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Yolanda in Mass (Yolanda)
| | Posted on Friday, August 02, 2002 - 03:00 pm: |     |
Wow! I guess I never even considered doing all that and I thought I was pretty savvy about such stuff. "Knowledge puffs up a man." Jo Dee and Susan, you are absolutely right. I particularly like the idea of the length of the study. I tend to go on and on and.... and then the kids are so sorry they asked. We leave on vacation on Sunday and will be doing some planning then and will be sure to start off with Matthew's suggestion.
Thank you!
By the by - I do remember reading somewhere about the physics of a curve ball! |
Jo Dee (Jodee)
| | Posted on Friday, August 02, 2002 - 01:22 pm: | |
I agree with Susan. Any biography study would be considered history. Also, study of the history of baseball, which is the "national past time", wouldn't be out of line. Watch how things changed as our country did.
A study of this nature would serve more than the study itself. It would help in other skills, like research, reading, etc. for future units.
Jo Dee |
Susan (Susan)
| | Posted on Friday, August 02, 2002 - 08:22 am: | |
Yolanda,
Studying Cal Ripken Sr. would most certainly count as history!
Start there and branch into baseball history. Find out who influenced Ripkin Sr. such as Babe Ruth, etc. and read about those individuals as well.
Talk about how African Americans weren't allowed to play major league baseball, so they formed their own league (work in the civil rights movement that way)...
Work in how baseball stats are figured and have him make a chart comparing Cal Jr.s stats to his dads (math + language arts)
It doesn't have to be a long unit study, just a week or two, unless you find more material.
I know you wouldn't, but please, DON'T discourage your son by saying his choice of topic was not schoolish enough or not "real history". His choice might not look like "school" to you, but therein lies the challenge to us as facilitators of our children's learning.
My husband is fond of saying that I can even make cleaning the bathrooms a learning opportunity :-) |
Yolanda in Mass (Yolanda)
| | Posted on Friday, August 02, 2002 - 07:27 am: | |
I tried Susan's suggestion about asking what they are interested in learning about with respect to say, history and my 9yob who adores baseball said, "Well, I know there's a Cal Ripken, Jr., so his dad must be Sr, right? Could we study about his dad? - wouldn't that count as history, Mom?" I think he was completely serious! Then I realized he has so little framework for me to ask that question. He has "tagged" along as he was included in history studies with his 12yo brother but I think he was lost on the way. On a more positive note, when the same child was asked about science he reverted to his long time love - sea creatures!
So, my question now is - as my boys grow how do we continue to do unit studies that engage both? Paul, my older son, is interested in just about anything (but sports) while Matthew tends to be much more selective. |
Susan (Susan)
| | Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2002 - 04:55 pm: | |
Yolanda,
You said, "I don't seem to have trouble integrating other subjects but sometimes try to cram too much into one study. Perhaps if I see that I'm covering all the disciplines (science, history, etc) throughout the year I will be less tempted to overdo it."
I know exactly what you mean! I started off planning very elaborate unit studies, and then would stress out because we weren't finishing anything. I always thought unit studies had to cover ALL the subjects in each study. It is so freeing to not have to worry about science while we study history because I know the next unit will concentrate on that subject.
It really helped when I figured out that the kids learn so much better in "blocks", and that rather than covering all the subjects superficially all the time, we could get really into each one by concentrating on it for a few weeks at a time. |
Jo Dee (Jodee)
| | Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2002 - 04:10 pm: | |
Do you have your Bible unit study, projects etc. written down? If so, would you mind sharing, it sounds like you have had great ideas/fun!
I am slowly, as I have time, organizing my resources and things onto one paper, rather than my weekly planning schedule. Currently I have four of them (God Made Light, God Made the Firmament, God Made Dry Land and Plants, and God Made the Sun, Moon, and Stars) here:
http://entrustedtous.com/units
Also are included some of Susan's and one of Sonja's.
