Is there an "Unschooling" Curriculum?

[honeymommy4]

When kids need more of a challenge than the day-to day rote, etc. something you can supplement with the 3 R's but gets you the gritty, fun stuff up front. i have TONS of ideas from the internet. (growing butterflies, fun math games, science experiments, etc. ) Is there any curriculum that helps guide you through these activities as a process? then helps students realize their knowledge then maybe apply it to something - art work, a story, another experiment, etc. Yet something where you are doing different activities every day.

I need some kind of curriculum book to organize it all for me. it's way overwhelming!!

 

SIDE NOTE: (I had KONOS at one time. It seemed like way too much planning and I could never find the books I needed even though our library has been #1 in the country at times.. . Do i need one with an updated book list?)

 

THANKS!!

[Ellie]

When kids need more of a challenge than the day-to day rote, etc. something you can supplement with the 3 R's but gets you the gritty, fun stuff up front. i have TONS of ideas from the internet. (growing butterflies, fun math games, science experiments, etc. ) Is there any curriculum that helps guide you through these activities as a process? then helps students realize their knowledge then maybe apply it to something - art work, a story, another experiment, etc. Yet something where you are doing different activities every day.

I need some kind of curriculum book to organize it all for me. it's way overwhelming!!

 

SIDE NOTE: (I had KONOS at one time. It seemed like way too much planning and I could never find the books I needed even though our library has been #1 in the country at times.. . Do i need one with an updated book list?)

 

THANKS!!

Well, no. By definition, if you're unschooling you wouldn't have a plan like that. Applying things they learn would be part of life, not part of a plan, especially not a plan written/designed by someone else. You would help them do things and then let any application just happen...or not.

 

Have you read any of John Holt's books? That's the best way to understand what is meant by "unschooling."

 

FTR, I rarely used any library books when I was doing KONOS. Most of the activities are self-contained in KONOS itself; library books are optional. :-)

[kristinannie]

This post actually made me chuckle! :D I think the definition of unschooling is to not have a curriculum. I am interested to see the other posts though!

[threeturn]

I don't know of one and we aren't technically unschoolers because we do sit down and do the 3Rs everyday. BUT I have been mulling over an idea that might be along the lines you want.

 

I love the Bravewriter Lifestyle list of activities for Language Arts. What I would really like is a list of activities for every subject area -- a list of things to do on a regular basis that would ensure we were getting a well-rounded education in all of the subjects without using a curriculum. I like to think of it as Learning Lifestyle Lists or unschooling for the type-A personality. :D I have thought a couple of times about asking the relaxed learners here on the WTM boards if they would be interested in helping brainstorm ideas for the lists, but have yet to work up the courage to do it.

 

As an example, I have come up with a draft of a science list:

 

• Read living science books
  
• Complete a science notebooking or journal page (transcribed by mom for younger set)
  
• Nature study
  
• Conduct an inquiry experiment with a discovery box (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)
  
• Discuss and add questions to the science board for further exploration (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)
  
• Science field trip (science museum, zoo, animal habitat)
  
• Watch a science documentary or edutainment show (Magic School Bus, Bill Nye)
  
• Subscribe to, view, and discuss a science video- or photo-of-the-day
  
• Subscribe to and discuss science magazines of interest
  
• Look for and discuss science current events
  
• Explore a science-themed app or website
  

Some of these would be done daily, some weekly, and others once a month or two. I would love to have a list like this for all subjects -- kind of checklist of activities that I can refer to make sure we are using a variety of methods to explore each subject.

 

I don't know if that is what you were looking for or not, but thanks for reading. :)

[sewingmama]

Try this - http://www.whiteoakschool.com/camp-creek-blog/2008/10/2/project-based-homeschooling.html

 

for when you want your "planned" curriculum to have an "unschooling" feel ;)

[Jay3fer]

Just wanted to chime in that unschooling is child-led and "delight-directed," which means - in the more radical sense - whatever the child is interested in learning is what you help the child to learn on her own. If she wants math, you do math. If she wants to learn to read, you can help her out with that. If she wants to run around waving swords all day, that's what you encourage her to do. So definitely no "curriculum" and no agenda, beyond whatever delights your child on any given day.

