So, What DO You Think?

Anyone out there watch http://www.drivethruhistory.com/ ? We recorded and watched an episode today. I am sick again and was easily distracted, so I am not sure what I think.

Josh said, when I asked what he thought, "It was pretty good, I wasn't really watching but I was listening..."

Afterschooling

...or in our case beforeschooling, since Josh attends PM young 5's. School is going great for him. He is enjoying it, LOVES his teacher and is actually learning quite a bit! He knows more about frogs then anyone would ever want to know! However, we still feel the need to enrich his learning with more. He is way ahead of his class in both math and reading. They are currently learning to count to 20. He could do that at 3 years old. So here is what we are doing...

Science- (as previously posted!) We have chosen several areas to study and are doing one a month! (September Biology plans, October Physical Science plans)

Geography- Landforms and the Continents using Continent Boxes, Continent books, and any other resources I dig up!

History- Story of the World We are enjoying this but I am having a hard time preparing ahead. I just need to sit down and get things ready for the month in a basket or something so I can just grab!

Music- To our dismay, due to scheduling, Josh does not attend Music at school this year! Therefore, I ordered Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! and am really excited to get started. We plan to begin tomorrow. (Just got it Friday!)

Practical Life- Remember these? I plan to start back up working on Josh's cookbook. Today was my b-day so I am thinking of having him help make a cake tomorrow (good excuse, right?). We also want to continue working on skills such as...

• tying
• cutting with scissors
• cutting with knife
• pouring

Math- Our main focus right now is on addition and heading toward subtraction. On our shelf you would find...

• Addition Strip Board (info)
• Addition Snake game (info)
• Hundreds board (video)
• Other manipulatives such as counters, dice, etc...

Language- This is the easiest and most natural! We have a reading night planned for Tuesday where we all pile into my bed and read to each other until bedtime. However, he reads to us or we read to him every night before bed normally. So I am not really planning anything extra...yet!

Art- Want to work on a few drawing skills and of course we will do seasonal crafts. We are happy with his school's art program so just having fun here for now!

Really though, this seems like a lot. But we have the entire school year and all summer to accomplish these things. Some weeks we do a ton and some weeks (like last week!) we get NOTHING done. Either way, we are not stressing. Our intention is to have school for an hour 4 days a week before lunch. ...but sometimes...the Lego's just need more attention than the dining room table...ya know?

History Planning for The Story of the World Volume 1

With the major help of this SOTW unit, this SOTW sheet, and and all this SOTW info. I have planned our History for the coming school year.

Obviously, we are using The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child; Volume 1: Ancient Times. I ordered the CD's but wanted to plan the activities myself. Seemed like a good plan until I realized I am a COMPLETE moron when it comes to anything having to do with History and Geography. Thankfully I found some amazing resources that pointed me in the right directions. I planned one activity to do with each of the 42 chapters. It took FOREVER but I am happy to share...hopefully it won't take as long to post and edit Html's! (Sorry, I got lazy and tired! I may go back and edit later but for now...HUGE LINKS!)

Story of the World Volume 1
Misc.~ coloring pages Egypt Rome Greece Christian
Other Countries
Some of The Story of the World text here!
Ch. 1 - The Earliest People

Activity - Cave Painting http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/drawpaint/feature/famf97masterpiece/famf97masterpiece3.html

Ch. 2 - Egyptians Lived on the Nile River

Activity - http://http//www.amazon.com/Were-Sailing-Down-Travel-World/dp/1846860407

Ch. 3 - The First Writing

Activity - Hieroglyphs www.kidzone.ws/cultures/egypt/hieroglyph.htm

Ch. 4 -The Old Kingdom of Egypt

Activity - http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/egypt/paper_pyramid_craft.htm

Ch. 5 - The First Sumerian Dictator

Activity - Make a Sumerian seal (name writing clay mold) examples

Ch. 6 - The Jewish People

Activity - Make Josephs coat from old shirt and paint

Ch. 7 -Hammurabi and the Babylonians

Activity - Create own laws (rules)!

