Attn brilliant ladies: Recommend resources for emergency homeschooling

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Some of you are aware that many US military families ended up evacuating from bases around the Tokyo region a few weeks ago. (Was it really only a few months ago? This has been a rough Lent emotionally.)

 

Many of the families are reluctant to register their kids in schools at their safe haven location because they have no idea how long they will stay there and don't want to uproot the kids again when they return to Japan. So they have been asking about homeschooling.

 

Our lovely board members Jamee and Mommytobees (and I'm sure many many other homeschoolers) have been getting a lot of questions from families looking for ways to fill the gap. Some might have been curious about homeschooling anyway. But others are just looking for something to use until their kids start school again in September or return to their classes in Japan.

 

So if you had a friend asking you for such help:

 

What would you suggest they cover for a couple of months?

 

What specific resources would you recommend? Try to emphasize things that are commonly at a library or that are free on the internet. (Many of these families paid out of pocket for plane tickets, or are stretched with paying for housing, transportation or clothing and household items. They were generally limited to a couple 50# bags, so even the homeschoolers were faced with chosing between clothes and books.)

 

We'd like to take some great ideas and put them together on the blog for our homeschool group and/or our personal blogs.

 

Thanks for the help.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Sebastian (a lady)

[Impish]

Hrmm.

 

Honestly, I'd be more focused on recovering from the fear and upheaval. I can't help but think that the emotional aspect will disrupt learning.

 

That being said, I'd read, encourage older kids to read, do baking as a way of getting math and science in...in short, as many 'normal' day to day things as possible. Fun things, like simple science experiments. Nothing book heavy if I could avoid it.

 

I have literally hundreds of free resources from the net...give me an idea of what subject and ages, and I'll post some.

[OnTheBrink]

Ambleside

 

Old Fashioned Education

 

Baldwin Project (not a curriculum per se, but has books online for every topic.)

[In The Great White North]

Here's a few (collected from other threads):

 

http://www.sfreading.com/resources/ghb.html

 

http://www.susancanthony.com/Workshops/spelling_hand.html

 

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm

 

http://www.classicalhouseoflearning.com/

 

http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/KISS.htm

 

http://www.mainlesson.com/

[Mrs.MacGyver]

When we have been displaced without books before, we've just focused on the three R's.

 

Reading/Writing - quality books from the library w/ narration or discussing plot, setting, etc.

 

Math - We brushed up on the basics using worksheets and timed math games on the internet, my own made up worksheets and practice problems, everyday math in the kitchen/grocery store, etc., and even those little workbooks from Walmart and the like which have Basic Math Skills for 4th Grade or whatever.

 

The library and Discovery/History channels were our best friend ... and then we just tried to really enjoy our family time together while going out in the town to zoos, museums, and such as much as possible!

 

It is a tough situation for these folks, and we are all keeping them in our thoughts!

[Blueridge]

Ambleside was mentioned already, but they do have an *Helping Hand Emergency Learning plan* here: http://www.amblesideonline.org/HELP.shtml

[Dobela]

You can often also find old used textbooks at the library and used book stores. For the most part, skills covered each year don't change much but I would look for books that are no more than 15 years old if possible. Using those for math and grammar they can continue covering and introducing new skills that they may be missing. Other than that I would just have the kids working on math facts, lots of freeform journal writing, lots of reading with vocabulary discussions, and child directed unit studies in other subjects like science and social studies.

 

I also very much agree with

Honestly, I'd be more focused on recovering from the fear and upheaval. I can't help but think that the emotional aspect will disrupt learning.

 

[Alicia64]

 

What would you suggest they cover for a couple of months?

 

What specific resources would you recommend? Try to emphasize things that are commonly at a library or that are free on the internet. (Many of these families paid out of pocket for plane tickets, or are stretched with paying for housing, transportation or clothing and household items. They were generally limited to a couple 50# bags, so even the homeschoolers were faced with chosing between clothes and books.)

 

When we moved cross country last year, I got some great advice that helped me continue homeschooling even though we had to be on a truncated schedule.

 

This wonderful homeschooling mom/certified teacher told me: math and spelling. Don't let those two things slip at all.

 

Fantastic math site online (free): http://themathworksheetsite.com/

 

Also, the Math U See site has online practice (free): http://www.mathusee.com/wp-includes/popup_math_drill.php#top

 

Starfall (free)

 

For spelling, just give regular quizes. Or order Spelling Workout. They're cheap workbooks!!

 

In terms of other learning: watch PBS Liberty's Kids for great revolutionary war learning.

 

Read aloud A LOT: E.B. White books, The Tale of Desperaux.

