tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63073698276540960852024-02-08T06:11:49.330-08:00Elementary Online CurriculumUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-38628637686107771692017-08-23T09:03:00.000-07:002017-08-23T09:03:35.877-07:00Elementary CurriculumEver since the publication of CCSS, the elementary curriculum in the US has been in a state of flux. Previously, there were obvious problems in the standards driving curriculum across the country. The biggest problems previously were:<br />
<ul>
<li>Educational standards that did not match the testing standards which produced tension between teaching to the standards versus teaching to the tests</li>
<li>Uneven standards across teh country so that the states with low standards, say Alabama and Louisiana, had standards that were grades lower than the other parts of the country</li>
</ul>
The new standards moved the country towards a single unified sense of more rigorous standards which were coherently organized and curriculum mapped across the grades.<br />
What's good?<br />
<ul>
<li>Switch in language arts from a primary focus on literature to a focus that blends literature with informational text.</li>
<li>Switch in math from the historical focus on the procedures of calculation to the actual concepts</li>
<li>Addition of multisector reading skills to language arts</li>
<li> </li>
</ul>
What's not good? Lots of things especially the roll out to parents was all messed up and confusing. To this day, there are no good parent materials explaining the changes on elementary math. I think they failed to reorganize the primary grades into more coherent standards that would have led to higher student outcomes in literacy. We start too early teaching reading, we spend way too much time on the letters and their names, we don't focus nearly enough on phonological and vocabulary skills, and so on.<br />
<br />
BTW, I love the switch to shades of meaning from synonyms. My personal favorite part of CCSS! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-56601985810897717692015-03-09T11:15:00.000-07:002015-03-09T11:15:00.459-07:00Fun with Math Facts<b id="docs-internal-guid-b622dc97-f652-1f59-6338-350c7289369e" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Math can be a tricky subject. For some kids, they either understand it easily or they don’t. There isn’t too often a middle ground when it comes to math. When dealing with difficult math subject, it can quickly become a frustrating situation. It can help if there is a fun way to approach learning </span><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/math_facts.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">math facts.</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> If you can find some games online, videos to watch, or songs to reinforce math facts, those practices will absolutely aid in the teaching of math. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It also helps if you can find practical ways to introduce and practice math at home. Can you discuss math topics while having breakfast or over the dinner table? Can you review math while taking a walk or doing some exercises outside? Jumping jacks and counting go pretty well together. There are several ways to incorporate math into your daily life to help your homeschoolers learn their math facts.</span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-12743361503297111472015-02-17T09:01:00.000-08:002015-02-17T09:01:00.149-08:00Learning with Science Videos!<b id="docs-internal-guid-9d363b66-f651-1cf3-c075-8fdbe574a411" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you ask each child at my house what subject they love the most, the answer would be science. Elementary science is so much fun because it incorporates so many incredible facets of learning into one subject. With science, you can make projects for science fairs or just for use at home. Busting out glue sticks and markers are a guaranteed smile around here. You can take a few household ingredients that don’t do anything spectacular separately, but when mixed together, create something incredible. There are new words, new phrases, and new ideas that are interesting for children to see and learn.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Science can be difficult to teach if you aren’t experienced in the subject (that is certainly my problem!). Fortunately, I have found several </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/science4us" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">science videos</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to help me with teaching topics that I might otherwise struggle. What a blessing to have so many resources at my fingertips.</span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-80311087792203229492015-01-05T13:15:00.000-08:002015-01-05T13:15:00.062-08:00Happy New Year!<b id="docs-internal-guid-8b99d956-f650-46aa-1ab2-56d32b7264a5" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new year is upon us. As usual, I think of how the school year has gone so far and how I want it to continue on in this new year. I re-evaluate how things are going and think of any changes that need to be made to our school plans. Do we need to adjust our approach to </span><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/language-arts.shtml" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">language arts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Is math working for us in the best way? Is someone struggling with handwriting?</span></div>