 

On the other hand, I have an friend who swears she's an unschooler and it looks a HECK of a lot like Charlotte Mason - they read tons of quality literature and they go out a lot and she teaches the kids useful handicrafts like sewing. Her kids are under 6 so there's no bookwork at all unless they request it, and CM doesn't think narration is a good idea before age 6 anyway. Anyway, she thinks she's totally radical, but I think she's secretly mainstream... ;-)

[PentecostalMom]

This post actually made me chuckle! :D I think the definition of unschooling is to not have a curriculum. I am interested to see the other posts though!

 

:iagree::D

[AngelBee]

I understand what you are asking for. Will try to come back tomorrow when my mind is clearer. :)

[kolamum]

I think what you really mean is that you want a more structured approach but that has you doing hands on fun stuff. If that's the case you might want to get a variety of things in a more eclectic approach vs a straight up curriculum.

 

1. History could be HWISTW -- Go with their Time Traveler Packs you could easy peasy have heaps of hands on activities. You won't *need* any books, but there is a list of them IF you want to.

 

2. Science -- Have you checked out Shinning Dawn Books? They've got lots of beautiful Nature Studies. They aren't planned out for you in a schedule"y" way, but there are activities, journaling, books, art, etc all included in them. Their quarterly is currently on sale for $6.

 

3. Math -- try taking a living math approach. There is a curriculum for it, but I'm not fond of it. I think it's overpriced for what you get.. however if you need help "hand holding" go for it, Math On THe Level. Otherwise, i'd just round up varoius games for practicing math skills and learning new ones.

 

4. Reading -- Fill a tub for each student with books on their level. Pick fun books {as in pure fun, silliness, things you know they'll love}, Add some biographies, Science, and Good quality Fiction. Allow them to read the books in ANY order they want, but they can't get fresh books until all the books in their bin are read. It's up to you if/how they show they've read them.. Book report, book review, design a book cover, act out the book, oral report, etc.

 

5. Writing/LA -- how about penpals?

 

 

I really think unless you want it to be labor intensive on your part you won't find a lot of hands on ideas for the typical 3 Rs you're more likely to find it for the other "stuff". BUT Have you ever heard Carol Barnier speak? Oh my goodness she's funny and has SOOOOOOO many ideas for HANDS on stuff. She's got heaps of books and has ideas in all of them. I listened to her speak in 2011 and it was just awesome. It was via a download thingie so I can listen again and again, and I plan to pull it out and listen this summer for a refresher. I also snagged her "The Big What Now Book Of Learning Styles" which I can't wait to finish digging through. :D

 

I think when it comes to the electives/other there's so many options out there!!

[Free]

I don't know of one and we aren't technically unschoolers because we do sit down and do the 3Rs everyday. BUT I have been mulling over an idea that might be along the lines you want.

 

I love the Bravewriter Lifestyle list of activities for Language Arts. What I would really like is a list of activities for every subject area -- a list of things to do on a regular basis that would ensure we were getting a well-rounded education in all of the subjects without using a curriculum. I like to think of it as Learning Lifestyle Lists or unschooling for the type-A personality. :D I have thought a couple of times about asking the relaxed learners here on the WTM boards if they would be interested in helping brainstorm ideas for the lists, but have yet to work up the courage to do it.

 

As an example, I have come up with a draft of a science list:

 

• Read living science books
  
• Complete a science notebooking or journal page (transcribed by mom for younger set)
  
• Nature study
  
• Conduct an inquiry experiment with a discovery box (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)
  
• Discuss and add questions to the science board for further exploration (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)
  
• Science field trip (science museum, zoo, animal habitat)
  
• Watch a science documentary or edutainment show (Magic School Bus, Bill Nye)
  
• Subscribe to, view, and discuss a science video- or photo-of-the-day
  
• Subscribe to and discuss science magazines of interest
  
• Look for and discuss science current events
  
• Explore a science-themed app or website
  

Some of these would be done daily, some weekly, and others once a month or two. I would love to have a list like this for all subjects -- kind of checklist of activities that I can refer to make sure we are using a variety of methods to explore each subject.

 

I don't know if that is what you were looking for or not, but thanks for reading. :)

 

Love this list! Thanks for sharing. I would probably add Star gazing to the list and we would be good to go for Science. I really like the Bravewriter list for Language Arts as well.

