Organizing units with books, videos, computer games, field trips....

[AngelBee]

What is the best way to organize resources to gather them by topic?

 

Not sure what I am asking. :D

 

I am trying to tie in things that my kids requested, but I am unsure how to....structure it or organize it so that it makes sense and it easy to use. :confused:

 

I am thinking of using TOG as the skeleton schedule, but plugging in the enrichment that my kids are looking for and cutting out some readings.

 

Help me think this through. :)

 

Thanks.

[AngelBee]

Maybe a blog with each week???

 

Hmmm....

[happypamama]

I end up googling "ideas for teaching X," plus looking through whatever books we have at home. I'm not familiar with TOG, but could you just make a typed list of the topics for it and then when you find ideas, just put them under the topics? That's what I do, whether it's a worksheet that I think will be good, an art project, a video, a supplemental book, a field trip, a game, a website, etc. Then when we are ready to start that topic, I just decide when is the right time for whatever supplements.

[AngelBee]

Double post :)

Edited May 18, 2011 by AngelBee

[AngelBee]

I end up googling "ideas for teaching X," plus looking through whatever books we have at home. I'm not familiar with TOG, but could you just make a typed list of the topics for it and then when you find ideas, just put them under the topics? That's what I do, whether it's a worksheet that I think will be good, an art project, a video, a supplemental book, a field trip, a game, a website, etc. Then when we are ready to start that topic, I just decide when is the right time for whatever supplements.

Thanks. I started doing this last week. It is a long list already. :001_huh:

 

TOG is Tapestry of Grace :)

[mom31257]

Are these materials that you already have at your home, or will you be purchasing, using the library, etc.? Are they all history and social studies related or is it science as well?

[AngelBee]

Are these materials that you already have at your home, or will you be purchasing, using the library, etc.? Are they all history and social studies related or is it science as well?

Goal? :D

 

I am "trying" to gather what I already have or am subscribed to (Netflix, Brainpops, Discovery Streaming, etc) plus free resources like National Geographic for kids, Lesson Pathways, videos from YouTube...

 

and then organize them in a usable way.

 

Also book lists.

 

Right now, I spend so much time looking for things that I wanted to do with my kids that we end up skipping things instead so we don't get behind. :(

 

I would like to do this for all subjects. For instance, I found a great multiplication video I would like to use again with ds6 and dd4. SO I want a way to easily find it again when it is time.

[mom31257]

For the actual materials you have in your house, I would get carts like these and organize them by subject and topics. If you have a lot of bookshelf space, you could also organize your own bookshelves by topics and use magazine holders like these for videos and such.

 

Here's an example for math.

Math Drawers:

Operations (+-x/)

Fractions/Decimals

Geometry/Measurement

Money/Time/Calendar

 

For computer sites, I would create folders on my favorites or bookmark list. For book lists, I would type them up and throw them in the drawers.

 

Do you plan your year all at one time like with the filing systems? I think this would be great for you because you would have weekly folders to put notes in even referring to where the materials are.

 

It sounds like you want to use a lot of extras. I would rather choose a few really good extra movies, projects, games, and such and know that they will actually get done instead of having to skip some. I am a person who wants to check off a list, though, and don't put it on a list unless I'm fairly sure I can get to it.

[AngelBee]

For the actual materials you have in your house, I would get carts like these and organize them by subject and topics. If you have a lot of bookshelf space, you could also organize your own bookshelves by topics and use magazine holders like these for videos and such.

 

Here's an example for math.

Math Drawers:

Operations (+-x/)

Fractions/Decimals

Geometry/Measurement

Money/Time/Calendar

 

For computer sites, I would create folders on my favorites or bookmark list. For book lists, I would type them up and throw them in the drawers.

 

Do you plan your year all at one time like with the filing systems? I think this would be great for you because you would have weekly folders to put notes in even referring to where the materials are.

 

It sounds like you want to use a lot of extras. I would rather choose a few really good extra movies, projects, games, and such and know that they will actually get done instead of having to skip some. I am a person who wants to check off a list, though, and don't put it on a list unless I'm fairly sure I can get to it.

Thank you. That is helpful. :)

 

I like checking off a list too, but my children keep surprising me with where there interest leads.

 

For instance, two years ago I couldn't get theme to watch a educational video to save my life. Now....they hate read alouds and LOVE videos! :001_huh: :lol:

 

So I guess I am contantly searching and adapting things. I would like to have a place to just start filing things as I come across them instead of having to seek them out later.

 

Not sure if that makes sense.... :lol:

[AngelBee]

I love the idea of setting up a years worth of files. :D Playing around with that idea.

[happypamama]

Thanks. I started doing this last week. It is a long list already. :001_huh:

 

LOL, I know how that goes. I don't know that we'll get to everything that is on our list for each history era next year -- the library might not have a book in at the right time, or we'll have too much else going on to do a lot of extras, or the kids will be less interested in a particular area, so we'll cover it faster, etc. But it's all there, and I can pick and choose closer to the applicable time. I like keeping it all in a computer file via Word, so that all resources are listed together. If I wanted to do something like that for math topics, I'd just make a file and call it "multiplication ideas" or whatever. And for stuff that I printed but didn't necessarily get to, I'd just put it in one of those 3-prong folders that Staples sells for a penny each in the summer. So for instance, the next time we study the Middle Ages, I can call up the Word file and look at the 3-prong folder, and then it will be easy to tweak and add new stuff if needed.

[AngelBee]

LOL, I know how that goes. I don't know that we'll get to everything that is on our list for each history era next year -- the library might not have a book in at the right time, or we'll have too much else going on to do a lot of extras, or the kids will be less interested in a particular area, so we'll cover it faster, etc. But it's all there, and I can pick and choose closer to the applicable time. I like keeping it all in a computer file via Word, so that all resources are listed together. If I wanted to do something like that for math topics, I'd just make a file and call it "multiplication ideas" or whatever. And for stuff that I printed but didn't necessarily get to, I'd just put it in one of those 3-prong folders that Staples sells for a penny each in the summer. So for instance, the next time we study the Middle Ages, I can call up the Word file and look at the 3-prong folder, and then it will be easy to tweak and add new stuff if needed.

Thanks. Great ideas.

 

Really trying to get more organized so that I can utilize what I alreayd have and have gathered.