We're in the final week of school now. We'll do a review week in July, but this is the last week I really have to go upstairs and do anything with the kids. It's also their last 'interest week,' where they get to pick a topic and study it on their own. Both kids have some grammar to finish, and I'm asking them both to keep working on math right up to the last day because that's something they'll lose if they don't use it, but they're just about done with everything else.
Except their play. I really can't wait to see their play. I'll take a video of that and post it after they perform it for us on Friday.
Anyway, because there's so little left to do, I have very little to do with them. We went to the library today to pick up books and videos on their chosen topics - turtles/tortoises for Boo and venom/poison for Doodlebug - but once they finish grammar in a day or two, they'll be working entirely independently. For the last two days of school, I will be utterly superfluous. Right now, for instance, both kids are parked on the loveseat with Tom the Bearded Dragon, and they're watching a video on venom. Boo is all curled up and totally disturbed, and Doodlebug and Tom are both watching with mouths agape. Boo came to me a few minutes before the video started to tell me she's learned the difference between turtles and tortoises already. They learn quickly.
I suppose, in many ways, it's a good thing that they can work so independently, that they don't need me. I've said before that it's bugging me how quickly I've become so useless to them. They only need me now to coordinate events with other parents, take them to and from things, and occasionally (OK, ALL THE FREAKING TIME) remind them to do this, that or the other. Still, it's going to be an odd summer since I will be, more or less, superfluous. I'll take them to the pool. I'll set up sleepovers, and we'll go see friends. We'll do things. But I won't really be necessary. OK, OK, I know that I really am necessary. They can't organize things themselves quite yet, and they certainly can't drive. But they can figure out things to do on their own. They fix their own meals and have finally learned to write things on the shopping list if we need them. They can do laundry and dishes, clean anything they can reach… if they could learn to do these things without being reminded, I really would be unnecessary around here.
It feels so odd to be ending this particular phase in my life. I've taught Doodlebug for five years and Boo for two. And I feel so completely and utterly lost now. Before, even though I haven't had any personal goals, that was okay because my goals had to be on hold while I made the kids' education my priority. Now, even though their education is still a priority, I'm handing over the reins and I'll have a few hours of peace and quiet each day.
This final week is messing with my head. Even though I have three more months before I really have to worry about what to do with myself, I'm already mulling possibilities. Instead of making early lesson plans, I have nothing. Instead of setting up a potential schedule, I'm wondering when the 2014-2015 school calendar will be out. It's a whole different life. And I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet.
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Monday, May 5, 2014
Sunday, April 6, 2014
You Mean the Weekend is Over Already?!?
Boo and I were sitting side-by-side while I drove to the grocery store today (and for all you car-seat-lovin', kid-in-the-front-seat-hatin' folks out there, she's 4'10" and 85 lbs.) when we passed by a church that had obviously just finished its service, and cars were streaming out of the parking lot.
"I guess it is that time," I remarked to Boo, and she gazed at the church for a moment. Then she asked, "It's Sunday?"
Yes, my dear, I told her. It's Sunday. This is why we didn't have school yesterday and why we slept till 10 a.m. and then went to a picnic to meet my brother-in-law's girlfriend (very nice) and then came home and oozed until I left to visit another friend for the sake of hanging out and chatting. It's why I made sure the grocery shopping was done and the lesson plans and worksheets are printed and the house is at least partially presentable, with the exception of the formal dining room where the refrigerator leaked under the wall and under the carpet and we've basically taken the room apart to dry things out and are just thankful that there doesn't seem to be any real damage. So yes… it's Sunday. Time is flying.
That said, I cannot wait until summer vacation gets here. We only have six more weeks of school left, and after that, they'll get the longest summer vacation they'll ever have in their lives. We'll be done May 16. Ordinarily we would go back in early July, thus giving the kids about two solid months of break. But since Boo (and probably Doodlebug) will be attending public school in the fall, they won't go back until the middle of August. They will actually have an entire three months of vacation.
I'm going to need all the heavenly help I can get, because the preadolescent masses are going to get bored.
Part of me wants to get these last few weeks over as quickly as possible. We'll wrap up Math-U-See Zeta and give Doodlebug a brief start on pre-algebra, make sure Boo has her division facts down, do a writing project or two (I'm going to see if the kids are interested in writing a play), finish studying the human body, do a study of ancient Rome, and polish off their grammar books… and that's about it.
The other part of me never wants this school year to end. Boo is still very excited about the idea of going to school next fall, even if she experiences occasional bouts of nerves about meeting new people and going to a new school with new routines and new teachers, but I think she'll be fine and really, if she's honest, so does she. I suspect she'll run into some girl drama sooner or later, but it's inevitable. She would run into that even if she hadn't been homeschooled. Doodlebug is still not particularly keen on the idea, but he's coming around. The other day he asked if he made some new friends if I'd let him play Minecraft with them, and of course I said yes. Just not on the computer and possibly not HERE. Not until he can demonstrate long-term responsibility. But he's working on it. I think his problems, if there are any, will be immediately obvious and he'll settle in better the longer he's there. It could just be wishful thinking on my part, of course. We'll see.
The point is, time is flying. Doodlebug is half-asleep on the couch because I suspect he's about to experience another growth spurt; Boo has changed her earrings four times this week (which is more than she's changed them in the last four years combined, I think) and painted her fingernails all by herself the other day. They weren't perfect, but they weren't bad, either. They're growing up, whether I like it or not, and I've had more discussions with more moms about bras and periods and crushes and funky boy-smell in the last month than I've ever had.
And so it isn't just that the weekend is over already. It's that this phase of life is almost over. It's just all going too quickly. I want to live in the present, seize each moment, but I'm not very good at that. Still, I'm going to do my best between now and May, and then between May and August, to seize what I can.
What do you do when you feel like an entire segment of your life is coming to an end? Do you mourn? Get nostalgic? Worry? Get excited? What do you do?
"I guess it is that time," I remarked to Boo, and she gazed at the church for a moment. Then she asked, "It's Sunday?"
Yes, my dear, I told her. It's Sunday. This is why we didn't have school yesterday and why we slept till 10 a.m. and then went to a picnic to meet my brother-in-law's girlfriend (very nice) and then came home and oozed until I left to visit another friend for the sake of hanging out and chatting. It's why I made sure the grocery shopping was done and the lesson plans and worksheets are printed and the house is at least partially presentable, with the exception of the formal dining room where the refrigerator leaked under the wall and under the carpet and we've basically taken the room apart to dry things out and are just thankful that there doesn't seem to be any real damage. So yes… it's Sunday. Time is flying.
That said, I cannot wait until summer vacation gets here. We only have six more weeks of school left, and after that, they'll get the longest summer vacation they'll ever have in their lives. We'll be done May 16. Ordinarily we would go back in early July, thus giving the kids about two solid months of break. But since Boo (and probably Doodlebug) will be attending public school in the fall, they won't go back until the middle of August. They will actually have an entire three months of vacation.
I'm going to need all the heavenly help I can get, because the preadolescent masses are going to get bored.
Part of me wants to get these last few weeks over as quickly as possible. We'll wrap up Math-U-See Zeta and give Doodlebug a brief start on pre-algebra, make sure Boo has her division facts down, do a writing project or two (I'm going to see if the kids are interested in writing a play), finish studying the human body, do a study of ancient Rome, and polish off their grammar books… and that's about it.
The other part of me never wants this school year to end. Boo is still very excited about the idea of going to school next fall, even if she experiences occasional bouts of nerves about meeting new people and going to a new school with new routines and new teachers, but I think she'll be fine and really, if she's honest, so does she. I suspect she'll run into some girl drama sooner or later, but it's inevitable. She would run into that even if she hadn't been homeschooled. Doodlebug is still not particularly keen on the idea, but he's coming around. The other day he asked if he made some new friends if I'd let him play Minecraft with them, and of course I said yes. Just not on the computer and possibly not HERE. Not until he can demonstrate long-term responsibility. But he's working on it. I think his problems, if there are any, will be immediately obvious and he'll settle in better the longer he's there. It could just be wishful thinking on my part, of course. We'll see.
The point is, time is flying. Doodlebug is half-asleep on the couch because I suspect he's about to experience another growth spurt; Boo has changed her earrings four times this week (which is more than she's changed them in the last four years combined, I think) and painted her fingernails all by herself the other day. They weren't perfect, but they weren't bad, either. They're growing up, whether I like it or not, and I've had more discussions with more moms about bras and periods and crushes and funky boy-smell in the last month than I've ever had.
And so it isn't just that the weekend is over already. It's that this phase of life is almost over. It's just all going too quickly. I want to live in the present, seize each moment, but I'm not very good at that. Still, I'm going to do my best between now and May, and then between May and August, to seize what I can.
What do you do when you feel like an entire segment of your life is coming to an end? Do you mourn? Get nostalgic? Worry? Get excited? What do you do?
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
I Made the Call
I called the school. It actually happened. I picked up the phone, navigated my way through a horrifically-designed phone menu (seriously, people, when you say 'Press 0 for the receptionist, press # to hear the menu again,' pressing 0 should not get you the same thing as #), and finally reached a human being who directed me to someone who, while not the actual person/s I needed to reach, was someone who could at least take my info and pass it on to the right folks.
I hated making that call.
I hated it primarily because I hate making phone calls to people, especially when I don't even know who I need to talk to.
I hated it because it makes it all very real, that Boo (and probably Doodlebug) will be going to public school this fall. I know it's what she wants, and I know that it's best for her because she's so dreadfully lonely here and the older she gets, the less her brother will be able to fill the playmate role to her satisfaction. She's too social to be happy at home in the long run. I could arrange for her to attend a co-op, but I like the idea of a more diverse population and not having to sign a Statement of Faith just to be in 'the club.' That ruffles my feathers. I had friends of all different backgrounds in school, and I don't want her missing that.
I hated it because even though I don't have a problem with her going back logically, it tears at my heartstrings to think that she's taking a little step out of the nest. Yes, I'll be up at the school(s) often, I'm sure, just like I was when she attended private school, but it's still just not the same. I'll be helping her with homework someone else assigned and gearing her up for testing in the spring so that someone else can get the credit.
But it's done.
