Why I love Classical Education

Aussie In America (Stacy) asked, "I was thinking about homeschooling methods this morning and was wondering how you came to decide upon the Classical Method. You seem very passionate about it and I would love to know why/if you prefer this to other methods."

A little background information, my daughter went to public school last year for kindergarten. She had a good year and there was no major problems with the school, in fact, we love her kindergarten teacher. How we came to the decision to homeschool is another post (one I think I've already written, which I'll have to look up) that I will save for another time.

I used Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum to help decide what learning style and method to use. She has these wonderful exercises within the book to determine what you philosophy of education is, how you want to teach and run your homeschool, and how to determine your child's learning style. This is the best $21.99 (which is $14.99 now at Amazon) I have spent!

My answers are still in the book, so I'll share them with you.

What do you think is most important for your children to learn?
I want my children to:

• Have a lifelong love of learning
• Be avid readers
• Have a clear understanding of the world
• have a strong Christian foundation
• To be able to explore broader areas of education
• To be perform at their level, not tied down to grade levels
• To have fun and grow together

Duffy also provides a wonderful way to discover what education method you would probably most enjoy by a point system. Here's my highest scoring preferences:

• predictable structure
• children read historical novels and biographies rather than textbooks
• grammar program that emphasizes rules & memorization
• mental training and mental discipline have higher priority than stimulating curiosity and interest
• informal evaluation of child's progress by talking over what they've read (narrations) rather than testing
• young children do a significant amount of memorization, repetition and recitation
• teens get a strong background in the great books of western civilization
• teens develop a "life of the mind" more than vocational skills
• presenting my children with information to learn rather than having them choose their own topics to investigate (there is still room for choice in classical)
• availability of resources that are scripted for the parent/teacher
• lots of discussion and interaction in the learning process
• covering subjects (history, science, religion) at the same time with same materials with as many children as possible
• making connections between different subject areas, showing relationships, viewing that as a high priority in learning.
• to teach my children one on one as much as possible
• learn grammar in casual way then working on mastery in their writing
• make field trips an essential part of schooling
• flexible curriculum and schedules so I can capitalize on "teachable moments"
• to set my own goals and schedule reather than adopting someone else's
• to select curriculum that suit my child's learning style rather than widely recognized and accepted by authorities.

I actually scored higher in the Charlotte Mason category but after reading The Well-Trained Mind- it all clicked. I prefer my children not to learn with computer software and dvds. I love a lot of Mason's teachings.

I have a "Perfect Paula" in Camille, she likes workbooks, consistence structure in both schedule and curriculum (the girl plans the next day every night before bedtime!), rules and predictability, lectures or lessons that follow an outline, repetition and memorization, drill and review, and gentle help to develop creativity and deeper thinking skills. Classical education seems built for her!

I'd rather have my children memorizing addition facts and grammar rules, poems, etc than hearing them recite word for word a quote from their favorite movie. Children have a natural ability to memorize and recite, classical education utilizes this more than any other method. Plus I love the fact my children will be chronologically learning about history and repeating years of study instead of jumping around and never going in-depth into anything.

For example: Ancients - 1st Grade, 5th Grade, 9th Grade (Great Books)

I see value in other methods but none of them made me feel comfortable. I think that is what is important. Can you teach it? I love books, I love reading to my children, I love to hear them read. Even Danny with his car, car, truck, truck translation right now. I even see value in following the Bluedorns' version of classical education. I think the best way to educate your child is to use their learning style, honor God and show interest in what you're teaching to influence your children.

The value of learning Latin, reading books instead of textbooks, learning how to communicate properly through writing and speech, building a solid foundation of knowledge by using levels of knowledge of a subject (grammar, logic, rhetoric) and learning right alongside of my children- that is why I love classical education.

Our Homeschool Reference Arsenal

When I have a question about homeschooling or technique, I turn to the homeschool arsenal I've created. It's filled with books that I lean on to help me identify where our weaknesses are and what we can do to strengthen those weaknesses. There are times that I just want to ask someone who's been there and I turn to my homeschooling friends. I wanted to share what I keep in my arsenal and maybe find out what's in yours as well.

FAITH
1. NRSV Bible
2. Camille's NRSV Children's Bible

METHODOLOGY
1. The Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer
2. Teaching the trivium: Christian homeschooling in a classical style by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn
3. A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison
4. A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
5. Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum: A Guide to Catholic Home Education by Laura Berquist

LEARNING STYLES & CURRICULUM
1. 100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum: Choosing The Right Curriculum And Approach For Your Child's Learning Style by Cathy Duffy
2. How Children Learn by John Holt
3. The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias

BOOKS ABOUT READING
1. THE THREE R'S by Ruth Beechick
2. Books to Build On by E.D. Hirsch Jr.
3. Read To Me: Raising Kids Who Love To Read By Bernice Cullinan
4. Language and Thinking for Young Children by Ruth Beechick
5. The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

GENERAL EDUCATION & HOMESCHOOL
1. A Survivor's Guide to Home Schooling by Schackelford, Luann
2. The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling (3rd Edition) by Debra Bell
3. What Your First Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of a Good First-Grade Education by E.D. Hirsch Jr.
4. What Your Second Grader Needs to Know : Fundamentals of a Good Second Grade Education Revised by E.D. Hirsch Jr.
5. Homeschooling Your Child Step-by-Step: 100 Simple Solutions to Homeschooling Toughest Problems by Lauramaery Gold
6. Help for the Harried Homeschooler : A Practical Guide to Balancing Your Child's Education with the Rest of Your Life by Christine Field

ABOUT PARENTING & TEACHING
1. The Courage to Teach : Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life by Parker Palmer
2. To Know as We Are Known: Education as a Spiritual Journey by Parker Palmer
3. Finding Your Purpose As A Mom: How to Build Your Home on Holy Ground by Donna Otto
4. The Mother at Home by John S.C. Abbott
5. Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel (Focus on the Family)
6. Teaching Your Children Values by Linda and Richard Eyre
7. The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
8. Peacemaking For Families by Ken Sande
9. Talking Pictures: A Parents' Guide to Using Movies to Discuss Ethics, Values, and Everyday Problems with Children by Ronald Madison, Ed.D and Corey Schmidt

*This list doesn't include books I've read that have been borrowed from friends and the library or include the books I want to own.

