mathmarm
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Posts posted by mathmarm
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We'll be changing things up a bit for the 2nd half of 2nd grade.
Music: continuing ukulele and recorder daily.
Physical Education: Health + nutrition as well as daily athletics (soccer, tennis, baseball, basketball)
Drawing: New Augsburg Year 4. Finishing The Drawing Textbook
Geography: Living books + Atlas Study + Map Drills
Science: Living books + Hands on Demonstrations and Explorations
Writing: Reasoning and Writing D + Journaling and short essays.
Math: home made with momStarting summer 2021, we'll begin Spencerian Penmanship, French and resume regular math.
3rd Grade:
Music - Starting Piano. Not sure what to use.
Penmanship - Spencerian
Math - Homemade exploration of upper level mathematics
Literature - Reading by a timer each day whatever he chooses. We will be discussing the books more intentionally with him
Writing - Reasoning and Writing E
Language - French but not sure what program or approach yet
Painting - now that he has a foundation in drawing, Hubby wants him to begin learning how to paint.
All Content Subjects Note taking and revision activities
History - something systematic -- not sure what yet.
Science - Interest led reading + hands on demonstrations and exploration
Geography - Reading about cultures and peoples around the world-
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This post was submitted by accident.
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How do you schedule it?
Is 1 set of the practice books enough, or should I get 2 sets so that we have more practice pages available?
How long does it take to complete the books? Is it meant to take a full school year? -
We use Duck Duck Go and have never had adult material offered to us in our search results.
I would suspect that you may have a computer virus.
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18 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:
I'd worry about setting "required reading" when a kid is already not reading much for fun. It might become associated with schoolwork and not something you actually enjoy.
But that's just me. It's been more important for us to make reading something they actually like than to have other rules. Hence the reading during mealtimes and bathroom breaks 😉 .
I'm not going to begin allowing reading in the bathroom, but thanks for the suggestion.
If it ever looks like reading is in danger of becoming something that Jr doesn't enjoy, I'll reassess.
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I've realized that "The Problem" isn't his leisure reading, it's that we don't have a good "Required Reading" program/routine/rhythm in place.
He was always reading and so we never required reading as a separate thing until this month. I guess the next question becomes "how to set a productive reading program" should it be by time? Or by volume?
Hmmm...Off to start a new thread!
Thanks ladies.
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On 1/18/2021 at 8:26 PM, Kiara.I said:
Audiobooks. I'd throw on really great audiobooks while he's doing other pastimes.
Also, does he see you reading? Is that something that's typical in the family generally?
Yes, he see's me and Hubby read at home constantly. I like to think that we have a "Bookish" household.
We're usually reading for work or with a sibling, but both Hubby and I have been reading "for me" every day in front of the kids for a few years now. Hubby reads for leisure more than I do though.
On 1/18/2021 at 8:41 PM, Lori D. said:Sounds like you've done a great job getting him solid with reading. Perhaps he is growing and changing right now and wants to pursue other interests; that is very normal. Not every child will love reading as their top preferred activity. And all children go through phases of changing to different preferred activities -- he may return to enjoying reading at a later time. Also, the pandemic lockdown may be playing into this -- maybe he is tired of reading being one of the only activities he CAN do, and he may be itching to be able to go and do outside-the-home activities.
All that said...
Neither DS here tended to choose reading as a "free choice" or for pleasure during the day. Their preferred activities were building, sports, running around outside, and imaginative play.One incentive that did encourage a bit more pleasure reading was allowing an extra 20-30 minutes at bedtime, *in bed* with lights on that could only be done if they wanted to read. The choice of what to read was totally theirs, as well as the choice of whether or not to use that extra time. They frequently did use that extra time for reading; most often at the elementary ages they would choose to read Calvin & Hobbes comic collections, Lego magazines or Ranger Rick magazines, search & find books, and "exploded view" illustrated books such as of Star Wars vehicles.
The point to us was to keep alive an interest in books and interacting with books, so we wasn't worried about the choice of books. We had plenty of good books that were part of our daily reading during school hours.