I talked to them, too, about testing to find out what grades the kids would be placed in, because right now I have absolutely nothing that they can officially use for that, and schools like documentation. And I asked them to share my number with the school psychologist so we can find out about IEP testing for Doodlebug, because we do not, in fact, have to wait until he's enrolled before getting that ball rolling.
I have started down the slippery slope. Thankfully there are several places in the ride where I can step off if I need to, but it's begun.
Yikes.
I hated making that call.
I hated it primarily because I hate making phone calls to people, especially when I don't even know who I need to talk to.
I hated it because it makes it all very real, that Boo (and probably Doodlebug) will be going to public school this fall. I know it's what she wants, and I know that it's best for her because she's so dreadfully lonely here and the older she gets, the less her brother will be able to fill the playmate role to her satisfaction. She's too social to be happy at home in the long run. I could arrange for her to attend a co-op, but I like the idea of a more diverse population and not having to sign a Statement of Faith just to be in 'the club.' That ruffles my feathers. I had friends of all different backgrounds in school, and I don't want her missing that.
I hated it because even though I don't have a problem with her going back logically, it tears at my heartstrings to think that she's taking a little step out of the nest. Yes, I'll be up at the school(s) often, I'm sure, just like I was when she attended private school, but it's still just not the same. I'll be helping her with homework someone else assigned and gearing her up for testing in the spring so that someone else can get the credit.
But it's done.
I talked to them, too, about testing to find out what grades the kids would be placed in, because right now I have absolutely nothing that they can officially use for that, and schools like documentation. And I asked them to share my number with the school psychologist so we can find out about IEP testing for Doodlebug, because we do not, in fact, have to wait until he's enrolled before getting that ball rolling.
I have started down the slippery slope. Thankfully there are several places in the ride where I can step off if I need to, but it's begun.
Yikes.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
I Escaped!
My friends and I made it out last night. I was the DD voluntarily, since they both have January birthdays. I even made darn sure they did one shot at the bar (I let them pick, and they're suicidal, both of them, because they both picked tequila). We talked, laughed hysterically, people-watched for a while, talked even more, laughed till we cried, and finally ended the night in the wee sma' hours of the morning.
It was rejuvenating. I can face another week now.
This week my goal is to call up the school and find out what curricula they're using for 3rd and 5th grades and see where the kids stand in relation to their peers. If Doodlebug looks to be a grade ahead, he'll stay home this fall. It would be social suicide to put him in seventh grade when his classmates would have had a year to get to know the school, the teachers, and one another. It's sixth or nothing, and there's no sense moving forward until I know where that stands. And I want to make sure Boo is still equal to her peers. I don't foresee problems there.
I want to use my gift certificate to get my car detailed.
Boo is supposed to start her sewing class.
I'm sure this week won't be perfect. But if I can get through it with fewer tears and less fighting, it'll be a good week.
It was rejuvenating. I can face another week now.
This week my goal is to call up the school and find out what curricula they're using for 3rd and 5th grades and see where the kids stand in relation to their peers. If Doodlebug looks to be a grade ahead, he'll stay home this fall. It would be social suicide to put him in seventh grade when his classmates would have had a year to get to know the school, the teachers, and one another. It's sixth or nothing, and there's no sense moving forward until I know where that stands. And I want to make sure Boo is still equal to her peers. I don't foresee problems there.
I want to use my gift certificate to get my car detailed.
Boo is supposed to start her sewing class.
I'm sure this week won't be perfect. But if I can get through it with fewer tears and less fighting, it'll be a good week.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Keep Calm? You've GOT to be Kidding.
I'm trying to focus on the positive today. Find my inner Qi/Zen/peace.
Breathe in, breathe out.
This week has not improved with age.
The boy-o finished up yesterday's work at noon and still, at 4:25 p.m., has three more subjects of today's work to complete. This is actually an improvement over yesterday, when he didn't get Monday's work finished until noon-ish and we were home all morning. At least today he has the excuse that we were at the therapist's office for an hour.
(Note to self: This is not how you walk away from the negative. Breathe in, breathe out...)
Boo is doing well! She's done with today's work and has practiced her violin in her newly-rearranged room (the girl has her grandmother's room-rearranging tendencies and isn't happy unless everything is moved and redecorated regularly) with a checklist that her teacher has started giving out each week.
Doodlebug's therapist is still working out beautifully. We stumbled on an excellent one, and I couldn't be happier. He pulled me in first today, and we chatted about plans. We're still trying to manage Doodlebug's anger and energy into more productive, positive channels - not burying the anger, just handling it in a healthy fashion. Yesterday I couldn't open my mouth without ugliness coming out of his, and that's not helping anyone.
I mentioned today that we'll put him into public school this fall, and he wants to get Doodlebug's assessment/diagnoses updated, either through the school or through private channels, since the only one we have is from when he was 5 and which was done through an office that has since dissolved. Then he wants to see if we can get the IEP ball rolling before summer even gets here so that there's a firm plan in place before Doodlebug walks through the door in August.
I like this idea. A lot.
He also recognized, even before I said anything, that there's only a 50/50 shot of public school working out for Doodlebug. It made me happy that we were on the same page and recognized the same stumbling blocks and had the same thoughts about solutions for them. When a parent and a doctor are on the same page, good things happen.
I called Doodlebug's pediatrician yesterday and made an appointment to discuss adding a low-dose stimulant to his current Intuniv. Anything that can help him focus is, at this point, a positive step.
I'm making progress on my reading, my cross-stitch, and a couple other projects I wanted to tackle this month. Now if I can only get my car in for its detailing...
Several of my friends are having birthdays this week, and we're going out this weekend to celebrate. We're all very ready to escape, I think. I've promised to drive, since my birthday is NOT this month, so that the birthday girls can have a little extra fun. They need it, too (one of them had her house flood this week, for example, and while that should be covered under her home warranty, they're trying to say it isn't). So obviously I'm excited about getting together, but in the meantime, my life is a little more like this:
Hang in there, y'all. I know I'm not the only one having a rough week.
Breathe in, breathe out.
This week has not improved with age.
The boy-o finished up yesterday's work at noon and still, at 4:25 p.m., has three more subjects of today's work to complete. This is actually an improvement over yesterday, when he didn't get Monday's work finished until noon-ish and we were home all morning. At least today he has the excuse that we were at the therapist's office for an hour.
(Note to self: This is not how you walk away from the negative. Breathe in, breathe out...)
Boo is doing well! She's done with today's work and has practiced her violin in her newly-rearranged room (the girl has her grandmother's room-rearranging tendencies and isn't happy unless everything is moved and redecorated regularly) with a checklist that her teacher has started giving out each week.
Doodlebug's therapist is still working out beautifully. We stumbled on an excellent one, and I couldn't be happier. He pulled me in first today, and we chatted about plans. We're still trying to manage Doodlebug's anger and energy into more productive, positive channels - not burying the anger, just handling it in a healthy fashion. Yesterday I couldn't open my mouth without ugliness coming out of his, and that's not helping anyone.
I mentioned today that we'll put him into public school this fall, and he wants to get Doodlebug's assessment/diagnoses updated, either through the school or through private channels, since the only one we have is from when he was 5 and which was done through an office that has since dissolved. Then he wants to see if we can get the IEP ball rolling before summer even gets here so that there's a firm plan in place before Doodlebug walks through the door in August.
I like this idea. A lot.
He also recognized, even before I said anything, that there's only a 50/50 shot of public school working out for Doodlebug. It made me happy that we were on the same page and recognized the same stumbling blocks and had the same thoughts about solutions for them. When a parent and a doctor are on the same page, good things happen.
I called Doodlebug's pediatrician yesterday and made an appointment to discuss adding a low-dose stimulant to his current Intuniv. Anything that can help him focus is, at this point, a positive step.
I'm making progress on my reading, my cross-stitch, and a couple other projects I wanted to tackle this month. Now if I can only get my car in for its detailing...
Several of my friends are having birthdays this week, and we're going out this weekend to celebrate. We're all very ready to escape, I think. I've promised to drive, since my birthday is NOT this month, so that the birthday girls can have a little extra fun. They need it, too (one of them had her house flood this week, for example, and while that should be covered under her home warranty, they're trying to say it isn't). So obviously I'm excited about getting together, but in the meantime, my life is a little more like this:
than like this:
Friday, December 13, 2013
A Few Days' Perspective
I've had a few days to go over all the new information that I have received, and I'm reaching a place where I'm okay with most of it.
I heard from the sewing teacher, and she and I have worked out details for sewing classes. Boo will get to take them after all. I'm not at liberty to discuss them at length yet, for various reasons, but suffice it to say lessons are happening. Doodlebug will get signed up for tae kwon do, and he'll have regular therapy appointments as well as a new monthly social skills group that we attended for the first time this week. We'll also keep going to our weekly homeschool group meetings as often as we can - I'll admit, I've been horrible about attending lately, but the holiday season has a way of devouring any open time without advance notice. Today, for example, I had hoped to go, but the vet appointment I had booked for this morning had to be moved to the afternoon due to a funeral the vet had to attend, and there went that timeslot!
Oz booked our Australia trip the other day. We're waiting on passports, and then I have to start worrying about logistics - do we have enough suitcases, what sort of rental car do we get, who is going to house-sit for us while we're gone, all those sorts of things that I've never really had to consider because we've never taken a trip of this length EVER. Any been-there, done-that stories to share about long trips and/or long flights with kids? I'm going to need help with this one.
Boo is still set on public school. Sometime after the holidays I'll run up to the local elementary and get some of their third grade material and take a look at it to make sure she'll be able to keep up with her peers next year. I'm still on the fence about Doodlebug. I'm giving myself permission to have doubts until February. Then we'll see where things stand. Part of me thinks it would be good for him to go, and the other part still suspects it would be a nightmare. I'm unsure. I don't like being unsure.
The holiday has finally caught up with me as well. I'd been doing very well and had been Grinch-free until two days ago. Now I'm grumpy. I no longer feel like baking cookies for Boo's violin recital. I don't want to drive all over town for events I'm not feeling enthusiastic about. I definitely don't feel like helping a girl 'solve the unknown' in math when all she wants to do is argue with me that 27 feet is the same as 24 yards. And no, manipulatives don't help. She pulled those out and came up with 27 feet = 0 yards. I don't even know where to begin. I'm tired of the boy trying to do sign language to her to give her the answers while his own math languishes unfinished on his desk. Grr.
