Education Validation

Independence

2010-07-02T21:03:00.001-07:00

I love this concept. We can gain independence by sharing it with others, especially our kids!

Cub Scouts

2010-04-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

I felt some trepidation when my son became old enough to start Scouts. I'd heard horror stories from lots of people, especially my little brother, about some of the terrible things they'd experienced at the hands of fellow uniformed boys.

But, despite my concerns, I knew it was the right thing for Junior, so when he turned 8, he joined the Cub Scouts. His leaders have been great and he loves going. He's almost done with his Wolf requirements and it makes him feel a great sense of accomplishment to pass things off and have written proof (or visual proof as badges and beads) of his knowledge. I also love seeing him make friends with nice boys in a safe setting.

I sent Junior to scouts for his own sake, but I was surprised by how much it helped him and me with our homeschooling. Seeing how well Junior responded to the clear expectations of his scout requirements helped me to clarify our homeschooling objectives and make our work more manageable. It turns out we both love charting progress and showing what we've already accomplished, even if it is just to ourselves.

Passover

2010-03-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

I decided to hold a brief Passover Seder this year. The world religions class may have had something to do with it. Perhaps it was our ongoing study of the Old Testament. Or maybe we were just curious. The holiday is ancient and the first Haggadah was published in the Middle Ages so it ties in nicely with our history as well. Whatever the reason, we learned about Seder, we learned about Judaism, we learned about making a holiday a holy day and we learned that Passover can actually be a lot of fun, but it takes time to prepare. This post will be my go to resource in the future.

I asked some Jewish friends what Passover means to them today. They said it was about remembering that they had been oppressed and acknowledging that oppression still exists in our world in many forms. Additionally, the Passover reminds them that despite oppression they are still here and through unity oppression can be survived and overcome.

This is a fun story of the four sons and the four kinds of learning. It's a good place to start.

Guides
For a 3 minute Seder explained by a female Rabbi click here.
This Passover Seder guide and Haggadah will help you prepare an authentic, personal Seder.
Here is another nice one that includes recipes.
This is a one stop boutique site that will address all your Passover questions whether Jewish or Christian, young or old.

Passover Seder recipes:
matzoh to keep it kosher this has to be prepared in 18 minutes or less from the time the water touches the grain.
bitter herb or buy horseradish or substitute romaine lettuce (most common substitute), endive, green onions, curly parsley, or dandelions
charoset juice may be substituted for wine
roasted egg
vegetable Parsley or celery served with salted water
roast lamb or chicken or turkey, vegans scripturally justify red beets as substitutions, but some use tofu
wine we used grape juice

Passover songs
Ma Nishtana "Why is this night different from all other nights?"
Echad Mi Yodea Who Knows One?
Who Knows One? kids traditional
Dayenu means sufficient or it would have been enough and celebrates God's abundant blessings
Dayenu traditional
Dayenu funky
Dayenu kids this one explains the entire holiday in song format
Matzo Man downright silly
Who Let the Jews Out? short and silly

Hero's Journey

2010-03-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

Our friends are mapping the Hero's Journey for AVATAR: The Last Airbender. Their enthusiasm inspired this post.
First I gratefully acknowledge Joseph Campbell who laid it out so beautifully in his seminal work, "Hero With a Thousand Faces." He's not the only one in the discussion, but there is no discussion without him. And he's so quotable scroll down to see.

Click here for an outlined explanation of the Hero's Journey.

Lots of maps are available online. Here is one.

Briefly
1. Heroes are introduced in the ORDINARY WORLD, where
2. they receive the CALL TO ADVENTURE.
3. They are RELUCTANT at first or REFUSE THE CALL, but
4. are encouraged by a MENTOR to
5. CROSS THE FIRST THRESHOLD and enter the Special World, where
6. they encounter TESTS, ALLIES, AND ENEMIES.
7. They APPROACH THE INMOST CAVE, crossing a second threshold
8. where they endure the ORDEAL.
9. They take possession of their REWARD and
10. are pursued on THE ROAD BACK to the Ordinary World.
11. They cross the third threshold, experience a RESURRECTION, and are transformed by the experience.
12. They RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR, a boon or treasure to benefit the Ordinary World.

The Seven Archetypes

Hero: "The Hero is the protagonist or central character, whose primary purpose is to separate from the ordinary world and sacrifice himself for the service of the Journey at hand - to answer the challenge, complete the quest and restore the Ordinary World's balance. We experience the Journey through the eyes of the Hero."
Mentor: "The Mentor provides motivation, insights and training to help the Hero."
Threshold Guardian: "Threshold Guardians protect the Special World and its secrets from the Hero, and provide essential tests to prove a Hero's commitment and worth."
Herald: "Herald characters issue challenges and announce the coming of significant change. They can make their appearance anytime during a Journey, but often appear at the beginning of the Journey to announce a Call to Adventure. A character may wear the Herald's mask to make an announcement or judgment, report a news flash, or simply deliver a message."
Shapeshifter: "The Shapeshifter's mask misleads the Hero by hiding a character's intentions and loyalties."
Shadow: "The Shadow can represent our darkest desires, our untapped resources, or even rejected qualities. It can also symbolize our greatest fears and phobias. Shadows may not be all bad, and may reveal admirable, even redeeming qualities. The Hero's enemies and villains often wear the Shadow mask. This physical force is determined to destroy the Hero and his cause."
Trickster: "Tricksters relish the disruption of the status quo, turning the Ordinary World into chaos with their quick turns of phrase and physical antics. Although they may not change during the course of their Journeys, their world and its inhabitants are transformed by their antics. The Trickster uses laughter [and ridicule] to make characters see the absurdity of the situation, and perhaps force a change."

The Smithsonian has an online interactive exhibit exploring the hero's journey in Star Wars.