Another option might be to have an *optional* reading incentive chart -- for every book other than required school reading, he gets to add a sticker to the chart, and after earning a few stickers, gets to pick a prize. Use what would be meaningful for him as prizes -- it may be a small Lego set or beanie toy; it may be going out for ice cream or pizza; it may be a trip to some place that is special/fun to him. Whatever is meaningful to him. But again, this should be *optional* -- his choice -- as to whether or not to pursue free reading toward a reward.
Finally, JMO, but I would be careful about increasing required reading at this young age, as it could backfire and make him resistant to any reading. Since it sounds like he is not only solid in his reading level, but excels in reading, there is no reason to require more reading.
BEST of luck in finding a good balance that keeps alive an enjoyment of reading. Warmest regards, Lori D.
Thank you for your ideas and wisdom. Yep--Jr. is doing all the "other" activities for leisure--running, playing, building, etc. Just not reading as much.
I've printed the Reading Challenge that @Junie shared for everyone in the family and already it's breathing "new life" into the activity of reading for the kids and parents.On 1/18/2021 at 10:14 PM, wendyroo said:What is he doing instead?
Almost every-screen free activity that you can think of--drawing, juggling, magic tricks, running around, building with blocks, 'science experiments', playing pretend, running around like a maniac, climbing on stuff, climbing under stuff, making snacks, tormenting a sibling, playing with a sibling, puppet show, playing board games, card game, etc. We are a NO-Screens household for elementary.
On 1/18/2021 at 11:34 PM, Carol in Cal. said:I did like Lori D, except more loosely.
I made it a rule that Dd could read in bed as long as she wanted. No electronics, just books. Every night. Wow did that work well.
We're early risers and tend to start the day with exercise out of doors, then back indoors for family time before Hubby and/or I get off to work.
We have the established routine of evening being quiet time in our rooms, and he tends to draw or build during this time (he used to read).Maybe I need to find a time of day that lends itself well to a binary choice of "You can Read or ____" where ____ is a less appealing choice.
On 1/19/2021 at 2:23 AM, elroisees said:For us, what has worked is 1) reluctantly 😉 allowing reading in bed at night, 2) everyone in the family reads during every daytime meal except family dinner so it's heavily modeled as fun, 3) limiting digital options but not mentioning reading as the reason, 4) comic books such as Garfield, Far Side, and Calvin and Hobbes, and 5) zero movies that were books are allowed until the book is read. He voluntarily read Treasure Island so he could watch Pirates of the Caribbean.
2) We use meal times as a chance to discuss things or listen to audiobooks or podcasts. Personally, I hate the idea of eating over books, but Hubby likes the idea of maybe having a "Reading Supper" once or twice a week for everyone to bring a good book and read through though so we might try this one in a modified form. Our kids are "handsy" with their food so I'm not too optimistic but I want to keep the Leisure Reading alive so Thanks!
3) Our kids only digital options are using their digits (fingers) to do stuff. The kids are screen-free so far.
4) Books with characters like Calvin are banned in our house and the kids don't even know it.
Personally, I wouldn't want my kids spending time with "Calvin" and learning his traits..
On 1/19/2021 at 4:56 AM, Pintosrock said:Magazine subscription. Everyone loves mail!
My kid is in bed around 7. She can chose to go to sleep or read for an hour. She always chooses reading!
Ooooh! I love this idea! I've subscribed to a couple and I've also bought bulk magazines 2nd hand to dole out once a week.
On 1/19/2021 at 5:47 AM, Not_a_Number said:Yeah, we do versions of all of these. The kids read during mealtimes and during bathroom breaks, we don't allow screens (except for Zoom classes during this COVID time), we read a LOT when they watch, and they read comics.
Also, I don't assign reading. Period. We read out loud together if it's something I want us all to go through, but otherwise, reading is supposed to be for fun.
We don't read in the bathroom.
On 1/19/2021 at 3:30 PM, lulalu said:For my ds he will pick up a book and read if it is something interesting to him or if there is nothing else but chores to do.
I have noticed if there are a lot of other options for things to do, especially technology, he won't pick up a book.
Also, even with being able to read very well at a high level, my ds really needs a lot of books to choose from of all lengths and reading levels. Sometimes his brain wants an easier read, sometimes he wants a challenge.
