Ancient Greece

 

Using Ancient Civilizations and the Bible as a spine, we studied through quite a few ancient cultures. Along the way we decided to study a few of those cultures at a more in-depth level. Aside from Ancient Egypt, we also took a nice long jaunt through Ancient Greece last year. Below are the resources we used.

 

Supplement

History Pockets: Ancient Greece, Grades 4-6+, by Sandi Johnson

 

Nonfiction Works

The Greek News, by Anton Powell and Philip Steele

Science in Ancient Greece, by Kathlyn Gay

Usborne Internet-Linked: Greeks, by Susan Peach and Anne Millard

Ancient Greek Art, by Susie Hodge

 

Literature

The Aesop for Children, illustrated by Milo Winter

Greek Myths, as told by Jim Weiss, audio CD

Heroes in Mythology: Theseus, Prometheus, and Odin, as told by Jim Weiss, audio CD

The Children's Homer, by Padraic Colum

Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad, by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Wanderings of Odysseus: the Story of the Odyssey, by Rosemary Sutcliff

 

For Younger Children

The First Marathon: The Legend of Pheidippides, by Susan Reynolds

The Tortoise and the Hare, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Usborne Beginners: Ancient Greeks, by Stephanie Turnbull

The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War, by Emily Little

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth, by Kathryn Lasky

 

Historical Fiction

Theras and His Town, by Caroline Dale Snedeker

 

 

Hands On Projects 

 



{Hoplite Shields made from sturdy paper plates}

Sadly, over the course of about a decade of homeschooling, I had never made paper mache. It is messy! This past year, I decided to get over myself and try it. My second grade teacher would be so proud. I was inspired by this Greek vase project and decided to give it a whirl with my crew. Oh did we have fun! And oh, was it ever messy, but worth every minute hour of clean of up.

The children also made cardboard models of Greek houses, drew Trojan horses, and wrote their names in Greek.

Ancient Egypt

This past school year, our three younger children (7th, 5th, and 1st grade at the time) studied the Ancient History time period.

For our youngest child, this was the first time he learned about Ancient Egypt, Ancient Israel, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. It was the second time through for our middle children. Over their school years, we hope to go through world history three times.

The first time our daughters studied Ancient Egypt, we made papyrus paper using this kit. It didn't work. For the record, it could have been user error, as in our fault. Regardless, it was not the hands on learning I had dreamed of completing. In hind sight, I should have gotten this instead. Already preprinted papyrus would have been easier.

This time, I contemplated mummifying a chicken. We have the instructions in this book. I chickened out. Yes, I'm a bit squeamish.

Instead, we did a lot of paper, markers, and glue kind of projects using History Pockets: Ancient Egypt, published by Evan-Moor. It offered hands on learning with less mess. (Though when we got to Ancient Greece I relented and even tried homemade paper mache - quite the mess!)

Activity Ideas:

• Hieroglyphic writing (we wrote names and messages)
• papyrus paper (paint on kit)
• pyramid building (out of anything and everything, but Legos work nicely)
• reed boat building (instructions here, could substitute drinking straws for reeds)
• make an Egyptian Jeweled Collar (instructions here)
• play Senet (how to found here)
• mummify a chicken (for the brave of heart - how to found here)
• make canopic jars (inspiration here)

Books:

• The Cat of Bubastes, by G.A. Henty - I read this one aloud to our children, and my daughter asked for this one read aloud by Jim Weiss for Christmas
• The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, by Elizabeth Payne - read by our 7th grader
• Pyramid, by David Macaulay - paged through by the children on their own
• Tut's Mummy: Lost and Found, by Judy Donnelly - I read it aloud to our 1st grader
• Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs, by James Rumford - shared with all the children
• Science in Ancient Egypt, by Geraldine Woods - read by our 7th grader
• The Great Pyramid, by Elizabeth Mann - shared with all our children
• Ms. Frizzle's Adventure in Ancient Egypt, by Joanna Cole

 

 

After our Ancient History studies, we took the children to a museum which features Ancient Egyptian artifacts (including mummies!).

 

For those interested, I have a Pinterest board for Ancient Egypt. I'll be adding to it as we progress through the years. After all, I should be returning to teaching Ancient History at least two more times.

 

 



Follow Dorie Kay's board Ancient Egypt on Pinterest.        

Studying the Earth

Teaching Kindergarten through Second Grade science in a co-op setting is wonderfully challenging. It really is a joy to ignite an interest in science and help the children learn more about God's world.

