What curricula get the job done, but are NOT BORING!

[Mommyfaithe]

I need some fun in our day and I am putting together our materials for next year. Which books are FUN, but also academically rigorous. I hate to do science experiments which just make a mess and the kids don't learn anything. Baking soda and vinegar is fun....but how many times can you do that one?

 

I would like your funnest picks for 2nd 3rd grade (2 boys) and middle school age girl. they all like hands on stuff...cut and paste ok, coloring, crafts, all like to cook, fun colorful books etc. I am tired opf bland and boring. We want guns and whistkes next year.

 

I need to bring back their love of learning but, I also need to have them progress academically.

 

Latin?

Science?

Math?

History?

Foreign languages?

Grammar?

 

How do you make these subjects engaging and fun, yet also academically rigorous?

 

Jump on in!

 

~~Faithe

[...................]

For your 5 and 7 Year olds, Miquon math is very fun.

 

I can't think of anything else fun. We are using Queens Language and it's nice, and dc like it. It's less boring and repetitive than Abeka. But I wouldn't call it fun.

 

Did you see my post over at homeschoolreviews?

 

They gave me tons if ideas for fun Monday morning kickoffs- Mad Libs, Hangman, games, ideas for days Like dress inside out or backward, stuff Luke that.

[thowell]

If you dont mind Christian material Considering God's Creation has been a hit here for Science. You can also purchase 106 Days of Creation for the little ones to do along with it. It is aimed at 3rd grade and up but my dd6 tags along just fine. Also for American History we kind of do our own thing but we did a Colonial unit with Homeschool In The Woods and the kids LOVED this! You can find nice lapbooks for the youngsters that could cover anything. We just started a human body lapbook and the girls are learning a ton.

[Susie in MS]

I am tired opf bland and boring. We want guns and whistkes next year.

~~Faithe

 

Prairie Primer??

Make it as rigorous as you want. Not sure you are looking to do a unit study though. Main character is a girl, but most of the topics are gender neutral or great for guys.

 

http://www.cadroncreek.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CCCC&Product_Code=Pioneer_001

[amtmcm]

Latin? I like Latin for Children and think it's pretty fun. The DVD's include a little skit called "How the West was Unus (One)" which reminds me of something Alton Brown (Good Eats) would do. The Activity Book includes crosswords and other fun puzzles. Song School Latin is definitely fun! The songs are silly and they stick.

 

Science? Speaking of Good Eats, how about using that show for Chemistry? The Science Chef is a great series. The Science Chef Travels Around the World combines science, cooking and geography. Your DD11 might like Rainbow Science. The experiments are never pointless and your youngers can watch. We're enjoying Sonlight Science 3 - good books and growing plants are always fun.

 

Math? I think this is a "get her done" subject. Supplements (ie: games) can be fun, but the lessons need to fit the child's learning style.

 

History? Beautiful Feet - good books are always fun. And BF works well for multi-age groups. Definitely Homeschool in the Woods for hands-on history (ie: make a coon skin cap).

 

Foreign languages? La Clase Divertida

 

Grammar? Queen's Language Lessons is a good suggestion, but I personally don't think it's rigorous enough to use every year - maybe every other year alternating with something that teaches diagramming. I haven't used it, but Winston Grammar looks fun. Grammar with a Giggle looks fun - we're going to use it next year.

 

IMO - CLE is fun because it uses interesting stories throughout the lessons to keep the child's interest. DD13 is a Perfect Paula and she loves it! It's "not boring" for a child who enjoys using workbooks. If this fits DD11 maybe she could use something like this independently?

Edited April 14, 2010 by amtmcm

[Matryoshka]

Have to say that MCT for LA is fun and rigorous and really shares a love of language.

 

LOF for math for the older one, if it's her cup of tea. I think kids either love or hate that one. :)

[Faithr]

Latin?

Science?

Math?

History?

Foreign languages?

Grammar?

 

Latin for Children is fun, thorough and rather fast paced! We enjoy it a lot!

 

Science is unschooled around here - Magic School Bus videos, nature specials, Fetch with Ruff, Ruffman, science read alouds, occasional kits, occasional science experiments, occasional field trips. 2nd and 3rd graders don't need more than that. They soak up stuff like a sponge!

 

Math - in my opinion it is how you teach it, not what you use. If you play games, give little one on one tutorials, read fun picture books, read about mathematician's lives, throw the occasional fun work sheet at them, use manipulatives (that you can find around the house, you don't need anything fancy) you've got math covered. Right now my 3rd grader is using Math It to learn the times tables. All 5 kids have used this and enjoyed it.