Who are your heroes? Where are you in your the journey as the hero of your own story?

"My general formula for my students is "Follow your bliss." Find where it is, and don't be afraid to follow it."

Joseph Campbell
The Power of Myth
pp. 120, 149

Great Minds

2010-03-22T19:25:00.001-07:00

I’m thinking about Isaac Newton (1642-1727) and JS Bach (1685-1750). They lived so differently and yet were both so brilliant. Newton was able to think clearly and elegantly explain some mysteries of our known universe. Bach was prolific in composing powerful, meaningful music. Both believed devoutly in God. Bach was social with a large family. Newton was a priggish outsider prone to jealous grudges. Both were teachers. Bach wrote and shared prodigiously, even weekly. Newton guarded his treasures of knowledge like a Dragon often only coaxed into sharing by flattery and assurances that there would be no criticism or competition. Bach was undiscovered outside of Leipzig until 100 years after his death. Newton made “natural philosophy” (science) cool, was famous, hailed and even knighted in his lifetime. Bach died making music. Newton, experimenting to the last, nevertheless spent his latter years (27) as head of the English mint for coins and was secretly both a biblical scholar and an (illegal) alchemist.

It seems that a love for music and the responsibilities to his family propelled Bach into a position of constant creation. Whereas the discoveries for which the introverted Newton is most famous were made during an 18 month period of total seclusion induced by the black plague. Bach was welcomed into a family four generations deep in musicians. Newton’s father died shortly before Isaac’s premature birth and was left to his grandparents at the age of 3 as part of his mother’s new marriage contract. Who is to say if Bach would have been so prolific without the support and motivation of his family? Who is to say if Newton would have had the time or inclination to meditate and discern solutions if he had been more social? Frankly, I am inspired and grateful that the potential and achievement of human greatness grows in a variety personalities and circumstances. There is hope for all of us.

I can see myself, like Isaac Newton, paranoid of criticism and anxious to seek knowledge without interruptions, obligations or food. Still, I find that like J.S. Bach, I am motivated not only by a love of learning and love for my children, but also inevitable deadlines. Reading about eminent thinkers and contributors inspires a vision of myself as potentially great. I’m not referring to delusions of grandeur, just applying my honest faith in the greatness of humanity to myself as well as to others. These people were human. They had oddities (especially Newton). They had parameters. Nevertheless, they contributed. What will I contribute? What will I share?

P.S. Bach’s music was launched into outer space using Newtonian
physics.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement
"Gavotte en rondeaux" from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue No.1 in C major

Adam of the Road

2010-03-22T19:24:00.001-07:00

Adam of the Road has been the most enlightening book we've read of life in the Middle Ages. It includes old Roman roads, buildings made of Roman bricks, bits of Latin and linguistic history, contemporary superstitions, architecture, fashion, falconry, etc. We catch a glimpse of the drama surrounding the Magna Carta (signed 79 years prior to this story telling) and the first Parliament convened with common folk. Although it is woven through with all aspects of English culture in 1294, it is largely the adventurous coming of age story for a young minstrel named Adam who is guided by his strong sense of identity, his love for his father and his devotion to his dog, Nick. While showing the grit and struggle of the Middle Ages, Adam of the Road also reveals generosity, humor and humanity. I've never seen the Medieval life this way before.

Below are a few of our favorite quotes. We got too interested in reading to stop and write down each one, but we did pause to listen to the bells of St. Paul's Cathedral on youtube after reading Adam's description of them.
____________________________________________
"A road's a kind of holy thing," Roger went on. "that's why it's a good work to keep a road in repair, like giving alms to the poor or tending the sick. It's open to the sun and wind and rain. It brings all kinds of people and all parts of England together. And it's home to a minstrel, even though he may happen to be sleeping in a castle."

Adam gave her two of his remaining comfits-- a poor widow in a village wouldn't taste such sweetmeats once in a year's time -- and a silver penny. She gave him a cabbage leaf full of strawberries that she had found for him. It was easier to say goodby when you had something to give. (50)

Adam threw back his head too and laughed, strangely eased of his pain. For the first time in his life he had played the part of an oyster. He had taken the bit of grit that was scratching him and made something of it that was comfortable to him and pleasing to someone outside. He had made a valuable discovery, but he did not know it at the moment, he only knew that he felt happy again, and he wagged his head a little. (63)

Green apples ripen in time. (65)

Adam felt as though all his powers of seeing and feeling and wondering had been stretched almost to the snapping point. (66)

They had a great deal of tiresome practicing to do, the same exercises over and over again, with very little praise to sweeten it and even less sympathy when they got tired. (78)

Adam started to say, "But I couldn't sing to it; it takes all my breath to blow, " but he bit the words off short. He saw too plainly in the miller's broad honest face the struggle between the pain of sacrifice and the joy of giving. (301-302)

Maid of Heaven

2010-01-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

On January 6th 1412
The Maid of Heaven was born
twelve years later she heard a voice
telling her what must be done

It told her of three missions she must complete
before her time was through:

The first would be the tipping point
of who the war would win
to capture Orleans from the English
because France's it had been

The second task that must be done
Charles the VII, France's leader so young
They told her, the king, he must become

Ousting England would prove too hard
her captors were heartless
her record was marred

The Maid of Heaven was burned
but she knew that she would live in heaven
that is the dream for which her soul yearned
-Star

Meringue

2010-01-15T14:20:00.000-08:00

Exploratopia: Making Meringue (pg. 89)

This really was about the elasticity of egg whites and the net they create for the air. We started out with a few experiments with rubber bands and water. We always get excited about tasty science and having our home school exchange friends over made it a bonafide party.

Whip it and measure it and spoon it on a tray

And bake it in the oven for a chocolate fondue par-tay

The chocolate was our idea and it was a good one.