 

Encourage the parents to check out the Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. It's at the library and gives a million awesome read aloud suggestions.

 

Also (still cheap), I'd consider ordering Draw Write Now books. Cheap and it will give kids w/ a ton of time on their hands great drawing lessons.

 

Also, and don't get mad, I know this costs, but I'd order SOTW to read. One book isn't that costly and what a great way to spend time.

 

But, my good friend said: math and spelling. If nothing else gets done: math and spelling.

 

Good luck!!

 

Alley

[Carol in Cal.]

The one thing I would buy is Saxon math. I'd do the placement test and pick up right where it puts you. Oh, I guess if they have pre-literate kids, they would need a simple phonics program--either 100 EZ Lessons or OPGTTR.

 

Other than that, a lot of reading would be about it. A weekly library visit. Read alouds, independent reading, history reading, poetry reading, science reading.. that would do it. And I would probably figure out field trips at least twice a month, on the theory that when you're in a place you don't expect to live in for very long, you MUST see what's there as an educational pursuit while you're still living there.

[Alicia64]

 

Honestly, I'd be more focused on recovering from the fear and upheaval.

 

Except if a parent is specifically looking for ways to keep a child's education moving along/not stalling. . . telling them what they should or shouldn't be doing doesn't answer the OP's question.

 

I know, for myself, that during traumatic times (that last for a long while) that it's helpful to dive into a great story or focus on. . . anything other than the problem at hand.

 

Studies have actually shown that distraction is a way to deal with problems and trauma.

 

OF COURSE time has to be spent on emotional healing. But the OP is specifically asking about education.

 

Read alouds and stories can be a powerful tool in healing from trauma.

 

Alley

[SunD]

This is the first post ever from a lurker, but I wanted to help!

 

For elementary kids, I would suggest Lesson Pathways. For PreK it just has a Language Arts curriculum, but it's cute and along the lines of Letter of the Week. For K-5 it includes Math, Language Arts, History, and Science (also Phonics/Reading for K-2). Most of the lesson plans are pretty simple and only require minimal supplies. The linked resources are all free online.

 

If they register they can organize each child's curriculum, assign or skip lessons within the grade and subject, or pick totally different grade/subject combinations, for example if a child needed Grade 1 Math but Grade 2 Reading. You can mark lessons as completed and it will keep track of everything for you.

 

It's not the Best Curriculum Ever, but it's definitely at least as good as PS, and they wouldn't have to worry about recordkeeping or hunting down different subject resources on the computer.

[TXMomof4]

Depending on the age -for early elementary, Ordinary Parents Guide, FLL, and SOTW are all available at libraries and require nothing except time to implement.

 

Singapore math is cheap and easy - not a lot of manipulatives required (can be used but not necessary)

 

Also, just math facts flashcards. Giving kids time to really work on getting facts down would be a gift when they get back to their normal situation.

 

ETA: The series "What your ___ grader needs to know" is very good as well. I used that for my oldest when I didn't know what I wanted to do (before I read TWTM).

Edited April 6, 2011 by TXMomof4

[Random]

I would focus on emotional healing, as well. Maybe read and bake together. Draw pictures and just 'process' everything they have experienced.

 

A few websites with free ideas for school work:

 

Here are some math worksheets:

http://www.math-drills.com/

 

Lots of free online audio books:

http://kids.learnoutloud.com/Kids-Free-Stuff/Literature

http://www.myaudioschool.com/?cat=24

 

Misc customizable worksheets (math, grammar, geography, etc.):

http://worksheetworks.com/

 

Free lapbook templates:

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/

 

Games:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/

 

Early learning games:

Starfall.com

 

Spelling:

Spellingcity.com

 

Foreign Language:

bbc.co.uk/languages

livemocha.com

 

Classroom-style lesson plans for various subjects:

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/index.cfm?campaign=flyout_teachers

 

Neat resource:

http://www.learner.org/

 

 

ETA: I don't consider myself brilliant. :)

Edited April 6, 2011 by Random

[Mrs Mungo]

Some great links so far, here are some more freebies:

 

You can make and print handwriting worksheets here:

http://zaner-bloser.com/educator/products/handwriting/index.aspx?id=4296

 

Lots of good stuff here for unit studies:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html

 

Free life science curriculum, good for grammar/early logic stage

http://www.eequalsmcq.com/Elem%20Life%20Science%20info.htm

[Sebastian (a lady)]

After our house fire last year, our kids wanted to do school ,it was the one "normal" thing we could do. We schooled at the hotel, then in our rental. Friends gave us curriclum (getting teary eyed thinking of it).