When I need to talk to someone, I rely on my homeschooling friends that are a phone call away, the WTM Boards, the Classical Homeschooling Forum and my homeschooling blogger friends.

God Bless the parents that homeschooled their children without the means of support we have today. We are so blessed to have the curriculums, how-to books, the magazines and catalogs, plus the internet to reach out to one another. I cannot imagine the struggles that homeschooling parents in the 1970's and 1980's had to go through. I am so grateful for the homeschoolers before me that have paved the road!

What's in your arsenal? Share yours, it may help another homeschooler!

Want to Play?

As the weather cools down and we start spending more time indoors, I've been looking at games to add to our game shelf. We already have some fabulous games but I'd really like to add some educational games that focus and teaching while having fun. Hint: These would make wonderful Christmas gifts!

Mind Your Manners
With over 100 different picture cards depicting proper and improper manners, children learn to distinguish between correct and incorrect behavior at an early age. Playing the game is a fun filled way to help children remember the correct choices as real life situations face them. 2-6 players. Ages 4 and up.

Places to get Mind Your Manners
Sycamore Tree Catalog $13.95
Education 4 Kids $13.95




The Allowance Game
It's never too early for children to develop an interest in earning and saving money and making purchases. Choices must be made, as in real-life, whether to spend money, earn money, or put it into savings.

Coin chips from l¢ to 50¢ and currency from $1 to $10 included. 2-4 players.

Education 4 Kids, $20.41
Educational Learning Games, $19.95
Toys to Grow On, $14.95

Amazing Animal Trivia Game
Kids exercise memory skills, test their knowledge, learn animal facts and love every minute they’re playing this fun board game. Answer fascinating questions about animals for the chance to collect animals “hiding” around the board on cards. The player with the most sets of animal cards wins! Game board, 6 tokens, 30 animal tiles, die, and an amazing 200 question cards. 2 to 6 players.

Ages 5 to 13

Available at
MindwareOnline for $19.95
Amazon for $23.95

Other very cool games at Mindware Online
Egyptian Game (Ages 7 and up) $24.95
Made for Trade, A Game of Early American Life (Ages 8 and up) $26.95
Where in the World? Geography Game (Ages 8 and up) $29.95
Equate, A Math version of Scrabble (8 and up) $29.95

You may be able to find these online for cheaper or in other catalogs. We already have and love Art Memo (a memory game using paintings), SomeBody (human anatomy game) and Armor of God (a game which allows players to collect the armor pieces while learning what it means to put on the armor of God).

Do you have a favorite game that your family enjoys?

Raising Bookworms

My daughter is reading from Our New Friends, an old Dick and Jane
reader that was used in schools back in the 1950's.
My son is reading Nonsense, A Handbook of Logical Fallacies.
He keeps saying "truck, truck, car, car" - hmmm, I'll have to read that section!
Just sharing a precious moment

Looking for Cicero

I am on a hunt. I would like to find a book for children about Cicero, Aristotle, Homer, etc. The hunt has not been easy, I have survived many perils in this quest. Who am I kidding? Here's what I've found and if you know of any others- please don't shy- tell me about it.

Books from the Biography from Ancient Civilizations series:

Homer • Socrates • Julius Caesar • Hammurabi • Confucius • Buddha • Constantine • Augustus Caesar • Cleopatra • Moses • Charlemagne • Aristotle • Rameses the Great • Hippocrates • Archimedes • Nero • Catherine the Great • Alexander the Great • Pericles • Marco Polo • Herodotus • Joan of Arc • Cicero • Genghis Khan • King Arthur • Plato

I have placed one of these on order through my library so that I can see it for myself, Amazon has them listed for Grades 5-8. As I've found, some books listed for older grades are quite useable for the younger grades. Here's book reviews of the series. The set is $518.70 (ouch, or $15.88 each at Amazon, $19.99 each elsewhere), so I recommend obtaining them through the library even asking your librarian to purchase them.

Becky shared these books with me as well when I asked her if she knew of any:

1. Wise Guy: The Life and Philosophy of Socrates by Mark David Usher

2. Philosophy Rocks! by Stephen Law - An outstanding book that introduces kids to academic philosophy. Ages 8+

3. Young Person's Guide to Philosophy by Jeremy Weate- Very good book for kids 8+. Arranged historically with excellent illustrations.

4. What Does It All Mean?: A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy by Thomas Nagel, Very short introduction, Ages 10+

5. Philosophy for Kids : 40 Fun Questions That Help You Wonder ... About
Everything! by David A. White - Arranged by topic. Addresses kid's questions. Good dicussion starter. Ages 7-14. Great essay topics for h'schoolers.

6. Socrates for Kids by Essman, Geared to ages 6 to 8. Stories.

7. The Philosopher's Club by Phillips

Other websites I found of interest during my search:

Philosophy for Children Stories - Philosophical Questions from Children's books
The Roman Empire- Children's Book Section
University of Kentucky- Children's Books on the Ancient World list
The Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawerence

If you know of any other books similar, please let me know!