<br /><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I never like to continue on with something that may not be working just because I had once decided it would be a good fit for us. I’m constantly thinking about how things are going and decided if we need to adjust or change anything to better suit the learning needs of my children. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does the new year make you take the time to re-focus?</span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-30863561373364281952014-12-09T15:30:00.000-08:002014-12-09T15:30:00.064-08:00Taking School with You when You Travel<b id="docs-internal-guid-00abdb59-f64e-f90d-6ad7-f658e6dd21e3" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As this year comes to a close, I always anticipate the break we’ll have from school for a few weeks. We spend the first few weeks of the month preparing for holidays with fun, games, crafts, and excitement. We spend the last few weeks of the month spending as much time as possible with extended family. School work, however, must still be completed.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fortunately, by using an online curriculum, we can take school with us </span><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/roadschooling.shtml" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">when we travel</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We can pack up and head out of town for a few weeks knowing that we can still stay on track with school. We definitely utilize a lighter schedule, but by continuing on with some lessons while we travel, we can stay on schedule. The kids don’t always appreciate this facet of our homeschool, but they do enjoy finishing up the school year by Memorial Day.</span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-27318192034917978082014-11-17T08:57:00.000-08:002014-11-17T08:57:00.463-08:00Holiday Spelling Lists<b id="docs-internal-guid-c0cfe0ca-f64d-d891-40c3-a11895c426ee" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my favorite ways to incorporate seasonal fun into our homeschool day is by making seasonal spelling lists using our online </span><a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/spelling-curriculum.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spelling curriculum.</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It’s fun for the kids to play games with season specific words and it also helps to re-introduce words they may not hear frequently. By assigning the words through spelling lists, they learn to pronounce them, spell them, and use them correctly in sentences. Plus, they have the opportunity to play silly games to help reinforce the words.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Additionally, there are handwriting worksheets available so they can practice writing seasonal words. That will be especially helpful when they start working on cards and thank you notes in the coming weeks. </span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-79357111247565845062014-10-08T14:15:00.000-07:002014-10-08T14:15:00.066-07:00Seasonal Fun<b id="docs-internal-guid-c1333d5e-f64c-7785-45e4-b1025db33eff" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love autumn. It’s my most favorite season. The weather is changing, the colors of the leaves are amazing and beautiful and it provides us with another chance to experience the nature around us. This time of year, we take the time to enjoy nature walks using several of our senses. We see the birds, small animals, and bugs. We hear the calls from one creature to another. We smell the air changing from one season to another. We pick up leaves and rocks to examine them more closely. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we aren’t sure what something is, whether it be an animal or plant, we write down telling characteristics so we can research when we return home. That’s when the internet and science websites become our best friend. Gone are the days you pulled an encyclopedia from the shelf to do some more research. Now, we have the opportunity to learn more about plants and animals, as well have fun with some </span><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/animal_and_nature_games.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nature games</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-42000465381326438992014-09-02T08:55:00.000-07:002014-09-02T08:55:00.054-07:00School Year Excitement<b id="docs-internal-guid-1f1669ee-f64b-7400-95d0-8cd4365219c9" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is your school year underway? We typically wait until after Labor Day to get started, though our schedule changed a bit for this year. I don’t know about you, but I love the excitement of a new school year. The kids are excited to get back to their lessons and find new </span><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/featured-games/preschool_games_colormix.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">online games</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to play. I’m excited that I can get back to the structure of a school day.</span></div>
<br /><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Right now, the house is full of anticipation, new books, brand-new markers and crayons, sticky notes around the computer monitor detailing everyone’s online learning program login information. There is a definite air of learning love going on in September. I know, though, that this will fade and far too soon, the grumbling will start. For now, however, I’ll embrace the excitement.</span></div>
</b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-88958170766798608912014-08-13T13:00:00.000-07:002014-08-13T13:00:01.033-07:00Art for the New Year<b id="docs-internal-guid-cfa05695-f64a-05ac-f1e7-dbbfd87fd1a6" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you gearing up for the school year to begin? You’ve taken some time off to refresh after a long school year. You’ve researched and prepared curriculum and the big day is approaching. What plans do you have for the upcoming year? Will you be changing any curricula options from years past? Have things been going well enough that you are continuing on with what you have been using?</span></div>
