Homeschooler Savvy

Reading My Kids' Books: Caesar's Gallic War by Olivia Coolidge

I loved it!  This book is one of those we are going to read for our study of the Ancients (for history, geography and literature) this year.  Apparently, when Caesar was leading his legions into battle with the Galls (58-51 BC), he wrote down what was going on (Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War).  This is new to me, but what an amazing historical document for historians to have!  This book takes Caesar's writings and retells the stories from the point of view of a young officer in his army and thus is a mix of fiction and facts. It really gives you an appreciation of what it was like to live in those days, from both the Roman and Gallic viewpoint.

 This woman has brought the Gallic wars alive for me. I think young good readers (from about 9 on?) would be able to handle this book.  However, it would probably be more completely understood if I read it to them and we marked a map of Europe where the action was going on. Warning: there are lots of long Roman names that contain -th or end in -us...

Meet Me In Mesopotamia

Another Classical Homeschooler I know, Hayley at mom and kids at home, found the the neatest websites for studying ancient history.

The British Museum has a super site all about Mesopotamia. Learn about early astronomers in Babylon. Explore the ancient palaces of Assyria. Don't know what a Sumerian Ziggurat is? Find out. This website is a fantastic supplemental source for the study of ancient history. Thanks, Hayley!

Oh, and if you're looking for a kid friendly version of the Epic of Gilgamesh (and really, who isn't?), read this post.

I'm off to tango on the Tigres!

Sue

The Classical High Schooler

Aussie Kim recently wrote about the classical approach to education as a homeschooling option. I thought you might like to know a little bit about how this works in our homeschool.

I roughly follow the curriculum outlined in The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, Revised and Updated Editionby Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. (By the way, if you haven't read it yet, please do. Please. For me.) When I first started homeschooling, I wondered around aimlessly without a thought at all about where we were going. I had no homeschooling direction. So, I started reading homeschooling books. I read lots of homeschooling books. This is the book in which I found my direction.

The Classical Education described in The Well-Trained Mind divides the twelve grades into three stages. It just so happens that this year, for one year only, I have a child in each stage. How about that? Since the this whole high school thing is starting to wear me down (just kidding, I love this stuff!), I thought I would start with my oldest and show you what a typical day looks like for us. Being a something of a geek, I have color coded it for you. If you can't read it - click on it and get the full picture.

I know this looks very regimented, and for some of you it may be a little to structured. Believe me, there are days when we chuck it all and go to the zoo. However, for the record, my children have requested the structure. They like the structure. I've tried to be less structured with them, and all I've gotten are complaints. (Their Father's DNA was highly dominant.) I am not by nature a structured creature, but I am a reed - I can bend.

Now, about the schedule...Sal is in what's termed the Rhetoric Stage of his education. During this year, according to the authors, "the student learns to express herself with fluency, grace, elegance, and persuasiveness." (Like, uh, right. Um, what they said.) The focus is on developing the student's ability to express his or herself both verbally or through written work. This is new territory for us. I'll let you know how it goes.

As in earlier stages, reading and history are combined through the study of Great Books (classical literature) in sequential order. In other words, you don't chop history and literature up into segments (such as British Lit., American Lit., American  History),  but rather you study them in order that they occurred or were written. Got it? Therefore, World War II would never be studied before the Crusades, nor would  Thomas Paine's Common Sense be read before The Odyssey. History happened in order, and should be studied likewise.

The study of Koine Greek (biblical Greek) is not necessarily recommended, but hey, free lessons! Enough said.

Korean Cultural Studies won't be found in the book, either. However, Sal will be traveling with my parents to South Korea in the fall, and I didn't think we should waste this opportunity to learn everything we can about the country beforehand. He is also studying Hangul (the Korean alphabet). When he returns from his trip, it's back to studying Japanese.

The rest of the schedule is pretty typical of an American high school education, although the science courses are not taught with typical textbooks, but rather through memorization of important facts and through scientific exploration (i.e. blowing up the kitchen - still kidding!).

What else can I tell you? It's all in the book. Don't be intimidated by the copious amount of information in it. Take in bite size pieces, beginning with your child's level.

Next time, I'll show you my middle schoolers schedule. She's in the Logic Stage.

An eleven-year-old female in the Logic Stage. A mother can hope.