12-K Planning

PreK
Horizons Preschool
Pre-writing DNealian
Math games & manipulatives
Tons of picture books

K
Leading Little Ones to God, K. Taylor books
Sing, Spell, Read & Write K/1
Poetry Memorization- A Child's Garden of Verses
Horizons K
Handwriting- D'Nealian
Galloping the Globe

1st
Beginnings I- OT
Sing, Spell, Read & Write K/1
Handwriting- D'Nealian
Horizons 1
French - informal
Language Lessons for the Very Young
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 1
Life science with living books
Artistic Pursuit, K-3 Book 1


2nd -
Beginnings II-NT
Classically Cursive if ready
Horizons Math 2
French- informal
Primary Language Lessons
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 2
Earth Science/Astronomy self-made lessons*
piano instruction

3rd-
Discovery: In the Beginning OT
Horizons Math 3
French- informal
Writing Tales 1
Intermediate Language Lessons
Building Thinking Skills Book 1
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 3
Living Learning Chemistry
Drawing with Children
2nd year of piano instruction


4th -
Discovery- Early History Of Israel
First Start French 1
Horizons Math 4
Classical Composition Narrative or Writing Tales 2
Critical thinking product-
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 4
Junior Analytical Grammar
NOEO Physics or Bite-Size Physics
Artistic Pursuits K-3 Book 3

5th -
Discovery- Promises Fulfilled
First Start French 2
Horizons Math 5
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 1
CC Narrative AND CW's Poetry for Beginners
finish Intermediate Language lessons if needed
Critical Thinking Books 1 & 2
Prentice Hall Science Explorer- Human Biology & Health, Cells & Heredity, From Bacteria To Plants, Animals
Artistic Pursuits 4-6 Book 1

6th -
Discovery- Words of Wisdom
French ?
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 2
Horizons 6
CC Maxim
Art of Argument (CAP)
Grammar-Analytical Grammar
Prentice Hall Science Explorer- Earth's Changing Surface, Earth's Waters, Inside Earth, Weather and Climate, Astronomy, Environmental Science
Artistic Pursuits 4-6 Book 2 or Drawing with Older Children

Summer session of Advanced Poetry, possibly Traditional Logic I

7th -
Discovery- God’s Perfect Plan
Spelling Workout H
French ?
Algebra or Pre-Algebra (?)
Vocabulary from Classical Roots A
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 3, D/R focus with Streams
CC Cheira (Trad Logic is best done before Refutation/Confirmation)
Traditional Logic I & II
Grammar-Analytical Grammar
Latina Christiana I
Prentice Hall Science Explorer- Chemical Building Blocks, Chemical Interactions


8th -
Quest- In the Beginning
Vocabulary From Classical Roots B and C
French ?
Algebra I or II (?)
CC Refutation/Confirmation, Common Topic
Traditional II or Material Logic
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 4
Grammar-Analytical Grammar
Latina Christiana II
Prentice Hall Science Explorer- Electricity & Magnetism, Motion, Forces, & Energy, Sound & Light

**no ideas about math/science for 9-12, possible dual enrollment**

9th -
Quest- Early History of Israel
Trigonometry or Geometry(?)
French ?
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 1
CC Encomium/Invective/Comparison
Material Logic or Classical Rhetoric
Vocabulary from Classical Roots C and D
AG's High School Review
Henle I (Latin Exam)

Summer Mission Trip

10th -
Quest- Promises Fulfilled; Christian Handbook of Apologetics
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 2
Geometry or Calculus (?)
French ?
CC Characterization and Description, Thesis/Law
Classical Rhetoric with Aristotle
Grammar- AG's High School Review

Summer session of Shakespeare

11th
Quest- Words of Wisdom; Christian Handbook of Apologetics
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 3
Physics (?)
French ?

Summer Mission Trip

12th
Quest- Faith At Work; Christian Handbook of Apologetics
Tapestry of Grace Redesign Yr 4
French ?

Spreading Wings

I recently made the decision to stop doing graphic design for a while. I love to design but the more I homeschool classically the more it is on my heart to learn as much as I can. I've always loved to learn and would often play school as a child. Here is a list of things that I want to do personally (to spread my wings) and a few goals I've set for myself.

Current endeavors:

1. Classically educate myself through reading the Great Books. I am currently doing this with other women who wish to do the same at the Great Books Reading Partnership.

2. Learn and embrace logical thinking. I have found that this is imperative for self-learning and critiquing what I read. Both Mortimer Adler in How to Read A Book and Susan W. Bauer in The Well-Educated Mind point out that to truly understand what you read you must be able to understand the author's arguments and premises of these arguments. Well, neither Bauer or Adler will get any agrument from me! I'm currently reading Nonsense, A Handbook of Logical Fallacies by Robert Gula and then I will read Anthony Weston's, The Rulebook for Arguments and if I get very brave I will then try to tackle Socratic Logic which is a study of formal logic. The embracing part is going to be the challenge, reading about something is a lot different than applying it!

3. Giving back to the homeschool community. Reviewing homeschooling products or aiding in the development of homeschool curriculums is a newfound honor and joy of mine. I also want to continue with the Classical Homeschooling Forum (or hit Aristotle) in providing information, encouragement and support to fellow classical homeschoolers.

Endeavors to be:

1. I want to learn about my beliefs. This encompasses: bible, doctrine, creation/evolution, philosophy and theology. This will be done in part as I read the Great Books but I will be doing other reading that falls in line with my prior post about young earth vs. old earth. I don't want to just "feel" that I believe something, I want to know why I believe something and how I came to believe it and understand what I don't believe as well. I feel this will aid me in witnessing to others, as I become more solidly founded in my faith this itself will be a witness to others.


2. Learn Latin and hopefully one modern language before my children do.
I realize how beneficial it would be to have a fluent influence in their lives and I don't know anyone else that speaks Latin! I haven't been able to devote the time necessary to study my book English Grammar for Students of Latin because I tried Wheelock's Latin and it was too hard. I don't even know what a declension is!

3. Be a better (fill in the blank.) This is actually a "current" endeavor and should be listed as a "current and forevermore" endeavor but I want to be a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, disciple of Christ, and friend.

None of this is easy, none of this is doable at once. I've recently found the time that it takes to do graphic design takes away from any serious reading I wish to do. I was not like this prior to homeschooling, I was reading Karen Kingsbury novels and learning to crochet and baking goodies every week. I'm still trying to find a balance between being a home-making, creative Mamma and homeschooling, self-educating Mamma.

How are you spreading your wings? How would you like to?

Cicero and Plato for Kids

A thank you to Roodee for sharing that he has acquired Stories from Plato edited by Mary E. Burt because when I went searching for it, I found it free and online at the Baldwin Project.

