After joining his father and me at the huge homeschool swap and seeing armfuls of wonderful supplies make their way in our home, Aidyn has become increasingly excited to "do school." Yesterday we bought a wooden book holder from the thrift store, to keep the week's book and go-alongs. I've already loaded it with the Five in a Row manual and The Story about Ping. Upon seeing it, Aidyn lifted Ping and brought it to me, bright-eyed.
"Can we do school now and read Ping?" he asked.
A bolt of pride coursed through me, for I was delighted to hear him request school. I explained that "school" doesn't start for a while yet, but it's almost here!
Aidyn has also been sitting at his desk regularly, drawing on his white board and erasing. He's been picking up instructional drawing books and attempting to copy the steps to make a picture. With vigor, he finished his Kumon tracing book, so I filled out the Certificate of Achievement and hung it on the fridge.
I can see that he's ready. I notice a hunger for more, a curiosity, a wondering at the world.
Even I am scouring through the FIAR manual, creating ideas and field trips to go along with his books. I envision us leaving our house, Ping fresh in our minds, and driving to Chinatown in San Francisco and spending the day soaking up Chinese culture. I imagine us renting a cabin in the forest and rowing Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. Such freedom!
Both of us cannot wait!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
It's Been Ages...
...since I updated. For the past month, we have been busy planning out the kindergarten year. The days of regular posting must go to the wayside as our family busies with school, but I intend to post as often as I can about what we're up to and thoughts on homeschooling in general. Because of our new time demands, the purpose of the blog needs to change from a catch-all of activity reports to a casual musing on homeschooling.
After a couple years of curricula searching and debating over whether I need to write my own, I finally settled on a literature-rich curriculum that is flexible enough to make it our own. We have joined the Five in a Row community, and we've been collecting the books at markedly discounted rates (from free to a dollar!). The literature itself does not all need to be purchased, however, and we intend on borrowing heavily from the library. Along with the books, we have the option of adding supplemental books. For instance, when we row The Story About Ping, we can add in books on Chinese customs, clothing, the geography of China, etc. Additionally, I can whip up Chinese dishes, and we can take field trips to Chinatown or Chinese American museums. The structure, flexibility, and freedom this curriculum allows is the prefect fit for this family.
Along with FIAR, we are focusing on a year-long theme, the ocean, which we will explore in various ways all year. For example, we will:
We're also supplementing FIAR with:
After a couple years of curricula searching and debating over whether I need to write my own, I finally settled on a literature-rich curriculum that is flexible enough to make it our own. We have joined the Five in a Row community, and we've been collecting the books at markedly discounted rates (from free to a dollar!). The literature itself does not all need to be purchased, however, and we intend on borrowing heavily from the library. Along with the books, we have the option of adding supplemental books. For instance, when we row The Story About Ping, we can add in books on Chinese customs, clothing, the geography of China, etc. Additionally, I can whip up Chinese dishes, and we can take field trips to Chinatown or Chinese American museums. The structure, flexibility, and freedom this curriculum allows is the prefect fit for this family.
Along with FIAR, we are focusing on a year-long theme, the ocean, which we will explore in various ways all year. For example, we will:
- read books, fiction and non-fiction, about the ocean
- watch educational videos about the ocean
- learn about plant life, animal life, and human use of the oceans
- visit aquariums
- visit the ocean during different seasons, times of day, and locations
- go whale-watching
- go on boat rides
We're also supplementing FIAR with:
- math lessons (mainly using math manipulatives, toys, games, and practical application)
- the Draw Write Now series
- regular outdoor hikes
- a hobby or sport of Aidyn's choosing
- regular park days
- regular family field trips
Friday, May 7, 2010
Social Playtime
Yesterday, Aidyn accompanied me to my writer's club meeting. Since Tabbitha has a painfully adorable and chipper little girl, Aidyn found himself an active playmate. The two chased each other, built up and smashed blocks, and shared a viewing of Cars. Good times!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The Elves and The Shoemaker--Day One, Two, and Three
During this unit study, we have read two versions of The Elves and the Shoemaker, multiple times. After one such reading, Aidyn and I talked about elves and decided to craft one. I printed out a hat, pointy ears, and a collar. Aidyn drew a face on a white sheet of paper and proceeded to decorate the accessories with bright colors, stickers, and rhinestones. Afterward, he glued all the pieces where he saw fit, and we waited for it to dry. An hour later, Aidyn elected to hang it in the middle of the living room wall.