"How High's the Water Mama?"

"Two Feet High and Rising"...........I learnt the words of this song by heart, while working as a jillaroo (farm hand) on my cousin's sheep and cattle property in rural Australia.  Every sunday morning we were woken up by one of his Johnny Cash records played at full volume - so all the livestock of the farm could hear.  I grew to love Cash's music (it was either that or go insane).  One of the songs I learnt was Johnny Cash's song about a flood.

Five Feet High and Rising by John R. Cash
Recorded 3/12/59
Number 14 - Country Chart; Number 76 - Pop Chart

My mama always taught me that good things come from adversity if we put our faith in the Lord.
We couldn't see much good in the flood waters when they
were causing us to have to leave home,
But when the water went down, we found that it had washed a load of rich black bottom dirt across our land. The following year we had the best cotton crop we'd ever had.

I remember hearing:

How high's the water, mama?
Two feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Two feet high and risin'

We can make it to the road in a homemade boat
That's the only thing we got left that'll float
It's already over all the wheat and the oats,
Two feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Three feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Three feet high and risin'

Well, the hives are gone,
I've lost my bees
The chickens are sleepin'
In the willow trees
Cow's in water up past her knees,
Three feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Four feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Four feet high and risin'

Hey, come look through the window pane,
The bus is comin', gonna take us to the train
Looks like we'll be blessed with a little more rain,
4 feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Five feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Five feet high and risin'

Well, the rails are washed out north of town
We gotta head for higher ground
We can't come back till the water comes down,
Five feet high and risin'

Well, it's five feet high and risin'

What's this got to do with homeschooling?  Well, why not show your kids some pictures of America's largest watershed at the moment, get them up to date with current affairs (what's happening in the US now?), give them some geography (Where is the Mississippi?)  and weather lessons about La Nina = more rain; drainage = collection of water down one very large ditch. Science lessons - Why would the cotton grow better the next year?  Give them some historical information (levee was finished when? How was the levee built (wheelbarrows and shovels). How did the levee break in 1927? (it was suggested that someone used dynamite on the Arkansas side of the River, to relieve the pressure on the levee on the Mississippi side).  How can hard times inspire literature and art?  Did the 1927 flood inspire this song? (Johnny Cash was raised on a cotton farm in Arkansas which was flooded several times).  How about taking the lyrics of this song and getting your kids to write a short story based on it?  Art - well, imagine the scenes from the song lyrics!! 

Here is a photo of 6 wild turkeys we saw while driving along the levee on Friday, their normal territory was flooded out (as can be seen), when we came past they could only fly back and sit in the trees.  There are huge numbers of wildlife (especially deer) that will be forced out of their stamping grounds onto farmers lush wheat crops until the water goes back down.  We are hoping the waters go back down quickly!

Aussie Kim

Cultural Education - AUSTRALIA DAY

Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea:
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia fair,
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair.

This photo is courtesy Flicker gadgetgirl - Australia Day 2005, Sydney Harbour.

What's going on here? I burst into song, the Australian National Anthem that is.  OK, the truth, I know the first verse and the first two lines of the second verse and the last two lines.  But I can sure hum the inbetween bits well...Haven't heard it before? Here are some fellows who CAN sing it right..

Saturday (January 26th) was Australia Day, the day we Australians' celebrate the claiming of Australia for Great Britian back in 1788 by Captain James Cook.  Two days later the French sailed into Botany Bay, who knows, but for a couple of storms at sea we could be speaking French!  The Aboriginies were convieniently overlooked when the claim on the land was made, their reference to Australia Day as Invasion Day has meant that the celebrations are now more focused on celebrating Australia as we are now, rather than what happened on this date 220 years ago).

In Australia, this day is a public holiday, except if it falls on a weekend, then we make it a long weekend.  What is the choice activity for Australia Day?  Well, the Prime Minister (equivalent to President) gives a short address and announces the Australian of the Year etc.  Remember we are talking Southern Hemisphere, so for the vast majority of the population think sunshine. That is: beach, pool, barbie (BBQ), and in the Australian tradition, one or many beers.  I was on the banks of Sydney Harbor with a bunch of friends the whole day for the bicentennial celebration - it was an amazing sight I will never forget. There was a fleet of tall ships, some of which had sailed all the way from England.  Anyone who had a boat was on the harbor.  The fireworks seemed to go on forever that evening. That was, OH MY GOSH....20 years ago in 1988.  OK, moving right along, the unofficial Australian Anthem: Waltzing Matilda....with explanations of Australian terms and sung by Rolf Harris (famous Aussie singer/songwriter)....