I need to keep moving, though. Time and Christmas wait for no woman. Off to the races!
I heard from the sewing teacher, and she and I have worked out details for sewing classes. Boo will get to take them after all. I'm not at liberty to discuss them at length yet, for various reasons, but suffice it to say lessons are happening. Doodlebug will get signed up for tae kwon do, and he'll have regular therapy appointments as well as a new monthly social skills group that we attended for the first time this week. We'll also keep going to our weekly homeschool group meetings as often as we can - I'll admit, I've been horrible about attending lately, but the holiday season has a way of devouring any open time without advance notice. Today, for example, I had hoped to go, but the vet appointment I had booked for this morning had to be moved to the afternoon due to a funeral the vet had to attend, and there went that timeslot!
Oz booked our Australia trip the other day. We're waiting on passports, and then I have to start worrying about logistics - do we have enough suitcases, what sort of rental car do we get, who is going to house-sit for us while we're gone, all those sorts of things that I've never really had to consider because we've never taken a trip of this length EVER. Any been-there, done-that stories to share about long trips and/or long flights with kids? I'm going to need help with this one.
Boo is still set on public school. Sometime after the holidays I'll run up to the local elementary and get some of their third grade material and take a look at it to make sure she'll be able to keep up with her peers next year. I'm still on the fence about Doodlebug. I'm giving myself permission to have doubts until February. Then we'll see where things stand. Part of me thinks it would be good for him to go, and the other part still suspects it would be a nightmare. I'm unsure. I don't like being unsure.
The holiday has finally caught up with me as well. I'd been doing very well and had been Grinch-free until two days ago. Now I'm grumpy. I no longer feel like baking cookies for Boo's violin recital. I don't want to drive all over town for events I'm not feeling enthusiastic about. I definitely don't feel like helping a girl 'solve the unknown' in math when all she wants to do is argue with me that 27 feet is the same as 24 yards. And no, manipulatives don't help. She pulled those out and came up with 27 feet = 0 yards. I don't even know where to begin. I'm tired of the boy trying to do sign language to her to give her the answers while his own math languishes unfinished on his desk. Grr.
I need to keep moving, though. Time and Christmas wait for no woman. Off to the races!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
2014 - A Year of Change?
So I had plans for 2014. In my head, I had things figured out. Here's what I thought would happen:
1. Doodlebug would stop swim and start tae kwon do.
2. Boo would start sewing classes.
3. At least one child, probably Doodlebug, would remain at home in the fall.
4. We would visit Australia, most likely around this time of year in order to take advantage of warm beaches and swimming weather.
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The gods sensed my plans. And they laughed.
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Here's what's happening now:
1. This is still happening. The facility we've found actually offers a daytime class for homeschoolers, but Doodlebug has stated that he would rather go to the 'regular' class in the evenings. I'm okay with that. If he chose, later in the year, to return to swim team, that was an option, but I wanted him to try something else for at least a temporary change. I suspect that given #3, he won't return to swim, but we'll see.
2. This is, sadly, up in the air. I sent an email to the store asking if they were still planning them, but I haven't heard back, which is disappointing. Boo is desperate to sew, and I don't know what to do if they don't hold the classes. I'll have to figure something out. Maybe pay a friend to help teach her. I don't know.
3. BOTH kids are probably going to go to public school for the next school year.
Boo had been considering going to public school just like Doodlebug had, and she came to me a few days ago and said that she would like to go back in August. I wasn't surprised. She's been happy at home, but not thoroughly so. She's long lamented the fact that she doesn't have a large circle of friends, and I know she FaceTimes with one of her best friends as often as she thinks is decent and not obnoxious. She's not good about calling others, though… I need to remind her that picking up the phone is just as simple as using other technology.
Doodlebug was another matter. Oz expressed his opinions to me the other night when I asked, and he thinks that Doodlebug should at least give public school a shot. I tend to agree. Even if it doesn't work out, he thinks that Doodlebug at least needs to know what he's giving up/avoiding. The last time he was in school, he was in kindergarten. It was a nightmare, yes, but we've all come a long way since then, and I'm hopeful that with various groups and activities and therapy, he'll be able to manage socially. If not, he does have the option to return home.
The thought of having no kids at home just weirds me out, but the Type A planner in me is glad that I have many months in which to adjust and in which to check where the kids are, academically speaking. I suspect the only areas where I really need to focus will be in math, for Boo, since Math-U-See isn't exactly Common Core-aligned, and in social studies for both kids, since I've largely focused on history and haven't really touched on 'social studies' at all… unless you count the general U.S. history that Doodlebug learned a couple years back. I'm not sure how much of that he will have retained, and Boo probably hasn't heard any of it. Still, with several months left in the school year, it's easy to remedy. I've ordered some books and will let the kids read through them, and we'll do some simple projects. I'm sure they'll be caught up in time.
I'm also sure that they'll have to do some sort of testing at the school to find out exactly where they'll stand. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
4. If the kids are in public school, going to Australia in November/early December probably isn't going to work. Oz pointed that one out to me this morning. So we're going earlier in the year. Ye Olde Tax Refund will probably go toward the trip. I guess since I won't be spending it on curriculum, it's not a huge deal, except for the fact that instead of having almost a year to put myself into a state of mind where I can handle a 24-hour plane ride (I'm a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad flight passenger) I only have a few months… and, oh yeah, Oz is the only one of us with a passport. Right-O. Gotta get crackin' on that, too.
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So yeah… 2014 is already changing, and it isn't even here yet. I'm not sure how I feel about it all yet; ask me in another month, and maybe I'll have an answer. In the meantime, I'm just going to pour myself a giant mug o' happy and be glad that my Christmas shopping is over. I ain't gonna let myself get stressed out. Time to take a few deep breaths and focus on the here and now.
Time to balance the qi.
1. Doodlebug would stop swim and start tae kwon do.
2. Boo would start sewing classes.
3. At least one child, probably Doodlebug, would remain at home in the fall.
4. We would visit Australia, most likely around this time of year in order to take advantage of warm beaches and swimming weather.
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The gods sensed my plans. And they laughed.
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Here's what's happening now:
1. This is still happening. The facility we've found actually offers a daytime class for homeschoolers, but Doodlebug has stated that he would rather go to the 'regular' class in the evenings. I'm okay with that. If he chose, later in the year, to return to swim team, that was an option, but I wanted him to try something else for at least a temporary change. I suspect that given #3, he won't return to swim, but we'll see.
2. This is, sadly, up in the air. I sent an email to the store asking if they were still planning them, but I haven't heard back, which is disappointing. Boo is desperate to sew, and I don't know what to do if they don't hold the classes. I'll have to figure something out. Maybe pay a friend to help teach her. I don't know.
3. BOTH kids are probably going to go to public school for the next school year.
Boo had been considering going to public school just like Doodlebug had, and she came to me a few days ago and said that she would like to go back in August. I wasn't surprised. She's been happy at home, but not thoroughly so. She's long lamented the fact that she doesn't have a large circle of friends, and I know she FaceTimes with one of her best friends as often as she thinks is decent and not obnoxious. She's not good about calling others, though… I need to remind her that picking up the phone is just as simple as using other technology.
Doodlebug was another matter. Oz expressed his opinions to me the other night when I asked, and he thinks that Doodlebug should at least give public school a shot. I tend to agree. Even if it doesn't work out, he thinks that Doodlebug at least needs to know what he's giving up/avoiding. The last time he was in school, he was in kindergarten. It was a nightmare, yes, but we've all come a long way since then, and I'm hopeful that with various groups and activities and therapy, he'll be able to manage socially. If not, he does have the option to return home.
The thought of having no kids at home just weirds me out, but the Type A planner in me is glad that I have many months in which to adjust and in which to check where the kids are, academically speaking. I suspect the only areas where I really need to focus will be in math, for Boo, since Math-U-See isn't exactly Common Core-aligned, and in social studies for both kids, since I've largely focused on history and haven't really touched on 'social studies' at all… unless you count the general U.S. history that Doodlebug learned a couple years back. I'm not sure how much of that he will have retained, and Boo probably hasn't heard any of it. Still, with several months left in the school year, it's easy to remedy. I've ordered some books and will let the kids read through them, and we'll do some simple projects. I'm sure they'll be caught up in time.
I'm also sure that they'll have to do some sort of testing at the school to find out exactly where they'll stand. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
4. If the kids are in public school, going to Australia in November/early December probably isn't going to work. Oz pointed that one out to me this morning. So we're going earlier in the year. Ye Olde Tax Refund will probably go toward the trip. I guess since I won't be spending it on curriculum, it's not a huge deal, except for the fact that instead of having almost a year to put myself into a state of mind where I can handle a 24-hour plane ride (I'm a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad flight passenger) I only have a few months… and, oh yeah, Oz is the only one of us with a passport. Right-O. Gotta get crackin' on that, too.
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So yeah… 2014 is already changing, and it isn't even here yet. I'm not sure how I feel about it all yet; ask me in another month, and maybe I'll have an answer. In the meantime, I'm just going to pour myself a giant mug o' happy and be glad that my Christmas shopping is over. I ain't gonna let myself get stressed out. Time to take a few deep breaths and focus on the here and now.
Time to balance the qi.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Homemade History, Week 11
Trying this a different way this week... lemme know your thoughts.
Topic: Bronze Age Europe
Reading Options: Usborne World History Encyclopedia pp. 120-123, Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World pp. 102-107, Kingfisher History Encyclopedia pp. 12-13
Hands-On Learning Options: Map of Ancient Europe from Map Trek, Stonehenge mystery pages from, research European mythology (Celtic, Norse, Saxon, Slavic, etc.)
Definitions/Critical Thinking Questions: Neolithic, brooch, palisade, bronze/Why do you think Stonehenge was built? Do you think it should be preserved?
Electronic Learning Options: BBC for Kids Anglo-Saxons page, Celtic Europe video, for instance. There are also lots of hour-long documentaries including this one about the facts behind the fiction of Lord of the Rings. This is one of my favorite parts of history, so I could go on for days. I'll stop here.