This year, our class has 13 active boys and 6 inquisitive girls. Though they attentively listen during short lectures and demonstrations, they really like the hands on activities and experiments.

Earlier this year, we studied birds and insects. For our current unit, we are studying Geology. Using God's Design for Heaven and Earth: Our Planet Earth, the children have so far learned about Earth's history, glaciers, and Earth's design. Meanwhile, I am collecting ideas for upcoming classes.



Follow Dorie Kay's board Geology on Pinterest.

During one class, students made glaciers out of flubber. By placing the flubber glaciers on flat cookie sheets, which were covered with rocks (used wax paper to protect cookie sheets), the children observed movement of glaciers. Then, we elevated one end and watched as the glaciers moved downward. Since the flubber moved much slower than we anticipated, it resembled the glaciers slow pace better than we had hoped.

Later, students followed the directions from God's Design for Heaven and Earth: Our Planet Earth, to complete an observation on "The Force of Water." Each student observed liquid water being frozen and the force it exerted on its container. {pictured above} We discussed their surprise findings with much animation. {Love the way young students express their observations!}

In our class last week, I taught the students how the Earth is designed. We completed a worksheet, read a Magic School House book, and made small models of the Earth. Each child followed instructions to create their own model. Once completed, we used dental floss to cut each model in half to reveal the layers of the Earth.

A few years ago, I did this exact project with my daughter. I am pretty sure the idea came from Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space. Since it was a fabulous way to visualize the Inner Core, Outer Core, Mantle, and Crust, I decided to try it with my K-2nd Grade class. They, too, benefited from the hands on activity.

This week, we'll be getting our hands dirty (literally) as we study soil samples and create our own fossils. I wish I had known science could be this much fun when I was in elementary school!

Selecting Samples of Student's Work

Building a student portfolio isn't something that happens over night or just at the end of a school year. In fact, it is best done little by little throughout the entire school year. By starting your child's portfolios early, the task is quite manageable.

Each year, I compile a student portfolio to showcase my child's school work. Prior to the start of the school year, I obtain a large three ring binder, which usually gets some decorative paper inserted into the cover to make it pretty. Then I set about printing off a title page. The title page includes student's name, grade level, school year, and school name. Once this is done, I shelve the binder and await the student's completed work.

{math test}

As the year progresses, I keep a keen eye out for good samples of my child's work. Notice I didn't say perfect papers. Showcasing perfection is not the goal of a portfolio. Displaying growth is. I use the following criteria for deciding if a sample should be included or not.

Samples of student's work should display...

• positive examples of their current abilities. Your child bombed a test even though they knew the material - don't include that!
• progress. Work showing improvement over time like the writing process for a paper are excellent examples which clearly showcases progress. Additionally, selecting samples from the beginning, middle, and end of a school year easily demonstrates growth.
• proof of education. By pulling together samples of a student's own work, you are clearly offering evidence that you did in fact teach your child throughout the school year. As someone who has reviewed portfolios for years, I want to see your student's actual work, not a listing of accomplishments with no substance to validate these claims.

The goal of a portfolio is to display growth over the entire school year.

{worksheet from Travel the World lessons}

A child's portfolio should answer these questions:

Has this child...

• learned anything?
• been exposed to great ideas?
• participated in a neat club or activity?
• visited a unique place?
• read a variety of books?
• shown a particular interest or talent, and developed it?
• grown in any area of life/study?

Choose samples which help answer any and all of these questions.

{project from Exploring Biomes of the World lessons}

5W's and 1H of Selecting Student's Work Samples:

Who should choose the samples? You, as their teacher and parent, are the ideal candidate. You know your child's strengths and weaknesses, and can best decide which worksheets, papers, projects, and tests to include.

What kind of samples? Samples should reflect the type of work done throughout the school year. If your child writes written summaries/narrations twice a week, then you should include some of these in the portfolio. If your child learns best by filling in worksheets and taking a weekly quiz, then include some samples of each.

When should the samples be picked? Ideally, throughout the entire school year, you can and should be adding to the portfolio.

Where should I look for samples? Major projects, papers, and tests are easily identified as samples to potentially include, but don't overlook daily seat work. Sometimes, daily practice better showcases a student's progress than tests. Try to include a little of everything your child does.

How many samples? Major subjects, which are those the child spends more time studying or working through, should be represented with more samples. Minor subjects, though important and need represented, should not have as many samples as a major subject does.

