| Author |
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Jo Dee (Jodee)
| | Posted on Monday, September 16, 2002 - 01:30 pm: |     |
An Educational Adventure
Yes, we had snow! The first snow my then 8 and 6 year old children had ever seen. My then 10 year old didn't remember seeing snow when she was very young, so it was like her first time. They were so excited! I called off school right away!
First was play time in the snow. They never knew it could be so cold (science there.) They built snowmen (art, science, and math - they had to figure out a few things when it didn't stay up at first.) They threw snowballs (physical education - they weren't allowed to throw them at each other, only at snow sculptures they made - so more art there), made snow angels (art), looked at the snowflakes (science) and saw how different they were, and came in exhausted, but with questions.
With all those questions I got out any book I had about weather and we read the appropriate sections.
So when I called off school, it was really called off at all.
Doing a Play
My children have done plays of things we have studied, does that count? Also, they will tell some of the stories to younger children when I am at ladies' Bible study and they help the nursery workers with the younger children.
Unit Studies and Covering Everything
I gave up on including every subject in every unit of study long ago. When I first opened up the Weaver Volume I and saw how forced it was, I skipped a lot. Anyway, they'll learn all they need to know eventually, just not every day.
Jo Dee |
Julia (Gumnutmum)
| | Posted on Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 09:36 pm: | |
Hello to everyone here!
Susan thank you for the write up and comments.
re question 6 :I do agree that units can become forced, and I think that even if we prepare something, we need to think of it as offering a platter - the children will choose to follow their own paths of learning from it. Sometimes I do find that they come up with much more interesting items to follow, than if we had stuck to a particular plan.
I know of many people who become overwhelmed with using prepared unit studies such as Konos. Instead of picking and choosing, using it as a resource, there can be a tendency to try to "get it all done". This too can happen with mom at the wheel with her own home made unit studies, don't you think, if we don't follow the lines of inquiry the dc come up with themselves?
5) I have used commercial homeschool planners with limited success for planning or recording - when it comes down to "our day" it doesn't seem to fit so well. I have Interactive Garden Patch (hs forms) on CD which has been helpful, but still find it doesn't quite suit - I end up scrawling in new sections on whatever I use. Sometimes I think the simpler the form is, the more leeway I have to make it our own.
I am also keen to hear more ideas about spelling. There are so many programs out there..after grade 3, are they necessary?? Our eldest has challenges with spelling and I am trying to work out a low stress way that works for him. Any ideas welcome!
Thanks,
Julia in Japan |
Susan (Susan)
| | Posted on Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 07:54 am: | |
General Information/Comments:
General: Be realistic. A unit of study may work well with two of your children, but the third is not interested. Have the third child work independently in some subject area that is easy for him. An example: have your high school student work on physics or math while you do a unit of study on early exploration with the younger two.
Unit Ideas:
Create a Newspaper: either for your family members, or your community. Have all the children participate in some fashion.
Family Corporation: Incorporate the area of Work into the unit study. This would involve all sorts of areas (math, language arts, communication skills, marketing, planning).
Prepare a Bible History Game: Takes creativity and good planning skills. Draw the game board, create the pieces, the rules, the cards. Decorate the game board to make it interesting.
Make a Store: children like to play store. the older the children, the more complicated you can make it.
Field Trips: Field trips are excellent ways for children to participate together, or even with other families. Children can even have assignments to complete on the field trip such as filling out a chart with the number of animals seen, asking questions of the guide, reading the signs on the exhibits, etc.
Music Appreciation: Another area that can be done together as a family. Attend concerts and learn to pick out the different instruments in the orchestra. Listen to good music at home while fixing dinner, coloring, playing games together.
Pages B53 through B56 describe a hypothetical situation of a family finding a stray dog, taking care of it, and all the different parts that go together to turn it into an educational experience. Advertising for the owners, vet visits, figuring out the cost of keeping the dog, and an adoption ceremony to make the dog theirs.
B57 is a cute graphic of a path through the woods, and little signs along the path with ideas for activities and questions to ask while on the nature walk.
B58-B60 is how to fill out a daily journal for keeping track of skills and subjects covered.
Take a few minutes at the end of each day and use the following form to record the skill and content subjects covered during the course of the day. Check off any that were taught, and make a few comments.
THIS NEXT PART IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!!! I am going to quote directly from the manual here, because I think this very, very important, and many people have asked about this next part. Take a sip of your chosen beverage, and lean closer...
How often should subjects and skills be covered?
SKILL SUBJECTS: Sometimes taught within the unit, but many times done outside the unit of study!
Language Arts:
Reading: Every day, but it counts if you read to a
primary age child if the child is a non-reader. Provide variety (oral, silent, read-to).
Spelling/Phonics: Spelling every day (taught with phonics in Grades 1-3)
Phonics: Use low key methods like Game Way for 5-10 minutes a day.
Grammar: (Parts of speech and correct usage )- 3 to 4 times a week.
Creative Writing: 3 to 4 days a week. Primaries, late-bloomers, and learning-different children may dictate to an older person part of the time.
Three-day Creative Writing: recommended every 2 weeks. see description in the section preceding "Legalities". [note: this is in the last section of the manual...we ain't there yet!)
Penmanship: Every day. Modeling by parents, small motor skill development exercises (see section preceding Legalities), trace-around patterns, and sky-writing all count.
Math: Every day. Primaries need not do "book math" every day. Play store, use real-life experiences for K-3.
CONTENT SUBJECTS: More often taught within unit study, but not always!
Bible: Every day. May be correlated with family worship if desired.
Science, Geography/History: May be alternated by days or weeks.
Music Appreciation: Required once a week. More is better.
Arts/Crafts: Once or twice a week. Primaries enjoy it every day!
Physical Fitness: Every day. May be correlated with work and service if activity requires physical exertion.
*Work: Every day usually for teens, but at least 3 to 5 times a week. Middle elementary about 2 to 4 times a week. One to 3 times a week or even twice a month for primaries. Those with little opportunities to work outside the home may simply do more service.
*Service: Every day. More service for younger children without earning opportunities. Some should be physical at all ages. May need to add gardening to some sedentary work projects to provide a balanced education.
*see Work and Service in each grade section for a more complete explanation of these educational opportunities.
OR......plan your unit on a regular Teacher's Plan Book, highlighting assignments that are in your unit.
The last page, page B60, is a reproducible copy of the Daily Journal form. Jo Dee has received permission from the Moore Academy to put all the forms up on her web site, so you will be able to see the two different unit study planners as well as this Daily Log, as soon as she has a moment to do so.
Questions/comments:
1) Do you remember an instance when you turned an everyday experience into an educational adventure for your children? Please share it with us!
2) I feel much better about allowing Sarah NOT to participate in our geography co-op this year, after reading the general comments about how an older student can work independently while doing a unit of study with younger children. I know Cheryl is doing this as well; anyone else have a child, or more than one, who is NOT participating in the unit studies of your other children?
3) Has anyone ever set up an elaborate play store like is described in this section? How about the other ideas, such as attending concerts, starting a family corporation, creating a newspaper, etc.? Can you think of other ideas along these lines?
4) Has anyone ever had a unit of study become a long-term hobby or passion?
5) How do you journal/record your learning experiences, if you do? I have heard some use a teacher planning book, others use a simple calendar, and some have elaborate computer programs. Which ones have you used, and which ones have worked or not worked for you?
6) Does anyone feel ok now about not including every subject in every unit of study? I have always felt some “connections” made in the pre-packaged units of study were a bit contrived and forced, just to include that area so it would be a “complete” curriculum. |
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