[honeymommy4]

The list is helpful for sure. I do like the unschooling concept, just not sure what to have them do on a day to day. Maybe it works better for more motivated kids. Mine don't really ever start projects on their own and rarely want to do what I suggest. So having structured "school time" was best I THOUGHT, but that went way south for us, didn't work and we are back to trying to figure out what to do.

 

I don't know what to do from here. i went to school. on the weekends I woudl spend entire days just making things with the sewing machine or doing crafts on my own. My kids aren't really into that or old enough for that yet, I guess. I've tried setting up art tables, etc. for them but it just gets used mainly by the toddler. :confused:

 

For example, DS just wants to play all day. he's 8, of course. Just wants to "play legos". that's great, but really he is just building and re-building the same Star wars lego creations and playing with them. I can't exactly sit with him and build legos all day. He does like to read - the easy reader Star Wars books from the library. I'm getting some Magic School house chapter books soon. what else can I give him? I've got 3 other kids, it woudl be ideal to involve the 2 others in something - but all I get when I say we are going to do "X" is resistance.

 

any thoughts?

[Faithr]

Just because you are unschooling doesn't mean you can't plan things! I think how you manage your day has to do with what works best for you and your kids. When I was in radical unschooling mode everything got too scattered after a while. It was like herding cats and just created a lot of tension. I'm only one person, you know! At the time I had five kids! So what we did was figure out what we wanted to focus on. We'd look at any classes or clubs or activities going on that the kids wanted to participate in. So for example one year we might participate in a twice a month co-op that had hands on science and book club. Then one dd did Irish Dance and another boy did Cub Scouts. This created structure. I've always read aloud to the kids since they were in utero, so lots of read alouds were just par for the course. Sometimes I picked them out and sometimes they did. Every Thursday we might go to the library and then the farmer's market. You just develop routines that suit your family.

 

Have you heard of the concept of strewing? If you see something interesting you think the kids might enjoy, you 'strew' it around the house for the kids to see and perhaps pick up and read. The trick is not to be emotionally tied to whether they pick it up or not. You are just giving them exposure but they get to decide if they are going to run with it.

 

I know one homeschooling mom who sets up a bulletin board with a calendar. At the beginning of every month, she lists potential projects and field trips plus any classes or activities coming up. Then the kids pick what they want to do, but that becomes the plan unless something interferes. So the kids know what to expect and every day isn't a free for all. You can have a project day, a cooking day, a movie day, a field trip day, a game day, etc. Different families work it out differently.

 

Anyway, if you want you can poke around my blog. We are currently in a not so unschooly mode of operation just cuz that's how things have been moving, but you might glean a little help and insight from it. See my signature for the link.

 

If the kids are resisting, don't ask them. You just sit and work on something and let them come along and see you working. Talk a lot about what you are learning, have lots of discussions.

[Ellie]

The list is helpful for sure. I do like the unschooling concept, just not sure what to have them do on a day to day. Maybe it works better for more motivated kids. Mine don't really ever start projects on their own and rarely want to do what I suggest. So having structured "school time" was best I THOUGHT, but that went way south for us, didn't work and we are back to trying to figure out what to do.

As an unschooler, you don't "have them do" anything.

 

All children want to learn things; they just don't always want to learn what parents think they should learn, when parents think they should learn it. Sometimes this causes parents to think that the children are not motivated, but that isn't true.

 

Why should your children want to start projects? :confused: What kinds of "projects" do you think they should do? Don't mistake their lack of desire for "projects" for a lack of motivation.

 

I don't know what to do from here. i went to school. on the weekends I woudl spend entire days just making things with the sewing machine or doing crafts on my own. My kids aren't really into that or old enough for that yet, I guess. I've tried setting up art tables, etc. for them but it just gets used mainly by the toddler. :confused:

 

For example, DS just wants to play all day. he's 8, of course. Just wants to "play legos". that's great, but really he is just building and re-building the same Star wars lego creations and playing with them. I can't exactly sit with him and build legos all day.

Why would you need to sit with him while he builds Lego creations? What's wrong with building and re-building the same creations?

 

He does like to read - the easy reader Star Wars books from the library. I'm getting some Magic School house chapter books soon. what else can I give him?