Next week: Egypt - The Middle Kingdom, mythology
Topic: Bronze Age Europe
Reading Options: Usborne World History Encyclopedia pp. 120-123, Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World pp. 102-107, Kingfisher History Encyclopedia pp. 12-13
Hands-On Learning Options: Map of Ancient Europe from Map Trek, Stonehenge mystery pages from, research European mythology (Celtic, Norse, Saxon, Slavic, etc.)
Definitions/Critical Thinking Questions: Neolithic, brooch, palisade, bronze/Why do you think Stonehenge was built? Do you think it should be preserved?
Electronic Learning Options: BBC for Kids Anglo-Saxons page, Celtic Europe video, for instance. There are also lots of hour-long documentaries including this one about the facts behind the fiction of Lord of the Rings. This is one of my favorite parts of history, so I could go on for days. I'll stop here.
Next week: Egypt - The Middle Kingdom, mythology
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Still no luck in finding a counselor. I have had ONE person give me a name of one they trust that's on our insurance. ONE. And at least a dozen suggestions of folks who aren't on our insurance. And the problem with that is that I don't trust the judgement of the person who DID me a workable name! The frustration is nearly unspeakable. However, the boy has been putting forth some effort, and I'm quite proud of him. The Respect Jar is helping. Today he got up and did his morning chores without me having to say a single word. It was glorious. I know it won't last - I'm painfully conscious of that - but it's something. I'll take whatever I can get. Still considering putting him back in school at semester. We'll see how the next couple of weeks go.
I've put on 4.4 lbs. this week. I'm going to spend the next three weeks taking it off, I'm sure.
I still haven't posted the 11th week of Homemade History. I know. I'll do it later today. I've enjoyed slacking off. Next week, however, the kids have requested (and I have decided) changes must be made in the way we do things. The current methods are getting stale. History will contain much the same, but the kids would like things to be more mysterious. So each Monday, rather than posting reading options, I'll be posting a question or mystery on the whiteboard. We'll watch some videos on the topic, and then we'll spend later days in the week doing reading and geography and other stuff to 'solve' or 'answer' the question. For science, they want to start with the lab and then spend the week figuring out why it did what it did rather than reading something and then seeing it demonstrated. I can certainly appreciate where they're coming from. It's much more fascinating to feel like you've conquered an idea, not been spoon-fed one.
For language arts, Boo has asked to stop doing formal spelling as well as Writing With Ease. She and Doodlebug are both excellent spellers, so I've agreed. She'll still do grammar, since she doesn't mind First Language Lessons and it takes her hardly any time at all, but for spelling and narration/dictation, I've agreed to pull vocab and narration/dictation selections from whatever books she's currently reading. She's in the middle of Anne of Green Gables right now, so I'll go through the first few chapters of that book over the weekend and see what I can find. She's gunning for 'amiable,' but something - her persistent insistence, perhaps? - tells me she's already memorized that one. I think I'll find other options.
Finally, we're throwing out some electives. They're electives, for godssake, not mandatory subjects, and it's time to weed out the ones they don't like. This means that Doodlebug is giving up music theory. I'm all right with that. He likes music enough and hears enough of it between me and Boo that he'll still get a thorough grounding in music history and various genres and will probably still pick up theory by osmosis. She's giving up music theory as part of school as well, but she and I will still play around with it during her violin practice from time to time. The other elective we're tossing is geography. The curriculum I found wound up being quite dry in practice, so I had been using it sporadically for a while, and now it's just gone. I'm not entirely letting geography go by the wayside, since they'll still be doing some with history (and I found Mapping the World with Art that I think both of them will enjoy), but I'm letting up. So they'll still have Spanish (finishing up with La Clase Divertida and moving over to Rosetta Stone), logic (various books from The Critical Thinking Company) and art (we attend a once-a-month class and do some projects in between, but I'm giving up a formal curriculum there, too) together.
It seems like a much more doable plan. They're old enough and smart enough to know what they want. It's time to let the little things go and realize I can't - and shouldn't try! - to teach it all.
I've put on 4.4 lbs. this week. I'm going to spend the next three weeks taking it off, I'm sure.
I still haven't posted the 11th week of Homemade History. I know. I'll do it later today. I've enjoyed slacking off. Next week, however, the kids have requested (and I have decided) changes must be made in the way we do things. The current methods are getting stale. History will contain much the same, but the kids would like things to be more mysterious. So each Monday, rather than posting reading options, I'll be posting a question or mystery on the whiteboard. We'll watch some videos on the topic, and then we'll spend later days in the week doing reading and geography and other stuff to 'solve' or 'answer' the question. For science, they want to start with the lab and then spend the week figuring out why it did what it did rather than reading something and then seeing it demonstrated. I can certainly appreciate where they're coming from. It's much more fascinating to feel like you've conquered an idea, not been spoon-fed one.
For language arts, Boo has asked to stop doing formal spelling as well as Writing With Ease. She and Doodlebug are both excellent spellers, so I've agreed. She'll still do grammar, since she doesn't mind First Language Lessons and it takes her hardly any time at all, but for spelling and narration/dictation, I've agreed to pull vocab and narration/dictation selections from whatever books she's currently reading. She's in the middle of Anne of Green Gables right now, so I'll go through the first few chapters of that book over the weekend and see what I can find. She's gunning for 'amiable,' but something - her persistent insistence, perhaps? - tells me she's already memorized that one. I think I'll find other options.
Finally, we're throwing out some electives. They're electives, for godssake, not mandatory subjects, and it's time to weed out the ones they don't like. This means that Doodlebug is giving up music theory. I'm all right with that. He likes music enough and hears enough of it between me and Boo that he'll still get a thorough grounding in music history and various genres and will probably still pick up theory by osmosis. She's giving up music theory as part of school as well, but she and I will still play around with it during her violin practice from time to time. The other elective we're tossing is geography. The curriculum I found wound up being quite dry in practice, so I had been using it sporadically for a while, and now it's just gone. I'm not entirely letting geography go by the wayside, since they'll still be doing some with history (and I found Mapping the World with Art that I think both of them will enjoy), but I'm letting up. So they'll still have Spanish (finishing up with La Clase Divertida and moving over to Rosetta Stone), logic (various books from The Critical Thinking Company) and art (we attend a once-a-month class and do some projects in between, but I'm giving up a formal curriculum there, too) together.
It seems like a much more doable plan. They're old enough and smart enough to know what they want. It's time to let the little things go and realize I can't - and shouldn't try! - to teach it all.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Striving for Serenity
The main rule in our house always has been and always will be The Golden Rule. Every other rule we have branches from that. When the kids are being rude to one another, the first question I always ask is, "Are you treating him/her the way you want to be treated?" When someone is mean to me, I say, "Excuse me, but is there a reason you're being mean to me?" I'm all for letting kids feel anger, don't get me wrong. I just think that anger can be expressed in civil ways. I have one child who is emotionally deficient (I think he's somewhere around 7 emotionally. He still sees a lot of things in black/white that most 10.9-year-olds would see in various shades of gray and certainly can't handle emotions appropriately) and one child who is emotionally mature but who is still 8 and likes to pick on her brother now and then.
Naturally, this leads to name-calling and put-downs. Boo's favorite put-down is 'stupid.' If she doesn't like it/you, it/you will be 'stupid.' Doodlebug is more inventive, but his favorite word is 'butt.' As in, "Stop being a butt!" There are definitely worse terms they could use - I've heard them use them - but I don't like it when they make other people feel bad, especially when it's their sibling. SO... as of yesterday, we have implemented the Put-Up Plan. I, too, will be participating, though it means something slightly different for Mama. The idea is that if you put someone down or make them feel bad, you have to come back and say three nice things about them to make up for it. Will it work? Oh, I don't know. It's as good idea as any I've ever had. But they tried it. They were starting to fight and Boo called Doodlebug stupid, and then she realized that she had to put him UP instead of DOWN. After she got done telling him he was kind, creative, and funny, they both started giggling. Fight averted. Apparently Doodlebug then turned around and said three nice things about Boo just because he could. So it's a good start.
This is my other attempt at regaining some sort of control over the downward spiral. This is the Respect Jar. It's nothing fancy... Pinterest isn't going to go nuts over this one. But the idea is solid. When someone does something respectful, you catch them at it by putting a poker chip in the jar. Last night the first four poker chips went in - Boo stacked up Doodlebug's library books and took them to him rather than yelling at him to come get his books off the table; Doodlebug voluntarily wiped down the toilet seat AND FLUSHED; I didn't have to get up and separate the kids during shower time; and Doodlebug caught a wasp that was flying around Boo's room and took it outside for her. Little things. Poker chips. My hope is that this will help with anger management (just like the Put-Up Plan) as well as some of the respect issues.
Will these be life-changing activities? I doubt it. Will they help the kids return to a calmer frame of mind? I bloody hope so.
Naturally, this leads to name-calling and put-downs. Boo's favorite put-down is 'stupid.' If she doesn't like it/you, it/you will be 'stupid.' Doodlebug is more inventive, but his favorite word is 'butt.' As in, "Stop being a butt!" There are definitely worse terms they could use - I've heard them use them - but I don't like it when they make other people feel bad, especially when it's their sibling. SO... as of yesterday, we have implemented the Put-Up Plan. I, too, will be participating, though it means something slightly different for Mama. The idea is that if you put someone down or make them feel bad, you have to come back and say three nice things about them to make up for it. Will it work? Oh, I don't know. It's as good idea as any I've ever had. But they tried it. They were starting to fight and Boo called Doodlebug stupid, and then she realized that she had to put him UP instead of DOWN. After she got done telling him he was kind, creative, and funny, they both started giggling. Fight averted. Apparently Doodlebug then turned around and said three nice things about Boo just because he could. So it's a good start.
This is my other attempt at regaining some sort of control over the downward spiral. This is the Respect Jar. It's nothing fancy... Pinterest isn't going to go nuts over this one. But the idea is solid. When someone does something respectful, you catch them at it by putting a poker chip in the jar. Last night the first four poker chips went in - Boo stacked up Doodlebug's library books and took them to him rather than yelling at him to come get his books off the table; Doodlebug voluntarily wiped down the toilet seat AND FLUSHED; I didn't have to get up and separate the kids during shower time; and Doodlebug caught a wasp that was flying around Boo's room and took it outside for her. Little things. Poker chips. My hope is that this will help with anger management (just like the Put-Up Plan) as well as some of the respect issues.