Stories from Plato and Other Classic Writers by Mary E. Burt

Roman Life in the Days of Cicero by Alfred J. Church

The Aeneid for Boys and Girls by Alfred J. Church

West African Folk Tales by William Barker

362 of the Best Online Classic Children's Books Listed

There are so many wonderful books listed at the Baldwin Project, and instead of purchasing the book, you could download a collection of stories and have them printed up and bound yourself. There are 7699 stories at Baldwin Project, 362 books and some of them are available for sale at Yesterday's Classics. Yesterday's Classics provided books that are used in Ambleside Online and Living Books Curriculum.

This is so exciting! You need to explore Yesterday's Classics website and see if there are any books you'd like to use! Yesterday's Classics, the Baldwin Project and Project Gutenberg are a classical homeschooler's (looking for good wholesome texts to read) dream!

Little Man's First Night

We went grocery shopping today (I wonder does it take anyone else 5 hours?) for the month and while in WalMart, I looked for Thomas sheets. A little explanation: I have a 2 year old boy and anything cars, trucks or trains right now excites him. He especially likes Thomas but we're not completely Thomas crazy. He will play at the bookstore (they have a Thomas table in the children's area) for hours without thought to food, drink or anything else.

Well there is Thomas sheets for a twin size bed, but none for a toddler bed or crib size. We have a convertible crib that converts into a little day bed. It's just a crib without one wall. So, we did see a Cars (the movie) pillowcase for $3.96 (gotta love WalMart). I picked that up and DS drooled all over it.

Then we went to the baby's dept and found a Tonka truck fitted sheet for cribs (another cheer for WalMart, this was $7.96). He's excited the entire way home, dd and I unpacked the sheet and pillowcase so he could get a better look. He ran into the house and showed Daddy his new acquistions.

Well, he's in his bed now with his tonka truck sheet and cars pillowcase and he's been there for 15 minutes. We'll see how the night goes. I guess I better plug the monitor back in...

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVICE!

It took me 5 minutes to figure out to post!

You'd never know that I've designed blogs! Well, I have this account so I can comment on my Blogger.com friends. My weblog is at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mamma1420.

Reading Plan for Read-Alouds

We are using The Well-Trained Mind as a navigational tool in our homeschooling journey and one of the hardest parts to decide about is what to read aloud. There are so many wonderful books!

Here's what TWTM suggests for first grade and how we are going to use this at Trivium Academy:

Bible: Reading from Egermeier's Bible Story Book every night during our family reading time. We have also read various other related Bible story books as Camille has wanted to read them.

Homer: We have already read Rosemary Sutcliffe's The Wanderings of Odysseus. This was a long read so we moved on after this- it took us two months.

Greek and Roman Myths: I purchased A Child's Book of Myths and Enchanting Tales from Books-A-Million for $9.95 and Mary Pope Osborne's Favorite Greek Myths but I still feel like I need to get other books from the library. I'll have to see what I might have on hand for Roman Greek myths. TWTM has a list of recommended titles that I'll get as we study about that time period.

Aesop's Fables: I don't have a single book with just Aesop's Fables, I do have multiple books that have them though.

---

About Aesop and other stories: I have purchased books that have a multitude of stories from different sources so that I wouldn't be spending money for each type.

• What Your First Grader Needs to Know by Hirsch Jr.
(This is a very valuable source with numerous read alouds for under $10! We will be using these books for every year);

• The Identical Dolls and other Folktales
which includes Indian, West Indian, Swedish, Arabic, Old English, African, Native American, and a few Modern;

• Storyland Favorites (linked to Ebay listing for $4.50) by Harold Shane
this is a 1961 schoolbook reader. I buy these whenever I can find them in good condition, they are very wholesome and God is front and center. Inside Storyland Favorites: Aesop, German folk tale, Robert Louis Stevenson, American Indian folktale, Norse folk tale, Mother Goose, Scandinavian folk tale, East Indian folk tale, and other poems.

• Parade of Stories: another old school book of complied stories, poems and folktales. I shop thrift, used books, Goodwill stores and find wonderful wholesome treasures like these that are often barely used.

• Childcraft's Stories and Fables -folktales, Aesop, Grimm, myths, legends, Hans
Christian Andersen, Rudyard Kipling. I love the Childcraft How and Why Library!

I spent $10 maximum collecting these books from thrift stores, used book stores, etc.

_____________________

Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Virgil: What am I supposed to use for these? I found biographies but not a Plato for Kids type books. I guess I'll use biographies- like the ones I found in a previous post- Looking for Cicero. There is an adaptation of Aeneid.

Here's a list of books that has been created by an Amazon user: Myth & Literature Adaptations

Egyptian Myths: We've been reading these in various books and I bought Jim Weiss' Egyptian Treasures: Mummies and Myths. Jim Weiss has a wonderful selection for audio stories. I still like to read aloud so I don't use too many audiobooks although these are great.

Indian Folktales, Chinese and Japanese Folktales: I'm going to rely on the library again for this. I have a few books that have tales from all over world like The Identical Dolls. These are included in book I listed above.

English, Irish and Welsh Folktales: I have The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm and a few folktales scattered in other books like The Identical Dolls. These are included in the books I listed above.

That concludes TWTM's suggestions but I also want to read some other books from our home library:

The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne √

Pilgrim's Progress by Helen Taylor √
A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson √
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond √

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Atwater
The Finches' Fabulous Furnace by Roger Drury
The Wind in the Willows by Grahame
Giant Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter
A Treasury for Children by James Herriot

I just don't know if we'll accomplish all this! I see other books I want to read to them, The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, The Penderwicks, and other books that I feel might be better appreciated when she's older. Of course, we still have a lot of shorter readers to read and Camille is enjoying reading to us! Last night she read Dr. Seuss' Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You?

I don't list the books she reads to us as finished reads because we have so many and they are so short or the ones we read that are short. I need to see if there are "reading guides" to the books we have. I found that website I mentioned in the Looking for Cicero post that asks Philosophical Questions with children's books and I think that's an excellent way to get the children thinking about what we're reading and how it effects them.

What are some reading selections from your homeschool?

Finding a Science Curriculum Part Three

It has been a while since I first wrote about this (August 23) so I will recap what I am doing. I am a plan-ahead type of person, I already know what curriculum we will be using next year all except science.