While my Creation Studies are mainly my own (I basically list the resources I used and some of the things we focused on) the ones we are currently doing (we did Adam, which included Cain and Abel and discussion of descendants; and we are currently on Noah, which includes the Tower of Babel, the Ice Age, and weather) I've used the Bible (of course) and Betty Luken's felts to tell the Bible stories. The children can then retell the story to each other, to dad or to me with the felts. The order I am using is from a unit study guide called Lessons from History - Creation to 100 BC. Each section covers a man in history and lists suggested resources as well as some ideas for what to study for that time period. Bible history as well as other history is interwoven. Our next study will be on Cheops, which will start our study on Ancient Egypt, then we move to Abraham (to also include Isaac and Jacob, as well as addition study on Ancient Egypt - Abraham did travel to Egypt and Hagar was an Egyptian) then to Joseph (more Ancient Egypt) and then to Moses (again, more Ancient Egypt). We will focus on different areas of Ancient Egypt throughout all these men. I plan to use some of Susan's resources and ideas she did with their study (also on that unit study URL.)
Some of the resources I list are read only by me and I use that information to pass on orally to my children, with the proper view (the worship of false gods must be discussed properly and the way I want it to be done, etc.) Others I read aloud. Others have activities that we do. For example, for our Creation Studies we did many hands-on experiments. I try to incorporate some sort of "science" with each man we study to make it more fun (they love it!) But we don't have to do anything in-depth for it to be fun.
You will notice that my studies don't give a day-by-day schedule. It's best for us to just plan for a week (normally 4 days) and do what we can (or want) to finish. The 5th day we use as "catch-up" or additional study, or a break. Whatever we want/need from the unit. Sometimes we don't finish what is planned for that week, so we just move it to the next week, or forget it if it isn't important and we don't want to do it. My studies just list the resources and some ideas.
Ok, I said more than I intended.
Jo Dee |
Yolanda in Mass (Yolanda)
| | Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2002 - 02:45 pm: | |
Hello all,
I've been lurking and gleaning from your wonderful discussion of the manual. By way of intro, we have two wonderful boys - 12 & 9. We've been homeschooling since 1996 though I don't feel like a veteran. One of the first hs books I read was the SHFH. I have tried to implement the Moore philosophy from time to time but all too often I get side-tracked. Enough of me - thanks so much for this discussion, I will try to contribute as best I can.
Susan, I love your "subject" layout and will try planning this way. I don't seem to have trouble integrating other subjects but sometimes try to cram too much into one study. Perhaps if I see that I'm covering all the disciplines (science, history, etc) throughout the year I will be less tempted to overdo it.
When I plan units I am very specific about the projects/actvities planned so that I engage my brain in this way only at the beginning. Isn't that an awful way to put it? It is easier for me when I am in this planning mode, however, rather than constantly trying to come up with activities.
Well, that's my two cents for now. I will have many more questions than contributions and do not want to wear out my welcome at this time! |
Debbie V (Momof4)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 11:13 pm: | |
JoDee,
Do you have your Bible unit study, projects etc. written down? If so, would you mind sharing, it sounds like you have had great ideas/fun!
Debbie |
Jo Dee (Jodee)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 03:11 pm: | |
Okay, Friends, what do you think of this? Feedback, please!!!
Well, if I didn't think it was great, I wouldn't want to follow it!!
I think we must be careful not to try to cram everything into a unit study. While it can be easy for your very young children to include almost everything, when you have various ages and levels of readiness, it becomes a bit more difficult (read, stressful for mom) to include everything. Sometimes putting something into a unit study will be too easy for your children, that would make it boring - no challenge. However, sometimes something easy will help a struggling child get some confidence, too. I guess that's why we have to watch our children to know.
We must also remember that while doing things that interest the children is best, we can't always do that. There are some things I believe are important for them to know. While they may not have to do an in-depth study, they should know some of the basics. For those, I don't expect them to jump in and help me get the study together.
An example, during our study on "God Made the Firmament" I did a short introduction to weather. The children wanted more. I didn't want to do it right then, so I suggested as we got to studying Noah, we would include more there. After all, I believe this is when we started getting "weather".
So now we are involved in that study. Not much "weather" going on here now - hot, humid, with no rain in sight - like every summer. My children did a forecast yesterday by looking at the clouds - hot and sunny! Like they could really miss on that one. But we will keep our weather station available year-round now. If their interest is still there in our rainy season - great! If not, oh well, they have enjoyed it for this time, and they will have a better idea of what the weatherman says on the news.
Jo Dee |
Susan (Susan)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 - 08:45 am: | |
Okay, Application Two, page B16-B20
How Can I Use the Unit Study Method, and be sure I am covering all the basics?