Here is another of the unofficial anthems of Australia, from a car ad from the 70's.

Football, meatpies, kangaroos and holden cars..............

Happy Australia Day.

History At My House: World War I (prep work)

So you want to teach your little darlings about the First World War. Well, one does not enter into a war lightly or unprepared. A little reconnaissance is needed. Supplies must be gathered. Training must take place. This is war!

How do I prepare myself for war? First, you must understand, this is total war. It's not just history. It's math. It's science. It's literature. It's home economics. It's physical education. Yes, that's right. I said physical education. Ever hear of forced marches? Strap on your kit, and I'll tell you how to prepare yourself for the siege.

When preparing for total war, you have two new best friends: your computer and your librarian. You will need to utilize these tools to their maximum capacity. Yahoo and Google will cry for mercy when you're finished with them.

Start with a general search. I Googled World War I. These are some general, all purpose sites I found...

http://www.worldwar1.com/

http://www.firstworldwar.com/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/

http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/

Their are thousands of other sites, but these will do for now. I spend my leisure hours (between midnight and 2am) going through these sites. I find that the PBS site is a companion site to a video series, "The Great War" and that leads me to the library. I bribe my lovely librarian (chocolate works!) to ensure that the video will be in on time. I love my librarians.

While I am at the library, I search for books and other videos on the First World War. I find some and put holds on others. I ask my librarian for other ideas. She suggests that I search specific subject areas (i.e. science + WW1, literature + WW1, etc.). I kiss her feet and then search as directed. I leave with two bags full, and I return home to my computer and search some more. Here are some of my finds...

Science:

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/nov2003.html

(Work on drugs during WW1 saved countless lives in WW2!)

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,711767,00.html

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195168747

(I didn't buy it, but I requested it from the library. However, it looks like a good one to own!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_during_World_War_I

http://www.ivanhoe.com/science/story/2005/12/79si.html

(Did you know that the earliest chemotherapy drug was produced from mustard gas?!)

Okay, you get the idea. The subjects of my searches were Science + WW1 and Science Innovations + WW1. You could use other searches to find more (medicine + WW1, aeronautics + WW1, etc.). The possibilities are mind boggling.

Now, do the same for other subjects. I searched for WW1 + literature, food, health, geography, time line, politics, languages, maps and I don't remember what else. When I came across a book that looked good, I stocked up on chocolate and headed to the library.

The key to a successful foray into history is preparation, and also an understanding that everything is history. A periodic table of elements didn't just appear in space. Someone discovered an element and made history. L.M. Montgomery didn't just think up Rilla of Ingleside one day after eating too much cheesecake. She lived through the First World War and decided to write a story based on events in history. Reading fictional works set in an historical setting is still learning about history. You don't have to tie yourself to a textbook. History is everything. When preparing to teach history, don't forget that everything is fair game. Connecting the dots between traditional subjects is what makes history fascinating. Names and dates can be important, but they are not the sum total of an event.

You have your marching orders, now hop to it soldier. Total history is upon us and we must prepare. Research is our finest weapon in the battle to make history interesting and fun!

LA Sue

(More on my family's WWI studies coming soon.)

Making your own curriculum on a different country

Want to teach your kids about another country?  After going through a few years of history-geography curriculums with Sonlight, and having looked through a number of plan B curriculums, I am beginning to get the hang of this.  It's not anywhere near as complex as you would initially think.

After you pick the country and time period, then you need to do a bit of background research.  I would suggest skimming through an encyclopaedia (see earlier post on using encyclopaedia's on CD); and an expedition to the library and choosing some really cool picture books.....Hang on, no need for you to expend one bead of sweat on this project.  Pass it directly on to the kids (ok, perhaps you may need to guide them through this part, a function of their age and reading ability!)  Here goes: "What are the most interesting things you can tell me about country Auszebritica*?  (*fictional name!)  Send them off into the wilderness of the library.