We use The Well-Trained Mind as our academic guide for homeschool and for second grade (earth science), Usborne encyclopedias are suggested for use with a few activity books. In comparison to prepackaged curriculums this is a very relaxed approach which focuses more on discovery and ignitng a spark of interest in the child than rote memorization of facts. What I also like about this approach is that it is easier to feel comfortable about exploring a topic further without feeling like we're getting off schedule.



These are some questions I was concerned about in the beginning of this project:

• Will I give her enough information to keep that spark of interest alive and growing?


• Can I find resources for experiments easily and inexpensively? 


• Can I create grade-level lessons myself?

I found out the answer is "YES!" to all the questions. If you are curious to see what prepackaged curriculums I looked at go to The Science Project Part Two.

The problem that I had with the prepackaged curriculums was they seemed geared toward older children or my expectations didn't match up with the product. Some were very pricey, especially when you added in the materials, experiments and extra books to purchase.



This is how I'm creating lesson plans based on WTM's suggestions. I have purchased Usborne's First Encyclopedia of Our World ($9.95) and First Encyclopedia of Space ($9.95).



These are the core spines of the lessons.  I also acquired More

Mudpies and Magnets, as per WTM's suggestions. I have decided not to use it because the experiments don't mesh well with the studies of the two encyclopedia books. I have decided to use The Geography Book  by Caroline Arnold. I'm still figuring this out.



 Please don't get me wrong, these books are merely WTM's suggestions, you don't have to use them, there are comparable books available on the market. I found Kingfisher's First Science Encyclopedia for $2.00 at Goodwill, which I might use a supplement throughout the year just because we have it.



Other titles that are suggested for supplements are: Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations, Stargazer's Guide to the Galaxy ($6.99) and, Spotters Guide to the Night Sky (Spotter's Guide). I personally don't think you need all these books. It would be best to realistically think about how you're going to incorporate viewing the night sky and constellations and choose the books that you'd best utilize, of course it would be best to preview these books in a bookstore before purchasing them.



If you live near a Books A Million, Barnes and Noble or other bookstore, most of the time they will order a book for you for you to preview before purchase. This does save money on shipping, allows you to look at the book before committing and the best part is being able to take the book home with you once you made the decision. Another plus is all the bookstores have a discount club of some sort that you can utilize.



We have a telescope but if we didn't, we would buy one. A few other purchases that we want to make is a planetarium and maybe a rock and fossil hands-on activity. I found this Activity Rock Kit at Rainbow Resource for $4.75. We're going to use a few of these items as Christmas presents (shh, I didn't tell you that).  Instead of purchasing a solar system model, we're going to make one, probably out of foam balls.



Science is quickly becoming one of my favorite subjects to teach, there are just so many ways to spark the imagination with hands-on activities and it's not just about making crafts to stick on a shelf. An additional plus is that when children do something hands-on, the experience stays with them longer than just reading a book about it. The more hands-on activities we do in art, science, history stay with them longer, and that mamma pride comes out when they share their excitement with others!



I am currently creating lessons with activity sheets, experiment pages, nature journal entries, suggested books to read (biographies, non-fiction and fiction), science vocabulary words, and other features this time.



I need to go back and redo the life science lessons I've already done to make it a more complete package. I will probably create lesson plans for the entire grammar cycle but this is still to be determined. I will be posting about when the Earth/Space Science lessons are done so that you can download them for yourself for free. With the holidays approaching and knowing what church/family commitments I have, the project completion date is estimated for February/March 2007.

I don't know what I'm doing yet.

I don't know if I want to have this blog or not but I want to comment on a friends' blog that only accepts blogger people. Can you say aggravating?

Finding a Science Curriculum Part Two

I'm looking for an Earth/Space curriculum for our second grade year. Now that I know what I am looking for in an elementary science curriculum (see post about Part One), it is time to start looking at the curriculums available that seem to fit my wishlist.

1. Science in the Creation Week by David Unfred  

This is a challenging hands-on science curriculum that gives your child the opportunity to understand science in the context of Creation. Broken down into six unforgettable sections, one for each day of Creation, the book covers Light & Energy, Water & Weather, Minerals & Plants,the Solar System, Birds, Sea Life, Land Animals and Human Biology. A scope-and-sequence chart is included in the book so that you can use it whether your child is at a second-grade level or as high as a fifth-grade level. This book is a fabulous, Christian introduction to the major sciences!



Best Price is at ChristianBook.com at $14.99 and the only website I could find that provides sample pages



As a rule of thumb, I read as many reviews as I can about a product that I "think" I might want to purchase. That way, when I do actually purchase, I don't get those -Oh, what if this would have been better- thoughts.

Cathy Duffy's Review of Science in the Creation Week.

HomeschoolReviews.com parent review of Science in the Creation Week.



This is a highly recommended and seemingly unknown elementary science curriculum. It's is not glossy, it is not expensive, it is not filled with fluff.







2. Living Learning Science - Level 2:  Earth/Space

Advertised as following The Well-Trained Mind's suggestions



Topics Covered:

The Earth's Crust, Seasons, Rocks & Fossils, Soil, Disaster Preparedness, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, The Water Cycle, Weather & Storms, Rivers & Caves, Seas & Oceans,

Rockets and Spaceflight, Stars, Galaxies & Constellations

Space Shuttles, Astronauts, Telescopes



Each unit in the Teacher's Manual contains all of the following:

- Easy Planning Checklists - Lesson Plans

- Annotated Library Lists

- Kid Friendly Internet Links

- Fun Project Ideas

$24.00 for Teacher's Manual (required) and Student Pages are $8.00.



This was reviewed in Cathy Duffy's Top 100 Picks for Homeschool Curriculum (which I own). Other parents I have asked have said that this is a great "simple" approach to elementary science and it would only be as great as the homeschooler makes it.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine review





3. Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space

by Bright Ideas Press



Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space breaks our universe into manageable bites, offering units about Earth and its structure, the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and weather, as well as a unit investigating the universe and its components. The 24 lessons and six unit reviews present the material in an easy-to-teach manner. Students are encouraged to keep a science notebook as they learn. Hands-on activities include building a model of Earth and its layers, using eggs to understand plate tectonics, and simulating a volcanic eruption. Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space guides your journey as you dive into the wonder of our universe.