 

Go to the library. Let him check out whatever he wants.

 

I've got 3 other kids, it woudl be ideal to involve the 2 others in something - but all I get when I say we are going to do "X" is resistance.

Let them play together...or not.

 

Field trips and library visits involve everyone (and you don't ask them if they want to; you plan it and get them all in the car and go). Household chores involve everyone (you certainly don't ask them if they want to do chores, lol).

 

Unschooling is not unparenting (although some people do it that way. They are in error. JMHO.). But if it doesn't have to do with discipline (because children are not born knowing how to behave properly), household maintanance, social responsibilities, and so on, then let them do things on their own.

[NASDAQ]

Honeymommy, you don't sound convinced of the philosophy of unschooling. From an unschooling perspective (or a radical unschooling perspective, at least), your children know what they need. If they spend all day playing Star Wars legos, that's filling a need for them and they're learning what's necessary to their lives. Unschooled kids _do_ learn to read, etc., but the schedule can look very different from what the more traditionally minded would expect. They may not learn to read until years later, or to calculate until high school, when they see the need. Of course they may fly through math at seven years old.

 

The parent is cast in the role of facilitator. You might be peering over his shoulder and suggesting, what if we took one quarter of the blue blocks? How many would we have then? Or you might be arranging trips to NASA, or finding marginally more difficult Star Wars books to leave around.

 

IMHO unschooling works best for parents who have a lot of time and energy and are _extremely_ comfortable with the subject matter. So comfortable that they see all of the various implications of fractions popping up around them.

 

I'm not sure why your previous curriculum fizzled out. Did your son drag his feet and refuse to do work? Or he was doing the work and not retaining any of it? Or it was too difficult to teach? IMHO a move to unschooling entails more of a philosophical switch rather than a tactical switch. You seem to be looking for a tactical switch here.

 

Disclosure: Not an unschooler. I've tried to describe it accurately here.

[ThreeBlessings]

I believe the word unschooler has evolved and it therefore makes sense not everyone uses it the exact same way. Seems I recall reading it was used in a broader sense previously to encompass anyone not going to school (what most would now call a homeschooler). Now whenever we say unschooler most picture a radical unschooler, but really if there weren't variations of unschoolers why would we tag the word with the adjective radical? When I hear unschooler I don't picture a radical unschooler unless the word radical precedes the unschooler. I picture what would more likely be called a relaxed/delayed academics/child led homeschooler. :)

[Ellie]

I believe the word unschooler has evolved and it therefore makes sense not everyone uses it the exact same way. Seems I recall reading it was used in a broader sense previously to encompass anyone not going to school (what most would now call a homeschooler). Now whenever we say unschooler most picture a radical unschooler, but really if there weren't variations of unschoolers why would we tag the word with the adjective radical? When I hear unschooler I don't picture a radical unschooler unless the word radical precedes the unschooler. I picture what would more likely be called a relaxed/delayed academics/child led homeschooler. :)

John Holt coined the term; to him it meant children learning things in ways that didn't look like school, especially without parents or other adults hanging around waiting for children to show an interest in something so they could help the child do it more. He thought children should be involved in life, in a natural way, not in planned, not delayed in the sense that the parents wanted their dc to learn this specific thing but they were willing to wait until the children were older before they required them to learn...whatever it was.

 

I don't use the modifer "radical." I think it's unnecessary, as "relaxed" and "child-led" aren't unschooling (although when you talk to Mary Hood, who coined the term "relaxed," there's not much difference between that and unschooling, lol).

[ThreeBlessings]

John Holt coined the term; to him it meant children learning things in ways that didn't look like school, especially without parents or other adults hanging around waiting for children to show an interest in something so they could help the child do it more. He thought children should be involved in life, in a natural way, not in planned, not delayed in the sense that the parents wanted their dc to learn this specific thing but they were willing to wait until the children were older before they required them to learn...whatever it was.

 

I don't use the modifer "radical." I think it's unnecessary, as "relaxed" and "child-led" aren't unschooling (although when you talk to Mary Hood, who coined the term "relaxed," there's not much difference between that and unschooling, lol).