So, now you have relinquished yourself of the job of researcher, perhaps all that is left are the deep and meaningful questions you could pose to your children to inspire them to do this research.  Once again, this is something you could delegate to them as well....(eg: What type of questions could I ask which would reveal the most about this country/culture/time period?)

Social Studies questions: "How long has this country been an organized community?  Has it had different types of governments?  Does the population follow a particular religion or a moral code?  Do they have a particular type of art or music style?  Has there been any big population changes (diseases, wars, immigrations)?  Who are these people's heroes?  What is their food like?"  (NOTE: cook some of it - this is a major attraction within our geography lessons!)

Geography, by far the most fun we have had is with Google Earth.  Get them to fly to the country in question.  "Let's have a look here....where are most of the towns?  Does it look like a good infrastructure (roads, rail, airports...)?  Is most of the country jungle, farming or cities?  How long do the rivers look?  Is the land flat or mountainous?  How far (and in what direction) is this country from the equator?"  This last questions indicates it's climate and what season it is now.

The Sonlight curriculum for Core 5, which is about countries in the "East" (a relative term if I've ever seen one!), guides you where to look in the encyclopaedia for answers to workbook like questions.  This is to help reinforce what they have read.  But the best part about their curriculums is that they supply a number of novels (mainly written from the perspective of children, typically Award winning books) which relate to the country-time period being studied.  It is obvious to me that my kids learn WAY more from this than from listening to any dry facts.  If you can do this for a history-geography program you will help it come alive!

One thing we do on a regular basis is look through a book called Material World: A Global Family PortraitMaterial World.  I have found it really helps the kids with a reality check on how lucky they are. 

Aussie Kim

 

Eloquence on Nature

For those of you with older children, and those of you without, I recommend you go to the National Geographic website and read the cover story about Permafrost called Cold Scapes.  If that doesn't make you go outside and kiss the earth I don't know what will.

I think it is wonderfully written and very thought provoking prose.  Why not ask your older kids if they think it is interesting writing, and if so, how did the author make it interesting?  In my opinion, it makes for fascinating reading because the author is obviously writing about something he loves. 

For those of you with younger children, pick out a few key paragraphs to read to them. Be sure to dwell longer on the pictures.  (Sometimes it's a good idea to read the essay first - it makes it easier to answer the questions younger kids always ask). 

"The world is beautiful, in many unfathomable ways. In our hurrying, though, we frequently miss what is beautiful around us, in the same way that we forget from time to time what we want our lives to mean. Just to stay afloat in the modern world, many of us reluctantly choose detachment from the constant stimulus. We even turn away from beauty, as if it were another thing we had had too much of.

Gazing at these images, I think of our habits of detachment. More than any other region of the planet, the Arctic has responded in starkly visible ways to global climate change. It is here, if you will, that a canary is singing faintly in a mine shaft. To make pictures of these places—this is my presumption—I imagine the photographer had to have been thinking about us in some way, about how we are going to fare. The images are not merely beautiful, an exoticness to admire, but an invitation to reattach ourselves to the Earth, specifically to a place that has now grown oddly poignant."

Essay by Barry Lopez	Photographs by Bernhard Edmaier
Once you have read the article, go check out the photographs here. Of course, please try to avoid looking at the IRONICALLY placed advertisements for vehicles, yes I know they are hybrids, but why not advertise a push bike instead? Aussie Kim (LA Sue will now translate for the non-Australians - she means bicycle - I had to ask)

Teaching History and Geography using Sonlight Curriculum

Sonlight Curriculum for History and Geography

Love looking at books?  Love Reading to your kids?  Try this curriculum.

PROs: This curriculum has a wonderful way of teaching history and geography by immersing the children in very exciting and factually accurate novels which correspond with the time or place being studied.  Through reflective questions posed after each chapter (questions and answers are provided by Sonlight), they come to understand better what they have read.  Their comprehension and vocabulary soars.  Each curriculum can be used with multiple grade children (they guide you fairly accuratly). 

My children have become voracious readers, which I attribute to the emphasis on reading great books through the Sonlight Curriculum.  They look forward to snuggling up on the couch or before bedtime for the stories and often beg for us to read just one more chapter. 