<br /><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the subjects that doesn’t get its due attention in our homeschool is Art. This summer while making plans for the school year, I’ve been working on ways to add Art more effectively into our homeschool. Because we are a primarily online homeschool, it’s always a benefit to find ways to include subjects that are not traditionally found online into our computer-based day. Thankfully, the </span><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/art_lessons_online.shtml" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">art curriculum</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we’ve found through our homeschool lessons will provide us with a good art introduction. The kids can’t wait to get started!</span></div>
</b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-31438950536701495512014-07-22T11:00:00.000-07:002014-07-22T11:00:00.028-07:00Learning in the Summer<b id="docs-internal-guid-88d2da4e-f648-f557-06e7-860cb12078a4" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What learning is currently taking place in your home? In the middle of summer, it may seem like learning is on a hiatus, but that’s not true! There are always learning opportunities and experiences that can foster a great time learning--you just have to make sure they don’t always pass by without being seized. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the neat things we’ve been doing lately is keeping track of animals and critters that we are finding near our house. There’s a very distinct bird call we’ve been hearing outside and we finally determined that it was a Chuck-will’s Widow. We accessed the internet and learned what we could about that bird and other similar </span><a href="http://www.science4us.com/elementary-life-science/balance-in-nature/habitats/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">animal habitats</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We may be breaking from school, but learning never stops. </span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-81162203772411869492014-06-16T10:35:00.000-07:002014-06-16T10:35:00.050-07:00Summer Science Fun<b id="docs-internal-guid-559e797a-f647-95e8-9608-fee174241566" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is time for summer fun! I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I can’t get to all of the fun things I want to do and teach during the school year. There may be some science experiments I can’t fit into our day or art that gets put off when the week gets too busy. When taking a few months off in the summer, I try to incorporate some fun learning activities into our homeschool.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the mom of boys, learning through science is a surefire crowd pleaser. From the middle schooler to the preschooler, if we are gathered around the kitchen counter working on a science experiment, everyone is having a good time. </span><a href="http://www.science4us.com/elementary-science-projects/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Science experiments</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are a fun way to see quick results, which kids love! Take a few minutes to browse through some Science4Us videos. You will definitely find something exciting for the kids!</span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-85788901612983438802014-05-22T08:48:00.000-07:002014-05-22T08:48:00.777-07:00End of School Year Plans<b id="docs-internal-guid-9e03673c-f645-97c7-c9f7-1d796ff22946" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-9e03673c-f645-97c7-c9f7-1d796ff22946" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is your school year coming to a close? We generally follow a typical school year calendar and take a break in June, July, and August. Though, in the past, we have homeschooled year-round. For the last few years, we have taken off for the summer, but that doesn’t mean the learning pauses until September. We are always actively learning. </span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-9e03673c-f645-97c7-c9f7-1d796ff22946" style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This summer, our plans are to learn by way of fun! We’ll be taking field trips, going to summer camps, and having fun camping as a family. However, we’ll also be doing some computer work. Online </span><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/elementary-games.shtml" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">elementary games</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are easy to incorporate into our day. Some days are rainy days, or hot days, or sick days or days we end up being home all day. On those days, some computer fun is just the ticket. The boys have a great time playing online and I love that they are learning!</span></b><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-86030846203404384382014-04-15T19:37:00.000-07:002014-04-15T19:37:14.824-07:00Typing SkillsIf you are using an online elementary curriculum, it is important for your homeschoolers to have some typing skills. Learning to type correctly and with good accuracy will net better results in the efficiency of your homeschool. There are several ways your homeschoolers can practice typing, not just quickly, but accurately.<br />
<br />
The best way to get your homeschoolers interested in sharpening their skills is to find a fun way to practice. Typing games are the way to go--and trust me, the sillier, the goofier, the better. When something is funny, it's easy to forget that it's a learning lesson. <br />
<br />