DNA experiment

2010-01-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

Exploratopia: We Know Who You Are (pg. 99)

Kitchen Scientists

Everybody gets a piece of the action: Adding isopropyl alcohol

Mixing water and dishsoap
Now for the secret ingredient. Sparkle isn't excited, but ultimately consents to donate a few loose cheek cells to science.

We had to run this one twice and still didn't get stellar results, but we understand how tiny DNA is, that everyone's is different (except identical twins) and we've started a collection of glass jars for future experiments.

Joan of Arc By:Angel Fish

2010-01-14T13:26:00.001-08:00

(Siege tower at Orleans by Angelfish)

There was a girl who lived on a farm
With righteousness cradled in her arms
Her name was Joan Of Arc.

Angels said she was to set France free
The missions she had were three
Joan set off

Joan told captains and governors she was to have the prince crowned king
No one listened but Joan kept trying
They gave in

Orleans Joan had to save
Joan led her soldiers brave
Orleans was safe

Joan had the prince crowned king
Everyone was cheering and smiling
Especially Joan.

Her third mission to drive the English out
Did not come about
Joan failed was captured and burned

But Joan would want you to be glad not sad

THE END

Quotes

2009-12-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

I always have big plans for contributing on this blog with pictures and explanations, but I never get to it. So, today I am going to just give a couple memorable quotes from homeschool so far this year.

Last week as we did scripture journal and read in 2 Nephi 2, I was explaining to my son about the Law of Opposition, how there can be no joy if there is no sadness, etc. I guess he needed more concrete examples to work with because he stopped me and asked, "What's the opposite of a fish?"

Today, I had a strict schedule for school planned. We even sat down and discussed it together yesterday so he'd be ready for it. I am tired of "going with the flow." It feels like that's all we ever do, so I was committed to getting my son through his school routine in a timely manner despite the addition of two preschool age children I was watching for my friend. It was not a great success. As my son ran through the house screaming joyfully with his young friends, I called for him to come to the table yet again.
He said, "But Mom, I want to have fun!"
My response? "I don't want you to have fun! I want you to do school!"

Day 1-2009

2009-10-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Sacks to be Rome!

We kicked off our school year as Celts sacking Rome in Grandma's backyard. Let the Middle Ages begin!

We did have a poignant moment at Walmart buying the facepaint. The cashier asked why the children weren't in school and Angelfish piped up, "We homeschool. We're going to paint our faces blue and spike our hair." Vain woman that I am, I couldn't leave without explaining the educational motive.

Creativity and Connectivity

2009-09-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

If you have never visited TED.com prepare to have your mind blown. Current innovators in every field share their ideas in 15-20 minute presentations. I can only handle about three or four in a day or my brain will get stretch marks. Here's an easy one for starters and it relates to the last post about creativity and relevance: Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity. Like Ken, I believe that every child is a genius. One commentator says of Ken's idea,

"This thesis feels so authentic. The premise is not that we all need to be artists. Rather for me it says that releasing the idea that there is one right answer, or one right way to educate, opens up a world of possibility. [...] All means of retaining our inherent human creativity should be pursued passionately."

If you're interested in more about creative genius try Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity. This was my first TED talk.

If you've taken sides in the debate of left brain vs. right brain or academics vs. arts join Robert Lang as he illustrates how origami is improving art, space research and medicine.

Despite being reared in a culture of specialization, my personal philosophy is that all truth is circumbscribed in one eternal whole. Every truth enlightens, improves and applies to every other truth. My ultimate goal is total integration. Let's connect. What are you discovering?

Life-coach

2009-08-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

I picked this painting instead of the many other images of mothers reading to children because the mother has a book and the child has a book. The mother and child are having a conversation and the mother is pointing outside of what I presume to be the home indicating the relevance of what they are reading/discussing to the outside world.

We're moving in a good direction, but I am continually tempted by the school model to just dump a bunch of information on my children. I like this life-coach approach. It behooves me to consider myself their life-coach on a discovery driven process. This is a great reminder to move towards the ideal of curiosity, relevance and enthusiasm in learning in whatever circumstance we deem best for our children. I also just finished a lecture by John Gatto on Extended Childhood. He always reveals the socialist and corporate (socializing) underpinnings of our current education model, but it seems corporate now needs people who are self-motivated, flexible and innovative.

Painting on the Ceiling

2009-08-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

Do not try this at church!(unless you're Michelangelo) DO try this at home. I wasn't sure if the kids would be interested because it was our third week in a row painting. I printed off some Sistine Chapel ceiling coloring pages just in case. I only had one taker.

Guest Mentor-Samuel Evensen

2009-08-06T22:49:00.001-07:00

Today, our guest mentor, Samuel Evensen shared his love for color, painting and meaningful ideas. He clearly sparked something.

Science serendipity

2009-08-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

We happened to catch a flyer for a geological tour of our neighborhood which just so happens to be one of our subjects of study this year along with New York history, so...

Our guide, Sidney Horenstein

It was really a mixture of geological history, botany and New York history as Mr. H. detailed the life of Inwood from mastodon bones unearthed on Payson and glacial rolling stones from the palisades, to the development of the ferries, trains and subways in Manhattan. He also taught us the names of several local trees including this Mimosa. Mr. H. told us that the Palisades are flat because they used to be below sea level and were pounded flat by the waves. It might have been cool to do a math problem about the median age of the group before and after we joined the tour. ;) Each child is writing a narration, or in one case a short story, based on our adventures with Mr. H. We'll save those in our New York history file for future years. We also came home with several heavy samples of milky quartz.