Ch. 8 - The Assyrians

Activity - Fairy Tales http://www.abcteach.com/free/f/fairy_tale_words.pdf

Ch. 9 - The First Cities of India

Activity - visit http://www.mohenjodaro.net/

Ch. 10 - The Far East: Ancient China

Activity - make a Ming Bowl http://www.dltk-holidays.com/china/m-pottery.htm

Ch. 11- Ancient Africa

Activity - make a Paper bead necklace http://www.helium.com/items/352572-kids-crafts-how-to-make-paper-beads

Ch. 12 - The Middle Kingdom of Egypt

Activity - check out http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/egypt.html

Ch. 13 - The New Kingdom of Egypt

Activity - http://www.kingtutone.com/kids/color/

Ch. 14 - The Israelites Leave Egypt

Activity - http://www.sundayschoolkids.com/activities/1-baby-moses-basket-instru.htm & http://www.makingfriends.com/biblecrafts/redsea.htm

Ch. 15 - The Phoenicians

Activity - http://www.dltk-bible.com/crafts/mboat.htm

Ch. 16 - The Return of Assyria

Activity - Library field trip (first library created)

Ch. 17 - Babylon Takes Over Again!

Activity - Horrock's (local greenhouse) for hanging plant

Ch. 18 - Life in Early Crete

Activity - Volcano http://funmajors.blogspot.com/2008/06/v-is-for-volcano.html

Ch. 19 - The Early Greeks

Activity - http://www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/mshield.htm

Ch. 20 - Greece Gets Civilized Again

Activity - http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/greece/index.htm

Ch. 21 - The Medes and the Persians

Activity - HELP>>>Any suggestions????

Ch. 22 - Sparta and Athens

Activity - http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/greece/m-pottery.htm

Ch. 23 - The Greek Gods

Activity - http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/greece/index.htm

Ch. 24 - The Wars of the Greeks

Activity - http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/The_Parthenon.html

Ch. 25 - Alexander the Great

Activity - http://vintagechica.typepad.com/the_life_and_times_of_thi/2009/01/how-to-make-an-easy-stick-horse.html

Ch. 26 - The People of the Americas

Activity - http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/paperplate/sun/

Ch. 27 - The Rise of Rome

Activity - http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_rome/roman_site_map.htm

Ch. 28 - The Roman Empire

Activity - http://www.historyforkids.org/crafts/rome/arch.htm

Ch. 29 - Rome's War With Carthage

Activity - http://4crazykings.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-to-do-with-your-childs-art-work.html or http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Hand-Print-Elephant.html

Ch. 30 - The Aryans of India

Activity - http://wondertime.go.com/create-and-play/crafts/rakhi-bracelet.html

Ch. 31 - The Mauryan Empire of India

Activity - http://www.jatakkatha.com/index.htm

Ch. 32 - China: Writing and the Qin

Activity - http://www.free-chinese-names.com/chinese_names.htm paint name

Ch. 33 - Confucius

Activity - tangrams http://mathforum.org/trscavo/tangrams/construct.html

Ch. 34 - The Rise of Julius Caesar

Activity - http://www.freekidscrafts.com/crown_of_olive_leaves-e446.html

Ch. 35 - Caesar the Hero

Activity - Roman Numerals http://www.montessorimaterials.org/math1.html

Ch. 36 - The First Roman Prince

Activity - Toga toga toga http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Toga-out-of-a-Bedsheet

Ch. 37 - The Beginning of Christianity

Activity - Mosaic cross necklace w/ foam. e.g. http://www.religiouscrafts.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=48/2092

Ch. 38 - The End of the Ancient Jewish Nation

Activity - http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/hanukkah/dreidel/template.shtml

Ch. 39 - Rome and the Christians

Activity - discuss http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Rome

Ch. 40 - Rome Begins to Weaken

Activity - http://www.geocities.com/shadowoftheeagle_2000/images/celtic_border.jpg

Ch. 41 - The Attacking Barbarians

Activity - http://familyfun.go.com/games/indoor-outdoor-games/game/ff0306-roman-ball/ & http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/siteactivities/romandress.pdf

Ch. 42 - The End of Rome

Activity - "gifts" of Rome Collage using http://us.dk.com/static/cs/us/11/clipart/rome/book_ancientrome.html

We plan to do one chapter a week! We realistically will not get to every activity. Especially since we are also planning to do Science and Geography. Not to mention our regular activities. Oh yeah...and his school!

Yep...More Books!

So, after reading this review on the goddess Pioneer Woman's blog, I have been shamelessly coveting the Explore and Learn Science books she mentions toward the bottom. (These!!!) I am seriously OBSESSED with all thing science and geography right now. I may need to soon be medicated...anyway...I was over at my neighbor's when she runs in the house to grab something to show me. Out she comes with that exact stack of books...still shrink wrapped and everything. She says she does not want them and are they anything I would be intersted in?????