 

History - lots of interesting read alouds combined with field trips and occasional art/craft projects.

 

Foreign Languages - I've never been successful at teaching this. I can do Latin and Greek but not Spanish or French! Don't know why!!!!!

 

Grammar is taught through Mad Libs and Latin for Children. That's quite enough for 2nd and 3rd graders imo.

 

Actual spelled out curricula usually disappoints me. I'm either better at developing my own or I get a program and then tweak it almost beyond recognition to suit our style.

[Dinsfamily]

I agree that Miquon is fun for math. In fact, we just call it "fun math" here. Today is a fun math day.

 

What about getting some living books for history and adding in some hands-on projects? Between MFW, SL, AO, and WP; you could easily come up with a good book list. Just last night I found plenty of printables and projects online for Ancient Egypt.

[Miss Marple]

For history, we enjoyed Mystery of History. Lots of activities you can do if you want, research opportunities, and you can use it with all 3 kids.

[Mommyfaithe]

Actual spelled out curricula usually disappoints me. I'm either better at developing my own or I get a program and then tweak it almost beyond recognition to suit our style.

 

This sounds so like me! CLE is great for my 11 yo dd....and so is LoF...using Fractions right now.

My 6 and 7 y/o ds's are on strike right now...and I can't blame them. I don't wanna either!

 

I tried too much...too hard...too soon because they can...but it doesn't mean the will....or should. So, I blew it with these little guys....and now I need to make ammends...but it is difficult to do field trips and fun out of the house stuff since I work from home and I am still homeschooling my 11 and 15 year olds.....

 

So, I am definitely looking mostly for educational but FUN stuff for those 2 little boys....They are so mad at me for school this year, they are holed up in their room playing a mean game of lego/ playmobile/ hotwheel/ super hero imagination games.

 

OY!

 

Keep the suggestions coming.

~~Faithe (who is once again humbled and repentant.)

[hsmom]

Here is a few suggestions, not curricula more supplement and such.

 

For history add in activity books. Learn history hands on by doing stuff they used to do. Make toys like the kids used to play with, or tools, anything to make them see. I am really big on kids learn by doing. If they can relate to what they are learning in some way, then they are more likely to remember what they learned about. We love these books by David C. King.

 

For math I agree it depends on how you teach it. Your approach to showing them. We add in these games from Evan Moor. I print them out and laminate them. We also incorporate math into daily life, cooking we use fractions, building we use measurement-area- perimeter-etc, there is so many ways to make math fun and still have them learn everything. I really think they need to see math at work in daily life to really see a reason for it.

 

For science we are going to use A Reason For Science when we are finished with McRuffy. I have not used it yet, but the reviews have been good enough for me to try it. We need hands on stuff that will work. There is also these kits. You can make them as rigorous as you would like by adding in more books. We have had all the projects and experiment work for us. Which is a big thing for us, because what is the point of wasting your time on something that is going to flop and you learn nothing, right? Then there is the backyard scientist books, they are fun and very easy to do experiments.

[MIch elle]

I wish I had dc that liked to do lapbooks - not. I would use Time Travelers if they did.

 

Another good one for history: http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/curriculum.html

[Corraleno]

Seconding Life of Fred, MCT LA, and Time Travelers

 

Jackie

[Blueridge]

Oh...should I even say it...here goes...fun in a book, easily adaptable for multiple children and grade levels...outside the educational box but still covering the entire elementary school scope and sequence and beyond...

KONOS...

:leaving:

[Himfirst]

Heart of Dakota!

 

hands on, but easy to implement

Truly open and go, no weird stuff to find

Much more "Meat" than it appears on the surface

[Laura W.]

For your older, LOF is fun for math.

 

For your 2nd/3rd graders - have you thought of FIAR? It can be as rigorous as you want it to be, since you choose which and how many lessons. FIAR would cover history, science, applied math, art, and a good portion of your LA (some of the assignments are quite interesting).

 

Blessings,

 

Laura

[Susie in MS]

For your older, LOF is fun for math.

 

For your 2nd/3rd graders - have you thought of FIAR? It can be as rigorous as you want it to be, since you choose which and how many lessons. FIAR would cover history, science, applied math, art, and a good portion of your LA (some of the assignments are quite interesting).

 

Blessings,

 

Laura

 

Oh yes, I am thinking FIAR vol 4 or Beyond FIAR for that age.

We are loving FIAR right now, and plan to re-row as my dd ages so that we can get in the lessons for older children too.

:D