Will these be life-changing activities? I doubt it. Will they help the kids return to a calmer frame of mind? I bloody hope so.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Homemade History, Week 9
History was sort of History Lite this week because of the other projects we had going, but the kids requested and therefore we still did a sort of history study. I'll put in all the stuff that could be used in case you want to do a full week, but we didn't do it all. No way, Jose.
Week 9 Topic: Indus Valley Civilizations, Hindu
Monday: Reading, summary, timeline - Story of the World (Chs. 9 and 30), Life in the Ancient Indus River Valley (pp. 1-15), Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 52-57), Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. 14-15, 33), and Usborne World History Encyclopedia (pp. 118-119, 174) were all given options. The kids poked through some of the choices, and I requested a book from the library on Hinduism for each of them.
Tuesday: Map Trek map of ancient India and discussion of Hindu gods. We didn't get around to the discussion, but we did the map. Score one for geography.
Wednesday: Definitions (plateau, plain, citadel, caste) and critical thinking questions: What do you think happened to the people who lived in Mohenjo-Daro? What do you think of a caste system? Can you think of anything that's good about it? Anything bad? (Doodlebug couldn't think of a single good thing about it unless you were in the upper castes. He was quite indignant. We just answered these orally this week.)
Thursday: We didn't do anything on Thursday since we were out of the house for most of the day, but the plan had been to watch some videos on the ancient Indus Valley peoples like this one on an ancient Aryan settlement or a Crash Course video on the Indus Valley civilizations (note: no mention of scoodily-pooping in this one). Or maybe let them poke around on the BBC site about Hinduism or a similar BBC Kids site on the Indus Valley.
Friday: I had planned to let the kids make rangoli again - giant rangoli on giant pieces of concrete in the driveway and/or on giant pieces of paper that we could save and hang up for Diwali, but the weather didn't cooperate. Hard to make sand art on wet concrete. The kids, however, decided that they weren't to be denied, so they chose to make candles. They initially wanted to make their own little terra-cotta pinch pots and fill those, but when Boo started poking around in her craft supplies, she realized she had a soy candle-making kit and they decided that would probably be safer and easier. I agreed.
They want to place these out on Diwali (November 3) and maybe make some rangoli between now and then as an art project. I'm not about to argue.
Next week (well, OK, this week... I'm behind, I know): Crete - Minoans, Mycenaeans.
Week 9 Topic: Indus Valley Civilizations, Hindu
Monday: Reading, summary, timeline - Story of the World (Chs. 9 and 30), Life in the Ancient Indus River Valley (pp. 1-15), Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 52-57), Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. 14-15, 33), and Usborne World History Encyclopedia (pp. 118-119, 174) were all given options. The kids poked through some of the choices, and I requested a book from the library on Hinduism for each of them.
Tuesday: Map Trek map of ancient India and discussion of Hindu gods. We didn't get around to the discussion, but we did the map. Score one for geography.
Wednesday: Definitions (plateau, plain, citadel, caste) and critical thinking questions: What do you think happened to the people who lived in Mohenjo-Daro? What do you think of a caste system? Can you think of anything that's good about it? Anything bad? (Doodlebug couldn't think of a single good thing about it unless you were in the upper castes. He was quite indignant. We just answered these orally this week.)
Thursday: We didn't do anything on Thursday since we were out of the house for most of the day, but the plan had been to watch some videos on the ancient Indus Valley peoples like this one on an ancient Aryan settlement or a Crash Course video on the Indus Valley civilizations (note: no mention of scoodily-pooping in this one). Or maybe let them poke around on the BBC site about Hinduism or a similar BBC Kids site on the Indus Valley.
Friday: I had planned to let the kids make rangoli again - giant rangoli on giant pieces of concrete in the driveway and/or on giant pieces of paper that we could save and hang up for Diwali, but the weather didn't cooperate. Hard to make sand art on wet concrete. The kids, however, decided that they weren't to be denied, so they chose to make candles. They initially wanted to make their own little terra-cotta pinch pots and fill those, but when Boo started poking around in her craft supplies, she realized she had a soy candle-making kit and they decided that would probably be safer and easier. I agreed.
They want to place these out on Diwali (November 3) and maybe make some rangoli between now and then as an art project. I'm not about to argue.
Next week (well, OK, this week... I'm behind, I know): Crete - Minoans, Mycenaeans.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Homemade History, Week 8
The kids turned in their papers this week. I thought they did well, and I may post those separately. Or not. I haven't decided yet. For week 9, even though it's primarily an interest-led week, the kids will still be doing history and math and a couple other electives. So I'll be back next weekend with yet another installment.
Week 8 Topic: Phoenicians and Sea Peoples
Monday: Reading and timeline. Reading options came from Story of the World (Ch. 15), Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. 28-29), Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 88-91), and/or the Usborne World History Encyclopedia (pp. 144-145). Boo was fascinated with the idea of city-states and alliances between the cities.
Tuesday: We filled in the Phoenicia's Trading Empire map from Map Trek and they started typing up their papers.
Wednesday: Videos! We watched a bunch: One on glassblowing (we also searched for Phoenician glass images so they could see some of the stuff the Phoenicians actually produced), one on the Phoenician Ship Expedition, and one on extracting dye. There's another video out there, called Quest for the Phoenicians, that is available in parts on Youtube or for legitimate sale in the National Geographic Store, that we caught the preview for. I may check it out another time, because both kids really, really like the Phoenician peoples.
Thursday: Definitions (city-state, colony, obelisk, alphabet) and Doodlebug's critical thinking questions (What were some advantages and disadvantages of having cooperating city-states vs. a unified country? Which of the Phoenician's inventions [alphabet, dye methods, glassblowing, shipbuilding, colonization, etc.] is the most significant to us today? Why do you think that?)
Friday: I was going to suggest that the kids help me make pita bread, but they had other (and better!) ideas. Doodlebug decided he wanted me to find him a map of Mediterranean currents and winds so that he could work out different sailing routes that the Phoenicians would have used to get to their colonies.
Boo decided she wanted to see if she could build her own boat.
Both kids ran into different problems with their projects - Boo had originally wanted to make a curved boat and Doodlebug wanted to figure out one route that would work for all seasons - but they both overcame their frustrations and were happy with their final results... even if the boat didn't float for more than a few seconds before sinking catastrophically.
Next week: The Indus Valley, Mohenjo-Daro, Hindu beliefs
Week 8 Topic: Phoenicians and Sea Peoples
Monday: Reading and timeline. Reading options came from Story of the World (Ch. 15), Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. 28-29), Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 88-91), and/or the Usborne World History Encyclopedia (pp. 144-145). Boo was fascinated with the idea of city-states and alliances between the cities.
Tuesday: We filled in the Phoenicia's Trading Empire map from Map Trek and they started typing up their papers.
Wednesday: Videos! We watched a bunch: One on glassblowing (we also searched for Phoenician glass images so they could see some of the stuff the Phoenicians actually produced), one on the Phoenician Ship Expedition, and one on extracting dye. There's another video out there, called Quest for the Phoenicians, that is available in parts on Youtube or for legitimate sale in the National Geographic Store, that we caught the preview for. I may check it out another time, because both kids really, really like the Phoenician peoples.
Thursday: Definitions (city-state, colony, obelisk, alphabet) and Doodlebug's critical thinking questions (What were some advantages and disadvantages of having cooperating city-states vs. a unified country? Which of the Phoenician's inventions [alphabet, dye methods, glassblowing, shipbuilding, colonization, etc.] is the most significant to us today? Why do you think that?)
Friday: I was going to suggest that the kids help me make pita bread, but they had other (and better!) ideas. Doodlebug decided he wanted me to find him a map of Mediterranean currents and winds so that he could work out different sailing routes that the Phoenicians would have used to get to their colonies.
Boo decided she wanted to see if she could build her own boat.
Both kids ran into different problems with their projects - Boo had originally wanted to make a curved boat and Doodlebug wanted to figure out one route that would work for all seasons - but they both overcame their frustrations and were happy with their final results... even if the boat didn't float for more than a few seconds before sinking catastrophically.
Next week: The Indus Valley, Mohenjo-Daro, Hindu beliefs
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Homemade History, Week 7
Just as we get into the really interesting stuff, it's time for a break. It's Labor Day week here in the ol' US of A, and I don't do four-day weeks. I find them unproductive. So instead, we just take the entire week off. Since we've been going hard for seven weeks, it's time. This first block is one of the longest continuous stretches of school we'll have all year.
Week 7 Topic: Egypt's Old Kingdom + mastabas, pyramids, mummies
Monday: Reading and notes. The kids picked two of the following choices: Story of the World chapters 2 and 4, Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World pages 28-31, Usborne World History Encyclopedia pages 114-117, or Life in Ancient Egypt pages 4-9, 20-22, and 26-27.
Tuesday: The kids finished their reading, and we noted any necessary revisions to their nine weeks' papers. They'll finish revising the paper and type them up in weeks 8 and 9, and hopefully I'll be allowed to post their work here. Doodlebug especially has surprised me - he decided to write his paper entirely from second-person perspective. It's an odd choice, but I think it works.
Wednesday: We filled in a map of Ancient Egypt, complete with the locations of pyramids, ancient cities along the Nile, and the general geography in and around Egypt like the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sahara.
Thursday: Definitions (hieroglyphics, pyramid, pharaoh, and papyrus - Doodlebug was fascinated with the method of making papyrus) and critical thinking questions: How did geography affect the lives of ancient Egyptians? What were some of the problems that Pharaoh may have faced? That second question is to get him thinking about the problems all rulers face, but he doesn't know that yet.
Friday: On Friday the kids played a game called Mummy Maker on the BBC Kids web site. Then they wanted to make their own cartouches. We discussed the function of a true cartouche, and then I told the kids that if they wanted to make their own, they had a choice. I could look up some close hieroglyphic representations of their names and they could make Egyptian cartouches or they could make their own indecipherable cartouches based on their interests and things that are important to them. Of course, being Generation 2.0 children, they wanted their own custom images. Doodlebug made his out of clay; Boo made hers from paper. Both are designed to be hung from strings like necklaces so they could, theoretically, wear their cartouches everywhere.
I have to say, you can see the differences between them just by looking at the images!
