How can I make the best of the rest of the year with a boxed curriculum

[lynn]

I don't have money to replace this. I purchased Abeka because it was what I am familiar with and I liked that everything came as a whole. I am so over with the repetitiveness. This is my 3rd time with the second grade and second time with the 7th grade, we use Saxon Algebra 1/2, everything else is Abeka. I thought I could be more creative and have pulled things from the history and science to read more on, experiement with, found some videos but it just seems blah. My son seems okay with it all and has on his own done some of his own research on topics that came up that interested him.

 

What can I do to survive these next 90days with this. Any suggestions? TIA

[mumto2]

One thing we have been doing is a google at the end of sciene and history. We spend about 15 minutes watching videos and looking at slides at the end of each class. This has given me a way to check that ds has retained the main points of the lesson and for him to learn a bit more. He looks forward to it because we never know what we are going to end up doing. One day we watched a giant squid steal a video camera. I wanted him to watch how they swim and move. Educationally maybe not great but boy did his enthusiasm increase. Dd and I had fun with it too.

[...................]

Science: You can just read the Abeka Science texts and have your children draw one thing that interested them from each section, no tests or quizzes. We love the abeka Science.

 

Grammar: Grammar is grammar and there isn't much you can do to make it wonderful. But you can choose some exercises and skip others. There's too much repetition in there for most kids.

 

History: same as science. Read and notebook it. Add in History Pockets and documentaries from Netflix or library books here and there.

 

Spelling: We would never survive abeka spelling so I don't have any ideas there. But if your kids are doing well then stay with it. There's not much that can make spelling fun and wonderful.

 

In general stop using the TM's and just enjoy the books page by page. You probably only really need the TM for spelling and math.

[Susie in MS]

The other 2 ladies had good ideas.

Also maybe just let each of your children go to the library and pick out one science and one history bio each to read at their levels.Have them write about the books once they are finished with them.

For grammar, spelling and hand writing you could have them do copy work of a paragraph from the book each day. Choose paragraphs that either have mechanics that you want to stress or content you want them to learn. Or you could let them choose a favorite paragraph.

[Lily_Grace]

Add in www.mrdonn.org for history suggestions. Any time period, he's got lesson plans, video links, games...it's all right there. Or find a copy of an Usborne internet-linked history encyclopedia (or science one).

 

 

I post-it note the heck out of my TMs. Any time I find something online that looks cool, I put it in the designated favorites folder. Then when planning the unit on, say, the human body, I just reach into my biology folder, find the appropriate link, and note it to myself on the manual. We get to that part in the lesson and can expand online, either him playing games or doing something together.

[Lori D.]

I don't have money to replace this. I purchased Abeka because it was what I am familiar with and I liked that everything came as a whole. I am so over with the repetitiveness. This is my 3rd time with the second grade and second time with the 7th grade, we use Saxon Algebra 1/2, everything else is Abeka. I thought I could be more creative and have pulled things from the history and science to read more on, experiement with, found some videos but it just seems blah. My son seems okay with it all and has on his own done some of his own research on topics that came up that interested him.

 

What can I do to survive these next 90days with this. Any suggestions? TIA

 

 

Decide to not just survive, but be determined to make lemonade from these lemons. ;) Not meaning for you to try and do all of this -- just ideas to choose from or to "jump start" your own creative ideas! BEST of luck in your new semester! Warmest regards Lori D.

 

Make school less structured

- Do only a selection of problems (circle as many as you think DC need -- no more than half).

- Do some work orally, not written, to reduce grading.

- Each day, from a jar or hat, pull one subject to be skipped that day; once all subjects have been pulled and skipped (one per day), put all back in the jar or hat and repeat.

- Make one day a week "fun day" -- skip Abeka entirely and go with the creative things you've pulled: go on a field trip; play educational games (board games, card games, computer games, online games.....); watch an educational video; do a fun science experiment; do an art project; make a history hands-on.

- Join a homeschool co-op and let the classes take the place of some of your work at home.

- It is okay to not have to do every single lesson; when schools use textbooks, they call it "done" when anywhere from 75-90% of the textbook has been done. Not trying to suggest we shoot for low standards, BUT... if you get to the end of your 90 days and you still have 2 chapters of the textbook left, it is okay to say DONE and look forward to some different educational materials for next year!

 

Have DC work more independently where possible

- Sometimes have DC drill each other on spelling and math facts, or read the Abeka readers to one another.

- Have DC go with the topics that interested them and have them create a poster, diorama, power point or other way of presenting their research to the family as a fun presentation day.

- Outsource the one subject you absolutely can't stand the sight of to DH, or to a tutor to come in once a week.

- Have DC come up with an entertaining way of doing school one day a week; ideas from this past thread to get you started: Wacky Wednesdays: Need Goofy Activities.

 

Incorporate what "fills your cup" and is enjoyable to you

- While DC work on school, you chat with them and work on a project of your interest (sketching, scrapbooking, knitting, painting -- or everyone go outside and you garden or woodwork, whatever...)

- Schedule one day a week as a half day and use the afternoon and/or evening as just your time to read, think, write, do what YOU like.

- Make sure you're getting some regular exercise -- just going for a walk works well -- first thing in the morning, or after schooling, as it really clears your head, and helps you be fresh and energetic for the next day.

 

Mental tricks

- Make a chart with 180 days. Cross off the first 90 days. Now cross off each day from the spring semester as you go. Look -- you are already MORE THAN HALF WAY DONE with the year after doing the first day of the spring semester! And every day after is that much closer to being done with the school year! ;)

[lynn]

I knew I could count on getting great ideas and suggestions here. Thanks for taking time to respond to my post I really appreciate it.

[AngelBee]

We were gifted every year and almost every subject of Abeka k-12 plus a couple SL Cores. Very inspirational thread. This really helps me think of way to make it fit into my homeschooling style and structure.