 

I'm trying to remember the book. Had to be either something by John Holt or possibly The Teenage Liberation Handbook? Something I read years ago that was an older book described what 'unschooling' might look like in different families and some of the descriptions were definitely what I would consider homeschooling rather than unschooling. I didn't know John Holt coined the term. It has been a long time since I read something by that fellow. :)

[butterflymommy]

We ended up using the MFW ECC in an unschooling kind of way. Instead of following the curriculum/ plan, the girls picked which books they wanted to read in whatever order they wanted (and ended up reading all of them, including the supplementary books). We picked and chose from the activities in the teacher's manual, watched documentaries and read library books on some of the topics, but not in any organized fashion. We didn't really plan on this happening but it's how things worked out.

 

We always have strict requirements for the three Rs but beyond that we're flexible.

[Ellie]

I'm trying to remember the book. Had to be either something by John Holt or possibly The Teenage Liberation Handbook? Something I read years ago that was an older book described what 'unschooling' might look like in different families and some of the descriptions were definitely what I would consider homeschooling rather than unschooling. I didn't know John Holt coined the term. It has been a long time since I read something by that fellow. :)

Somebody Lewellyn...? I'll think of it eventually, lol.

 

Unschooling *is* homeschooling. It's just a different philosphy than, say, classical. :)

 

Unschoolers use textbooks, if what they want to learn can be found in them. They might even have what looks like a schedule, if what they want to learn is best learned that way. Someone here is an unschooler (or she used to be here...it's been quite awhile since she posted this), and in her home, it meant that the books lying around where dc might pick them up were books on Greek mythology, or the Ancients, and the books she read aloud for fun, because even unschoolers read aloud to their dc, were classical. They had discussions about Latin and Greek, in the course of doing everyday things...I wish I had copied and kept her post, because it was quite good. ::palm:forehead:: Definitely unschooling, definitely classical.

[deerforest]

I think that as soon as the parent has a plan or any preconceived notion as to what the kids should be learning, you're not unschooling anymore.

 

However, unschoolers absolutely can (and do) use curriculum. For example, if the kids want to learn something and the parents facilitate that learning by offering/providing a variety of learning opportunities, one of those choices might be a more structured curriculum of some sort. I'd say that this isn't typical strewing, but for older kids or kids who really want to delve into a topic, using a curriculum of some sort isn't felonious for unschoolers.

 

In real life, I'm surrounded by what many would refer to as radical unschoolers, but I'm not one. I self-identify as eclectic because I do have an educational agenda (just for the 3Rs; everything else is pretty much open), but I don't adhere to a particular homeschooling dogma or methodology. I pull from all sorts of materials.

 

To my radical unschooling friends I'm sure I look absolutely uptight and pedantic, but to others I'm sure I look like a totally lazy sloth who has no right homeschooling her kid! It's kinda stressful living in the middle because at any given moment I believe what one of those groups is probably thinking about me! But, at the end of the day, it's what seems to work for our family.

 

So, OP, perhaps you can find the happy medium that is ideally suited for your family. I am continually tweaking and trying to find our balance.

 

ETA: I meant to also say that there are weeks in which we pretty much do very little formal schooling. DD might be involved in so many activities or I'm so overwhelmed with work, or whatever, and I just make sure she has lots of strewed materials available. Then other weeks we fly through schooling like crazy and make so much progress. I feel like an academically-focused unschooler, which doesn't really exist in anyone else's world except ours. Unschoolers adamantly feel you can't unschool part time--you either are or you aren't because it's a philosophical approach not just a whim. But, I do feel like that's what best describes what our reality is like.

Edited January 2, 2012 by deerforest

[chiguirre]

When kids need more of a challenge than the day-to day rote, etc. something you can supplement with the 3 R's but gets you the gritty, fun stuff up front. i have TONS of ideas from the internet. (growing butterflies, fun math games, science experiments, etc. ) Is there any curriculum that helps guide you through these activities as a process? then helps students realize their knowledge then maybe apply it to something - art work, a story, another experiment, etc. Yet something where you are doing different activities every day.

I need some kind of curriculum book to organize it all for me. it's way overwhelming!!