 

SOTW CD's. Thank the good Lord, SWB, PeaceHill Press and Jim Wiess for these. My notsolittles felt like they had friends with them even though they no longer had anything else familiar. They listened to them for HOURS and hours and hours last year.

 

WWE. Copywork was easy, relaxing and simple to do. The stories were familar and comforting.

 

Math workbooks. Got ours from Barnes and Nobles.

 

IEW poetryCD. Andrew Pudewa's soothing voice and incredible diction was another "old friend" that my notsolittles begged to listen to =every day.

 

IEW's high school spelling program. Again, a gentle voice in the cacophony of life. Great spelling, beautiful vocab. Easy, simple and wholesome.

 

Moody Science videos =got these for cheap from a friend. I find them a bit pedantic but my notsolittles loved the simplicity of them, and learned a lot of science to boot.

 

Math bing0.We did this with friends. And geography puzzles from timberdoodle. Big hits. We also did thinking skills workpages= the math and puzzle ones. My kids loved them because it was code. Challenging but not overwhelming.

 

I didn't have the emotional reserves to read aloud. I was tapped out. We listened to books on tape and started listening ot MOH.

 

Someone loaned us the Calvert Melody Lane videos. Beautiful. My kids loved them even though they were "too old" for them.

 

Pick something stress free for moms; CD's, videos, etc, minimal workbook stuff.

 

We also spent hours at the hotel pool. We invited friends everychange we got to come and swim with us. There was something very healing about spashing and screaming in a hotel pool:001_smile:

And we stopped to let a kid cry whenever they needed to. Which was often. We spent a lot of time on the hotel computers. Tons. My kids did more copmuter games last year than in their enitre lives collectively.

We watched TONS of movies, too. All G rated. But our brains were tapped. We did school when we could, but we went with the emotional needs of everyone first.

 

Lisa/LaughingLioness (keyboard woes not fixed)

 

I think you've tapped into the emotional savagery that many of these families have been through. Several were solo parenting already, because the husbands were underway. They went through the earthquake, the horrible rumors of school cancellation, radiation and shortages of food, fuel and electricity, knowing that their husbands weren't on their way home, but were headed to areas of still greater need. They had to decide if they should stay (and risk continuing shortages or potential radiation hazaards), then go through the whole confusing departure process. All the while, they have some people calling them cowards or opportunists for leaving.

 

Every family is different. Some chose to go ahead and enroll in a school just to give some sense of continuity. I have a couple friends with kids who were high school juniors and seniors. I can't imagine what they've been going through.

 

I appreciate any suggestions (even suggestions to just take the time off and huddle together). I will be trying to gather a bunch of options up for them to consider.

[mommytobees]

Oh you're sweet.

 

I'm tired. *really* tired.

 

Right now as far as homeshooling is going.... they are reading books. That's it. We hit the library and we read.

 

Add to all this stress: we might not get paid on the 15th... or we might get paid for the 1st - 8th.

 

I'm tired and stressed. I think this school year will end up half-bummed.

 

Kris

[mommytobees]

After our house fire last year, our kids wanted to do school ,it was the one "normal" thing we could do. We schooled at the hotel, then in our rental. Friends gave us curriclum (getting teary eyed thinking of it).

 

Lisa/LaughingLioness (keyboard woes not fixed)

 

Yes, but........

 

A house fire is vastly different.

 

We had a house fire 4 1/2 years ago. Lost just about everything. We had to purchase ALL new homeschool stuff. We schooled in the hotel, in the empty house, and even in the car.

 

Right now we have "stuff". We have limited amounts of money. And, we are ALL too stressed out to do school. Just living is taking it out of us daily.

 

Add to that the fact that ALL of our friends are in differen tplaces. We just moved, but we did it with no planning, none of the normal stuff we bring when we move.

 

Kris

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Oh you're sweet.

 

I'm tired. *really* tired.

 

Right now as far as homeshooling is going.... they are reading books. That's it. We hit the library and we read.

 

Add to all this stress: we might not get paid on the 15th... or we might get paid for the 1st - 8th.

 

I'm tired and stressed. I think this school year will end up half-bummed.

 

Kris

 

I can think of far worse things than spending the next few months reading, watching documentaries (We love the Blue Planet series as well as the other BBC Natural History Collection) and doing an occasional math game on the computer. I think that Saxon has online math fact drills.

 

Hugs. I really wish I could wave my little wand and make everything right again. Love to you guys.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Yes, but........

 

A house fire is vastly different.

 

We had a house fire 4 1/2 years ago. Lost just about everything. We had to purchase ALL new homeschool stuff. We schooled in the hotel, in the empty house, and even in the car.