I also gave them options of making scented oil - basil, rosemary, garlic - or virtually touring the inside of the Great Pyramid. These are definitely other project/video options to consider.
Week 8 Topic (when we return): Phoenicians and "Sea People"
Week 7 Topic: Egypt's Old Kingdom + mastabas, pyramids, mummies
Monday: Reading and notes. The kids picked two of the following choices: Story of the World chapters 2 and 4, Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World pages 28-31, Usborne World History Encyclopedia pages 114-117, or Life in Ancient Egypt pages 4-9, 20-22, and 26-27.
Tuesday: The kids finished their reading, and we noted any necessary revisions to their nine weeks' papers. They'll finish revising the paper and type them up in weeks 8 and 9, and hopefully I'll be allowed to post their work here. Doodlebug especially has surprised me - he decided to write his paper entirely from second-person perspective. It's an odd choice, but I think it works.
Wednesday: We filled in a map of Ancient Egypt, complete with the locations of pyramids, ancient cities along the Nile, and the general geography in and around Egypt like the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sahara.
Thursday: Definitions (hieroglyphics, pyramid, pharaoh, and papyrus - Doodlebug was fascinated with the method of making papyrus) and critical thinking questions: How did geography affect the lives of ancient Egyptians? What were some of the problems that Pharaoh may have faced? That second question is to get him thinking about the problems all rulers face, but he doesn't know that yet.
Friday: On Friday the kids played a game called Mummy Maker on the BBC Kids web site. Then they wanted to make their own cartouches. We discussed the function of a true cartouche, and then I told the kids that if they wanted to make their own, they had a choice. I could look up some close hieroglyphic representations of their names and they could make Egyptian cartouches or they could make their own indecipherable cartouches based on their interests and things that are important to them. Of course, being Generation 2.0 children, they wanted their own custom images. Doodlebug made his out of clay; Boo made hers from paper. Both are designed to be hung from strings like necklaces so they could, theoretically, wear their cartouches everywhere.
I have to say, you can see the differences between them just by looking at the images!
I also gave them options of making scented oil - basil, rosemary, garlic - or virtually touring the inside of the Great Pyramid. These are definitely other project/video options to consider.
Week 8 Topic (when we return): Phoenicians and "Sea People"
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Homemade History, Week 6
Because the past three weeks make me want to disavow all knowledge of my children and go hide in a Buddhist commune until they're grown and gone...
Because the stress level in my back and shoulders is so high I wake up feeling like I've just had a hard workout every day when, in fact, I haven't lifted a proper weight in months...
Because this upcoming week is the last week before our first break (we take Labor Day week off of school)...
Let's just say my school planning this week was less than spectacular. We didn't do much. Enjoy what little is here. Thanks, as always, for reading.
Week 6 Topic: Mesopotamia - Sumer and Akkad
Monday: Reading and notes. I purchased a book called Life in Ancient Mesopotamia, and M1 perused that while M2 read chapters 3 and 5 from Story of the World. (If you want shorter reading excerpts, the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World has similar information on pages 20-21 and the Usborne World History Encyclopedia has some on pages 110-113.)
Tuesday: The kids finished up their rough drafts for their papers and swapped reading material. M2 has informed me that while the Sumerians might have been inventive, she wouldn't have wanted to live there. They were mean. I couldn't argue with that one.
Wednesday: Definitions (ziggurat, stylus, irrigate, relief) and critical thinking questions: Why is trading with other cities and cultures important? Why are records important? Why did the Mesopotamians settle in the Fertile Crescent? M1 found the questions fairly easy to answer after we watched a couple of videos, one from National Geographic Kids and one from a Youtube Channel called CrashCourse. The kids definitely preferred the second video, but M2 commented that the guy talks really, really fast. She was right. Also, in the interest of parental disclosure, the video does mention the word 'scoodilypooping,' which is a cutesy euphemism for sex. If that might bother you or your kids... well, you're smart. You know how this works. Watch at your own risk. But overall the information was informative and rather fun, as far as movies go. Oh, and I should mention that I handed the Epic of Gilgamesh to M1 to read this week, too.
Thursday: We put together a map of Mesopotamia using the Map Trek map (lots of Christian-based maps in that download, but there are enough that aren't for my purposes) for that particular region of Earth and talked about how the trade routes from Mesopotamia to Egypt went right through what is now Israel and how stories/myths can ALSO follow trade routes, which led right into discussing the myths of Sargon and Moses and comparing and contrasting the two. Interesting chat with the munchkins.
Friday: Project Day! M2 did some mystery pages on where the alphabet came from, concluding that our modern alphabet might be either Greek or Hebrew but definitely isn't Egyptian or Sumerian, and M1 built a Lego ziggurat.
OK, so I guess this doesn't sound too bad after all.
Next week: Egypt - The Old Kingdom (mastabas and pyramids, mummies, and the Hyksos)
Because the stress level in my back and shoulders is so high I wake up feeling like I've just had a hard workout every day when, in fact, I haven't lifted a proper weight in months...
Because this upcoming week is the last week before our first break (we take Labor Day week off of school)...
Let's just say my school planning this week was less than spectacular. We didn't do much. Enjoy what little is here. Thanks, as always, for reading.
Week 6 Topic: Mesopotamia - Sumer and Akkad
Monday: Reading and notes. I purchased a book called Life in Ancient Mesopotamia, and M1 perused that while M2 read chapters 3 and 5 from Story of the World. (If you want shorter reading excerpts, the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World has similar information on pages 20-21 and the Usborne World History Encyclopedia has some on pages 110-113.)
Tuesday: The kids finished up their rough drafts for their papers and swapped reading material. M2 has informed me that while the Sumerians might have been inventive, she wouldn't have wanted to live there. They were mean. I couldn't argue with that one.
Wednesday: Definitions (ziggurat, stylus, irrigate, relief) and critical thinking questions: Why is trading with other cities and cultures important? Why are records important? Why did the Mesopotamians settle in the Fertile Crescent? M1 found the questions fairly easy to answer after we watched a couple of videos, one from National Geographic Kids and one from a Youtube Channel called CrashCourse. The kids definitely preferred the second video, but M2 commented that the guy talks really, really fast. She was right. Also, in the interest of parental disclosure, the video does mention the word 'scoodilypooping,' which is a cutesy euphemism for sex. If that might bother you or your kids... well, you're smart. You know how this works. Watch at your own risk. But overall the information was informative and rather fun, as far as movies go. Oh, and I should mention that I handed the Epic of Gilgamesh to M1 to read this week, too.
Thursday: We put together a map of Mesopotamia using the Map Trek map (lots of Christian-based maps in that download, but there are enough that aren't for my purposes) for that particular region of Earth and talked about how the trade routes from Mesopotamia to Egypt went right through what is now Israel and how stories/myths can ALSO follow trade routes, which led right into discussing the myths of Sargon and Moses and comparing and contrasting the two. Interesting chat with the munchkins.
Friday: Project Day! M2 did some mystery pages on where the alphabet came from, concluding that our modern alphabet might be either Greek or Hebrew but definitely isn't Egyptian or Sumerian, and M1 built a Lego ziggurat.
OK, so I guess this doesn't sound too bad after all.
Next week: Egypt - The Old Kingdom (mastabas and pyramids, mummies, and the Hyksos)
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Homemade History, Week 5
This is our last week of traveling around the world at what seems like warp time/speed. In week 6, we're headed back to Mesopotamia. Still, this week was fun! We watched several videos, sketched maps, and even built our own version of a calendar in the round.
Week 5 Topic: Ancient America - Mesoamerica, Olmecs and Maya
Monday: Reading and notes. M2 read the Story of the World (chapter 26) and Usborne World History (pp. 178-181); M1 read the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 130-137) and the Usborne pages as well.
Tuesday: The kids worked on their papers. M1 felt especially prepared for this week's lesson due to the studying he'd already been doing on the Olmecs, so I let him share some of his findings with M1 and me. He liked that.
Wednesday: We put together a map on Wednesday. We started by using a blank black-line map of the Americas, both north and south. Using the following maps, we drew a rough map of SOME of the ancient tribes in the Americas:
 |
| Eastern North America |
 |
| Southwestern North America |
 |
| Mesoamerica |
We also talked a bit about the fact that there were tribes in what is now Canada, South America, etc. but that they simply aren't discussed very often and that we aren't going to cover them in this class... and I made sure the kids were aware that not all of these tribes overlapped, either. It's hard to pick and choose, ya know?
I also gave M2 his questions on Wednesday:
1. Would you have preferred living with the Olmecs or the Maya? (The Olmecs won his vote.)
2. Both of these peoples played ball games. If you were going to invent a ball game, what would you call it? What would some of the rules be? (M1 really liked this question and came up with a sort of hand ball/lacrosse game that I thought would be quite interesting.)
Thursday: We started with definitions (temple, sacrifice, fortification, peninsula) and moved from there to videos. We didn't watch all of this video on the Olmecs, but we did watch some of it; we also watched this video on Mayan math.
Friday: Friday project! First, we watched this short video about the basics of the Mayan calendar. I explained to the kids that the Maya didn't have weeks - only years, months, and days, as well as longer epochs on the (not shown in the video) Long Count calendar. This confused the heck out of M2, so we set out to make our own mostly-Mayan-based calendar in the round. Wikipedia to the rescue! Soon after (and I apologize for the poor photography) we constructed our own calendar in the round. The kids loved finding their birthdays in rough Mayan equivalent. Some other activities that we considered were resurrecting the atlatl idea, drinking spiced hot chocolate, and playing around with Mayan math/numbers (which M1 had done in the past).
Next week: The Fertile Crescent/Mesopotamia, Sumerians, Akkadians
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Homemade History, Week 4
This week was an odd week for us, mostly because we decided not to do school on Friday and the kids had decided to squeeze any potential Friday work into the previous four days. So I have a few things that we didn't do this week that we could have done in the extra day. I'll put them in here, just in case you're interested.
Week 4 Topic: Ancient Americas - Folsom, Clovis, Anasazi, Hopewells
Monday: Reading and notes, as usual, from the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 124-129) and the Usborne World History Encyclopedia (pp. 176-177).