Art-Giotto di Bondone

2009-07-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Pulverizing chalk into powder and pouring in egg yolk is not something I generally condone especially when it requires rocks in the house. But today we were trying our hand at making our own egg tempra paints like Giotto di Bondone. Learn more about this 13th/14th century painter and enjoy a slideshow of his extensive works at: giottodibondone.org

We used:
plastic bowls (disposable)
paintbrushes
1 egg yolk only
2 teaspoons of water
rocks we found outside (round are best)
pastel chalks/berries

Each child picked a color and ground a small bit of pastel chalk into their respective bowls. I mixed the egg yolk with 2 teaspoons of water (until frothy). This liquid mixture was spooned into each child's bowl. They each mixed with a paintbrush until the consistency was thin and smooth. We painted.

What I learned:
"Smooth" here is actually a euphemism for lumpy. ;) Also, our rocks were a bit dirty and some of them had an element of sparkle that mixed with the paint and gave those colors a glittery quality. The dried paint was shiny and very sturdy. I did try mixing blackberries into paint. I did not grind them well and the color came out a sort of swamp-water-latte with clumps. Giotto's paintings are full of vibrant color and smooth consistency. He must've had a pestle and an assistant!

Thanks to "Discovering Great Artists" by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga for the great idea.

Two Links

2009-06-16T20:54:00.001-07:00

We're always interested in useful links here at educationvalidation. Sumgreater recommends http://www.classicsforkids.com I second that. It includes information about composers categorized by period, country, alphabetically, etc. It also includes, puzzles, games, tips for parents/teachers and recordings of many classical pieces. We started at the beginning with Hildegard von Bingen (a very good place to start). We also found lots of her music on youtube and learned that a friend of ours is writing a play about her controversial life as a nun who prophesied, performed miracles, wrote books on religion and medicine and was a prolific composer.
Tonight, I found a fantastic interactive website that gives anybody access to the Library of Congress. Star would like to spend a few months in that Library, but she's never gotten more than a peek through the windows in the closed doors. She made a very depressed face after that. Here's your open access pass: http://www.myloc.gov

Happy summer school!

The Baby is the lesson

2009-04-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

Having little babies around all the time always feels like such an obstacle in doing homeschool. I read this article just now, though, and it's exactly what I needed. Maybe it will make you feel better, too.

http://www.lovetolearn.net/homeschool_articles/baby.lasso

The Gleaners-Jean-Francois Millet

2009-03-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

This painting is our screensaver this week. It is Millet's most famous work.
What do you think?

Happy Pi Day 3/14

2009-03-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

I love that pi is both constant and irrational. In honor of Pi Day our family will be eating circular foods like pizza, apple pie and possibly quiche or donuts. I may also take some time to consider other things that are constant and irrational in my life. 3.14 cheers for Euclidian geometry!

"Pi is a mathematical constant whose value is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter in Euclidean space; this is the same value as the ratio of a circle's area to the square of its radius. It is approximately equal to 3.14159 in the usual decimal notation. Pi is one of the most important mathematical and physical constants: many formulae from mathematics, science, and engineering involve pi." -Wikipedia

Beauty All Around-ART

2009-03-12T23:15:00.000-07:00

I know there are dozens of museums near our home, but I have a three year old boy. We did have an amazing private tour of Sotheby's Auction house this year sans the boy and photos pending. I highly recommend it for New Yorkers as one of the only places you can really see great art for free (private tour not required, anyone can go) and the galleries are always changing.

That said, at our house, art is usually playing with clay, glue, magazines, paint, cardboard, watching art related BrainPop movies and checking out art books. Star (11) sometimes uses Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain exercises. All of that is good and will continue, but this link has energized me. We can study artistic masterpieces in a meaningful but easy way. I think it will increase our awareness of beauty and our ability to observe.

http://www.squidoo.com/cmartiststudy

I can just pick pieces from one artist as my screensaver for a week at a time, so we get familiar with the style and body of work. A no-peeking verbal narration will also hold the image together in our brains as will making our own attempts to copy the works. There are also a couple of websites that provide coloring book pages of famous paintings and sculpture like this one:

http://www.color-me-online.com/masterpiece/paintings/index.html

Head to this site to print out a list of questions to consider when looking at a work of art:

http://www.gcms.k12.il.us/gcmsms/art/looking_at_art.htm

Library visits

2009-02-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

We're learning our way around the local library. As recommended in The Well-Trained Mind, each child checks out the following books (and then some!) on each library visit:

a science book

an history book

an art or music appreciation book

a practical book (a craft, hobby, or "how-to")

a biography or autobiography

a classic novel (or an adaptation suited to age)

an imaginative storybook

and

a book of poetry

Mummified hot dog

2009-02-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

From Exploratopia

This experiment takes 17 days to complete. If presenting, you may want to have one hot dog completely mummified, one that has only been prepping for 1 week to observe the process and one that is "fresh" if you can use that word to describe a hot dog. ;)

What you Need:

*A plastic container that's several inches longer, wider, and deeper than your hot dog

*A very large box (or two smaller boxes) of baking soda (sodium bircarbonate)*A small scale, like a postage scale (optional)

*An ordinary hot dog (could be beef, turkey, vegetarian- doesn't really matter because you're not going to eat it)

*Paper and pencil

*A ruler

*A piece of string at least 3 inches long

What you do:

1. The ancient Egyptians mummified very important people-royalty like King Tut. Out of respect to your very important hot dog, we have named him King Oscar.

2. Fill the plastic container about two inches deep with baking soda.

3. If you have a scale, weigh King Oscar now. Record his weight.

4. Use your ruler to measure how long King Oscar is now.

5. Use your piece of string to measure the distance around King Oscar's middle. This is his circumference.

6. Make notes on what King Oscar looks like now so you can compare that with what he will look like later.

7. Place King Oscar on top of the baking soda in the container and cover him with more baking soda. Make sure the baking soda is a couple of inches thick on the top and sides of dear departed king Oscar.