 

Right now we have "stuff". We have limited amounts of money. And, we are ALL too stressed out to do school. Just living is taking it out of us daily.

 

Add to that the fact that ALL of our friends are in differen tplaces. We just moved, but we did it with no planning, none of the normal stuff we bring when we move.

 

Kris

 

Have you hooked up with any local homeschoolers? Anyone who might give/loan you stuff?

[mommytobees]

I can think of far worse things than spending the next few months reading, watching documentaries (We love the Blue Planet series as well as the other BBC Natural History Collection) and doing an occasional math game on the computer. I think that Saxon has online math fact drills.

 

Hugs. I really wish I could wave my little wand and make everything right again. Love to you guys.

 

We miss Japan. That is what makes it worse. We miss the life we had there before March 11. You left at a good time. I know you've been feeling like you "missed it", but you really did leave at a good time.

 

Right now PCS orders are all on hold. Duh. Makes sense, but leaves us in limbo. We have less than 90 days on our HHG's in storage and our car (which I'm getting out early release) BUT we can't get anything from the detailer.

 

ARGH.

 

Kris

[ktgrok]

I'd drop everything except for math, and then add in some free reading. Math is the one thing where you could end up behind when they get back. Math Mammoth is downloadable, and cheap, and available either as a single topic or half a year at a time. They can download it wherever they are, as long as they have access to a printer somehow. Then just have them read, do read alouds, plot where they are on a map, etc.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

We miss Japan. That is what makes it worse. We miss the life we had there before March 11. You left at a good time. I know you've been feeling like you "missed it", but you really did leave at a good time.

 

Right now PCS orders are all on hold. Duh. Makes sense, but leaves us in limbo. We have less than 90 days on our HHG's in storage and our car (which I'm getting out early release) BUT we can't get anything from the detailer.

 

ARGH.

 

Kris

 

I not missing the chaos. But I do feel like I haven't done enough to ease if for everyone else.

 

I'm sure the detailers won't be any help for a while. They were a challenge even when times were good. Now there is all the uncertainty of the hold on orders with the pending shutdown on top of that.

 

I have heard from several people that they don't plan on going back. At some point there will be a new set of orders and they will let the active duty member just arrange the packout.

[mommytobees]

Have you hooked up with any local homeschoolers? Anyone who might give/loan you stuff?

 

Not yet. I haven't been able to deal with people yet. I'm dealing with medical this and that. Plus ortho. No one wants to treat the kids without medical records (I wasn't able to get ours before we left) OR without a contract. I *finally* got someone to fix the "poking" in the back of their mouthes. But, that took me several days and hours on the phone.

 

I finally got a Derm doc to see me. I arrived with this strange rash on my leg that is spreading up my leg (started at the ankle and is now on my knee down) and to my other leg. It is just insult to injury. :glare:

 

Kris

[Sara R]

To the other good ideas here, I would add:

 

Spelling Plus word list Pick out an appropriate spelling list and test weekly.

 

What your __ Grader Needs to Know books, available in most libraries. These are helpful for everything but math: science, history, literature. Select a passage from here for dictation. This counts as writing, handwriting, as well as the subject matter.

 

Additional literature: if you don't want to read aloud, find some classic on Librivox and have your kids listen.

 

Math. Either just focus on fact drill from a site like http://themathworksheetsite.com, or if it's too much work to print up worksheets, order an all-in-one independent inexpensive curriculum like CLE.

[mommytobees]

I not missing the chaos. But I do feel like I haven't done enough to ease if for everyone else.

 

I'm sure the detailers won't be any help for a while. They were a challenge even when times were good. Now there is all the uncertainty of the hold on orders with the pending shutdown on top of that.

 

I have heard from several people that they don't plan on going back. At some point there will be a new set of orders and they will let the active duty member just arrange the packout.

 

We are NOT going back. We are NOT going back if I have to have an emotional breakdown and "lose it". I've totally lost faith in the US military and their promise to "protect" their dependents. I didn't want to move overseas ever and one of the BIGGEST things that made me comfortable with Japan was the assurance that should anything happen either natural or "man-made" we would be kept safe and/or removed from the situation. They failed.

 

BUT, without more options we are still "just evacuees" and are "on vacation" and are making bank with all of our allowances.

 

Shoot me now.

 

Kris

[Halftime Hope]

but when we went through a very devastating time in our lives, one of our "anchorages" was to participate in a volunteer program through a local nature preserve that had educational programs for children, so the staff was used to dealing graciously with small children. My kids were between 4 and 10 at the time.