Tuesday: I let the kids read their books for their papers and take notes. They also did this on Thursday, and they're pretty close to being done with note-taking, at least from the library books. Both kids also have a bunch of questions that the books didn't answer that they want to research on the Internet. That'll probably show up on the schedule in the next week or two. After they got done taking a few notes, we watched some movies. The PBS videos that weren't working a couple of weeks ago actually are available now, and we watched probably five or six of the clips, and the kids want to sit down and watch some of the full episodes another day.
Wednesday: Definitions (adobe, atlatl, culture, and population) and critical thinking questions for M1: "Would you prefer to live in an adobe home or an Inuit igloo?" (He prefers a warm climate to a cold one.) and "What do you think it was like to hunt mammoth and other megafauna?" (The videos we'd watched on Tuesday colored his answer significantly.)
Thursday: This was our final day of work for this week. I'd checked out a video on the mound builder cultures from the library, and we watched it. It was about 30 minutes long, and while I thought it was fairly dry, the kids were upset when it ended. So I guess they got something out of it. They also added to their notes, as I mentioned.
Friday: OK, we didn't do this stuff, but what I had planned to do was to take some of M1's arrows and try to use them as small throwing spears to see how difficult it was to hit a target. I also wanted to hunt down some videos or web sites about how archaeologists know where to dig for sites relating to prehistory. I still might do these at some point.
Next week: The Ancient Americas - Mesoamerica and the Olmecs
Week 4 Topic: Ancient Americas - Folsom, Clovis, Anasazi, Hopewells
Monday: Reading and notes, as usual, from the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 124-129) and the Usborne World History Encyclopedia (pp. 176-177).
Tuesday: I let the kids read their books for their papers and take notes. They also did this on Thursday, and they're pretty close to being done with note-taking, at least from the library books. Both kids also have a bunch of questions that the books didn't answer that they want to research on the Internet. That'll probably show up on the schedule in the next week or two. After they got done taking a few notes, we watched some movies. The PBS videos that weren't working a couple of weeks ago actually are available now, and we watched probably five or six of the clips, and the kids want to sit down and watch some of the full episodes another day.
Wednesday: Definitions (adobe, atlatl, culture, and population) and critical thinking questions for M1: "Would you prefer to live in an adobe home or an Inuit igloo?" (He prefers a warm climate to a cold one.) and "What do you think it was like to hunt mammoth and other megafauna?" (The videos we'd watched on Tuesday colored his answer significantly.)
Thursday: This was our final day of work for this week. I'd checked out a video on the mound builder cultures from the library, and we watched it. It was about 30 minutes long, and while I thought it was fairly dry, the kids were upset when it ended. So I guess they got something out of it. They also added to their notes, as I mentioned.
Friday: OK, we didn't do this stuff, but what I had planned to do was to take some of M1's arrows and try to use them as small throwing spears to see how difficult it was to hit a target. I also wanted to hunt down some videos or web sites about how archaeologists know where to dig for sites relating to prehistory. I still might do these at some point.
Next week: The Ancient Americas - Mesoamerica and the Olmecs
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Oh, the Flexibility
(This is one of those days where I feel invisible.)
(You should probably ignore everything I say here.)
(Assuming you even see it.)
(Self-pitying moment over. Carry on.)
One of the things that homeschoolers always brag about when we're touting our family's educational choice is flexibility. We take breaks at random times throughout the year. We go to the zoo or the park on those glorious fall and spring days and silently gloat that our kids aren't stuck behind desks (like most of us were when we were young...). We reevaluate our curriculum choices and project ideas on a regular basis, throwing out the stuff that no longer works and changing things up as needed.
Most noticeably, we plan events for the middle of the week.
M2 and one of her friends haven't seen much of one another over this summer. We've been busy, they've been crazy-busy and out of town a lot, and it just hasn't happened. So last Friday when we finally decided it was the day to do or die and I crashed her house in the early afternoon hours, we weren't entirely surprised when the girls came down to lobby for a sleepover that evening. Unfortunately, M2's friend had forgotten that her family's Saturday plans included a trip to her grandparents' house sometime in the morning, but the mom and I put our calendars together and determined that this Thursday would be a good day to let the girls have a sleepover.
Yes, Thursday. Yes, that is a 'school night.' And when M1 heard that M2 wasn't going to be home due to a sleepover, he instantly asked if he could have a couple of friends spend the night. To which I said, why not?? Before long, the public schools will be back in session and sleepovers will largely fall by the wayside... they will definitely be available only on weekends. There's not a chance in Hades that I could have gotten away with a sleepover on a school night before I was 17 and had a really bad case of Senioritis. But this is why I have them home, yes?
However, I know that neither child is going to be functional on Friday. So I asked them what they wanted to do about Friday's school work - sprinkle it throughout this week, do it Saturday, or just ignore it altogether? I only asked because I know they like doing their Friday history projects and both have been excited about the writing work we've been doing. I honestly figured they would tell me to skip it all without a second thought. It amused me when they opted to redistribute the work so they could still do their projects and logic workbooks... and math. Who knew math was appealing? But it's cool. I'm willing to work extra things in if that's what they so desire.
After all, I'm flexible.
(You should probably ignore everything I say here.)
(Assuming you even see it.)
(Self-pitying moment over. Carry on.)
One of the things that homeschoolers always brag about when we're touting our family's educational choice is flexibility. We take breaks at random times throughout the year. We go to the zoo or the park on those glorious fall and spring days and silently gloat that our kids aren't stuck behind desks (like most of us were when we were young...). We reevaluate our curriculum choices and project ideas on a regular basis, throwing out the stuff that no longer works and changing things up as needed.
Most noticeably, we plan events for the middle of the week.
M2 and one of her friends haven't seen much of one another over this summer. We've been busy, they've been crazy-busy and out of town a lot, and it just hasn't happened. So last Friday when we finally decided it was the day to do or die and I crashed her house in the early afternoon hours, we weren't entirely surprised when the girls came down to lobby for a sleepover that evening. Unfortunately, M2's friend had forgotten that her family's Saturday plans included a trip to her grandparents' house sometime in the morning, but the mom and I put our calendars together and determined that this Thursday would be a good day to let the girls have a sleepover.
Yes, Thursday. Yes, that is a 'school night.' And when M1 heard that M2 wasn't going to be home due to a sleepover, he instantly asked if he could have a couple of friends spend the night. To which I said, why not?? Before long, the public schools will be back in session and sleepovers will largely fall by the wayside... they will definitely be available only on weekends. There's not a chance in Hades that I could have gotten away with a sleepover on a school night before I was 17 and had a really bad case of Senioritis. But this is why I have them home, yes?
However, I know that neither child is going to be functional on Friday. So I asked them what they wanted to do about Friday's school work - sprinkle it throughout this week, do it Saturday, or just ignore it altogether? I only asked because I know they like doing their Friday history projects and both have been excited about the writing work we've been doing. I honestly figured they would tell me to skip it all without a second thought. It amused me when they opted to redistribute the work so they could still do their projects and logic workbooks... and math. Who knew math was appealing? But it's cool. I'm willing to work extra things in if that's what they so desire.
After all, I'm flexible.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Homemade History, Week 3
I didn't have any pictures to share this week, for which I apologize. There just wasn't anything particularly camera-worthy to share, but the kids learned a lot!
Week 3 Topic: Aborigines and Pacific Islanders
Monday: Reading and notes from the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 138-144) or the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. 88-89). The kids both desperately want to find and try breadfruit.
Tuesday: We poked around on the Internet and read several myths from Australia and Polynesia. The kids love listening to different myths, and they always like it when they just get to lay on the floor and listen.
Wednesday: We looked up words (aborigine, sacred, migrate, and domesticate), and the kids each wrote a short story - sort of a free-written paragraph - where they imagined themselves as Polynesian explorers. M1 included monkey as well as fish and plants in his imaginary diet, and M2 focused quite a bit on family structure. They both played off one another to develop ideas, which I liked, and I answered questions when I could.
Thursday: We took the day to let the kids read books about their selected writing topics and write a few notes.
Friday: Project day was low-key as well. We ate sweet potato chips, looked up Southern hemisphere constellations, and watched a few videos about how the Polynesians used wave patterns and stars to navigate extremely long distances across the ocean. M1 contemplated doing some mystery pages about Easter Island, but we decided to call it a day instead. We were headed to a friend's house, and the kids were eager to get on the way. Fine by me.
Next week: The Ancient Americas
Week 3 Topic: Aborigines and Pacific Islanders
Monday: Reading and notes from the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 138-144) or the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. 88-89). The kids both desperately want to find and try breadfruit.
Tuesday: We poked around on the Internet and read several myths from Australia and Polynesia. The kids love listening to different myths, and they always like it when they just get to lay on the floor and listen.
Wednesday: We looked up words (aborigine, sacred, migrate, and domesticate), and the kids each wrote a short story - sort of a free-written paragraph - where they imagined themselves as Polynesian explorers. M1 included monkey as well as fish and plants in his imaginary diet, and M2 focused quite a bit on family structure. They both played off one another to develop ideas, which I liked, and I answered questions when I could.
Thursday: We took the day to let the kids read books about their selected writing topics and write a few notes.
Friday: Project day was low-key as well. We ate sweet potato chips, looked up Southern hemisphere constellations, and watched a few videos about how the Polynesians used wave patterns and stars to navigate extremely long distances across the ocean. M1 contemplated doing some mystery pages about Easter Island, but we decided to call it a day instead. We were headed to a friend's house, and the kids were eager to get on the way. Fine by me.
Next week: The Ancient Americas
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Homemade History - Week 2
Last week we discussed prehistory; this week we moved forward a little bit. Enjoy!
Week 2 Topics: Nomads; The First Farmers
Monday: Reading and notes. This week's reading suggestions were from Story of the World (chapter 1 - M2 particularly enjoyed this, as it was new to her), Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 14-19), and Usborne World History (pp. 84-108).
Tuesday: M1 had a little more reading that he wanted to finish, so he did that, and then the kids and I discussed topics for the mini-reports they're going to do. M1 is going to write a short (perhaps four- or five-paragraph) report; M2 is only required to write one paragraph. They got to pick their topic - anything ancient history was fair game. M1 selected the Olmecs, and M2 wanted to learn about Egyptian clothes, jewelry, and home decor. We'll work on these projects a little each week for the next few weeks and finish them up in week 8. In week 10 they'll pick a new topic. We'll wind up doing four 'reports' total by the end of the year.