8. Place King Oscar in a special place (not back in the refrigerator). Leave him there for a week.

9. A week later, remove King Oscar from the baking soda. does he look different? what does he smell like? how long is he now? What is his circumference? Write down your observations.

10. If you have a scale, weigh him again. Did he lose or gain weight?

11. Throw away the old baking soda and surround King Oscar with fresh, new baking soda and put him back in his special place for ten more days.

12. Ten days later, take King Oscar out of the baking soda again. what's he like now? he's been transformed into a stiff, leathery mummy! Now he will last a very long time. (Egyptian mummies are thousands of years old!) Put King Oscar in a place of honor.

What's going on?

The dramatic changes seen in King Oscar are direct results of dehydration, which means that water is removed from something. If you'd left Kin Oscar out in the open without baking soda, he would get moldy and smelly. food that's not refrigerated goes bad because bacteria and mold need water--and you've used baking soda to take the water out of King Oscar. Not water... no rot! King Oscar is preserved for posterity. That means for future generations, infinity and beyond.) One fine day, some future archeologist will dig up your mummified hot dog... or maybe not!

Grades 1-4 Notebook Summary

2009-02-06T19:29:00.001-08:00

(From The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise pg. 222-223)

Language

1. Spelling. Use for rules that the child is having difficulty with, and for a list of "Trouble Words" that he consistently misspells (Bauer recommends Spelling Workout workbooks)

2. Grammar. Use to file any grammar exercises that the child completes on his own paper. (Bauer recommends Rod and Staff grammar program).

3. Reading.

a. My Reading. Use for summaries or illustrations of books from the reading lists. (The reading lists included myths, epics, classics or age appropriate versions and primary sources.)

b. Memory Work. All pieces learned by heart and recited in front of family or friends. (For us, that includes the Articles of Faith, some scriptures, Shel Silverstien poetry and many radio Disney songs, but will also include the parts of a cell, the respective criteria for mammals, reptiles and amphibians, maybe the emperors of Rome, etc.)

4. Writing. use for copywork assignments, dictation, composition assignments, letters and other writings. Our kids tend to have poetic spurts and one writes song lyrics.

History (use the same notebook for grades 1-4)

This notebook contains four divisions; each has pictures, compositions, and historical narrations, arranged in chronological order. We read a section of our history book, in this case, Story of the World: vol. 1 Ancient Times. Then the children take ownership of the knowledge through narration. For the younger one's they tell me everything they remember about the section and I write it down for them to put in their notebook. The older ones just write down what they remember and usually want to show it to me once they've finished. Then, they illustrate something that stood out to them about that section. For one, it may be the first library and for another, the bedroom of the ancient leader (even if it was never described). We look up the area on a modern day map and the children may fill out a black line map of the area (we haven't really implemented this part yet) to stick in their notebook as well. These all go in chronological order. Narration and illustration of any outside study materials or additional library books on a topic would also go here.

1. Ancients

2. Medieval-early Renaissance

3. Late Renaissance-early modern

4. Modern

Science (use a new notebook each year)

(Bauer divides these among the grades starting with first grade, so if you're doing life-science with a 3rd or 4th grader, you may want to add definitions and experiments to their notebook.

The life science notebook has three divisions:

1. Animals (narrations of science books, illustrations, sketches, etc. organized by category)

2. the Human Body

3. Plants

The earth-science notebook has two divisions:

1. The Earth

2. Sky and Space

The chemistry notebook has two divisions:

1. Definitions

2. Experiments

The physics notebook has two divisions:

1. Definitions

2. Experiments

----------------------------------------------

What we're doing:

Math

We use Horizon math. The kids skip from test to test until they hit a patch they don't understand and stop to do the lessons moving forward. Any work done outside of the consumable workbook goes into a folder. We have begun having success memorizing times tables by having our daughter copy out the the four times tables twice every school day before beginning in Horizon. The following week she will copy the fives and so on. This copywork goes into the math folder.

Music

We check out music appreciation books from the library on a regular basis. We are also listening to a smattering of great works. We just pick one, learn the name of the composer and the piece, then we listen to it once a day for three days, sometimes at breakfast, sometimes during copywork. I am just keeping a list of the pieces we listen to. It would be lovely for the children to learn more about the lives of the composers and make a brief biography of each containing a list of their masterworks and a few details about their lives, but we're not there yet.

Art

We check out art appreciation books from the library on a regular basis. Again, a biographical page listing an artists works, influences and some life details would be lovely, but for now we're just getting exposure and we keep any artwork the kids make either on the walls or in a folder.

We try to begin our days by singing a patriotic song (http://www.kids.niehs.nih.gov/musicpatriot.htm has lyrics and midi-tracks to lots of patriotic songs usually with a brief history of the piece). Then we say the pledge (we can see a flag on top of the hill outside our window or the patriotic song page usually has a picture of a U.S. flag on it.) Then we have a family prayer. Then everyone eats, gets dressed, makes their beds, reads in their scriptures and writes in their journal (I have to read mine early so I can help the non-readers). This gets done at varying times. Then we start with math and we're off and running. We usually alternate days with history and science so we're not doing them on the same day.

Two more websites we love:

an online kids typing program-FREE

bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/levels/level1.shtml

phonics games and practice from pre-K through to independent beginning reader:

starfall.com

I'm also finding all kinds of great stuff on youtube to help my girl sing to 100 while seeing each number she sings on the screen. So much more fun for both of us than flashcards.

Ashurbanipal by Angelfish

2009-02-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

Ashurbanipal was nasty and mean

The wars he fought were not pretty scenes

He threw salt on their fields

so nothing could grow

While he sat

on his bloody throne

He killed all who didn't obey

He kept slaves or sent them away

The rest I don't want to tell

'Cause he'll hear and I'll be in a cell

SumGreater and Urbantangerine

2009-02-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks for being my sister, internet neighbor and home school support. I love you!