The next day, we read another version of the story, with only slight differences. We continued talking about the story, answering both of our questions. Later, Aidyn watched a cartoon version of the story that we have. This account was almost wholly different. But Aidyn enjoyed all the versions.
On another day, we read other story about shoes, in general. If the Shoe Fits was about the youngest born son who tired from receiving old hand-me-downs from his brothers. On his 9th birthday, he gets new loafers and is pleased to look so new and sharp. The problem occurs when an older bully confronts him for wearing loafers and trying to "look rich." So he decides to toss the shoes in the closet, forgetting them and growing all the while. It's not until a girl's birthday party does he remember his shiny shoes, but trying them on, finds they are too tight. Eventually he gifts them to an uncle who got a new job as a waiter.
We also read Red Dancing Shoes which exhibits a young girl who is given bright, shiny red shoes by her grandmother. The girl is inspired to dance just by wearing the new shoes. Her and her older sister run errands to show off the new shoes. Dancing, skipping, and running, she loves her red shoes until she slips and falls in a mud puddle. She thinks that having dirtied her shoes mean they have lost their dancing skills. However, an aunt helps her clean and polish them back to health, and thus her dancing is restored.
The next day, we read another version of the story, with only slight differences. We continued talking about the story, answering both of our questions. Later, Aidyn watched a cartoon version of the story that we have. This account was almost wholly different. But Aidyn enjoyed all the versions.
On another day, we read other story about shoes, in general. If the Shoe Fits was about the youngest born son who tired from receiving old hand-me-downs from his brothers. On his 9th birthday, he gets new loafers and is pleased to look so new and sharp. The problem occurs when an older bully confronts him for wearing loafers and trying to "look rich." So he decides to toss the shoes in the closet, forgetting them and growing all the while. It's not until a girl's birthday party does he remember his shiny shoes, but trying them on, finds they are too tight. Eventually he gifts them to an uncle who got a new job as a waiter.
We also read Red Dancing Shoes which exhibits a young girl who is given bright, shiny red shoes by her grandmother. The girl is inspired to dance just by wearing the new shoes. Her and her older sister run errands to show off the new shoes. Dancing, skipping, and running, she loves her red shoes until she slips and falls in a mud puddle. She thinks that having dirtied her shoes mean they have lost their dancing skills. However, an aunt helps her clean and polish them back to health, and thus her dancing is restored.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Elves and the Shoemaker Unit Study
For letter E, we are focusing on a specific story entitled The Elves and the Shoemaker. In preparation for Five in a Row, I wanted us to practice rowing with a singular story and various projects and lessons revolving around it.
Yesterday was our first read-through of The Elves and the Shoemaker. During that preliminary read, Aidyn asked all sorts of questions to familiarize himself with the story.
"Why do they have pointy ears?"
"Why do they climb in the window?"
"Why do they help him (the shoemaker)?"
"Why did they leave?"
"Why are they small?"
We discussed the answers to the above questions and more. We talked about the value of helping people and the unexpected rewards that sometimes goes with it. But the key is, that the elves did not expect a reward; they were helping just because there was need.
Today we will re-read the story or another version of the story and add a mini-lesson related to it.
Yesterday was our first read-through of The Elves and the Shoemaker. During that preliminary read, Aidyn asked all sorts of questions to familiarize himself with the story.
"Why do they have pointy ears?"
"Why do they climb in the window?"
"Why do they help him (the shoemaker)?"
"Why did they leave?"
"Why are they small?"
We discussed the answers to the above questions and more. We talked about the value of helping people and the unexpected rewards that sometimes goes with it. But the key is, that the elves did not expect a reward; they were helping just because there was need.
Today we will re-read the story or another version of the story and add a mini-lesson related to it.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Daring Letter D Among Other Things
Although this week is devoted to the daring letter D, we have mostly been enjoying spooky stories, as selected by Aidyn. He's at an age where the safe spook of a story thrills him, and hearing the creepy narrations (voiced both by David and I), bubbles him up with excitement.