BrightIdeasPress offers views of the table of contents and a sample lesson. There is also a supply list available for viewing. It isn't available until mid-September but it can be pre-ordered for $29.95.



Cathy Duffy's Review of Christian Kids Explore Biology, featured in her Top 100 Picks for Homeschool Curriculum.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine review of CKEB.

HomeschoolReviews.com parents reviews (a few counter-reviews for CKEB).





4. God's Design for Heaven and Earth

by Answers in Genesis



There are three books that are combined to create GDHE: Our Planet Earth ($19.99), Our Universe ($19.99) and Our Weather and Water ($19.99). If you buy all three as a set it's only a whopping $49.99.



There are sample pages and table of contents available to view. And there's more resources to buy. This "looks" good but I've read too many parent reviews that say it's boring, too much for elementary students, etc. Read for yourself-IF you have a different opinion, please tell me!

HomeschoolReviews.com parent reviews



Okay, well that concludes the contenders. If you know of something that is worth looking at that fits my "wishlist" (see Part One, linked above) then PLEASE tell me.

Part three will consist of what I'd use to create my own lessons.

 

Finding a Science Curriculum Part One

If you know me, you KNOW I love to research and ask questions.

This is year is our first grade year and I followed The Well-Trained Mind's suggestions for science:

10 weeks of Human Body studies with the Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia, followed by 20 +/- weeks of Animal Kindgdom studies using the Kingfisher First Animal Encyclopedia and finishing with studies in the Plant Kingdom which uses Green Thumbs: A Kid's Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening for the final 6 weeks.



After purchasing the books and reading them I decided to add, Childcraft's How and Why Library: The Green Kingdom and What Your First Grader Needs To Know by E.D. Hirsch.  The above Childcraft link goes to Amazon where you can buy the book used for $0.01!

   

I created my own lesson plans, which are on the right-hand sidebar for your perusal. Pretty much I organized the Human body lessons and threw in activities and games. Our Animal lessons are more activities, I created worksheets to use and planned field trips to an animal park. Our Plant lessons, I beefed up from Green Thumbs- we'll be doing a lot of activities but also learning more from The Green Kingdom book and Hirsch's book. Those are done and being used right now.

What about next year? I looked at The Well-Trained Mind again. More Encyclopedia spines. Which means I get to create lessons all over again. Well, Earth Science is a touchy subject- what exactly does a first grader need to know?

• Will I give her enough information to keep that spark of interest alive and growing?


• Can I find resources for experiments easily and inexpensively? 


• Can I create grade-level lessons myself or should I use a prepackaged curriculum?

Welcome to my Science Project!

This is my "wishlist" for our science lessons. Watch out! I may add/subtract as this project progresses!

1. A planned curriculum with simple instructions; adaptable to 2x a week.

2. Easy on the parent, but interesting for the child- experiments

3. Introduction to the scientific method without being too formal

4. Supply list or kit to purchase for experiments

5. Follows the WTM study cycle for Science: 1st-Life, 2nd-Earth, 3rd-Chemistry, 4th-Physics

6. Total cost would be less than creating the curriculum myself.

7. A plus would be an integrated study on scientists and/or inventors.

8. Gives God the credit but isn't lean on providing facts understandable for my first grader. Follows the National Science Education Standards

9. The books that accompany the curriculum doesn't add exurberant costs to the price of the curriculum. (referring to additional spines not included in curriculum cost)

10. Be able to purchase by May 2007.

See, I'm not picky. Please share with me what you've used, I'll do the research and share it with you but I'd really like to start with a poll.

What science curriculum has your homeschool used and enjoyed?

I'd love to hear why too, plus tell me what you've thrown out!

What hasn't worked is just as important as what has.



The Science Project Part Two...

What to do with a Toddler?

I asked for advice on how to entertain my 2 year old son last week, and I wanted to update the situation. We are happier now, because I am playing with my 2 year old on the floor with his Aquadoodle pad while my daughter does her independent work. We leave the room briefly to read a book (this is very distracting to my dd), we crash cars into each other and we are taking tickle breaks whenever the mood strikes.

Someone "Anonymous" wrote: "Put him in his high chair and let him finger paint the tray with pudding. Ok, that's really messy, but a ton of fun."

Okay. Did that...



Who's going to clean him up?

And this is our picture of our activity for Chapter 2 of SOTW Vol 1.
We read about the White Crown of Upper Egypt and the
Red Crown of Lower Egypt (you know if you're a SOTW user)
and here's my dd with her impression of King Menes (Narmer).






And this is my regular sweet girl...





Whew! Much better. You'd wouldn't want to mess with her, she's 6 and full of spunk! She's wearing our rendition of the White Crown of Upper Egypt.

(Duh, it's on the sign. Sorry)

LaMereAcademy suggested "What about those color wonder markers by crayola that only mark on their special paper?? Pouring water in the kitchen into different cups, pots, give him mixing cups and spoons and a pan of rice or small pasta to pour and do things."

I have the Color Wonder stuff. He doesn't play with it long because it takes too long to appear. I do have to say that it's wonderful when he does play with it. He does fine with the crayons until I'm not paying 100% attention. (Of course)

I have the cups, I have the pans, I have the rice, what I don't have is the courage to hand that over to my 2 year old son. I let him bang the lids together one day and my ears were ringing for a couple of hours AFTER he stopped. It's too hot right now to do school outside. Our humidity is horrible right now and we have to wait until 7:00 pm to do our nature journals.

MoreLittleWilsons said, "Jessica, do you have a baby gate? Close him into your school room with you and dd, and make sure there are things that belong to him.. trains, cars, playdough etc.. and then make sure he doesn't have free access to them, that only you can take out a few things for each school day, and rotate them so that he feels this is all new every few days. "

We have 5 baby gates. Little man is 10 inches shorter than 6 year old sister. He scales the baby gates. To keep him in a room we have to stack one on top of the other. It really looks like he's in a cage then. We only do this at night anymore for his own safety.