Why should I do all this work? Most importantly, it is easier to build a student portfolio by focusing on the why. A portfolio offers you and your student:

• Remembrance - One day, you and your student's will look back on their work and school years with great fondness. A portfolio will offer you a way to remember the activities from each year.
• Sense of Accomplishment - Over the course of one year, your student will accomplish a lot. They will learn and grow in many ways. A portfolio showcases some of these.
• Proof of Education and Academic Progress - In addition to these two benefits, a portfolio is a handy way to prove your student has received an education.

Five Things That Simply Aren't True

...About Homeschooling.

Today, I offer you some statements to ponder, which, in my opinion, are simply untrue. You are welcome to disagree. We are each entitled to our own opinions after all, and here are a few of mine.

You Need to DO It All (And All By Yourself)
Perhaps you've started planning for next year already. You have looked over all the curriculum, suggestions, activities, and courses, and you now think maybe you should be doing much more than what you have planned. 
However, the truth of the matter is NO ONE can do it all, nor should you try.

You have to identify those courses and activities which are important to your family at this time, and concentrate on them. This means that every one's homeschool will look differently. For the most part, you will see similarities. Every homeschool family I have ever met wants their children to learn to read, write, and work with numbers. Yet, each one of these families has chosen to teach their children these skills in unique ways.

{Incidentally, those items that may be required by your state need to be included as well. Not all state laws are the same. Be sure to check your state's requirements. Click here for state laws.}

Once you have determined what you want your child to learn and do next year, you will need to figure out how. This how can be answered in numerous ways, including in home instruction by you, a tutor, a co-op setting, a specialized class taken online, etc. The options for homeschoolers have grown tremendously in the past decade since we first started.


You Should Have a Teaching Degree
While some may argue a teaching degree is necessary, I would like to submit my humble opinion. Personally, I'd rather have my child taught by someone who does not possess a teaching degree, but has a passion for/knowledge of the subject material and a desire to help my child succeed. A teaching degree does not always guarantee this.
 

You Can Protect Your Child from Bullies and School Violence
One of the biggest misconceptions about homeschooling is that you can shield your child from bullies and violence. To an extent this may be true, but not completely.

Bullies use mean words. They tear us down, manipulate us, and contort our self-esteems to increase their own standing.
 Bullies are all around us. They aren't confined to the playgrounds.

'Mean girls and boys' exist anywhere people gather. Which means they are present in corporate circles, family reunions, grocery stores, libraries, and yes, even in churches.

Unless you plan to keep your child confined to the four walls of your home, they will at some point encounter a 'mean girl/boy' or even a bully. It is better to teach your child to recognize bully behavior and speech. Give your child the skills and self confidence to either stand up against bullies or walk away.


You Can (and Must) Create a Perfect Environment
The perfect environment was lost in the Garden of Eden. This side of eternity it doesn't exist. You can purchase white boards, desks, beanbag chairs, baskets, and bookshelves. However, a perfect environment also includes a perfect atmosphere. And, atmosphere is created by the individuals who interact with in the environment. Since we cannot escape the sin that resides in ourselves and our children, we, by default, bring the sin that mars our 'perfect environments.'

This is not to say, you shouldn't try to make a nice environment for learning. I'm just saying perfection, for us, isn't attainable. By God's grace we can, and do, create environments of love and peace.

To Homeschool Well, You Must Do It Like 'This'
Homeschooling, by connotation, is not a one size fits all endeavor. All families are unique, comprised of unique individuals who live in unique homes with unique assets. Therefore, every homeschooling family will be different. So why do we try to impose such restrictions on ourselves and others?

How to Get in 180 Days and Still Take Breaks

You need a break,
but you need to log 180 days of school.

The kids need a break,
but they have to complete 180 days.

Just how can you get in 180 days of schools and still take a break?

Seven simple ideas to take a break, but still get in some schooling:
Or seven ideas to rejuvenate your schooling days.
Or seven ways to just mix-up your days.

1. Take a field trip or two in one week. During February, we scheduled two field trips on consecutive school days. It was a bit of travel, but the break was worth it.
2. Go outside. Be in awe of what God has created. Trees, snow, birds, stars, animals, etc. declare the glory of God. Take along an identification book, notebook, or smart phone app to explore items you find along the way.
3. Spend a day {or week} on just one topic, unit study fashion. It is a great way to incorporate your children's interests into their school days.
4. Spend a day learning how to make or do something by hand like butter churning and molding, how to pitch a tent, sew clothing, or build a bottle rocket or mouse trap vehicle.
5. Serve at a local charity or food bank. A day serving someone else is an eye opening experience with a chance to grow compassion for others.
6. Spend a day like someone in history. My blogging friend Jessica and her children pioneered this past fall. Check out her post here.
7. Immerse your self in a book and read aloud an entire chapter book in one day. This is great for those rainy days which often occur in the spring. Incorporate corresponding activities and snacks if possible.