As it turns out, we moved away from letter units and focused more on a singular subject from that letter. For instance, I made a vague connection with D by selecting books about the dark. All of the books chosen pertain to darkness though not all repeat the word enough to cement the phonetic sound of D. It doesn't bother me; I prefer this kind of learning. Our letter units might stay, and they might not. I may select a specific subject (or ask Aidyn to) that begins with that letter, but drilling the phonetics is not the priority.
This week, I have also selected our kindergarten curriculum that we'll be starting in August (if Aidyn were born just 29 days early, he'd be in public kindergarten this August). After much research, reading, comparing and contrasting, we have settled on Five In a Row (FIAR). Focusing on literature, it also introduces geography, ethics, values, science, history, and such. At the core of it is the joy of reading and the kindling of the warm connection that reading together provides. Since I've selected the curriculum, I have been hunting for the supplemental books for steals. I found a handful yesterday for about 75 cents each! My goal is to find the rest of the books (or make sure the library has them) by August.
Yesterday evening, I also introduced Aidyn to a new math manipulative called a Geoboard. The concept is simple enough. One one side of the board are pegs in the shape of a square with several pegs on the inside; on the flip side, the pegs formed a circle with one peg in the center. The idea is to stretch rubber bands on the pegs. Aidyn soon learned that he can make a straight line with a rubber band. Then, he discovered that pulling the rubber band to a new peg created a triangle. Playing with the geoboard, Aidyn experimented with different shapes (some I didn't even know the names of!) and made "pizza slices" with the circle side. At this stage, my only motive is to familiarize him with geometric shapes and lay the foundation for mathematics. I hope that this hands-on approach will help him grow to like and understand mathematics.
As it turns out, we moved away from letter units and focused more on a singular subject from that letter. For instance, I made a vague connection with D by selecting books about the dark. All of the books chosen pertain to darkness though not all repeat the word enough to cement the phonetic sound of D. It doesn't bother me; I prefer this kind of learning. Our letter units might stay, and they might not. I may select a specific subject (or ask Aidyn to) that begins with that letter, but drilling the phonetics is not the priority.
This week, I have also selected our kindergarten curriculum that we'll be starting in August (if Aidyn were born just 29 days early, he'd be in public kindergarten this August). After much research, reading, comparing and contrasting, we have settled on Five In a Row (FIAR). Focusing on literature, it also introduces geography, ethics, values, science, history, and such. At the core of it is the joy of reading and the kindling of the warm connection that reading together provides. Since I've selected the curriculum, I have been hunting for the supplemental books for steals. I found a handful yesterday for about 75 cents each! My goal is to find the rest of the books (or make sure the library has them) by August.
Yesterday evening, I also introduced Aidyn to a new math manipulative called a Geoboard. The concept is simple enough. One one side of the board are pegs in the shape of a square with several pegs on the inside; on the flip side, the pegs formed a circle with one peg in the center. The idea is to stretch rubber bands on the pegs. Aidyn soon learned that he can make a straight line with a rubber band. Then, he discovered that pulling the rubber band to a new peg created a triangle. Playing with the geoboard, Aidyn experimented with different shapes (some I didn't even know the names of!) and made "pizza slices" with the circle side. At this stage, my only motive is to familiarize him with geometric shapes and lay the foundation for mathematics. I hope that this hands-on approach will help him grow to like and understand mathematics.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The Curious Letter C
Last week, we focused on C themed books. After several weeks of active homeschool days, C Week was a more low-key. Lounging in the late afternoons, we read books about crocodiles, cats, and creepy castles. Through Tomie DePaola's book, Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile, we not only met a crocodile but learned about Egyptians-their monuments, beliefs, and ancient rituals. In City Cat, Country Cat, we found that cats can lead double lives! Of particular interest to Aidyn was the book about creepy castles. Lately, he has been fascinated with "spooky" stories, a curiosity I believe to be a normal part of growing up in what may seem like a terrifying world for a little guy. Because of his request to hear more "spooky" stories, we'll be reading more chilling tales to satisfy his curiosity.
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