He has two toy areas in our learning room- nope, three. A shelf for coloring books and games that are 2 year old friendly. A box filled with board books and a basket that has lacing blocks (great idea- he doesn't use them) and his aquadoodle gear. I'm going to try your other suggestions though.

This is the aquadoodle, and he loves it. It's something we keep in the learning room and he'll play with it a little each day. It's only water in the pens and the drawing disappears when it dries. You can see it's a good size for a toddler. I hope this helps someone else that is struggling with entertaining a toddler. I've put a limit on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, it can only be viewed every 48 hours. LOL

BiblioPlan for Families

Are you still looking for a History curriculum?

Have you ever wished for a history curriculum guide that combines Scripture with the study of ancient civilizations? Would you like to learn about Church history and the lives of great Christians while you study the Medieval, Renaissance and Reformation historical periods? Do you wish you could find a history guide that recommends great children’s literature the whole family can enjoy reading together? If so, then BiblioPlan for Families may be what you are looking for.

Find BiblioPlan for Families here. Read reviews and comments about it here.

BiblioPlan is a family-friendly guide designed for a chronological study of world history. Our plans integrate quality historical literature with Biblical and secular history in a format that is easy to follow and requires minimal parent preparation. It is designed so that all the children you are schooling are studying the same period of history at the same time, and doing so at their own level.

From Jessica: I wanted to share this because I know a few of you are struggling with what you might use. This curriculum seems to not be considered a "popular" one, although I have no idea why other than lack of advertising. We've chosen not to use it at this time but it is worth looking into if you're looking for something like this.

Explorer's Bible Study

What if I told you that there is a non-denominational Bible study available that covers preschool - adult?

This is what I was searching for when I was looking for a Bible study solution for our United Methodist family.
My Wishlist :
1. Character training 2. Bible stories or study (simplified for a 6-7 year old)
3. Memory scripture
4. Easy to use, not much prep. I don't need crafts.
5. Music would be nice but not essential. Would like to learn hymns (accompanying cd would be a huge plus)
6. UMC doctrine to aid in preparing dd6 for confirmation and to lay a solid foundation for her. 7. Familiarity with our church worship is essential. Doxology, Apostle's Creed, Lord's Prayer etc.

That is the list I wrote before looking at a single product. Explorer's Bible Study program covers SIX of these! Of course, I will have to prepare my children for confirmation but I have a few years to do that.

I purchased Explorer's Bible Study's Beginnings: And it Was Good. Let me share with you what it contains. First of all, this curriculum was developed to equip a scholar with a chronological and historical method of Bible study which allows the Bible to be seen in its entirety, not in broken pieces.

In Beginnings: And It Was Good here's how the lessons are set-up. Each (there are 30 weeks of lessons with daily instructions) lesson lasts a week, so that the material covered lasts one week. In each lesson there are:

Bible Love Lesson- establishes an important daily foundation each time you begin your lesson. God is love, God loves you! It is the central truth for everyone.

Bible Story with Key Points: Written in an easy to understand language and provides Key Points that can be used for a narrative exercise (excellent for my classical education preference!) Also, you can further discuss the bolded Word and Phrase Meanings.

Word and Phrase Meanings: word or phrases within the Bible Story that help develop understanding.

Guided Prayer Thoughts: A short prayer that can be used as a model for learning to talk to God.

Questions: Thinking & Remembering: There are multiple questions for each day that help the child recall and relate the story concepts in the lesson.
Bible Words to Remember: In this version, the scripture is abbreviated or parapharsed from the New King James Version to make it easier to understand and remember. The memory scripture last all week to help build a firm foundation.

Praise Hymns: A variety of songs, (including familiar worship songs!) and hymns for making worship time meaningful. You can purchase My First Hymnal (like I did) that correlates with the Beginnings Book.

Virtue Lessons: as called Choosing God's Way, incorporated into each daily lesson. This is a wonderful simple way to have character study based on the Bible story.

It seems like it's been packaged with a little bow and says "Here are tools to disciple your children." I love this. No planning, no crafts, just two books, the Bible Study book and our Bible. I really enjoy the fact that we can "praise" with a hymn each day. My children love music. So what about other age levels?

Beginnings I has two: This series helps preschool age children discover truths about God's Word. Each lesson contains a Bible Love Lesson, a Bible Story, Key Points, Word and Phrase Meanings, Guided Prayer Thought, Thinking and Remembering Questions, Bible Words to Remember, and Choosing God's Way.
(Preschool-Grade 1)

Beginnings II has two: This course is designed for the early elementary student (Grades 2-3). It features a broad overview of the Bible in an exciting and challenging way. Prayer Thoughts help each child learn how to talk with God. Bible Words to Remember encourage children to hide God's Word in their hearts. Questions about the story build Bible knowledge and understanding.

Discovery has five: This series helps older elementary age children discover truths about God's Word. Questions about the lesson help students read, examine, and understand Scripture. Map studies and Word and Phrase Meanings help them dig deeper. A weekly lesson review makes sure they retain what they have studied. (Grades 4-9)

Quest has six: Our Quest Series is designed with Jr. and Sr. High students in mind! This daily Bible study uses questions to help each student understand 1) what the Bible says, 2) what it means, and 3) how to apply it to his/her life. Questions are designed to help the student think, evaluate, understand, and apply what God is communicating through His Word. Notes are provided with each lesson to give deeper understanding and to communicate solid Biblical truths and principles.

And then there's a whole Adult Curriculum! I am very excited about this! I have a Bible curriculum for every school year, and it builds and builds. If you're looking for a Bible curriculum to fit your needs I would suggest looking at Explorer's Bible Study first!

You can purchase from the Explorer's Bible Study website or you can find it at ChristianBook.com. My First Hymnal is also available at ChristianBook.com and provides samples! Please tell me if you decide to use this. It would be nice to know that sharing this has helped someone.

Manners Made Easy

I can't help it, I received this in the mail today and I have to share. Especially because I know we can't always see what we're buying before we buy it. Somehow I've been very blessed in what I've purchased.
~ ~ ~ ~

Manners Made Easy by June Hines Moore
Link is to Timberdoodle which has it at $7.75 right now.