Yep, that's what I'm noticing. There are soooo many options available to him, that reading just doesn't seem to rate very high as a past-time.
On 1/19/2021 at 3:39 PM, Junie said:My kids have enjoyed the reading challenges by Barnes & Noble and Pizza Hut. Or you could set up your own challenge.
I recently found this reading challenge online. My girls read a lot, but they don't always branch out into different kinds of reading. I'm hoping that this will help them find some new books that they enjoy.
Thank you! I've printed one for every member of the family it's created a reading buzz.
On 1/19/2021 at 8:17 PM, theelfqueen said:Buy him whatever he wants to read Captain Underpants and Origami Yoda and books about baseball and graphic novels and lego books and seriously anything that makes him smile. Let leisure reading be free choice even if you think the books are drivel -- and support and praise it! Buy magazines about Star Wars or Pokedexes.
Also, READ in front of him. This not advice to read to him. Read for yourself for your own leisure in front of him, show him this is a grownup, fun thing. Invite him to sit next to you (you with coffee, him with cocoa or a bowl of popcorn). Make it a treat.
I do read in front him, but not as much as I would like to. I work FT, and he's often out and about playing so he's missing a lot of the reading that I'm doing. There are certain types of characters that aren't allowed in our house--Calvin and Hobbes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid,--if I know that the main character is a celebrated jerk, it's a pass. If I don't know the main character is awful in advance, then they might wind up reading the books before I can filter.
On 1/20/2021 at 1:21 PM, medawyn said:We have an hour of quiet time daily that has to be spent on their bed. There aren't a lot of things that can be done while staying on your bed for an hour, so reading is the usual choice. They also can't come downstairs until 6:30, and I have early birds, so there is quiet time in their rooms in the morning.
I don't micromanage free reading at all - if he wants to read the same book/series over and over, so be it. I do frequently update our bookshelf (library trips, birthdays, holidays) and try to stock it with books that I hope pique his interest. He will fly through a series, probably reread it, and then struggle to find another book of interest for a week or two; the cycle repeats. He received a Calvin and Hobbes book for Christmas, and the pages are already worn. He definitely reads books that I wouldn't prefer (more fluff, less substance), but he has school time reading to balance out the bubblegum books.
Thank you all so much for your wisdom and insight! So many good ideas. Hubby and I have been discussing this week and I think we have a game plan.
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On 1/20/2021 at 12:08 PM, Earthmerlin said:
Howdy. My child is a 6th grader who started hating math in 3rd. She’s come some ways in both attitude & computation but still struggles. I’ve noticed that while she applies algorithms correctly, she nonetheless makes errors in computation. For example 6/6 = 6. Once she goes back (I point out the error) she knows immediately the issue. How do you get an 11 year old kid to slow down, pay attention to detail, & review work? I feel like I’ve been at this forever. Thanks!
My fix for this has been to require that they check their work before they turn it in to me.
For a couple of weeks, I would half the number of problems that I'm assigning daily and require that she compute each problem twice in order to neatly check her work. So, if a 6th grader has computed
34.15 - 17.08 = 17.07, then the they must also compute
17.08 + 17.07 = 34.15 in order to verify their own answer.
During this phase, require all math steps to be written out logically and neatly, so if they just hand in a math paper and no "regrouping" is shown, hand it back. They need to actually verify their work. Not just write each number "where it should go".After a couple of weeks, go back up to 3/4 of their normal daily exercise set with them checking each problem.
After a month or so, you should be able to go back to doing a complete lesson and they need to actually check any problem that they have doubt about as they are going. When they pass in a math lesson to you for verification, any problems that are wrong must be re-worked and verified by them.
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How do you scaffold or support Required Reading for your 2nd-3rd grader? What about leisure-reading?
Jr. will read when there is a cause but he seems to have "outgrown" leisure reading. It's not among his preferred forms of entertainment anymore and that makes me sad (and a little nervous).
He's a very good reader--he can read almost anything but most of his reading is done for school. He leisure reads only a few times a week--he used to willingly read for fun all the time. He's been doing a lot less "leisure reading" and I'd like to encourage him back towards reading as a past-time.Or should I accept that his leisure reading is down and up his Required Reading in school?
