Homeschool Chat

[wvdislover]

Can anyone here recommend a science curriculum for a child who is supposed to be starting in 5th grade but can only read at a 3rd grade level? I need something that is hands on (but not overboard) and I am willing to read the text. I am considering Alpha Omegas Life Pack or Sonlight. Anyone use these?

Look at the Apologia elementary science curricula. There are a few to choose from...astronomy, botany, flying creatures, land creatures, and sea creatures. A couple of these also have activity notebooks that go with them that look really cool. I almost did this with my DD12 for 7th grade b/c of these, but decided to try General Science with her this year. If it's too advanced for her (she's a bit behind academically, too), we'll go back and hit one of these elementary books.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

My dd just turned 10 and will doing 4th grade work this year. She HATES to write. I have her reading a lot more now since PS got out and she's even enjoying it But writing, forget it.

Can anyone recommend anything in particular? I want her to somewhat like writing. Even if she never truly enjoys it, I would like her to at least like it, because you can't really do something well if you despise it. I always despised math in middle school and I always struggled with it, until I got to high school and I had an awesome math teacher and really did well.

So, i'm thinking there must be a way out there to get her to semi-enjoy writing.

Thanks so much!

I'd suggest letting her do a lot of fun writing -- can you start a blog together? (You can keep it private so the wackadoos online can't see if that's a concern.) We also love the books "Unjournaling" and "Yoga for the Brain" (I think that's the second title...have to check). They're just fun writing exercises that kids really like because sometimes they're goofy or silly. Or, if you want something more structured, my guys (11 and 9) like "Hot Fudge Monday" -- we read a book aloud (right now it's "Rascal") and I'll point out a great use of verbs, nouns, adjectives, literary device, whatever. Then we'll find a page in "HFM" that lets the kids work on that element themselves, writing creatively.

Disclaimer: I'm a writer by profession, so I'm a total "writing is fun!" geek anyway. But my youngest is a reluctant writer, and what I've mentioned above does get him fired up about it. Good luck!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Polkadotsuitcase~ Love your name and your avatar!!! Too cute!!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Thanks, Disney Mommy 3!

 

[littlepeppers]

Thanks, Disney Mommy 3!

How is camping & HS? We went look at campers today. My DH works 7&7, so we could take off for 5+ days easily at a time.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

How is camping & HS? We went look at campers today. My DH works 7&7, so we could take off for 5+ days easily at a time.

Do you mean HSing while camping? Depending on the length of the trip, you can either do unschooling (if it's a short trip) or just bring your stuff along, do math/lang arts as usual and tailor science/history to wherever you happen to be (ocean/earth science for the beach, for example).

For us, the key is to get the core stuff done early, so we know it's done and we're more able to follow rabbit trails, wherever our interests lead us, without guilt -- the temptation to just go play is pretty strong! You'll have a blast.

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Totally off topic but... I am so excited I ran my first 5K today. It was my goal since I turned 40 in January. Woo Hoo! Fat, Forty, and with my monthly friend- 38.30 minutes.Can't wait to see what my time will be when I finally get under 200

My husband wanted to hang with me for our first 5k together. He is so sweet.

The kids did the one mile fun run and had a great time. DS came in first! Good cause and family fitness!

Hope everyone has a happy, healthy week!

 

[MomTo4+more]

Good job on the 5K!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Totally off topic but... I am so excited I ran my first 5K today. It was my goal since I turned 40 in January. Woo Hoo! Fat, Forty, and with my monthly friend- 38.30 minutes.Can't wait to see what my time will be when I finally get under 200

My husband wanted to hang with me for our first 5k together. He is so sweet.

The kids did the one mile fun run and had a great time. DS came in first! Good cause and family fitness!

Hope everyone has a happy, healthy week!

That is soooo awesome!! And you have your whole family involved..way to go! I am proud of you!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hello--we are homeschooling as well (popped up on the original thread every now and then).

We are catholic and use the Mother of Divine grace syllabus sold through Emmanual books. I sub out the math and attempt to supplement as I can.


I am attending a catholic homeschool conference in Tampa next weekend. Nice to get some spiritual support for once as that is lacking in my area. Finally met a homeschooling catholic friend and we are going over there together.


gerber daisy--I am nowhere near 200 when I last attempted 5K (a bit closer now!!! lol!) and I could NOT break 40 minutes. I don't recall my time, but I know well enough that your time is...AWESOME!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

Thank you... It was fun to do as a family. We are all excited to do another. My husband will get to go at his pace next time but he really wanted to stick with me this one. If anyone has the opportunity to do it...I say get everyone involved.

