Blurring the lines of subjects

[Connections]

Anyone out there NOT follow the traditional subject lines (math, science, history, faith, etc.) but instead group "subjects" together in a more organic fashion? If you do this, how do you go about it and how do you plan ahead?

[TippyCanoe]

nm

[lewelma]

We merge all subjects when we do our 10-week long science investigations each year. We do them outside, so they even include PE. :001_smile: I have written up our work here: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=361740

 

They need to :

Research at the library and on the internet

Read previous work in the field to put their own work in historical context

Design an experiment

Design tables for their data

Collect the data and keep a lab notebook (40+ pages)

Analyze the data and design graphs

Design a mathematical model

Write up their report (10+ pages)

Design a poster that is visually appealing to their audience

Take, choose, print, and crop photos

Accurately construct the poster

Design and practice an oral presentation

Defend their work to the judges

 

So if they just made their presentation in Mandarin, we would have all the subjects covered. :D

 

Ruth in NZ

Edited October 26, 2012 by lewelma

[Whoareyou]

Hi- Im new but have been lurking for quite some time. DS never had individual subjects. I know what needs to be covered (in the back of my mind) for the next couple years and make sure we are actively working toward those ever changing goals.

For example, reading a level appropriate book about French history then doing some type of project about what he learned. The counts as reading/literature/history/possibly art/writing/ foreign language and depending on the project maybe applied math skills.

 

I have a background in education so I know what to expect from not only his age level but his working level.

 

Clear as mud - right?

[Greenmama2]

Lewelma, is their mandarin good enough to read any Chinese material on their research subjects? You could include it that way :p

[lewelma]

Lewelma, is their mandarin good enough to read any Chinese material on their research subjects? You could include it that way :p

 

Well as long as it only uses the number, colour, household, body part words, my younger could read everything! :D

[Storm Bay]

We did a lot of this when my dc were little without really trying to. Right now ds is doing Life of Fred PreAlgebra which mixes science, English (figures of speech, etc & math, although he's also doing Calvert Math which is just math.

 

Had my girls stayed home for high school, I was going to do this with English/History and whatever their main interests were, but it didn't happen :sad: for various reasons. I am planning this for ds, even though he's lobbying for ps for social reasons. Often the worst reason to go (with a few exceptions). I'm going to see if he can do band & go part time, since that's social & music is one of his specialty areas.

[SandraK]

I sort of do this for my 2nd grader and Kinder. We use Tapestry of Grace as our guide. We do lots of read alouds to cover reading, comprehension, geography, history, and bible history. We do have a separate math program (my 2nd grader like Teaching Textbooks and my Kinder like Singapore Math). Since we don't do science or art at home, they generally take co-op classes or do field trips to explore those areas in a fun environment. For my kinder, doing a subject by subject schedule would work well. But for my 2nd grader, a project or themed schedule works best for him. So we have blended the two styles together.

[quark]

I created a comics+detectives unit once for DS to entice him to write more. He was 8.5yo then I think. Well, he didn't write that much more but he did read tons and learn about the cartooning/ comics genre, characterization, poisons, and received a very basic but good intro to criminal psychology and crime scenes/ forensics.

 

We began with Calvin and Hobbes and married Sherlock Holmes and Christie's Hercule Poirot stories into the mix a few months later. I called the unit "Giggles & Gumshoes" for fun. :001_smile:

 

Some of the resources I gathered:

DS's Calvin and Hobbes collection

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Looking for Calvin and Hobbes by Nevin Martell

The Calvin and Hobbes Album

Calvin's Alter Egos (Wikipedia)

Graphic Novel Lesson Plans

Derkins Library for CandH Research

Watterson's World

Calvin and Hobbes Recipe Book

Calvin and Hobbes Papercraft

Recurrent Themes

The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Hercule Poirot's Casebook by Agatha Christie

The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum

The Perfect Murder by David Lehman

[serendipitous journey]

Hi- Im new but have been lurking for quite some time. DS never had individual subjects. I know what needs to be covered (in the back of my mind) for the next couple years and make sure we are actively working toward those ever changing goals.

For example, reading a level appropriate book about French history then doing some type of project about what he learned. The counts as reading/literature/history/possibly art/writing/ foreign language and depending on the project maybe applied math skills.

 

I have a background in education so I know what to expect from not only his age level but his working level.

 

Clear as mud - right?

 

Welcome! and what a lovely, organic strategy.

 

Quark, I am drooling over your detectives unit study. Button's too obsessive for something like that right now but ... can I come to your homeschool? :)

[quark]

Quark, I am drooling over your detectives unit study. Button's too obsessive for something like that right now but ... can I come to your homeschool? :)

 

:001_smile:

 

DS didn't follow the plan so I let the plan follow him. I emailed him the links and strewed the books and he took off on his own. Still no writing though lol.

[Kareni]

 

The other thing that has turned out wildly wonderful is, believe it or not, a couple of British sci-fi shows. Like the original Star Trek series, these shows tackle some pretty big questions related to death (if someone knew, absolutely knew, what came after death, should people know? ...

 

Which shows are these, Doodler? We've shared Star Trek titles in the past (my daughter was also a fan), so I'm wondering if these shows might interest my daughter.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[quark]

Which shows are these, Doodler? We've shared Star Trek titles in the past (my daughter was also a fan), so I'm wondering if these shows might interest my daughter.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Not Doodler but we love Dr Who. :001_smile:

[Kareni]

Thanks, Quark. My daughter has definitely enjoyed Dr. Who, too. (Sounds rather Seussian ....)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[TippyCanoe]

nm

[Kareni]

Dd's current favorite (and mine) is Torchwood. ...

 

My daughter is older than yours, and we are quite liberal. And, yes, Torchwood was also a hit here.

 

My husband is the one who viewed shows with my daughter throughout her homeschooling. Other favorites here included The Prisoner and Firefly.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[quark]

My daughter is older than yours, and we are quite liberal. And, yes, Torchwood was also a hit here.

 

My husband is the one who viewed shows with my daughter throughout her homeschooling. Other favorites here included The Prisoner and Firefly.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

We loved Firefly! :thumbup:

[TippyCanoe]

nm

[Kareni]

... so we're limited to DVDs. ... She's traveling to the UK with dh this December. For the first day and a half while he's at a conference in Wales, she's going to hole up in the hotel, sleep, and, so she says, do nothing but watch BBC.

 

We are another no cable family, so I can tell you that both The Prisoner and Firefly are available on DVD. Curiously, The Prisoner was filmed in Portmeirion in Gwynedd, North Wales. I hope that your daughter will enjoy her trip and her BBC marathon!

 

Regards,

Kareni