Sunday, January 2, 2011
Science COOP Final Project
So I can't remember if I said anything about before but we have been involved in a homeschool COOP this fall. Its just 3 families and we are just getting started. We decided to come together for field trips, park days, and on Fridays we have Science and Art Class at our library branches( real cost cutter)
I have been teaching the Science Class. It has been very rewarding. Our range is from Preschool thru 3rd grade right now so I don't feel uncomfortable teaching at this level. Since we meet once a week for science I do the labwork when we meet and give them extension work to take home to do the other day they do science at home with mom. I have been following a Classical outline for science. Since its our 1st session we started with Life Science. Next year we will move into Earth Science and Astronomy,then chemistry, and finally Physics. Although for the Grammar Stage(elementary grades) I think I will combine Chemistry and Physics into the same year. So we should have 3 cycles to run through. I can post the outline I have been using for science. We have mostly been using lessons from Lesson Pathway's website for 1st and 2nd grade science and just linning it up with our schedule. Its been great to have access to so many free resources cause it reduces the cost on the families who participate.
Thats the thing about a COOP they can be as expensive or as costly as the participants want it to be and depending on there needs. Our needs right now are low cost quality activities.
Well we had a final project due right before we breaked for the holidays. I have some wonderful pics of my children presenting there Habitat/ Biomes. My daughter had Savannah and my son had Desserts.
I have been teaching the Science Class. It has been very rewarding. Our range is from Preschool thru 3rd grade right now so I don't feel uncomfortable teaching at this level. Since we meet once a week for science I do the labwork when we meet and give them extension work to take home to do the other day they do science at home with mom. I have been following a Classical outline for science. Since its our 1st session we started with Life Science. Next year we will move into Earth Science and Astronomy,then chemistry, and finally Physics. Although for the Grammar Stage(elementary grades) I think I will combine Chemistry and Physics into the same year. So we should have 3 cycles to run through. I can post the outline I have been using for science. We have mostly been using lessons from Lesson Pathway's website for 1st and 2nd grade science and just linning it up with our schedule. Its been great to have access to so many free resources cause it reduces the cost on the families who participate.
Thats the thing about a COOP they can be as expensive or as costly as the participants want it to be and depending on there needs. Our needs right now are low cost quality activities.
Well we had a final project due right before we breaked for the holidays. I have some wonderful pics of my children presenting there Habitat/ Biomes. My daughter had Savannah and my son had Desserts.
Happy New Year!
So here we are blessed to be present for another beautiful year. I know I haven't been posting a lot in the last few months and that is due to some suprises I want to share with you.
We are Expecting our 4th Child sometime this July.Yeah!!! I am not that far along yet hence why I have been too sick to blog. I have actually been to sick to do much of anything but sleep. But hey hopefully with the pass of the next trimester things will be looking up. I have a video I did talking about what its like for me Homeschooling While Pregnant. Take a look at it below.
Hopefully I will get back into the groove of posting blogs again.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
New Homeschool Room!!
So we just moved from an apartment to a nice townhouse with upstairs downstairs. Yeah, I am so excited!! We have a little more space and we have a garage and deck on the back which we didn't have at our last place so I really have been enjoying homeschooling in our new space. But we still don't have an extra bedroom or family room or basement to dedicate to homeschool but we have made a great use of the dinning room space. I just wanted to share some pics with you of how I set things up. This year each child has there own bookshelf with school related books and a bin for there library pics. They oldest two also have a plastic drawer tote for extra notebooks and art supplies and paper. My toddler has her own shelf as well with her board books and some montessori friendly items on her shelf so she feels included in on the schooling as well. Makes for an easier day when toddlers have something to do as well. So here they are. Tell me what you think?
My 2nd Graders Shelf
My Kindergarteners Shelf
Toddlers Shelf
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
More Reason to Be Glad We Homeschool
I found this article this morining on the front page of yahoo and was shocked at the way these teachers think. I mean I can't blame them for some of the opinions. I mean they are underpaid and they do have to deal with parenting issues as well as academics. But the tone of the article just seems as if they are trying to blame the parents for there unhappiness with there career choice. I am just greatful I have been blessed with the opportunity to raise and educate my children myself and not try and co-parents with the public school system. Keep in mind this is just one mothers opinion. Take a look at the article:
13 Things Your Child's Teacher Won't Tell You.
user
by Reader's Digest Magazine, on Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:19am PDT33 CommentsPost a CommentRead More from This Author »Report Abuse..Interviews by Neena Samuel
A look inside a teacher's mind could help you understand lesson plans and maybe even guide your child to perform better.
1. If we teach small children, don’t tell us that our jobs are “so cute” and that you wish you could glue and color all day long.
