Breakfast Boards for high school??

[Hunter]

Over at the grammar board there is talk about "Breakfast Boards" that are focused on calendar work, but the idea looks good to me for a variety of high school long term projects.

 

Bible memory drills, timelines, anything that needs to be hung up or spread out would work well on this portable idea. I'm thinking of making a board for each major subject I'm working on. I tend to lose my index cards and notes.

 

I sometimes hesitate to hang up drill work and timelines for the remedial work especially, not wanting other people to see it. A board that I just take out while studying is a private way to display items and also a way to organize.

 

Right now my friend and I temporarily stuck a presidents timeline up on the wall, because...well...despite having graduated from college...she didn't know George Washinton had been a president and thought that Ben Franklin had been :-0 This display defiantly would benfit from being on a board, because I just can't leave this up indefinately :-0 But there is real value to having access to a presidents timeline for American history and literature.

[Julie in MN]

Right now my friend and I temporarily stuck a presidents timeline up on the wall, because...well...despite having graduated from college...she didn't know George Washinton had been a president and thought that Ben Franklin had been :-0 This display defiantly would benfit from being on a board, because I just can't leave this up indefinately :-0 But there is real value to having access to a presidents timeline for American history and literature.

 

I like your idea of boards, although I don't think a timeline has to be hidden away. Many folks have enjoyed looking at our various ones over the years.

 

LOL on Washington/Franklin. Tell your friend to homeschool her children when she has them -- best way to learn!

[Hunter]

Yes but you have CHILDREN living in your home. Mine are grown and we just have self-educating adults here. And to make it worse I don't own any furniture except for a few folding and camping items, but there are books and art supplies and computers piled up EVERYWHERE on the floor :-0 My home is an odd place, and the president's timeline just takes things to another level :-0 She needs to put it on a board!

[Nicole M]

Yes but you have CHILDREN living in your home. Mine are grown and we just have self-educating adults here. And to make it worse I don't own any furniture except for a few folding and camping items, but there are books and art supplies and computers piled up EVERYWHERE on the floor :-0 My home is an odd place, and the president's timeline just takes things to another level :-0 She needs to put it on a board!

 

There is nothing wrong with an odd place! A board is a good idea, because it would keep your material, I don't know how to say this, framed. Contained. It would give you a designated place where you can make your drill and remedial work a focus point in a good way, and it can be artistically done very economically. I have bull clips (clips with the magnets on the back) that I use on my refrigerator to post things like recipes, seed packets for spring planting, my own vocabulary words to memorize, etc. I got a sheet of beautiful wrapping paper from one of those paper craft stores, a vintage map of London, for $3. It makes a nice background for the things I've posted. It does not look messy and sloppy, and people who visit my home are intrigued by it, not dismayed. ;) Maybe a magnetic board would work for you?

 

Of course, I may have the wrong idea entirely about what this board concept is, because I hadn't heard about it until you mentioned it. But I wanted to encourage you. :D

 

Oh! And for the presidents, we have an older version of this one: http://www.amazon.com/Presidents-Fandex-Family-Field-Guides/dp/0761112030/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1298341359&sr=8-1-spell We do little quizzes with it, for fun, at breakfast sometimes. Someone reads a fact, and the other has to try to name that president.

 

ETA: I just read your posts on the K-8 board, and wanted to offer another idea. I have a book called The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, which has lovely, lovely illustrations and poems for each month of the year. My mother used to display that book on her desk, and now I do the same in our study room. It's a pretty common practice, apparently. Jen at Wildflowers and Marbles does the same: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8-qXsudrMPs/SjGsvRXRquI/AAAAAAAACVk/kN9MW8gsOH4/s1600-h/P1020116.jpg

 

The book can be found used, super cheap, too.http://www.amazon.com/Country-Diary-Edwardian-Lady-Reproduction/dp/0718115813/ref=pd_sim_b_6

Edited February 22, 2011 by Nicole M

[Nan in Mass]

So how do these boards work?

I have things to memorize on the bathroom wall. I have a lovely poster from the natural history museum with cambrian protozoic cenozoic etc. and the life that lived then, the Lord's prayer in Latin, a poster of the different sorts of clouds, and some poems. I suspect I will have that sort of thing all my life, children or no children. I also am thinking of putting some things I am trying to memorize on the inside of the cabinets next to my sink, so I can open the cabinet while I am doing dishes.

-Nan

[Nicole M]

So how do these boards work?

I have things to memorize on the bathroom wall. I have a lovely poster from the natural history museum with cambrian protozoic cenozoic etc. and the life that lived then, the Lord's prayer in Latin, a poster of the different sorts of clouds, and some poems. I suspect I will have that sort of thing all my life, children or no children. I also am thinking of putting some things I am trying to memorize on the inside of the cabinets next to my sink, so I can open the cabinet while I am doing dishes.

-Nan

 

Nan, the boards that are being discussed on the K-8 board are the ones that you would see in an elementary school to teach calendar and weather / season type things. Here's the thread: http://welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246749&highlight=breakfast+board

 

That is the kind of thread that makes me think, gee, I totally missed the boat with my youngest one! He is fourteen and still asked which number a month is when he's writing a date, and which month comes after which. Whoopsies! Forgot to teach him to tie his shoes, too! Dang. :D

[Hunter]

Wow! Thanks for all the ideas ladies! Everyone of them is helpful :-)

[Nan in Mass]

Ahh... Bulletin boards. Thank you. I would love one for self-ed. I would also love a giant white board.