 

 

I think Oak Meadow might fit what you're looking for. It's got lots of hands-on activities and you demonstrate what you learn by drawing and writing in a Main Lesson Book. In the upper elementary grades there are long term practical projects. Here's the link:

 

http://www.oakmeadow.com/

 

There's a social group here for OMers.

[threeturn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeymommy4

The list is helpful for sure. I do like the unschooling concept, just not sure what to have them do on a day to day. Maybe it works better for more motivated kids. Mine don't really ever start projects on their own and rarely want to do what I suggest. So having structured "school time" was best I THOUGHT, but that went way south for us, didn't work and we are back to trying to figure out what to do.

 

As an unschooler, you don't "have them do" anything.

 

All children want to learn things; they just don't always want to learn what parents think they should learn, when parents think they should learn it. Sometimes this causes parents to think that the children are not motivated, but that isn't true.

 

Why should your children want to start projects? :confused: What kinds of "projects" do you think they should do? Don't mistake their lack of desire for "projects" for a lack of motivation.

 

Quote:

I don't know what to do from here. i went to school. on the weekends I woudl spend entire days just making things with the sewing machine or doing crafts on my own. My kids aren't really into that or old enough for that yet, I guess. I've tried setting up art tables, etc. for them but it just gets used mainly by the toddler. :confused:

 

For example, DS just wants to play all day. he's 8, of course. Just wants to "play legos". that's great, but really he is just building and re-building the same Star wars lego creations and playing with them. I can't exactly sit with him and build legos all day.

Why would you need to sit with him while he builds Lego creations? What's wrong with building and re-building the same creations?

 

Quote:

He does like to read - the easy reader Star Wars books from the library. I'm getting some Magic School house chapter books soon. what else can I give him?

Go to the library. Let him check out whatever he wants.

 

Quote:

I've got 3 other kids, it woudl be ideal to involve the 2 others in something - but all I get when I say we are going to do "X" is resistance.

Let them play together...or not.

 

Field trips and library visits involve everyone (and you don't ask them if they want to; you plan it and get them all in the car and go). Household chores involve everyone (you certainly don't ask them if they want to do chores, lol).

 

Unschooling is not unparenting (although some people do it that way. They are in error. JMHO.). But if it doesn't have to do with discipline (because children are not born knowing how to behave properly), household maintanance, social responsibilities, and so on, then let them do things on their own.

 

:iagree: And radical unschoolers would tell you not to make them do the chores or go on the field trips either. They would also tell you that it is very important to sit and build things with the legos -- but not try to tell him what to build.

 

IMHO a move to unschooling entails more of a philosophical switch rather than a tactical switch. You seem to be looking for a tactical switch here.

 

 

Also great advice.

 

I have not evolved to the point yet where I feel I can totally "trust the child," which is so important to the unschooling philosophy. I keep thinking that one day they may blame me for not preparing them properly for the world. :D Therefore we are eclectic, but I am making progress on the continuum. And I really believe unschooling is a journey, not a destination. We all have our public school baggage. Some on the journey just get there faster than others.

 

Have you considered gathering them all in the same room and letting them play quietly while you read to them? Then you can discuss what you read if they are willing. He can certainly build while he listens to say, SOTW. You can muse aloud about the things you find interesting -- don't orally quiz, but model and invite conversation. One of the things I struggle with is that there has to be some sort of output from my children. There doesn't. Partnered conversation (as opposed to teacher/student conversation) can be enough.

 

On the other hand, he may be a kid that wants to do a workbook for every subject, get it over quickly, and have the rest of the day to play. If school is not a choice in your home, he has to buckle down and do it. You can help him find the most painless way, but it is not optional.

 

In unschooling it is important to strew, invite, and provide opportunities without getting mad if they refuse. I really think in many ways unschooling is more challenging for the mom than many other methods.

[swellmomma]

ETA: I meant to also say that there are weeks in which we pretty much do very little formal schooling. DD might be involved in so many activities or I'm so overwhelmed with work, or whatever, and I just make sure she has lots of strewed materials available. Then other weeks we fly through schooling like crazy and make so much progress. I feel like an academically-focused unschooler, which doesn't really exist in anyone else's world except ours. Unschoolers adamantly feel you can't unschool part time--you either are or you aren't because it's a philosophical approach not just a whim. But, I do feel like that's what best describes what our reality is like.

