from them with their catalog. You can see samples and order online here: http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Rod_and_Staff_Preschool/
This says preschool books, but it is what they have for K. The books under the kindergarden link are the preschool ones. I don't know why the website is set up that way. Their schools that they write these books for do not have K. The kids start in 1st grade from the beginning, and do the preschool workbooks at home.
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I am using rod and Staff grade 1 math. We will be finishing up their ABC preschool workbooks. There are 7 in all. One is a Bible coloring book and stories. One is a counting book. My dd did the 1st 3 last year for preK, and will finish up the rest w/ the math this year for K. By the end of the year I hope to have her working in the Rod and Staff reading and phonics. I would like to have her through at least the first section (of 5 in the 1st grade reading/phonics.) Then she will finish the rest of that and the 2nd grade math in 1st grade.. Clear as mud, huh? :001_smile: But it is what I did with my Odd and it works. I change the plans up starting in 2nd grade.
If I didn't already have the Rod and Staff reading and phonics, I would probably stick closer to the WTM suggestions and use OPGTR and R&S math 1 for K... But I want to use what I am already familiar with and have on hand.
ETA.. For other subjects we read a lot. She has the luxury of an older sis doing all subjects, so she tags along for a lot. I use the What Your Kindergartner Needs to know for art, music, literature, and as a supplement for history & science stuff.
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My Odd did it right when she turned 5. She was very good at math, and was doing much higher level math on her own. I felt it was good practice for her to learn to write her numbers and to really memorize her facts. It did introduce a few new concepts to her throughout the year.
My Ydd is about to start it, right after she turns 5. She will be moving slower, as she will truly be learning the math and using counting bears with it in the beginning. She does not count to 100 yet, but we will work on it throughout the year.
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Things that have worked for us:
Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD (it only cost $10 at Target when I bought it.)
The mathcing Letter Factory magnets that sing the same song as the video. (a little costlier, but we gave as a Christmas present.)
Starfall.com
Letter of the Week free online curric... I did this last year for preK w/my dd who barely knew any letters, and didn't understand that they represented sounds. She now knows them all.
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We will be doing our 3rd year of it this year, and plan to continue all the way. No, they don't have kindy, so we used the 1st grade book for K, and it worked fine here. There is lots of writing, but as long as the concepts are being learned, cut down on the writing. I don't make her do all of the problems. My dd will be going into 2nd grade w/the 3rd grade book this year.
My youngest who will be 5 will be starting the 1st grade soon. She did the preschool counting with numbers book last year. She will continue with the ABC workbooks for her K year with the 1st grade math until she completes them. I don't know how it will work for her, but I am sure she will be fine. For us, it does have hands on. We made the duck pond with a felt board, and they count and move those around every day, just like the teacher's book says. In 2nd grade there is a boat poster and a bee poster that if you make provides some manipulatives. I start with hands on by adding counting bears or dry beans too. I have a clock book with hands that can move that we use for the clock lessons. So you can use your imagination to add in more if you need it.
I love that it is so sweet. I love that it really drills the basics and gets the kids to memorize the facts. I love that my dd can add 2 digit math problems faster than I can, because she has her facts memorized to 18. No issues with it here.
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Not to hijack, but I have some interest in this topic too as I gear up for next year...
What is Bristol paper, and what do you use it for?
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I don't know. My YDD slept in her crib until she was 3 before she began to climb out. Then I transitioned her to a bottom bunk just fine. I have heard of crib tents that are made for climbers too. They fit over the top of the crib securely to avoid climbing out. Maybe you could look into one of those, and see the age/weight on it. It may be worth it for your peace of mind to get a crib and a tent. With the mattress or toddler bed, she is not going to stay any better than in the pack and play. Maybe there is a pack and play tent thing?? I would look around Babies R Us and see.
Also, if you do invest in a crib you could get one that transforms into a toddler bed, giving you longer use out of it. My ODD who was small, slept in her toddler bed until she was 5. That was when the other turned 3 and we moved them into bunks.
How many binders do I need?
in K-8 Curriculum Board
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I don't have pics, and they are nothing fancy to look at :001_smile: But it does show her progression of work over the year. I did a 1 in. notebook for SOTW 1, and should have used something larger. I will use a 2in. one this year for history. For our Science, 1 in. was enough. Math stayed in workbooks, and her L.A. was mostly in workbooks, so her 1in. binder was fine. Next year we will be doing reading WTM way, so I will use a bigger binder. I am also thinking of doing an extra one for art and music. This past year all other misc. work got put in one overfilled folder. It will be easier to look at in a nice binder, so I am adding one more.