I think my 16yo is going to scream next time I insist he chant the months. We did it a few times when he was small, but obviously we didn't do it enough for it to stick. It is funny, the things one teaches a teenaged homeschooled child. Mine still can't say the alphabet (it wasn't part of how I taught him how to read), which is a bit of a problem when he has to use a dictionary. More than a bit of a problem. At the suggestion of the monks (who had probably tied my son's shoes the previous walk), I put toggles on my 13yo's hiking boots before sending him off to peacewalk in Japan. It is a relief to read your post.

-Nan

Edited February 22, 2011 by Nan in Mass

[Hunter]

Yeh, she graduated from college not knowing George Washington was a president. Your son will survive :-) My ex-husband couldn't use a dictionary and he did quite well for himself despite that. Now with computers...he'll be okay. As for the shoes...I had that problem with my youngest. He started wearing loafers in the 3rd grade :-) My sister says there are calendars for peopel who don't know the months of the year :-0

 

Last night I was rereading about "text mapping" and "writing to learn". Also I was thinking about my reading in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and mission statements.

 

My memory loss is so bad right now, but I crave to learn more than ever. I obviously needs lots of review and organization. I struggle to find a curriculum that I want to just complete start to finish. Incorporating all the above ideas into creationg a bulletin board in the "write to learn" fashion and having everything to review in little packets and scrolls, and visuals mapped out and made into a mission statement, should provide the organization and review I need while allowing me to gather the most efficient resources from a variety or places.

 

Nicole I really love the president fan. That is so perfect for her mobile lifestyle! And I just LOVE the idea of displaying books with monthly themes on the tops of bookcases!

 

Unfortunately the sides of my fridge are boxed in with cabinets, so I just have the front. The pretty map sounds great.

 

Borders has vinyl chalk boards and white boards that are supposed to just stick to the walls. I've been wanting to try those. I'm in the mood for chalk! :-)

Edited February 22, 2011 by Hunter

[Julie in MN]

It is funny, the things one teaches a teenaged homeschooled child. Mine still can't say the alphabet (it wasn't part of how I taught him how to read), which is a bit of a problem when he has to use a dictionary. More than a bit of a problem. At the suggestion of the monks (who had probably tied my son's shoes the previous walk), I put toggles on my 13yo's hiking boots before sending him off to peacewalk in Japan. It is a relief to read your post.

-Nan

 

I'm right there with ya. Velcro was my friend - never had to stop to tie my child's shoes! And tried to teach the alphabet starting in 3rd, since I realized my ds had missed it. Still has trouble remembering -- mom, is T at the beginning of the alphabet or the end???

[sandra in va]

A friend of mine put memory work in a binder - she had one for each kid. At breakfast, they would pull out their binders and go over the material. This might accomplish the same thing without being so public.

 

The ideas here are great. Nan's post reminded me of Cheaper by the Dozen where the father had the kids listening to language records whenever they were in the shower - and how he painted morse code on the bathroom wall. Great decorating ideas. ;)

Edited February 22, 2011 by sandra in va

[Nan in Mass]

The inside of the medicine cabinet might work. Ours is metal so we can stick things in with magnets. Currently, I have parts of the sales slips from any medicines we have taken inside, but as my family shrinks, there will be more room. Hopefully.

-Nan

[Julie in MN]

We have our timelines on a closet door in the hallway, up & down (rather than left to right).

 

You could also use the back of a door to be more discrete.

 

J

[AngelBee]

:lurk5:

[Nan in Mass]

I like taking sidewalk chalk and making murals on the side of our house next to the deck. Lots of room. I love sidewalk chalk. : ) Have you read Harold and the Purple Crayon?

[Kareni]

I like taking sidewalk chalk and making murals on the side of our house next to the deck. Lots of room. I love sidewalk chalk. : ) Have you read Harold and the Purple Crayon?

 

Harold and the Purple Crayon was/is a favorite here. I was just thinking about it the other day and wondering if my great nephew has seen it.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Hyzenthlay in Pa.]

I don't remember what they are called, but I made study corrals for my girls out of legal size file folders. Taped 2 of them together & stood them on end to make a cubicle at the table. They also took them onto the floor when they were laying around doing work. Onto the U shaped thing I taped things for them to memorize, small alphabet strips, calenders, to do lists, schedules.

We have also made bulletin boards from those 3 fold science display cardboard/foam things. Used them for maps a lot. I don't have convenient walls to hang things on, house is too modern/open. They fold --up & slide behind buffets, sofas, etc.

Becky

[Hunter]

The inside of doors sounds good. I have Harold and the Purple Crayon. It was being given away free, and I took a copy :-) Taping together folders sounds good, because I'm having trouble finding the big boards in stock anywhere.

[2cents]

I use 'educational shower curtains'. Do a search on Amazon and you'll see some great curtains. I switch them out periodically. The curtain is in the girls bathroom and when they use the bathroom they see it. :lol:

[Julie in MN]

I'm having trouble finding the big boards in stock anywhere.

 

Not sure where you live, but interestingly our Walgreens stocks folding display boards. Guess there are lots of last-minute school projects being done 'round here :)

 

Julie

[Miss Marple]

That is the kind of thread that makes me think, gee, I totally missed the boat with my youngest one! He is fourteen and still asked which number a month is when he's writing a date, and which month comes after which. Whoopsies! Forgot to teach him to tie his shoes, too! Dang. :D

 

Oh, Nicole thanks for making me feel better :D. My ds#3 still has trouble remembering that April and September exist in a specific place in the calendar! He prefers to just skip those months.

 

Sorry, this has nothing to do with breakfast boards but I was just so excited to see that someone else is experiencing a calendar challenged student.

Edited February 25, 2011 by CynthiaOK

[Nan in Mass]

Folders are cheaper, too. I think I would cut up a box instead for these. You can thumbtack into a double layer of cardboard box. You can into a single layer, of course, but sometimes the ends of the tacks stick out the back. It wouldn't fold as flat as a folder, though. Good idea!