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MelanieM

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Posts posted by MelanieM

    Schedule for History of the Ancient World?

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    We did 2 lessons a week, using the activity guide along with it.  So my kids and I would read the lesson one day and I would have them answer the activity guide questions for that lesson on the next day.  Then we'd start all over with the next lesson.  Fridays were used as catch-up days, as some lessons took longer than others. This took about an hour a day.  We also matched our literature with our history via WTM ways, but this was counted as a separate subject and done at a different time.

     

    We did not have time to finish the whole book with this schedule, as there are over 80 lessons.  So we decided to take a few smaller lessons out, or eliminated some because we felt we were very familiar already with the lesson.

     

    Thank you! So did you do any written assignments/essays, or just read the chapter and do the questions? 

    Ugh, Inkheart trilogy. I didn't realize...

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    You can read details about what's in the books at Common Sense Media. Inkheart is rated for age 9, and Inkspell and Inkdeath are both rated as age 11. If you've never referenced it, CSM is a great site that outlines what might be worth noting as a parent under several different categories, including language, violence and sex. I refer to it all the time to decide if something is suitable for us, or to make note of what I might need to chat with the kids about.

    https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/inkheart

    https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/inkspell-inkheart-trilogy-book-2

    https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/inkdeath-inkheart-trilogy-book-3

     

    • Like 1

    Ideas for starting a Latin Club?

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    I have been chatting with a friend about starting a Latin Club for our girls (11-14 age range), who will be new to studying Latin. We're thinking the girls will do most of their study independently at home, and then we will bring them together monthly for some fun supplemental activities. Us parents will be learning alongside the girls for the most part, so we will need ideas that are easy to implement and do not require expert level Latin knowledge on the part of anyone present! 

     

    Does anyone have suggestions for the types of things we might do with them? Any experience with such things? Links that might be relevant? 

     

    Thanks in advance for any input!

    Fiction featuring wealthy people?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I don't know about that. There is that whole "rich people are greedy, immoral, heathen (can't possibly be 'real' at their religion) don't deserve it, really should oughta give their money to the poor" message that is rather rampant in our culture more than celebrated.

     

    The "good rich" person is such an anomoly that it makes a good book.

     

    Yep, this. The books don't even need to be focused on money, and in fact, it's probably better if they don't. But the message should be that having money is a perfectly fine thing, with none of that baggage around wealth that many people in our culture hold onto. No guilt around money, or having to prove they're still good people in spite of their money, etc. Just good people that happen to be wealthy, and positive representations of wealth. :)

     

    Thanks for the great discussion and suggestions! 

    Fiction featuring wealthy people?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Awesome!! Thanks for all the great suggestions! To answer a couple of questions...

     

    For adults, not kids. Though kids books would be fun too!

     

    This came up because a friend was saying that it's difficult to find fiction that represents wealthy people in a positive light. So we're looking for books that celebrate wealth (even indirectly) rather than presenting it as something negative.

     

    Also, Fifty Shades was one that came to mind for me as well. So you all are not alone. ha!

    Fiction featuring wealthy people?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Does anyone have suggestions for fiction (or non-fiction that reads like fiction) that features wealthy people in a really positive light, doing amazing and fabulous things? All genres welcome. I can't seem to find much, so I thought I'd ask the hive -- a place where all questions have answers!

    Help me find this book, please?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Ok, I just had a memory of something about sleep habits, and how people would go to bed at sundown, then wake in the middle of the night, basically splitting their sleep into two segments. It's possible I'm mixing two books here, but I'm thinking this is all the same book... sound familiar to anyone?

    Help me find this book, please?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Once again I'm trying to remember an intriguing book that was recommended here on the forums years back. This is an adult history book that contains interesting facts about everyday life. I am not sure what time period it covered... It may have spanned a large scope of history, or it may be focused on a specific period. I remember being especially interested in an example that referenced Victorian England. Any suggestions?

    Cooking for a crowd ... help me to be a better hostess

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    Grilled or cold meats with a few cold sides (green salads, pasta salad, potato salad, etc.) can be lovely, especially for summer entertaining. Make your own taco/fajita bar is always fun, and you can chop most of the toppings well in advance. Baked potatoes with lots of serve your own toppings can pair well with lots of different meat dishes, and also make a filling veggie side. Lasagna can be made well in advance, and goes very well with a side salad and a nice baguette. Stew, soup or chili is easy to make ahead. 

    Quickest way to get a child reading.

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Is he interested in reading and wants you to show him the rules so he can do it, or do you mean he's ready but isn't doing it because of disinterest? My oldest son (now 9 yrs) was not really all that interested in reading until this past year. We did some OPGTR, read lots of books together, and he had a set amount of time that he was supposed to use for independent reading each day. He did all of this without too much complaint, but he surely wasn't loving reading, or even all that invested in improving his skills. Then one day a friend came by with a graphic novel to loan to him, and suddenly I had a reading machine on my hands! The kid who shuffled his feet about going to read quietly for 20 minutes was suddenly disappearing to his room to read for two hours! So all that to say... if your kid isn't really in love with the idea of reading, try to work with him to find something that he is really engaged with and wants to read. I think that will get you further than any curriculum ever could.

     

    Other than that, I do think that OPGTR is a really wonderful resource. Probably more helpful for me as teacher-facilitator than for the kids, as it helped me to brush up on the rules and be sure didn't miss opportunities to point things out. But even to do the exact lessons with the kids is relatively painless, so thumbs up from here.

    I also think copywork and dictation are wonderful ways to foster a better understanding of language. Actually, I'd put this ahead of a phonics curriculum in most cases.

    Book suggestions for dd8

    in General Education Discussion Board

    Posted

    :smilielol5:  LOL!

     

    Well, if you promise to every day feed me (chocolate!), take me for walks, and clean up after me, I could consider coming to live in your pocket. ;)  :smilielol5:

     

     

    PS -- that's QUITE the little cutie in the backpack, from your avatar picture! :)

     

    You shall have all the chocolate you could ever want, and I'll even have the little cutie (who is now almost 3!) tell you funny jokes and dance for your amusement!  :laugh:

    Any cool math resources to recommend?

    in K-8 Curriculum Board

    Posted

    Love Vi Hart!

     

    numberphile.com

     

    Also, look at moebiusnoodles for their great activity book as well as links to other mathy things.  It is geared towards younger kids mostly, but deep math stuff here.  She just shared a neat activity about graph theory. Another "mathy things" site to visit is mathmunch.org

     

    We of course love the Penrose books and Number Devil, and dd loves Math Jokes for Mathy Folks, Fantastic Book of Logic Puzzles, and we love playing simple math/logic games like Nim, Pig, Hex, and Diffy Squares (see mathforlove.com blog - I think they have instructions).  I have gleaned some fun activities from mathpickle.com (DD especially likes the kajitsu puzzles).  We also just play tons and tons of board games! Have you seen mathforlove.com's newest one on kickstarter - Primo? We haven't bought it, but I got to see the game board and materials and it looks really well done.

     

    I am kind of rambling because I am in a hurry.  Other videos that we have liked: fractal cows, Eames' video on topology, The Dot and the Line, and Flatland (it bit more heady and kind of odd, but we liked it).  Don't forget the physics youtube channels Minute Physics and Smarter Every Day, if she likes science too.  Enjoy!

     

    Oh wow! So many great suggestions here, thank you! And that Primo game looks so awesome! 

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