Wednesday: Video day! We started with History Pockets and went over topics that civilizations share (specialization of labor, religion, arts/entertainment, a system of government, etc.) and what the basic needs of a human are (food, water, shelter, and possibly clothing... M1 also made sure we knew air was essential). Then we watched a few videos. We started with Making Stone Age Weapons and Irrigation in Egypt before visiting National Geographic and watching a video about some ancient springs in Texas. I really wanted the kids to watch a PBS video about an atlatl, but I couldn't get it to work and haven't heard back from them yet about whether this issue is going to be resolved or not (maybe a little more pestering couldn't hurt?), so we bounced over to Youtube and watched an atlatl video there instead. Finally, we wound up watching a few more videos on Youtube by searching for "ancient homes." I think M2 might use at one of them as a reference in her report.
Thursday: Again, we used History Pockets. The kids wrote down definitions for the words civilization, ancient, and history and outlined the basic human needs that we covered on Wednesday. Then M1 answered the question, "Why were ancient cities usually built near large bodies of water?" His first answer about drinking water didn't hold water when I reminded him that many of them were beside an ocean, so he actually had to think about the rest of his answer, which was the point. Score one for Mama on critical thinking.
Friday: Project day! I don't have any photos of M2 this time, because she elected to play the Iron Age Life game from the BBC For Kids history site. She liked it so well that she actually played it twice.
M1 asked if he could make his own pottery. I had purchased some terra-cotta air-drying clay, and he requested to use that to make his pottery more 'authentic.' (For the record, he does know that clay normally gets fired in a kiln. Nobody that's related to my dad - or me, if I'm honest - could grow up not knowing that.)
He made a lovely little pot and a lid to match. He's very excited about his creation and is eager for it to finish drying.
Then, then we all went to the kitchen...
... for a little lesson on grains.
First we went through the pantry and found as many different grains as possible and discussed where in the world each grain originated.
The kids were surprised how many different grains... and legumes... and regions of the world... we had represented in our kitchen alone.
After we demonstrated our grain-fed diversity, we cooked a few of the grains - particularly the couscous and quinoa I'd picked up especially for the project - and tasted them. For fun, I also cooked up the barley and the popcorn, and I'd already roasted and seasoned the chickpeas the previous evening. The kids liked everything, but our Western palates craved more flavor. I wound up adding a touch of kosher salt to everything except the chickpeas.
Next week: Aborigines and Pacific Islanders
Week 2 Topics: Nomads; The First Farmers
Monday: Reading and notes. This week's reading suggestions were from Story of the World (chapter 1 - M2 particularly enjoyed this, as it was new to her), Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 14-19), and Usborne World History (pp. 84-108).
Tuesday: M1 had a little more reading that he wanted to finish, so he did that, and then the kids and I discussed topics for the mini-reports they're going to do. M1 is going to write a short (perhaps four- or five-paragraph) report; M2 is only required to write one paragraph. They got to pick their topic - anything ancient history was fair game. M1 selected the Olmecs, and M2 wanted to learn about Egyptian clothes, jewelry, and home decor. We'll work on these projects a little each week for the next few weeks and finish them up in week 8. In week 10 they'll pick a new topic. We'll wind up doing four 'reports' total by the end of the year.
Wednesday: Video day! We started with History Pockets and went over topics that civilizations share (specialization of labor, religion, arts/entertainment, a system of government, etc.) and what the basic needs of a human are (food, water, shelter, and possibly clothing... M1 also made sure we knew air was essential). Then we watched a few videos. We started with Making Stone Age Weapons and Irrigation in Egypt before visiting National Geographic and watching a video about some ancient springs in Texas. I really wanted the kids to watch a PBS video about an atlatl, but I couldn't get it to work and haven't heard back from them yet about whether this issue is going to be resolved or not (maybe a little more pestering couldn't hurt?), so we bounced over to Youtube and watched an atlatl video there instead. Finally, we wound up watching a few more videos on Youtube by searching for "ancient homes." I think M2 might use at one of them as a reference in her report.
Thursday: Again, we used History Pockets. The kids wrote down definitions for the words civilization, ancient, and history and outlined the basic human needs that we covered on Wednesday. Then M1 answered the question, "Why were ancient cities usually built near large bodies of water?" His first answer about drinking water didn't hold water when I reminded him that many of them were beside an ocean, so he actually had to think about the rest of his answer, which was the point. Score one for Mama on critical thinking.
Friday: Project day! I don't have any photos of M2 this time, because she elected to play the Iron Age Life game from the BBC For Kids history site. She liked it so well that she actually played it twice.
M1 asked if he could make his own pottery. I had purchased some terra-cotta air-drying clay, and he requested to use that to make his pottery more 'authentic.' (For the record, he does know that clay normally gets fired in a kiln. Nobody that's related to my dad - or me, if I'm honest - could grow up not knowing that.)
He made a lovely little pot and a lid to match. He's very excited about his creation and is eager for it to finish drying.
Then, then we all went to the kitchen...
 |
| Steel-cut oats |
 |
| Flax cereal and wheat grown from birdseed that fell in our garden area this spring |
 |
| Cornmeal and buckwheat flour |
 |
| Clockwise from top left: white rice, roasted and seasoned chickpeas, navy beans, popcorn, couscous, quinoa, barley; Center: red lentils |
Next week: Aborigines and Pacific Islanders
Friday, July 19, 2013
Homemade History - Week 1
Because I'm excited about our homemade history program this year, I really want to share it with you. I've gotten feedback from my kids, and they're happy with it so far. To be fair, we're only one week in, but I hope it's a plan that will stick.
Week 1 Topic: Prehistory
Monday and Tuesday: Reading and notes. I pulled readings from the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 6-13), Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. viii-7), and Usborne World History (pp. 10-82). I also requested a couple of library books. I did not require the kids to read all of this (most of the time we will have far fewer reading options with far fewer pages, but I started off with a big chunk o' history, so there were a lot of choices). We spent these days discussing interesting tidbits from the books that the kids did read. I wanted to give them a wide range of reading choices so they didn't feel stuck with something they considered drudgery. M1 really liked the Usborne book; M2 preferred the library books that we picked up on Wednesday. Perfect.
Tuesday: After we finished our reading and discussion, we looked at the world map from Map Trek and labeled continents, oceans, and a few other notable landforms and bodies of water.
Wednesday: We picked up our library books on Wednesday. We also took a look into History Pockets: Ancient Civilizations - we briefly discussed the progression of ancient civilizations that we'll study this year and compared the length of each empire/dynasty to time in general, specifically prehistory and the millions and millions of years before humankind even walked the earth. We visited ChronoZoom and National Geographic and watched several videos about dinosaurs, pre-human earth, etc.
Thursday: The kids defined a few words (archaeology, nomad, artifact, evolution), and M1 also answered the question, "Why should we study history?" We also talked about what each child wanted to learn in history this year. I loved their answers. Technology Boy Loves Technology. Now I know even more how to cater to him. M2 is easy - she just wants to learn more about mythology!
Friday: Project day! I let the kids pick what sort of project they wanted to do, and true to form, M1 picked a mystery and M2 picked an art project.
M1 read about the Ice Man Otzi, compared hypotheses of his death, and formulated his own theory about how the mummy came to exist on the mountain. Then he read the link above and compared his theory to the facts known today. (He was really proud that he deduced that the cause of death was the arrow.)
M2 wanted to do cave art, a la Cueva de los Manos.
I wanted her to add more color/handprints, but she was simply appalled at how dirty/painted her hands got just doing this much. So we stopped. I think it would be fun to add other hands to the piece and see if we can really get it going, but we'll see. It's her project, and if she's happy, I'm happy.
First week of school is over and done. What a ride! Now M1 and Oz are off on a weekend jaunt to tour a couple of caves, and the girl and I are going to get some boy-free time. Hope everyone stays cool and has a lovely weekend!
Week 1 Topic: Prehistory
Monday and Tuesday: Reading and notes. I pulled readings from the Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World (pp. 6-13), Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (pp. viii-7), and Usborne World History (pp. 10-82). I also requested a couple of library books. I did not require the kids to read all of this (most of the time we will have far fewer reading options with far fewer pages, but I started off with a big chunk o' history, so there were a lot of choices). We spent these days discussing interesting tidbits from the books that the kids did read. I wanted to give them a wide range of reading choices so they didn't feel stuck with something they considered drudgery. M1 really liked the Usborne book; M2 preferred the library books that we picked up on Wednesday. Perfect.
Tuesday: After we finished our reading and discussion, we looked at the world map from Map Trek and labeled continents, oceans, and a few other notable landforms and bodies of water.
Wednesday: We picked up our library books on Wednesday. We also took a look into History Pockets: Ancient Civilizations - we briefly discussed the progression of ancient civilizations that we'll study this year and compared the length of each empire/dynasty to time in general, specifically prehistory and the millions and millions of years before humankind even walked the earth. We visited ChronoZoom and National Geographic and watched several videos about dinosaurs, pre-human earth, etc.
Thursday: The kids defined a few words (archaeology, nomad, artifact, evolution), and M1 also answered the question, "Why should we study history?" We also talked about what each child wanted to learn in history this year. I loved their answers. Technology Boy Loves Technology. Now I know even more how to cater to him. M2 is easy - she just wants to learn more about mythology!
Friday: Project day! I let the kids pick what sort of project they wanted to do, and true to form, M1 picked a mystery and M2 picked an art project.
M1 read about the Ice Man Otzi, compared hypotheses of his death, and formulated his own theory about how the mummy came to exist on the mountain. Then he read the link above and compared his theory to the facts known today. (He was really proud that he deduced that the cause of death was the arrow.)
M2 wanted to do cave art, a la Cueva de los Manos.
I wanted her to add more color/handprints, but she was simply appalled at how dirty/painted her hands got just doing this much. So we stopped. I think it would be fun to add other hands to the piece and see if we can really get it going, but we'll see. It's her project, and if she's happy, I'm happy.
First week of school is over and done. What a ride! Now M1 and Oz are off on a weekend jaunt to tour a couple of caves, and the girl and I are going to get some boy-free time. Hope everyone stays cool and has a lovely weekend!
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