After worship, each day should start with perfecting the child's math and language skills, which may mean a phonics lesson, or a math lesson. Each of these skills needs some specific instruction each day, they just don't happen.
It doesn't mean that applications of these subjects shouldn't be incorporated into your unit study as well. Prime time for lessons is early morning, when the child's mind is the sharpest.
The basics are the foundation for further learning and application.
Choose to concentrate on one content area per unit study at a time, and we will find more opportunity for a greater variety of learning processes.
Planning Steps:
1) Do not plan to teach more than one content area at a time.
2) Plan to teach only history for several weeks, then science for a few weeks, then health for a few weeks, then return to history.
3) Prepare your long term plan for the year. It is important to have goals but to remain flexible.
4) Don't be TOO flexible, though, and lose sight of the goals. Structure is important to the student's ability to become a self-directed learner. Children need the security of knowing what comes next.
5) Allow the student choices. Let him work with you on what will be studied.
“How the McGlohns did this (from my original notes in 2000):”
Think about your goals for the next school year. Now, if each of your unit studies lasts, say, 4 weeks, and your school year is 36 weeks, then you can cover 9 units of study, 3 each of history, science, and health. If you plan on doing shorter studies, say 2 weeks, then you can cover 6 each of history, science, and health.
Write down the months of the school year: September through May, usually.
History: September, December, and March
Science: October, January, and April
Health: November, February, and May
Now you have a yearly outline. Now ask your kids for input. "Hey, gang, I want to know what you want to study next school year." My kids answer was, "I dunno...you mean WE get to choose?" and I said, "Yeah...but I get to retain veto power". Then I explained that I wanted three good ideas for studying history, three for science, and three for health. They came up with "Medieval Times", "Butterflies", "Horses", and "Where our food goes when we eat it"....sigh....this may take a little bit more thinking and brainstorming....
They weren't quite sure what mom was fishing for...and I think they were really amazed that I would let them help choose their own course of study. (I did notice that they both steered clear of anything resembling American History! Hahahahahahahaha!!!)
When I mentioned "Health" they both groaned and said, "we already know all that stuff....don't smoke, don't do drugs, don't drink, don't eat too many McDonald's french fries...." Oh MY!
Okay, back to the overview:
Steps to cover the basics:
1) Students should participate in some sort of reading activity each day, either being read to, reading to you, or reading together.
2) Student should master phonics, so he can sound out any word.
3) Vocabulary comes from the context of the reading materials.
4) Students comprehension is usually about 2 years behind the reading level. It will develop as he matures.
5) Reading program should be developed through the content subjects being studied, so that continuity is maintained.
6) Parents sometimes prefer to have Bible study separate from the unit study, which is fine, but there is no reason why Biblical principals should not be an integral part of the unit study as well! Bible can easily be correlated with history and language arts as well.
Skill Subjects: Art, Math, Grammar
1) Art can be studied as a separate skill subject, but it can also be a means of documenting a student's learning as well. Clay sculpting, drawing, painting, etc. is a form of self-expression.
2) Math is all around us and we couldn't escape from it if we wanted to. The student needs to apply math skills learned in a natural environment.
3) Grammar skills can help a child understand lengthy passages of scripture.
Music and penmanship are two other areas that should be included wherever possible.
"When you correlate your skill subjects with your content material, there are no limits to what you can do!"
Make learning fun and challenging, and creative, by using the projects listed in the "Ways We Learn and Show What We Know" lists in the manual for each age level. Keep him begging to do more.
Ideas given as examples on page B-20 are:
• Create a 3-D display of a pond (science and art)
• Create his own hieroglyphics and make a scroll with a secret message about an historical event (history and art and language)
• Make a chart that compares prices for various products in several competitive stores (math and language)
• Make a history board game in which grammar skills will get him to the end of the game (history and language)
• Make a sentence grow by starting with a two word sentence (subject + verb) and adding words he has learned until he gets to 10 words. (activity and grammar)
Okay, Friends, what do you think of this? Feedback, please!!!
Instruction in basic skills is done separately, then the application of those skills is carried out in the unit studies, so that the student can "show what he knows". So *some* "skill and drill" work needs to be done, for a few minutes each day. |
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