Whether it's <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/keyboarding-games-numpad-kennys.html">bopping a Kenny on the head</a>, <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/featured-games/typing-challenge.html">racing against the clock</a>, or <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/keyboarding_games_arachnid_falls.html">squishing falling bugs</a>, there are a lot of silly ways to polish up typing skills. When the kids are laughing while learning then everyone is winning!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-7124836804812408272012-12-21T08:24:00.002-08:002012-12-21T08:24:01.163-08:00Writing Ideas<div>Writing is always a great skill for everyone to continue to improve no matter what grade they are in. Here are ideas you might want to implement in your <a href="http://www.time4writing.com/teaching-writing/">homeschool writing lessons</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Create a comic book or cartooning journal. </li><li>Write a shared story. You start the story off with the first two sentences and then have each of your children contribute a sentence or two until everyone agrees the story is complete. </li><li>Write letters to family members, especially the grandparents. </li><li>Write letters to soldiers. </li><li>Supply a daily writing prompt for your kids. </li><li>Have your kids write a “thankful” journal with daily entries. </li><li>Encourage your kids to keep a diary. </li><li>Show your children how to start their own blog. They will have to focus on writing if they want others to read their posts. </li><li>Find a newspaper article or magazine article that may be of interest to your children. Get them to write more about the characters of the article. What happened to them? What did they do afterwards? </li><li>Use headlines from the newspaper that you have cut apart. Lay out the different words to see what type of funny new headlines can be made. Let each child make a new headline and then write a short article for it. Funny or unusual stories are encouraged! </li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-10953225751652870082012-12-07T08:22:00.002-08:002012-12-07T08:22:00.508-08:00Beat the Winter Homeschool Blues<div>Don’t let winter keep your kids from having fun and learning. Here are some ideas for beating the <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/weather_games.html">winter</a> homeschool blues.</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Make a snowflake journal. Take the kids outside with a magnifying glass to examine snowflakes. Then, have the kids draw and cut snowflakes. </li><li>Make torn paper snow pictures. It is easy and mess free. Then, have the kids write about their picture. </li><li>Make a “snow” themed snack, maybe cookies covered with white icing. </li><li>Make shaving cream snow pictures. </li><li>Whip up some <a href="http://fun.familyeducation.com/classroom-management/decorative-arts/36682.html?detoured=1">whipped snow</a>. </li><li>Make snow ice cream--this was my favorite as a child.</li><li>Make snow angels and use food coloring to make snow pictures outside. </li><li>Make your own snow globe. </li><li>Make snow sculptures using different size buckets or pails.</li><li>Melt snow in a pan as you talk about different states of water. </li></ul></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-66818207070198576912012-11-21T08:21:00.002-08:002012-11-21T08:21:00.709-08:00Veterans' Day<div>Veterans' Day is an important holiday in the <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/us-state-games.html">United States</a>. In 1789 a law was passed to give money to soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War. In 1960, President Hoover signed a bill creating the Veterans Administration (VA). </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some ways to celebrate and learn about Veterans Day:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>Have your child create a time line of events leading to the observance of the holiday. </li><li>If you know any veterans locally, suggest that your kids interview them about what it's like to serve in the U.S. military. </li><li>Research how American veterans were treated after they returned from various military conflicts, ranging from the French and Indian War to the Persian Gulf War. Ask your children to compare and contrast their findings. Also compare and contrast how women and minorities who served in those conflicts were treated. </li><li>Make thank you cards for veterans and mail or deliver them to the nearest VA hospital. </li><li>Draw and illustrate a picture or make a poster of Veterans Day, and what this holiday means. If you have family member currently deployed, have our child draw a picture of that family member serving our country. </li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-4961199423184871572012-11-07T08:20:00.002-08:002012-11-07T08:20:00.548-08:00Peanut Butter Fun<div>I thought it might be fun to get a little “nutty” this month. <a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/monthly-holiday-lists.html">November</a> is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month. Can you say Yum Yum!</div><div><br /></div><div>Did you know that it takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter and that there are enough peanuts in one acre to make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches? Peanut butter was first introduced to the USA in 1904 at the Universal Exposition in St. Louis by C.H. Sumner, who sold $705.11 of the "new treat" at his concession stand.</div><div>Dr. George Washington Carver is referred to as the "peanut wizard" and father of the peanut industry. He began to study peanuts in 1914. He invented many things including the discovery of over 300 different uses for peanuts – such as making cooking oil, axle grease and printer's ink. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a neat bit of trivia just for fun, "Arachibutyrophobia" (pronounced I-RA-KID-BU-TI-RO-PHO-BI-A) is the fear of peanut butter getting stuck to the roof of your mouth.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-8639221515395912832012-10-21T08:19:00.002-07:002012-10-21T08:19:00.101-07:00Fire Safety<div>Fire safety is so very important. Would you or your children know what to do if a fire broke out in your home? Take time this month, fire safety month, to discuss and plan what your family needs to do to be safe in a fire emergency. This makes a great <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/science.shtml">homeschool science</a> or health lesson. </div><div><br /></div><div>Start by learning about prevention. Are there any potential hazards in your home? Old cords, frayed or loose cords can be a fire waiting to happen. Are you overusing an extension cord? Do your smoke alarms work. Test them today. </div><div><br /></div><div>Help your children draw a sketch of your home complete with escape routes. Practice fire drills by going over the different escapes from each room in your home until your kids have it down pat. Be prepared for any accidents by having fire extinguishers strategically placed around your home. Teach your children about Stop*Drop*and Roll. Teach them how to cover their mouth and nose with a wet cloth, how to crawl under smoke, and to never go back inside a burning building no matter what. </div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-72159831170553140432012-10-07T08:16:00.002-07:002012-10-07T08:16:00.121-07:00Columbus<div><a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/view-spelling-list.html?listId=2851204">Columbus Day</a> is celebrated in October to commemorate the historic landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. I am sure most of you know the little jingle, “Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred-ninety-two.” </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a great time to have some fun with your kids and enjoy entertaining a few crafts and activities. A fun science activity is to make an <a href="http://crafts.kaboose.com/ocean-in-a-bottle.html">ocean bottle</a> so you can create waves. You might enjoy a “green” project that involves a little recycling. Try making mini versions of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria out of <a href="http://crafts.kaboose.com/egg-cup-ships.html">egg carton cups</a>. If you like to spy things, then this <a href="http://crafts.kaboose.com/cardboard-tube-telescope.html">cardboard tube telescope </a>is perfect for pretending to be Columbus as scoped out foreign land and ocean waves. </div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-17133052618171401822012-09-21T08:12:00.002-07:002012-09-21T08:12:00.999-07:00Honey<div>Some kids might think honey comes from bears if they like hearing Pooh stories. Some kids might think honey comes from the grocery store. Have a bee-utiful time this month learning about honey, flowers, and <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/animal_and_nature_games.html#post-50">bees</a> in science. </div><div><br /></div><div>Bees make honey to feed their young and to have something to eat during the winter. Bees live in colonies. There are three types of bees in each colony. the queen bee, the worker bee and the drone.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bees do give us honey, but they also are great pollinators. They buzz around looking for nectar and enable plants to produce the fruits and nuts we enjoy by carrying pollen from one plant or flower to the next. Sometimes farmers contact professional beekeepers to have them send honeybees to them in order to help their crops get pollinated. </div><div><br /></div><div>Scientists have a hard time studying bees because they can travel up to two miles from their hive to look for nectar and if they get hurt or die, the scientist doesn’t know where to find them so he can find out why they died. Also, when scientists return to a hive they have been studying, about half the bees they studied on their first visit will be dead, replaced by new ones in the natural life cycle of bees. </div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-69547768642179246362012-09-07T08:10:00.002-07:002012-09-07T08:10:01.032-07:00Back to School PoetryI thought it might be fun to share <a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/view-spelling-list.html?listId=2851202">back to school</a> poetry this month as an encouragement and maybe a laugh. After reading some, challenge your kids to write some back-to-homeshool poems.<div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>A Dream of School Supplies</i></b></div><div>I had a dream of school supplies,</div><div>where paperclips could talk;</div><div>where poster paper hung around</div><div>with marking pens and chalk.</div><div><br /></div><div>The stationery idled</div><div>while the pencils madly raced.</div><div>The clocks went 'round in circles,</div><div>and the glue sticks merely paced.</div><div><br /></div><div>The binders were inseparable.</div><div>They bonded with the tape.</div><div>The workbooks exercised</div><div>and helped the stencils stay in shape.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some calculators added</div><div>to the numbers in this land,</div><div>and music was provided by</div><div>a singing rubber band.</div><div><br /></div><div>My dream was strange and truly cool,</div><div>but this was even cooler:</div><div>The dictionaries all looked up to me.</div><div>I was the ruler.