Opportunity

2009-01-13T22:26:00.000-08:00

In a random shuffle of life, our second daughter had an only-in-New York opportunity last month and we finally got the link.

http://heroeshands.com

That's my girl!

She learned a lot about working, making friends with adults, film making, camera care, fan relations with all the elderly hanging out at the beach diner, and just getting it done. She kept perky from 4 a.m. until we finally got home at 5:00 p.m. When the shoot was finally over and I walked her to the car to drive her home, she started to whimper, couldn't buckle her own seatbelt and promptly fell asleep. She was peppy in time for Activity Days. She happy to have been part of such a worthy cause.

Been there

2009-01-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

The super-wonderful new middle school in our neighborhood has an after school program where one of the electives is a Twilight reading group. After reading the book, the group will watch the movie. Hey! Are we ten steps ahead of the program, or what?! ;)

We read and discuss lots of other books, too. In fact, that's the bulk of what we do. We are a little language arts heavy at our house.

Some favorite books are:

Bloomability by Sharon Creech
Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

Good feelings

2009-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

It has been a great week of home schooling. The main highlight has been the peaceful tenor in our home and a general love- love of each other and love of learning. I believe this is because I recently refocused my lens on my family. I have prioritized getting enough sleep to meet their needs as a thoughtful mother and facilitator. Some highlights from this week have been:

*deciding to let Torpedo (my two year old son) let go of our hug first. I held him for 20 minutes and he fell asleep in my arms.

*letting the kids spend half the day exploring with our new set of 50+ gel pens They created imaginative and beautiful pieces

*sledding at noon when nobody else was on the slopes. My Hero sat in his beach chair bundled in winter-wear and a blanket and wrote in his journal. What is not abundant about this life?

*discovering that my 6 year old is happy to do "lessons" with me if we set up a "desk" and let her call me "teacher"

*playing Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader with the whole family on a Tuesday afternoon. we made up our own rules and would run to the maps to check our answers or look up works of art and geographic wonders on-line

*reading aloud The Swiss Family Robinson and The Old Testament with loads of commentary and conversation. I never knew Leviticus was so pertinent!

*My tween writing a business letter on her own. Granted it was to the Twilighters Anonymous podcast, but she wanted to clarify some minor character descriptions she felt they had overlooked and included quotes from the saga to support her claim.

*getting together with friends

*trusting and encouraging their initiative as learners

Journey

2008-12-17T20:18:00.001-08:00

We finally finished Journey to the Center of the Earth. We learned that French schools at that time did not allow science to be taught, so Verne packed his books with science. It doesn't always make for comprehensible prose or a pleasing pace, but I get it. Of course, the kids have read dozens of books since we started this one, but this was a journey that we made together. Another reading journey that they've insisted upon is reading the entire Bible from cover to cover. We're barely into Leviticus and it's going to take a long time, but in a couple of years we'll be able to say that we've done it. A little bit every day really can add up to something remarkable.

The world is our classroom

2008-11-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

This was a pause in our nature walk where we stopped to read about Archimedes' principle concerning water displacement and followed it up with a little Babylonian history. I don't know how many outdoor days are left before it's too cold for the baby...and for ME, so we're taking advantage. ;)

A different kind of pie

2008-11-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

Your slice of life was so much more substantial than ours usually is...If we were different kinds of pie, I'd say you're a calorie dense, filling pecan pie and we're a pumpkin custard without whipped cream.
Here's a rough version of our day:

All the kids wake each other up because they're in the same room.
The younger two yell until I get out of bed. (Junior Mint is already up watching cartoons or infomercials--he likes those for some reason.)
I get dressed and get the babies up.
They watch PBS while I change diapers, get babies dressed, acclimate my brain to the new day.
Everybody has cereal.
They watch more tv.
I read stories to kids.
I do cleaning and bed-making.
I check computer stuff.
The babies get their diapers changed again.
If we're lucky, the babies go to bed around the same time and sleep for 2 hours.
Then my official homeschooler and I argue about starting school for the day.
Eventually, I win.
We sing the Articles of Faith 1-3 (right now) and often 13 because it's his favorite.
Usually we sing at least 1 Scripture Scouts song from the songbook I have. He likes 'Melvin the Monster' best.
We pray.
We read scripture stories and/or the most recent Friend. Often, we take turns reading every other sentence.
We read a chapter in 'The Black Cauldron'.
We read from a Zoobooks magazine about an animal--about 1/2 a magazine at a time. This week it was camels. We usually do at least one puzzle of some kind from the magazine.
We have a snack or lunch...you'll notice we forgot to eat it earlier.
We do English work, taking turns reading again.
Junior Mint usually takes over an hour to do one page of English grammar. (We use the 2nd grade Building Christian English Series from Rod and Staff, a Mennonite publisher.) He asks me why they're always talking about God all the time. Lately, he's liked English more and sets a timer and races against the clock.
If the babies aren't up and screaming, we'll read a history section from Story of the World, Vol. 1.
If it's a geography day, we've been doing a good U.S. Map puzzle over and over, talking about state capitals, political boundaries, and products from different states. This is not very focused, yet.
If we're still friends by then, we'll go onto BrainPop Jr. on another free trial. (We're getting a subscription soon.)
Then, the babies are certainly awake and it's hard to accomplish any other formal schooling.
Junior Mint plays and snacks most of the rest of the day. I like it when he spends hours building a Leggo fleet downstairs. (Not because I like him away but because the quiet time is good for him and I like him to play with building toys.)
If he hasn't been naughty, he gets 30 min. of recreational computer time.
Sometimes, usually earlier in the day, Junior Mint will just find an encyclopedia type of book and start copying from it. Sometimes it's a science book--he'll copy a diagram of the inner ear. This week, it was a history volume--he copied a section about the Onin Feudal Wars in 15th Century Japan. I figured that was good handwriting practice.
The day after that is usually a blur...diapers, baths, stories, more tv than I should allow or watch, blog stuff and now facebook, dishes, dinner (always late), stories, phone calls, cleaning up toys, kids going to the corner for hitting, there is always a lot of screaming, (not usually from me), brushing teeth--for the 2 year old, this is a 2 person job and can only be accomplished if my husband is home and there is definitely screaming involved--reading scriptures, individual and family prayer, another drink of water, etc.
I write in my notebook/journal and read from the Book of Mormon every day, though sometimes the result is pathetic...I'm maintaining a habit mostly.
Eventually, we stumble into bed because we've stayed up much later than we should have again.
We say night prayer as a couple and if it's my husband's turn, I often have to squeeze his hands several times to keep him awake long enough to reach amen.