The workbook is designed to be everything you need in one for students aged 7-12. It could be used for younger students but would be best for students who can utilize fill-in-the-blanks worksheets well. There is a teacher section and student section. The student section is perforated and has plenty of margin to photocopy and three-hole punch for a notebook. The author grants permission for use in home or church school classrooms. This workbook was designed to be able to use for multiple children, perfect for homeschooling families. This can also be used in Christian or secular classrooms, the author provided a Bible Study lesson separate from the main lesson for those who wish to have a secular approach.

There are a total of six lessons which cover:

Who Needs Manners Anyway?

How to Introduce Myself
How to Introduce Others
Telephone Manners
Writing Thank-you notes
Table Manners

Additional Information

Mouth manners and other courtesies
Saying No without saying thank you

The Word from the Author offers some very sound advice on how to approach the subject of good manners with our children and what our objectives should be. Learning styles have been considered and a range of approaches are included: role-playing, working in teams, personalizing lessons, watching demonstrations, performing hands-on tasks, brain-storming and taking quizzes.
There is also a word of caution on how not to teach good manners.

A look inside Lesson One: Who Needs Manners Anyway?
Lesson Overview: the topics discussed for this lesson
Supplies Needed: for this lesson two or three styrofoam balls, toothpicks
About This Lesson: A note to the teacher/parent

What Manners Are All About- Discuss the first student page with students.
Included is a quote about manners. This area allows the students to share what they think about manners before being taught.

Object Lesson: What do you know about porcupines?

Then a German fable about porcupines illustrates the importance of manners.

Activity: Create porcupines and discuss the importance of manners further.
Q&A: Read a short passage to the students and ask short narration-type questions. These same questions will be on their quiz to come.

Etiquette: Our Ticket to Success

A little history about the word etiquette.

Activity: practice saying the word etiquette properly
Lesson: A wonderful narrative that offers an example of good manners.
Teaching Tip: In case you're having trouble.

Rules of Etiquette (Manners) Have Reasons:

Explaining a little more to the students.

Q&A: Question to use for brain-storming or in-teams. They will make a permanent chart, poster or list on the board of what they consider to be good manners.

Then the Lesson One Quiz is listed in the Teacher's area with answers.

The Lesson One Bible Study is also in the teacher's area. It is simply Key Scripture Reference, Bible Lesson, and Bible Quiz. The teacher/student sheet is the same so that they can work together.

This is something that I would cover one lesson a week, separating the regular lesson from the Bible lesson to do two days of the same week. It could easily be done all at once but I'd prefer to get as much exposure as possible.

For those who want something for their 3-6 year olds, check out this link to ClubMom

Extras for your Blog

I've been meaning to post about this for a while, and now I've finally decided to. There are many things out on the web to add to your blog- here's my favorite, why and where to find them:

Daily Scripture: I use Verse A Day because I saw it on Kris's blog and I thought it only used the NSRV translation but I've found that it uses all translations, which is fine. There are many scripture add-ons you can use, I like this one the best after trying a few.

MyBlogLog: I love this! Since I have all these links on my blog, MyBlogLog shows me what ones have been used and how often in a 24 hr period. It also has a wonderful add-on code for Yesterday's Top 5 Links.

Sitemeter: If you use Sitemeter then that will open the door to other blog utilities/add-on such as being a part of the Truth Laid Bear Homeschooling Community. Sitemeter keeps a count of all the visitors to your blog and you can even see where they are coming from. If I left a link to my blog on a message board, I can see that in Sitemeter, very cool. It also allows me to see Google searches other have done that have resulted in visiting my blog.

Truth Laid Bear: I'm currently a Slithering Reptile, which is just an indication of how many other Truth Laid Bear Homeschooling members visit my blog daily. I could really do without this because it has a sneaky repercussion- you start to care if you're a Wiggling Worm or a Slithering Reptile. I've overcome this, although it would be pretty cool if I could be a Flappy Bird, it just sounds better than Slithering Reptile, lol.

Quote of the Day: I was using the other popular quote of the day blog add-on but switched when I decided to feature certain quotes. QuotedB allows me to do this. Last month I featured Benjamin Franklin, this month is GK Chesterton. I added the picture myself because I did like that feature from The Free Dictionary.

LibraryThing: I cannot tell you how much I love LibraryThing! We have catalogued all our books and I've used it to show one book from our library and even display books we want to read/own. LibraryThing led me to BookMooch, where I am giving away books to receive books that I want. This is a very wonderful thing! I've used LibraryThing a multitude of ways on my blog- my favorite is the Search Our Books feature. You put in a word and it shows you all the books in my library that pertains to that word, the little box expands, very cool.

HomeschoolBuzz: I appreciate being able to read about homeschool news and this is a wonderful way to access it and show others what is going on the in world concerning homeschool news. They do such a wonderful job! HomeschoolBuzz also has reviews, links to other blogs and many other wonderful features. Technorati and Bloglines: These help me to keep up to date with friends blogs. I read a few blogs from these places. Technorati keeps track of how many people are linked to me and allows me to read their entries. It also has a cool feature for searching my blog or some of the millions of blogs linked to Technorati. The only thing I don't like about it is that you may come across a blog that you wish you hadn't! Lol. Bloglines allows me to read my friends blogs who have their RSS feed turned on, the only drawback is that I cannot comment through Bloglines, only read. What happens is, I'll read but not always comment due to time restraints.

Okay, I've saved the best for last! Flooble Expandable Scripts, this allows copy on your blog to be expandable. I have over 100 friends in my friend list- which would eat up a lot of space on my blog, as well as our Reading lists and BlogRolls. I've seen this on a lot of blogs outside of HSB and finally found out where to get it. These are wonderful and you can create it to match your current blog template if you know your way around code.

All right, I've given up all my secrets! I don't have music because it loads slowly and can be a pain to shut off (especially for late night bloggers who are in the dark), I try to stay away from anything that loads slowly. So far I don't have any ads, but have been wondering about adding an Amazon search box.

Happy Blogging!