</div><div>--Kenn Nesbitt </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>The Bells Are Ringing</i></b></div><div>by Roger J. Robicheau </div><div>The bells are ringing, to start school</div><div>Could you be thinking, it’s not cool </div><div>You want freedom, to live your way</div><div>To make each call, from day to day </div><div>The Summer passed, without those books</div><div>Why make a change, you liked the looks </div><div>Please stop and think, reach in your mind</div><div>The choice you make, could be a grind </div><div>You might end up, a lowly chump</div><div>Because you thought, you had the jump </div><div>Can you get by, on what you know?</div><div>Come on, be fair, probably no! </div><div>Look at yourself, and make the call</div><div>You better stay, your life could stall </div><div>Just work it out, make that twelfth grade</div><div>Embrace that Spring, greet your parade. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Back To School </i></b></div><div>When the summer smells like apples </div><div>and shadows feel cool </div><div>and falling leaves make dapples </div><div>of color on the pool </div><div>and wind is in the maples </div><div>and sweaters are the rule </div><div>and hazy days spell lazy ways, </div><div>it's hard to go to school. </div><div>But, I go! </div><div>~Aileen Fischer </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>WHY HANDS-ON?</i> </b></div><div>I TRIED TO TEACH MY CHILD WITH BOOKS; </div><div>HE GAVE ME ONLY PUZZLED LOOKS. </div><div>I TRIED TO TEACH MY CHILD WITH WORDS; </div><div>THEY PASSED HIM BY OFTEN UNHEARD. </div><div>DESPAIRINGLY, I TURNED ASIDE; </div><div>"HOW SHALL I TEACH THIS CHILD," I CRIED? </div><div>INTO MY HAND HE PUT THE KEY, </div><div>"COME," HE SAID, "PLAY WITH ME."</div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-63723116165957815812012-08-21T08:13:00.002-07:002012-08-21T08:13:00.076-07:00Labor Day<div>Summer is over and it is time to get back to work, school work that is. Labor means to work. President Grover Cleveland declared Labor Day to be the first Monday of September. <a href="http://www.spellingcity.com/view-spelling-list.html?listId=2851193">Labor Day</a> was first observed on September 5th, 1882. </div><div><br /></div><div>Whether it is chores around your home, or a paying job, lots of kids work. Some kids baby sit, deliver newspapers, walk the family pet, mow the yard, or help at the local food panty. Jobs are important. All of these jobs are important because they contribute to society - kids do make a difference.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-43940572636977978922012-08-07T08:08:00.002-07:002012-08-07T08:08:00.956-07:00School Stuff<div>It is that time of year again, back to homeschool. It sure seems like the time off gets shorter and shorter each year. I know lots of homeschooling families school all year long, so <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/backtoschool.shtml">“back to homeschool”</a> really doesn’t apply to them.</div><div><br /></div><div>For those that do take time off, getting ready to get started again usually means MONEY! You find that you need new school stuff. Just what is school stuff?</div><div>So much comes to mind when you think about what you might need for a near year of schooling, On a bright note, some things are free thanks to the Internet. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some items or resources you might need this year:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>graphic organizers </li><li>posters </li><li>curriculum </li><li>record keeping/homeschool forms </li><li>study guides </li><li>library cards </li><li>web site addresses </li><li>general supplies (scissors, glue, construction paper…)</li></ul></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-38259982256882561272012-07-21T08:07:00.002-07:002012-07-21T08:07:00.268-07:00Tour de France<div>This month started off with talking about a mini unit on bicycle safety. For a little added fun, explore the Tour de France. </div><div><br /></div><div>The term “bicycle” was not introduced until the 1860s. The <a href="http://www.vocabulary.co.il/foreign-language/">French</a> used the word to describe a new kind of two-wheeler with a mechanical drive. The Tour de France is one of the most famous bicycle races in the world. It began in 1903 and is considered to be the biggest test of endurance out of all sports. Lance Armstrong, an American cyclist, is the only rider to have won seven titles (1999–2005) after surviving cancer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Look up race results from years past and compare times. Use a world map to locate the home country of racers. Where do most come from? How large are the crowds that gather to watch? What type of safety must be used along the race route? These are just some ideas to get you started. Have fun!</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6307369827654096085.post-5056676138668910022012-07-07T08:06:00.002-07:002012-07-07T08:06:00.760-07:00Bicycle Safety<div>Sometimes it is fun to school outdoors. You might even bike to the local park if it is not too far from your home to study and have a picnic. Wait! Before you head out today, have you included bicycle safety in your lessons plans? </div><div><br /></div><div>When I was a little girl in elementary school, bicycle safety was taught at school. Lots of kids rode their bike to school, so it made sense to make sure everyone knew the rules of staying safe on a bike. Those safety rules are still important today. Every year, about 300,000 kids go to the emergency department because of bike injuries, and at least 10,000 kids have injuries that require a few days in the hospital.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are tons of great bicycle safety resources on the <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/internet-safety.shtml">Internet</a>. Find a few and put together a mini unit on bicycle safety for your kids. Like the old saying goes, “It’s better to be safe than sorry!”</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0