2. I’m not a marriage counselor. At parent-teacher conferences, let’s stick to Dakota’s progress, not how your husband won’t help you around the house.
3. We’re sick of standardized testing and having to “teach to the test.”
4. Kids used to go out and play after school and resolve problems on their own. Now, with computers and TV, they lack the skills to communicate. They don’t know how to get past hurt feelings without telling the teacher and having her fix it.
5. When I hear a loud belch, I remember that a student’s manners are a reflection of his parents’.
6. Your child may be the center of your universe, but I have to share mine with 25 others.
7. Please help us by turning off the texting feature on your child’s phone during school hours.
8. Guys who dribble a ball for a couple of hours a game can make up to $20 million a year. We educate future leaders and make about $51,000 a year.
9. We take on the role of mother, father, psychologist, friend, and adviser every day. Plus, we’re watching for learning disabilities, issues at home, peer pressure, drug abuse, and bullying.
PLUS: 18 Questions Parents Should Ask About Campus Safety
10. Kids dish on your secrets all the time—money, religion, politics, even Dad’s vasectomy.
11. Please, no more mugs, frames, or stuffed animals. A gift card to Starbucks or Staples would be more than enough. A thank-you note: even better.
12. We love snow days and three-day weekends as much as your kid does.
13. The students we remember are happy, respectful, and good-hearted, not necessarily the ones with the highest grades.
There is more on this article HERE
13 Things Your Child's Teacher Won't Tell You.
user
by Reader's Digest Magazine, on Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:19am PDT33 CommentsPost a CommentRead More from This Author »Report Abuse..Interviews by Neena Samuel
A look inside a teacher's mind could help you understand lesson plans and maybe even guide your child to perform better.
1. If we teach small children, don’t tell us that our jobs are “so cute” and that you wish you could glue and color all day long.
2. I’m not a marriage counselor. At parent-teacher conferences, let’s stick to Dakota’s progress, not how your husband won’t help you around the house.
3. We’re sick of standardized testing and having to “teach to the test.”
4. Kids used to go out and play after school and resolve problems on their own. Now, with computers and TV, they lack the skills to communicate. They don’t know how to get past hurt feelings without telling the teacher and having her fix it.
5. When I hear a loud belch, I remember that a student’s manners are a reflection of his parents’.
6. Your child may be the center of your universe, but I have to share mine with 25 others.
7. Please help us by turning off the texting feature on your child’s phone during school hours.
8. Guys who dribble a ball for a couple of hours a game can make up to $20 million a year. We educate future leaders and make about $51,000 a year.
9. We take on the role of mother, father, psychologist, friend, and adviser every day. Plus, we’re watching for learning disabilities, issues at home, peer pressure, drug abuse, and bullying.
PLUS: 18 Questions Parents Should Ask About Campus Safety
10. Kids dish on your secrets all the time—money, religion, politics, even Dad’s vasectomy.
11. Please, no more mugs, frames, or stuffed animals. A gift card to Starbucks or Staples would be more than enough. A thank-you note: even better.
12. We love snow days and three-day weekends as much as your kid does.
13. The students we remember are happy, respectful, and good-hearted, not necessarily the ones with the highest grades.
There is more on this article HERE
Sunday, September 5, 2010
FREEBIE!!! Smithsonian Magazine Free Museum Day September 25th
Last year I came across this free pass on the Smithsonian Magazine website. It seems to always fall on a Saturday. I really had a blast visiting one of our local museums that pretty high admission. I normally wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to check it out. The passes can be used at any of the participating museums nationwide so just search your state to see whats available. Here is the Link
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
FREEBIE!! LEGO Club Jr. School Edition Magazine (First Grade)
LEGO® Education and LEGO Club are proud to offer exclusive LEGO Club Jr. School Edition Magazines and LEGO Education Teacher's Guides to first-grade educators this fall!
These special publications continue the LEGO philosophy of providing children with products that promote imagination, pique curiosity, and enhance learning. Both focus on fire safety and provide important information on what these young learners should know in case of an emergency.
The LEGO Club Jr. School Edition Magazine is designed specifically for first graders. The edition includes exciting puzzles, comics, and games with a fire safety theme. These activities focus on basic reading, math, and critical-reasoning skills.
The LEGO Club Jr. School Edition Magazine combines the thrill of LEGO building with content that will help your students learn important safety tips - and best of all, it's FREE!
In addition, a custom LEGO Education Teacher's Guide will be sent with each magazine order. The guides are filled with hands-on activities, classroom tidbits, and articles about how you can create a LEGO SmartTM classroom for your students!
To recieve complimentary copies of the LEGO Club Jr. School Edition Magazine and Teacher's Guide, simply complete our online request form located at Lego Education.
For additional information or to inquire about other LEGO Education promotions, contact Debra at dsmith@LEGOeducation.us.
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