Slice of life

2008-11-20T14:52:00.000-08:00

7 am I went for an early jog
8 am shower
8:15 am personal scripture study and journal time
8:30 am first round of wake-up calls, touch base with husband (one of the girls is sitting in the kitchen listening to Where the Red Fern Grows on CD) (the other girls is reading a YA novel that a friend of ours is prepping to send to publishers)
9:30 am everyone is awake, thinking about breakfast and I'm nursing the baby
the times get fuzzy after this, but here's what happened
Everyone eats breakfast, reads two Emily Dickinson poems about Hope, gets dressed and all beds are made. We have family prayer. Not necessarily in that order.
The oldest girls read scriptures alone. I read to the younger kids.
The oldest girls write in their journals, quiz themselves on multiplication on factmonster.com, and complete daily grammar.
The 6 year old reviews yesterdays easy reader and has a new reading lesson. Then she draws a turkey and writes "turkey" underneath it. Finally, she does a number recognition worksheet. I promised her she could take a nap once all of those things were done, but then she got excited about her workbook pages and did more math, coloring and alphabet review. It's glorious not to have to push her or bribe her. She can be a stinker!
#1 does history of music reading and completes an assignment from Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain
Private spelling lesson for #2 based on errors found in Christmas story draft
Everyone spends a few minutes working with the baby on her exercises and games for therapy. That's a daily joy and a daily assignment. =)

Afternoon

The older girls and I take turns reading about atomic mass and google a question about nuclear weapons.
Then the oldest girl outlines the Christmas story idea she selected from her brainstorming yesterday, practices calligraphy and reads more of the new YA novel.
The second oldest begins typing her Christmas story.
I read to them about Huang-Di and Lei Tzu from the yellow river valley of ancient China and the story of how silk was discovered.
I discuss current economy and potential career options with husband. We make lunch while husband moves the car. Everyone gets something to eat. Husband tells me that I shouldn't be spending $$ on mythology books right now. The baby's occupational therapist arrives and departs. Two neighbors come for a playdate which includes turning my dining table into a fort. The older girls take this opportunity to play pop music (not allowed before 3pm) and groove to Pandora.

Evening

Playdate continues.
Checking in on various internet interface sites, blogs, facebook, etc
6:30 pm Pasta for dinner. .
Dinner chores
Bedtime routine
Family study of the Old Testament which lines up with our daytime study of ancient civilizations
Read aloud Journey to the Center of the Earth chapter 35, 36
Bedtime
I get to write

Fortune Cookies

2008-11-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

For our study of Asia:

Fortune cookie batter is like crepe batter and works better if it sits overnight before baking.
1. Mix:
1/2 Cup flour
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2. Beat into flour mixture until smooth:
1/4 cup melted butter
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 Tablespoons milk
3. cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
4. Drop batter a tablespoon at a time onto a buttered, non-stick baking sheet. Space cookies 3 inches apart because they spread a lot. Make only two cookies the first time, then four cookies at a time after that if you are fast enough with the folding process.
5. Bake at 300 for 10 min. until edges are golden brown.
6. Remove from oven and use a metal spatula to slide on cookie onto a smooth kitchen towel.
7. Wearing gloves and working quickly, place a paper fortune on the center of the cookie, fold the cookie in half, and press the edges to seal.
8. Bend the folded edge over the rim of a glass to give the cookie the familiar shape.
9. Place in a muffin cup to help keep the shape until cool.
10. Repeat quickly!

Brave Writer

2008-08-06T11:01:00.001-07:00

I'm in love with this new program. I'll let you know more once I actually get the book, but I ordered The Writer's Jungle because I believe the brave writer philosophy that language is a way of life. Mentors must be reading and writing if they expect it from their kids. They know what it is to be a writer and to overcome the fear of the blank page. Here is an excerpt from their blog. Also, check out bravewriter.com. I'll post again after I've had some experience with The Writer's Jungle.

Developmental stage: What level is your child? Forget age, forget grade level. Look at actual skills. Match the work to the skill level, even if it means slowing way down or moving back a couple of years. Conversely, work that is too easy for the child can be just as inhibiting and demotivating.
Positive environment: What is the emotional temperature of your home? Are children free to share their real reactions, feelings and ideas? Can they openly state that they are bored, that their work is too hard, that they are too tired from a late night to concentrate? Likewise, do you bring a cheerful, realistic, supportive person to the table when you start the day? Are you undistracted and available to help, support and applaud the work that your kids do?
Habits: Which practices can you turn into habits that will support the natural growth in any given area? These habits don’t need to be iron-clad laws that suggest punishment more than reward. Rather, what kind of routine will give maximum opportunity for a child to cultivate the skills that will take him or her to the next level? Have you shared the benefits of the practices so that your child can see the point of the work and the direction he or she is pointed? Is there a way to validate growth? Is there a way to mix it up - habits that have a variety of applications so that the practice isn’t endlessly predictable and tedious?