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On 1/7/2021 at 9:27 AM, PeterPan said:
For a 2nd grader???
As a writing resource for my home-school.
Thank you for all the additional thoughts and sharing your wisdom.
I am trying to both learn as much as I possible can about helping guide and direct my children to become strong writers, and am also looking to purchase resources that'll help me teach more effectively.If there is a book of outlines with subject content already in them, then that would be wonderful. However, if such a resource doesn't exist (to the collective knowledge of the Hive) then that's alright too. I'll continue to hunt around or may even write my own series of outlines.
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On 1/7/2021 at 9:30 AM, PeterPan said:
https://iew.com/Christmas2020 If you hurry, you might still get his mini posters for free! Totally free, and it has the outlines you're wanting.
Unfortunately I missed the special. 😞
What was the product that was that you recommended? The link just goes to a blank page. I've looked in the store but they have hundreds of items and their product filtering is lousy. They have over 100 items for the 3-5 range alone.
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I would love to buy a book(let) of premade outlines that can be used for writing lessons.
As a secondary choice, I would be willing to buy a book of model essays.
Occassionaly I can find one or two premade outlines but I would like to purchase a compilation of pre-made outlines and/or a book or essays.Does this exist? What is it called and where can I find it?
Thank you.
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Using the sticks/bundles, make the regrouping a seperate step from the operations.
If you're doing 301 - 257, then analyze the problem first and do all the regrouping necessary.
We don't have enough 10s, and we don't have enough 1s.
So take 1-hundred and regroup it to ten 10s, then grab a 10 and regroup it to 1s. Now we have enough 100s, 10s and 1s. So now we can subtract.
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Op, get
1,000 craft sticks
a bag of tiny hair bands
a bag of rubber bands.and make 1s, 10s and 100s.
Teach your kiddo to count 1s, 10s, and 100s.Each day do several related addition and subtraction problems that require regrouping.
Spend a couple of weeks where you model and solve problems with the manipulatives only, talking through each step.
Then once he's comfortable with that step, go ahead and write down the problem and solve it as you go. Continue to do this every day for a few months. The Regrouping Concept is vital. It is used not just in base-ten (whole numbers and decimals) but also is used in fraction arithmetic and converting measurements. It's worth investing time and energy to get that concept down gradually to the point of automaticity.
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We haven't gotten there yet, but I remember reading on WTM forums that whatever program you go with, get a roll of electric tape and cover up the keys after the kids have been through the lesson a couple of times.
This will help with touch-typing as looking at the keyboard is less useful and kids develop muscle memory faster and are trained against looking at the keyboard.
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23 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:
Who are you teaching it to?
My oldest.
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Thank you all so much for your individual perspective and wisdom. However, I need to teach a short unit on basic Opinion Writing on the 3rd-5th grade spectrum, so I am in need of resources and guidance (thanks Lori D and Wendy) more than anecdotes and (no pun intended) personal opinions on whether or not Opinion Writing can/should be taught at this grade range.
The guidance offered was especially helpful and I am selfishly asking for any more that The Hive may have.
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What do you like for a short unit on teaching Opinion Writing at a 3rd-5th grade student?
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This can be tricky in a financially insecure world and mid-pandemic, but allowing my children to experience money and guiding them on financial habits and decisions is the way that we've chosen to educate on finances during the elementary years. We're focusing just on the idea of budget, saving vs spending. We encourage our kids to give, but don't require it of them. The children are required to save $35 of their pocket money in order to open a savings account. Once the child is old enough, let them sit in on a part of you and your spouses budget meetings every week/month so that they can see that it's normal and even mom and dad make decisions about where to put money.
As far as life-hacks, I think it's important to model such things in the home. Buy DIY books and use them. Actually work on DIY projects, announce when you have an annoying problem and ask your spouse and kids for ideas on clever solutions--brainstorm the ideas together and try one of your ideas **before** looking one up online.
Hubby and I don't really require the kids to **enjoy** school, but we love it when they do. I think that is one thing that can be a slippery slope. I want the kids to be engaged/challenged and benefiting (long term) from their schooling, even if they aren't loving every minute of it. We want to build the expectation and understanding that even when it's hard we do it. Even when it's uncomfortable, we push through that part and keep working because it is going to pay off in the long-run.