What???????? To her defense we are not too close... I still hide most of my crazy from her family.

So, I snatched them up, tossed a ten dollar bill at her and ran across the street to my house before she could come to her senses. Have I mentioned all 6 still wrapped...as in UNOPENED?

Anyway...I love them....they are amazing and all MINE! Yippeee.

My favorite one is the Explore and Learn Volume 4 People in Place and Time. It is all about ancient people and will be perfect to use with The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Volume 1: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor, Revised Edition that I bought a few months ago on CD. The other Volumes are...

1. Earth and Space
2. Science and Technology
3. The Natural World
4. People in Place and Time
5. Me and My Body
6. Atlas of the World

What I really like about the books is they have super child friendly pictures and info, activities to do about the info and all kinds of extras.

I cannot wait to get started! I sure hope we can find time to do all that I have planned!

Wednesday's Website

http://mrsriley.com

This is an amazing site I just stumbled upon in which you can create your own sets of 3 part cards by just dragging the picture you want onto the format you choose! Super easy. I have already made 3 sets!

Warning: This site is in a beta trial so is free for now! I say use it before we lose it!

Embracing Winter

We are doing a Winter theme right now. I guess I figure if you can not do anything about it you might as well embrace it. (However I did just see it will be a HIGH of 12 next week sooo... we will be embracing it from the indoors!)

Anyway here is what I planned...

LANGUAGE

• Winter clothes book http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Monthly%20Centers/January/downloads/winterclotheswritingfillin.doc

http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Monthly%20Centers/January/downloads/winterclotheswritinghatscarf.doc

http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Monthly%20Centers/January/downloads/winterclotheswritingcoatboots.doc

• Mitten reading puzzle http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/phonics/downloads/mittenpuzzleCVC.doc
• Shelf work

MATH

• Symmetrical snowflakes http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Monthly%20Centers/January/downloads/symmetrical%20snowflakes.doc


• Bit more symmetry work http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/lines-of-symmetry/


• Snowman Grid Game http://www.prekinders.com/gridgames/snowman20.pdf


• Snowman addition fun http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/SnowmanAdditionFun.htm


• Calendar activity http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Monthly%20Centers/January/downloads/Fill%20in%20Calendar.doc
• Shelf work(present tens and teens boards finally!)

CULTURE

• Animal Tracks http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Monthly%20Centers/January/downloads/Animal%20Tracks.doc


• Astronomy Cards http://www.sherriallen.com/learningcentral/


• Snow info http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/
• Shelf work
• Experiment with melting snow

ART/CRAFTS

• Tealight holder


• Complete the snowflake http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/SnowflakeCompletetheDrawingPages.htm
• Watercolor work! (http://www.artprojectsforkids.org/2008/07/watercolor-resist-snowflakes.html)

SENSORIAL

• Fake snow!


• Sequencing cards http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/SnowmanEaselArt.htm


• Visual Discrimination Cards http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/Monthly%20Centers/January/downloads/snowflakememory.doc
• Shelf work
  

PRACTICAL LIFE

• Tracing practice ~great for developing fine motor!http://www.makinglearningfun.com/t.asp?b=m&t=http://www.makinglearningfun.com/Activities/snow/SnowmanTraceandColor.gif


• Of course other trays that are already on shelves and maybe a few snow/winter themed for fun!

MORE IDEAS

• http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/topic/season/winter.html


• http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/SnowSnowmen.htm


• http://www.prekinders.com/winter.htm

We will work on this for probably the next couple of weeks or until our interest is gone. We will also continue to use our basket of workbooks that he is real "INTO" right now!

Montessori Monday

Idea borrowed from Montessori Play and Learn by Lesley Britton~

I have been planning on making a timeline with Joshua for a longtime! Lesley Britton has a couple of different timeline ideas that she recommends for different aged children.

For the 3-4 year old
Create a timeline of your Child's day.
For the 4-5 year old
Create a timeline of your Child's life. She suggests using photographs to represent each year.
For the 5-6 year old
Create a timeline of homes through the ages. You could easily find pictures online of homes such as caves, Roman Villa, Tudor, Victorian, and Modern Homes.

We have already done the Child's day timeline about 2 years ago. Josh loved keeping track of what he was doing on it. With the Child's life timeline I would like to adapt it a bit to reflect his different milestones, especially as a baby. I think this will be helpful with his understanding of Little C and where he is at developmentally. Josh is a bit frustrated with Little C's lack of vocal skills etc...