IHIP

2008-08-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

I just finished my IHIP (individualized home instruction plan) for my three home schoolers this year! Whew. That was a long night. I'm posting a copy here in case that's handy for anyone out there. The content changed slightly for my younger ones, but not much! i still need to make a monthly/weekly schedule that I can use, but this is our second year and we're already off to a much better start. What I didn't include in the IHIP is that we'll be studying ancient world history with DK history of civilization and Story of the World by Susan Bauer. Along with that we're reading the Old Testament. My oldest is learning calligraphy. Everyone is working on typing with BBC Dancemat typing online. Google it. It's a great program which also happens to be GRATIS! Which reminds me that the kids have taken to beginning Latin with Minimus by Barbara Bell. We may be throwing in a photoshop class with another HS family. I just ordered all my books and we're looking forward to making friends with Mr. UPS this month.

Sorry my handy tables separating subject and curriculum didn't show up here, but hopefully you get the idea.

Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP)
School Year 2008-2009

Child’s Information

Parent’s Information

Primary instruction for _________ will be provided by her parents. Supplemental instruction will be provided by others as necessary.

Assessment Reports will be submitted on the following schedule:
Quarter #1 November 15, 2008 Quarter #3 April 15, 2009
Quarter #2 January 31, 2009 Quarter #4 June 30, 2009
Annual Assessment June 30, 2009

SUBJECTS Syllabi, curriculum materials, textbooks OR plan of instruction include, but are not limited to the following:
Arithmetic
Alpha Omega Horizon Math 5

Reading
silent reading, reading aloud, choral reading, reading response/discussion, dramatic reading and oral presentation

Spelling
Merriam Webster Online Dictionary variety of activities for spelling and vocabulary building including, word origins, word games and practice for the Scripps National Spelling Bee and http://www.merriam-webster.com/spell/index.htm

Writing
The Writer’s Jungle – Julie Bogart; Easy Grammar 6 Wanda C. Philips

English Language
Literary tour of ancient world history will include offerings from Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia, myths and fables, novels, Shakespeare, fairy tales, 17th century lit., nursery rhymes and poetry

Geography
Hammond Atlas of the World, Children’s Atlas of Civilizations –Antony Mason, DK First Atlas Planet Earth – BBC video; trip planning and navigation, maps for tracking the travels of our friends, family and literary characters.

United States History
Focusing on 19th century mainly via American Girl series books, period cookbooks, period crafts; Little House on the Prairie series

Science
Exploratopia: More than 400 kid-friendly experiments and explorations for curious minds by The Exploratorium; DK Science Encyclopedia (revised edition) Susan McKeever; Janice Van Cleave’s Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really work; Concepts and Challenges in Physical Science-Janice VanCleave, Second Edition- Globe Fearon.

Health Education
Kids Health – http://kidshealth.org; How the body works, Staying healthy, Growing up, Everyday Illnesses & Injuries,

Music
The Music Pack – Ron Van Der Meer and Michael Berkeley; Primary children’s choir; live musical events; piano; wide exposure to all forms of music and music theory

Visual Arts
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and Workbook – Betty Edwards; The Art Pack – Chriostopher Frayling, Helen Frayling, Ron Van Der Meer; trips to the Met; arts and crafts; design; sewing; abundant art supplies

Physical Education
Basic sailing with Sail Manhattan Club; running cumulative marathon; swimming; hiking; rollerblading; bicycling; dance; free play indoors and outdoors

Following subjects to be covered during K-12:Patriotism and citizenship;Health education regardingAlcohol, drug and tobacco
Misuse; highway safety andTraffic regulations, including Bicycle safety; and fire and arson prevention and safety.
-Learning patriotic songs http://www.niehs.nih.gov/musicpatriot.htm; political parties, election process and following upcoming elections; community volunteerism.
-kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/ drugs/know_about_drugs.html – 43k and ongoing discussions generally prompted by drinkers/smokers in our neighborhood, on billboards and other media.
-Traffic and Bicycle Safety Kids Page: http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/kids.htm
-U.S. Fire Administration for kids - http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids/flash.shtm and http://www.smokeybear.com/

Bilingual education and/or
English as a second language
where the need is indicated NOT APPLICABLE

Gearing up

2008-07-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

I"m going to resist the urge to philosophize, give back story or even to polish my words. This is a forum for sharing ideas about educating our children at home. I'm putting together my 08/09 home instruction plan for the state. New York requires that we teach US history every year, which is funny because after five years in public school my daughter's classmates had never heard of the founding fathers or the revolutionary war and did not recognize me as George Washington in my character day costume, even with clues like "I'm on the 1 dollar bill. I was the general who led the revolutionary war. I was the first president of the United States of America." One student asked, "Are you a person or an animal?" Why do I homeschool? I digress.

The point is we did tons of US history last year especially focusing on the founding of our country since it was our year of founding home school. However, my new plan was to rotate years and focus on US history intensely every 4th year. This year we're studying ancient world history. I really want to study the Sumerians and Mesopotamia and Egypt, etc. so what to do? Finally, the idea struck me that we can read the American Girl series (and other books like Little House, Dear America...). They are excellent and give kids an in context feel for what was going on in politics, technology, music, family life, etc. Real aspects of history for every day people. I think I'll have the kids keep notebooks and we'll collaborate on what the most interesting and meaningful assignments might be, whether it's illustrating scenes from the book, designing period clothing, writing a letter to the main character, re-telling part of the story from another character's point of view, learning popular songs of the day, period cuisine, etc... There are so many options and we'll post our ideas here as we try them out. Whew! Anyway, it's a relief to know that the learning is going to be so fun and easy to integrate into our lives. We've started with Kiersten who immigrates from scandinavia just like our ancestors did. Maybe a trip to Ellis Island is in order...once the tourists leave. ;)