MelanieM Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 The curriculum conversations I get most excited about are the ones that mention exploratory, discover-based resources. I would really love to hear about more options that fall into this category. Off the top of my head: Miquon Math MCT Language Arts Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) What else would you recommend to someone that is excited about the above list? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Me too, me too. GEMS science from Lawrence Hall of Science: http://www.lhsgems.org Covers K-8 in multiple areas (chemistry, physics, biology, environmental science, etc.); incorporates guided observation, student-driven questions and investigations, hands-on activities that are completely engaging, aims at deep conceptual understanding of processes -- both scientific thinking processes and the processes of the science content being explored. Marilyn Burns math replacement units: http://www.mathsolutions.com Emphatically NOT worksheet-driven. Usually the lessons begin with an activity, a question, or an investigation into patterns, often using manipulatives. Like the science I mentioned above, Burns is concerned with getting students to understand the whys and hows of math rather than only with memorizing arithmetic procedures. Books, which are teacher guides and lay out lessons in detail, span from K-8 and cover topics from addition to fractions, percents and decimals, algebraic thinking, math and literature. I used every single one of these with my daughter. "Everyday Editing" and "Mechanically Inclined," by Jeff Anderson, for sentence structure and grammar. "Rose, Where Did You Get That Red?" by Kenneth Koch. "Living History in the Classroom," by Douglas Selwyn (for middle/high schoolers, but the general ideas can be easily adapted for younger kids). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted March 3, 2010 Author Share Posted March 3, 2010 KarenAnne, I spent so much time looking at the GEMS materials the other day after reading a post of yours! I'm completely smitten, and we will definitely be trying some of their units. (I'm going to check with a couple of friends to see about pulling together a little GEMS science co-op for the kidlets. :)) The Marilyn Burns units sound great! Is the resource you're using the About Teaching Mathematics book? Off to check my library for copies of those other books you've recommended, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 I own "About Teaching Mathematics," and it's helpful to read. But I use the books of lesson plans: titles something like "Multiplying and Dividing Fractions," or "Algebraic Thinking Grades 6-8," "Math With Literature," etc. They are really great books. Glad you liked the looks of GEMS -- worth all the material-collecting to set up. Groups are really fun to do this with. We had a co-op where I taught science for a year and a half with these, and then we had science parties at our house for another half a year doing things like "Bubble Festival." Please tell me how it goes if you end up trying one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacefully Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Me too. I bought a couple of units, and I can't wait to try them out with my kiddos! Thank you, KarenAnne!! Exploratory/discovery/constructivist methodologies are definitely my preferred way to go for most of the learning that we do around here. My picks for math: Math Their Way activities - best for early math Anything by Marilyn Burns. Developing Number Concepts series (link just to the first) - similar to the Math Their Way approach. Ooooohhhh...would you mind if I posted some of these links in my blog? (see signature) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacefully Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 My picks for math:Math Their Way activities - best for early math Would you mind explaining how you use this resource? Do you also have the book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Feel free! Great idea for a blog. I'll sub and read along. :-) Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I sent you a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 yllek, thank you for the suggestions! I just requested Words Their Way and a few Marilyn Burns books from my library. Such great suggestions here, folks -- thank you! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacefully Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Math on the Level Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 The book is available as a series of pdf files here.http://www.center.edu/MathTheirWay.shtml I did read many of the chapters (but not all), but I really preferred the writing and presentation of the summary newsletters. They just made more sense to me. The MTW activities are really designed for classroom use, and having been a classroom teacher, I really do value and miss all those opportunities for collaborative work among the children. Many of the MTW group activities need to be adapted for homeschool use. Sometimes I just play those games along with my ds. Anyway, I just printed out the files (2-page layout to save ink and paper). I use another math text for our sequence of lessons (this text is NOT my first-choice, but the classical education homeschool/classroom hybrid program that we attend gives us these assignments). I supplement those lessons with appropriate activities from the MTW summary newsletter. I don't really go through the MTW activities sequentially. The series Developing Number Concepts is similar in its approach, but it has more activities structured for individual work. It also gives suggestions to differentiate instruction for those students who can take the exercise further or for those who need to break down the concept further. It's really a good resource. :-) The link and the DNC series complement each other well. Very interesting...thank you so much for coming back and sharing this information. I will definately look at the DNC book. have you ever used the way they teach writing their numbers? It's interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 Math on the Level Rosie This is the first time I've checked out Math on the Level, and I'm quite intrigued! It looks really interesting, and like it would be a great resource to help a parent really grasp a concept so that it can easily be introduced into everday life. Would you say this is accurate? Now I'll have to search the forums for reviews. Thanks, Rosie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 This is the first time I've checked out Math on the Level, and I'm quite intrigued! It looks really interesting, and like it would be a great resource to help a parent really grasp a concept so that it can easily be introduced into everday life. Would you say this is accurate? Now I'll have to search the forums for reviews. Thanks, Rosie! I haven't actually used it yet in any meaningful way because we're only at preK level :) If you have seen BFSU, it's pretty much the maths equivalent. The first time I read it through I was a bit overwhelmed and started remembering all the maths I no longer know, and how I never really did understand ratios properly. The second time I read it I felt terribly empowered and perfectly sure that ratios, even, were easy as pie (or pi ;) ) Now, months later, I think in hindsight I wouldn't have bought it, except I would never have developed the hindsight without having bought it so I am still pleased with my purchase. It's not for Mums with strong inner Virgos ;) because it is not open and go, but I suppose that's not an issue on this thread because people probably don't expect an open and go inquiry maths program. It does present different ideas on teaching the same concept. I expect this info would be available in other places, but for those of us bought up with textbook maths who are sure there must be more, but can't imagine it, this is a great resource. It has done much to help me learn how to think a bit wider. When I was researching, I knew I didn't want something like MUS which works the same topic over and over and I didn't want spiral like my school textbooks were. I couldn't make what I wanted myself because I couldn't imagine what it would be, but when I found MOTL, I recognised it as being exactly what I would have made if I had the mathematical imagination. I really like the concept chart and "5 a day" structure, but intend to supplement with MEP as well. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 Rosie, you have me very tempted! And I'm laughing a little because I could totally see myself having the exact same reaction you describe... overwhelm, followed by complete confidence, followed by wondering why I bought something I could do easily on my own. :lol: I have been planning to get the entire Math Mammoth blue series so that we could just work through a concept until we tire of it and/or hit a wall, move onto another subject and repeat, so I was excited to read (somewhere) that this is the approach with MOTL. That reinforces my instincts on what we could do with the MM program. My daughter really likes to immerse in a concept, and she loves workbooks. That, combined with the clear instructions in MM makes it a good fit for us. And now I'm thinking of how I can approach the concepts from new angles and at deeper levels... Lots of excellent food for thought here, thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 You might be interested in the curriculum The Private Eye. There is also a series of books, the Brown Paper School Books, which have some wonderful titles that might suit you. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 Kareni, The Private Eye looks amazing! I'm pretty sure my kids would be over the moon excited by that whole process. Thank you! I just saw a link to the SCM Your Business Math Series on another thread (thanks stripe!), and it also looks like a great exploratory program. Fun stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetbabe Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 :lurk5: great thread. thx!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blessedwithboys Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 My kids have really enjoyed Hands On Equations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I thought of another curriculum that might fit the bill: Science for High School by Bridget Ardoin It was discussed briefly in this thread. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 Thanks Leigh Anne and Kareni. Those programs look great as well! (Kareni, thanks for the PM! :D) A friend of mine just told me about the Coyote Guide to Connecting With Nature, which sounds awesome! She saw the author speak last week and what she relayed was really inspiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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