 

We could have done something similar with a wildlife rescue or the local zoo, but the nature preserve is what worked out best for us. The physical activity, watching things grow daily, taking care of something besides ourselves, and being part of a community project that was larger than us and our chaos were all factors.

 

It was education, but not book learning. ;) Mostly, it was healing.

 

hth

[momofkhm]

I skimmed after about the 10th post. Seems like most people were listing elementary kid stuff. Which while great, still leaves a lot of high schoolers out in the cold.

 

The BBC book list - where they think we've only read about 6 out of these 100 books. Many on this list are high school books in TOG and others too I'm sure. Many libraries will have these as well.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/131080-bbc-challenge

 

For math - it's not grade specific but what about a SAT prep book or an ACT prep book or even a SAT Subject prep book. You can probably find old copies in the libraries. (Old as in not this year's edition.)

 

History - I would go with reading again. You can get a list of history books from Ambleside Online. If you go to bookshelfcentral.com, you can put in year plan, R level, history and get a list of history books for that year plan. You can now even check and see if you're library has the books. (I can't tell if that function works though.)

 

Writing - write about the literature or the history.

 

Science - I'd probably go with prep books again.

 

That's a plan. I don't know if it's a good plan though. It covers the basics and that's about it.

 

HTH

[Carol in Cal.]

Oh you're sweet.

 

I'm tired. *really* tired.

 

Right now as far as homeshooling is going.... they are reading books. That's it. We hit the library and we read.

 

Add to all this stress: we might not get paid on the 15th... or we might get paid for the 1st - 8th.

 

I'm tired and stressed. I think this school year will end up half-bummed.

 

Kris

 

Where are you? Is there anything we can do? If you're close to where I live, I'll give you lots of great stuff. Promise!

[AvasMom]

If you have books for them to read and some math stuff (workbook, flashcards, etc) that will cover the bases for awhile. Concentrating on emotional healing of course is most important but part of that is trying to keep as much of their lives predicatable and routine as possible. Schoolwork can provide that for them.

[iona]

:grouphug::grouphug: to you mommies (and families) during this time.

[Murmer]

Ok only did the first page...but if it was an emergency temporary homeschool situation I think using the Core Knowledge for the grade level would work. This way they can feel like they are accomplishing education at their child's "level" but not having to figure out a educational philosophy make huge indepth decisions.

[chiguirre]

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/

 

and library access can cover everything but math.

[mcconnellboys]

Internet resources:

 

Math:

 

MEP

 

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm

 

Higher level maths:

 

Khan Academy and/or Hippocampus

 

http://www.hippocampus.org/

 

Khan won't link at the moment for some reason....

 

Spelling/word study:

 

http://www.homeschooldiner.com/subje...lary/main.html

 

The list of free, online sources for word study could be used for spelling as well.

 

Grammar:

 

K.I.S.S. Grammar: http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/KISS.htm

 

Free, online resources for writing:

 

http://www.homeschooldiner.com/subjects/language_arts/writing/enrichment.html

 

Free, online language arts enrichment links:

 

http://www.homeschooldiner.com/subjects/language_arts/enrichment.html

 

History:

 

Mr. Donn's many webpages for history topics - with links to even more pages (some for older kids):

 

Ancient - http://ancienthistory.mrdonn.org/index.html

 

Middle Ages - http://worldhistory.mrdonn.org/middleages.html

 

Native Americans - http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/index.html

 

Ancient African kingdoms (may be included with other ancients) - http://www.africa.mrdonn.org/

 

Great American Women in History - http://americanhistory.mrdonn.org/women.html

 

American History - http://www.mrdonn.org/americanhistory.html

 

You get the picture. He has hundreds of links....

 

There's also Khan Academy for just a couple of things, as well as Hippocampus for higher level work, if needed....

 

Science:

 

Mr. Q's free biology for elementary or MSNucleus.org, which you can also do online:

 

http://eequalsmcq.com/ClassicScienceLife.htm

 

http://msnucleus.org/membership/k-6.html - this is the entrance portal for all their elementary sciences, take your pick of topics.... Also, they offer secondary science topics for middle schoolers....

 

Maybe Hippocampus or Khan Academy for high school level sciences....

 

http://www.hippocampus.org/Biology;j...11F75269BB8199

 

http://www.khanacademy.org/

 

There are tons of free book sites online now (even picture books!)....

 

What else?

[keptwoman]

If they WANT to have the structure of schooling, I'd do reading from the library, copywork and maths sheets from the internet. To that I would add lots of nature walks, to get out in nature, it's calming. I'd invest in a sketch book, pencil and watercolour pencils and brush.

[AngelBee]

Praying Kris.