In our home, we've chosen to prioritize an education where the dominant electronic device is the lighting we use. Hubby, who is a CS profess and writes software, insists that coding/Comp. Science in elementary years is mostly a massive distraction and huge time-waster. Hubby is a CS expert yet insists that the kids master K-5 without screens of any kind. A child who can reason, think, break down problems systematically, read (and reread) closely to find specific information, express themselves coherently in writing and visually, as well as express creativity in writing or in visual form will transition to coding just fine. While the child who can psuedo-code can't be expected to transition to from coding to being able to express themselves coherently/creatively, reason, think, breakdown problems, read critically etc.
Build a learning culture in the home. Kids shouldn't groan or think why do I have to learn outside of school? For us, we strive hard to be a learning house. It's as much about the example that you set for the kids as it is the culture that you build for them in the home.
Enjoy the journey.
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I think knowledge of geography is very important, but also feel that it's going to be best mastered gradually over a few years.
We make time to look over and discuss maps of the world/US most days. We trace or draw the maps by hand. We discuss the regions and mountain ranges and talk about the environment as well. We try and be clear about which major cities are in which states. -
What grade or subjects are you needing to teach differently?
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35 minutes ago, Elizabeth86 said:
Does OPGTR suggest certain readers? If not do you have any suggestions? Also, is there a certain point in OPGTR that you should get to before adding in spelling and grammar?
You can order a book of decodable booklets from most big name school publishers. They typically go K-2 and seem to offer the widest range of phonic based reading for early grades. You can get readers that feature shorts vowels, digraphs, consonant blends, long vowels, 2 syllable words etc which will go further in scope with OPG than a lot of other readers that I know of.
You can get them on Amazon or Ebay for pretty cheap.
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15 hours ago, wendyroo said:
Specifically for note taking I strongly encourage lined paper because I want them to get used to taking notes in spiral notebooks. I don't particularly care if they ignore the lines (I tend to when taking notes), but dealing with four kids' worth of loose papers would drive me insane. And obviously you can buy unlined notebooks, but they are umpteen times more expensive than regular lined notebooks. It just seems it will be easier and cheaper for them in the long run if they are comfortable taking notes in cheap lined notebooks by the time they are taking outsourced and/or college classes.
For our purposes, drawings are an included part of our note taking strategy and we seem to prefer to write without lines than to draw through the ruled lines. I may dabble with this a bit. I think that we'll keep using lined paper for as long as we have a composition program but I want to experiment a little and see if he will become comfortable with writing on unlined paper too.
Notes can be much neater and better structured when you have better control of the layout. Maybe we'll just experiment a bit for the next year and see what happens.
Since we've just finished 1st grade it will be a while until he takes an outsourced or college class. Currently so few college teachers will see the notes that there students make. I can only imagine what that percentage will look like by the time Jr, is college-ready.
You're right that unlined notebooks are ridiculously expensive! It's insane! I wonder how practical it would be for us to bind our own notebooks from stacks of unlined printer paper if the time comes?....
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1 minute ago, square_25 said:
I write decently on a chalkboard, having taught a bunch. It's not the same skill.
That's my point.
2021-2022 Planning for your AL
in Accelerated Learner Board
Posted
We've been loving it. Its a tiny little pamphlet, but it contains 27 lessons with a total of 222 exercises in it. We split it up and have restarted it a few times and will have spent a couple of years working through it all. The book is the first in a series from the 1950s created by a Disney Animator named Bruce McIntyre.
A "newer version" of The Drawing Lesson was published by Mark Kistler (he was a student of the original author) and you can purchase TDT or one of Kistlers books on Amazon quite cheaply. I've found it very easy to "teach" drawing even though I have no real drawing talent and minimal skills.
I loved the simple, step by step approach and the written instructions.
I combined TDT with the New Augsburg Drawing series (free on Google Books) and have been very pleased by the development in Jrs drawing. I'm not sure what we will move on to afterwards, but I think we're going to complete New Augsburg 4 and will re-evaluate.
Jr. loves to draw and his confidence in what he can draw is just so gratifying.