We try to do family walk/sprints a few mornings a week when my DH gets home from night shift. One morning when we got home my DS (who loves any activity) said, "Mommy, you are not doing this for fun, you are doing it for Disney." LOL My kids know that I use planning Disney trips as my motivation to exercise and eat healthy! (I think that that is why my DH agreed to another trip in January-LOL)

We are going to log on and do the Presidental Fitness Award.

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

We have started are Epcot unit.
We started with Mexico.
I purchased the Epcot book on CD from vacationeducation. We can read the information about the country at Epcot on the computer.

Then we use Google Earth which is amazing. You "fly" to Epcot with close-up bird's-eye photo. Then you can click on photos that users have uploaded of park. Then we can "fly" to the country we are learning about, see real photos, if you have not downloaded Google Earth- it is AMAZING!

We check out books from the library about the country.

I got a year subscription to edhelper.com. It was only 19.95 for the year. It is an awesome resource (it has an amazing range of activities). I can print out math problems, maps, language skills, spelling, reading, puzzles, etc. related to our country on each childs level.

They are very excited. I let them pick our nex country. We are going to Japan next.

 

[NHWX]

We just finished a road trip to Yellowstone.

So we had American History (Lewis and Clark stops along the highway plus all the history at Yellowstone), Earth Science (geysers, springs, uplift rates, the super volcano, Wyoming's great road signs about the age of the mountains along the road to Cody), art (photography, paintings and sculpture at the lodges and ranger stations) and plenty of self-assigned reading as we drove there and back.

We also stopped at the Minuteman National Historic Site and Mt. Rushmore. Both of those went towards history.

The Badlands and Wind Cave National Park were more Earth Science.

We even did a little writing, sending scrambled puzzle postcards to family members. The boys sent a couple pieces each in separate envelopes.

My oldest also listened to some free lectures from iTunesU on his ipod, though he only did that with substantial prodding.

Oh, and gobs of PE with all the hiking.

I'd definitely say that you could work camping and homeschooling together.

NHWX

 

[jillybeene71]

Im very interested in homeschooling my 8 year old (3rd grade). If there are any Louisiana homeschooling moms out there that can point me into the right direction of where to start, I would appreciate it.
tia

 

[Mommy2three]

is anyone using a virtual charter school this year? I signed the kids up during the open enrollment for wisconsin and will be using wisconsin virtual learning and doing the k12 cirriculum.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I'm excited about the camping talk. I love to camp as well, and we have a campground not too far from where we live and we are thinking about buying an RV and placing on this campground seasonally!!!! We are very excited and I figured that homeschooling would be quite easy and very FUN to do while we are there instead of at home.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

We had a camper when my second one was just a baby..we really enjoyed it. We sold it because my hubby was not going to be able to take 3day weekends for a while and it was just too much $$$ a month and insurance to not use it. We have talked about renting one (that you drive, not pull) and going up to Tennessee or somewhere for a summer trip...They are soooo cozy and it's such good family time!

 

[littlepeppers]

Im very interested in homeschooling my 8 year old (3rd grade). If there are any Louisiana homeschooling moms out there that can point me into the right direction of where to start, I would appreciate it.
tia

got to the dept of ed website. look under parents
there is a homeschool section

you have a choice: establish yourself as a private school & they leave you alone or you can do a home study w/ a little reporting each year. w/ the home study your child can still take part in LEAP & TOPS. The only reporting necessary is a standardized test or a letter from a certified teacher stating that they have met the GLEs for the grade level.

You need to decide soon. You have to file an application. You only have 15 days after school starte. Our 2 local parishes start Aug 7th & 8th.

 

[littlepeppers]

We had a camper when my second one was just a baby..we really enjoyed it. We sold it because my hubby was not going to be able to take 3day weekends for a while and it was just too much $$$ a month and insurance to not use it. We have talked about renting one (that you drive, not pull) and going up to Tennessee or somewhere for a summer trip...They are soooo cozy and it's such good family time!

I'm a princess. I can't help of think of just how many really nice resort, hotel, touring..... vacations we can go on for just the price of the camper & insurance.

I know the kids would like it, but I'm not so sure that it is my thing.

I mean.....IT WOULD USE UP MY DISNEY $ EVERY YEAR. Can I let that happen?

 

[littlepeppers]

I'm excited about the camping talk. I love to camp as well, and we have a campground not too far from where we live and we are thinking about buying an RV and placing on this campground seasonally!!!! We are very excited and I figured that homeschooling would be quite easy and very FUN to do while we are there instead of at home.

DH really wants one. He said that they even have internet at most parks. We would need it for HS. We don't have many places very close. I worry about my trucks getting some years on them too.

I bet it would work great w/ HS. It would be a freeing environment. It is so hot right now that our lessons are in DS room. I want to break free of the traditional setting, go outside, in the pool, on fieldtrips.......