Cons: You are supposed to read to your kids, your kids are supposed to read the books allocated for them.  This takes more time than simply handing them a history or georgraphy workbook.  At least somewhere in the vicinity of 30-45 minutes a day of you reading and about 30-45 minutes a day of them reading.  Of course this varies depending on grade and age. 

One problem is that sometimes the books I am reading are so exciting I sneak ahead, which makes it harder when I have to read it over to the kids.  This is a weakness I am working on.  Sometimes the kids get through the story books they are meant to read so fast they get ahead of the rest of the curriculum.

I began using the Sonight Curriculum for History and Geography just after I finished using the Montessori Method to teach my first child to read.  It is a transition which worked for us!

Any other experiences with Sonlight History-Geography?

Don't forget to about using Google Earth and Geography together.

Aussie Kim

If I had another kid to start all over with...

here is what I would use for a child who had just started to read, - in public schools this is traditionally around grade 1.

1. Reading: Sonlight Curriculum books "I Can Read It!" books This is a good place to start if you think your kids need more practice reading three letter words.  It is repetitive and funny for the kids, (read: painful for the parents) and they seem to love it.  Once they are through these books, they are ready for the Pathway Readers.

2. Reading: Pathway readers are by far the best next stage for kids that can read three letter words that I have seen.  (Imagine stories about kids who do not watch TV or play electronic games!) Just work through the books with the kids at THEIR speed. This means not making them sit there for longer than they can manage.  This may also mean in the beginning not doing more than 10 minutes a day - trust your instincts about how far the child WANTS to go.

3. Reading: "Explode the code" books 1,2,3.  These match perfectly with the "I Can Read It" books. One or two pages per day is plenty.

4. Reading/Vocabulary/History/Geography: Listening to good books, it is hard to go past the selection that Sonlight Curriculum provides for Grade 1 books for you to read to your child.  I only had trouble keeping their attention with "The Child's History of the World". At this age I suggest if it doesn't hold their attention, become a dramatic reader or move on to something else.  Geography puzzles are useful (USA and WORLD puzzles).  Geography games are fantastic.  You don't really need a curriculum for this stuff, just lots of great age appropriate books and games.

5. Math: "Singapore Math" If you started them off with Singapore Math for kindergarden or Montessori Math, then they just slide right on into the grade 1 math books.  The pages are still very kid friendly, and word problems are an integral part of the books.  If you didn't start them with Singapore Math, get them to take a placement test and if they can manage it, I would start them on this math curriculum.  I initially supplemented my math with a lot of Montessori Materials - these materials are amazing for simplifying the explanation of any mathematical concepts. We would play with these materials too.  I highly recommend the materials (beads and cards) which help explain the decimal system (counting in 10s). 

6. Science: daily nature walks, or weekly visits to zoos, arboretums and parks.  Introduce nature journaling if possible (keep it fun), collect fallen leaves and insects.  Learn how to press flowers and leaves, and go buy some insect pins and some Styrofoam and learn how to pin insects.  Get some great science books and just browse them.  Sonlight curriculum has some great picture books for this level and the next.  I would buy some of those "Why is the sky blue" type question and answer books, and use it regularly.  Explain the use of binoculars, look at the stars and moon with them.  Schedule a weekly or daily time for this (great for a "break" activity).

7. Art: Unlimited access to paper, pens, crayons and stickers; frequent supervised fun with paint, glitter, glue etc.  ONLY observational comments or reflective statements, eg. "I see you made the moon green!" OR "It looks like you put a lot of work into those clouds!" OR "What do you like the best?".  Don't turn them into praise junkies when it comes to art!  Pencil work helps strengthen their fingers for handwriting skills - the more the better.  CORRECT their pencil holding EARLY, or it will be a lot tougher later.

8. Practical Life Skills - as described by the Montessori Method- includes kid sized broom, mop, bucket, (they LOVE to help at this age, just accept any offers of help - no criticism!); spooning beans, rice (fine motor control, handwriting skills), etc etc. (See the post below for recommended books on this).

This is what worked best for me at that age for the essentials! Try and make sure that school at this age is FUN, relaxing and interesting. Remember you are laying the groundwork for the rest of your communal homeschooling life! 

We would be interested in hearing other "If I could do it over for my new reader or 1st grader".

Aussie Kim