 

 

This is like what I posted a long time ago about Tidal homeschooling. It is what our house is like. We flow back and forth between very little formal school work to plowing through several subjects in a short period of time. It sounds like you and I homeschool in a very similar way, even the part about living in the middle. There is not many that I have found that do that. The vast majority of those that are in my homeschool support group are unschoolers and think I am mean to have so many expectations for my kids. And then I come on to this site and feel like the laziest homeschool mom ever because I am so relaxed in how we do things.

 

Another idea that came to mind for the OP is checking out Oak Meadow. It is not unschooling, the academics once you get to the higher levels I understand are challenging, but there is alot of fun things to chose from to teach the material. Even if you are not a waldorf follower it may work for you

[Enough]

I don't know of one and we aren't technically unschoolers because we do sit down and do the 3Rs everyday. BUT I have been mulling over an idea that might be along the lines you want.

 

I love the Bravewriter Lifestyle list of activities for Language Arts. What I would really like is a list of activities for every subject area -- a list of things to do on a regular basis that would ensure we were getting a well-rounded education in all of the subjects without using a curriculum. I like to think of it as Learning Lifestyle Lists or unschooling for the type-A personality. :D I have thought a couple of times about asking the relaxed learners here on the WTM boards if they would be interested in helping brainstorm ideas for the lists, but have yet to work up the courage to do it.

 

As an example, I have come up with a draft of a science list:

 

• Read living science books
  
• Complete a science notebooking or journal page (transcribed by mom for younger set)
  
• Nature study
  
• Conduct an inquiry experiment with a discovery box (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)
  
• Discuss and add questions to the science board for further exploration (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)
  
• Science field trip (science museum, zoo, animal habitat)
  
• Watch a science documentary or edutainment show (Magic School Bus, Bill Nye)
  
• Subscribe to, view, and discuss a science video- or photo-of-the-day
  
• Subscribe to and discuss science magazines of interest
  
• Look for and discuss science current events
  
• Explore a science-themed app or website
  

Some of these would be done daily, some weekly, and others once a month or two. I would love to have a list like this for all subjects -- kind of checklist of activities that I can refer to make sure we are using a variety of methods to explore each subject.

 

I don't know if that is what you were looking for or not, but thanks for reading. :)

 

This list is EXCELLENT!!! Love, love, love it. :) I, too, am a Type A-er who would wants to incorporate more natural learning into our homeschooling.

 

I need to make my own "Learning Lifestyle List" and would LOVE to see others'.

[honeymommy4]

Maybe I was using the term "unschooling" too loosely!

[momto2Cs]

I don't know of one and we aren't technically unschoolers because we do sit down and do the 3Rs everyday. BUT I have been mulling over an idea that might be along the lines you want.

 

I love the Bravewriter Lifestyle list of activities for Language Arts. What I would really like is a list of activities for every subject area -- a list of things to do on a regular basis that would ensure we were getting a well-rounded education in all of the subjects without using a curriculum. I like to think of it as Learning Lifestyle Lists or unschooling for the type-A personality. :D I have thought a couple of times about asking the relaxed learners here on the WTM boards if they would be interested in helping brainstorm ideas for the lists, but have yet to work up the courage to do it.

 

As an example, I have come up with a draft of a science list:

 

 

• Read living science books

• Complete a science notebooking or journal page (transcribed by mom for younger set)

• Nature study

• Conduct an inquiry experiment with a discovery box (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)

• Discuss and add questions to the science board for further exploration (borrowed from inquiry science thread found here)

• Science field trip (science museum, zoo, animal habitat)

• Watch a science documentary or edutainment show (Magic School Bus, Bill Nye)

• Subscribe to, view, and discuss a science video- or photo-of-the-day

• Subscribe to and discuss science magazines of interest

• Look for and discuss science current events

• Explore a science-themed app or website

 

Some of these would be done daily, some weekly, and others once a month or two. I would love to have a list like this for all subjects -- kind of checklist of activities that I can refer to make sure we are using a variety of methods to explore each subject.

 

I don't know if that is what you were looking for or not, but thanks for reading. :)

 

This list is AWEsome! Totally the kind of thing I've been thinking in my head but haven't gotten down on paper. Now, if I can just manage such a list for math!