How to Excite Your Kids with Learning

I once read it was the teacher's job to teach their students. {Startling, I know.} The expert went on to say teachers have a responsibility to make sure their students grasp the concept. If a child is not understanding something, then the teacher must present it another way or in a different manner.

The author even commented that teachers need to engage their students. Passivity on the teacher's part, or the student's for that matter, was not acceptable, because when a student is not actively doing or thinking, then the student is not able to learn. {Apparently, we really do not learn by osmosis.}

It should be noted that the author was not saying teachers need to put some bling on their worksheets and call it engaging. The author meant make the material interesting. Allow children to grapple with the ideas and to engage in the learning.

This is all fine and good, except what happens when you have lost the zeal or fun of a lesson? Or, dare I say it, what if the lesson is boring? Maybe the subject material is just plain old dry.

When your lessons lack luster, try one of these five ways to excite your child with learning. They have worked for me in the past, and I continue to use them when needed.

5 Ways to Make Lessons Dynamic

• find out what they already know, start from that point and facilitate a discussion to include new material
• list a few topics within the material, and help the student pursue the ones that interest him
• find a demonstration or experiment to match the material
• share an appropriate personal story when is relates to the lesson 
• relate the subject to real life when possible, answer the 'why do I have to know this?' question

When Your Child Is Bored

You've sailed by mid-year.

You've regained your footing after the holidays, and your days are back to the predictable routine.

It was wonderful for a few weeks, but now the days are predictable and bordering on boring.

You aren't quite ready for a spring break, but still...

It's time for a little change!

6 Ways to Change Your Homeschool Routine During March:


Go outside - play in the snow, rain, or sunshine. Charlotte Mason encouraged students to go outside daily, even when the weather was dreary! There is much to observe on a cloudy or rainy day.

Explore a new topic - Pick a topic that is not in the lesson plans which your child enjoys. Set aside some time each day (or entire days depending on your homeschool method) to follow your child's interests. You could even make it a mini-unit.

Celebrate Pi Day - 3.14 is coming up soon. Make some plans to learn about circles, diameters, and circumferences. Or just eat some pie! {Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 each year. For more ideas check out what I've pinned so far.}




Visit a new-to-you museum - Is there an aquarium or science museum you have been wanting to visit? This is a great time of year to do so, especially if you are not fond of the first idea on the list.

Get social - Visit some friends or invite some to your home. Everything is better with a friend! You could invite a few of your child's friends for an afternoon of fun learning. It doesn't have to be a full fledged co-op type class. It could simply be two, or more, moms and their children doing an art project or a science experiment together one afternoon.

Get Creative - Try a new-to-you fun activity. Perhaps you and your children could build a maze, obstacle course, or tent from items found in and around your home. Learning doesn't have to always involve a book or lesson plan.

Breaking Free of the School at Home Model

Homeschooling doesn't have to be school at home.

It took me years to accept this simple fact. I planned, taught, and orchestrated our days in a school-like manner. There's nothing wrong with this. Except when it isn't the right fit for your children, your family, or you. It wasn't for us. Over the past decade, as I have learned to embrace the freedom homeschool brings, our homeschooling style has changed and become something that does not resemble a classroom experience at all.


10 Freeing Things You Should Know About Homeschool Lessons

1. Some curriculum is best left in a classroom.
2. Some work is just busy work.
3. A child doesn't always have to do all the the problems, worksheets, and projects for a child to learn a concept.
4. Change can be good. Variety makes learning fun.
5. Homeschool lessons won't always look like classroom lessons.
6. It may take less time than you thought or scheduled. A child may learn a lesson very quickly.
7. It may take more time than you thought or scheduled. A child may want to explore a topic more indepth.
8. Location is not necessarily important. Learning can happen anywhere.
9. Schedules can be varied. There is no one set time which you have to homeschool. Weekends and evenings are available for learning experiences. And, sometimes, learning is impromptu.
10. Every single lesson and learning opportunity does not have to be planned out to every single minute detail. Use as much or as little detail as you need.

Homeschool Planning with Yoda

"Always in motion is the future." ~ Yoda

Yes, I know, we just celebrated the 100 day mark, and I'm already starting to think about next year.
With the prospect of teaching four children a multitude of subjects, I thought it best to start at least thinking about next year.

"Try not. Do or do not, there is no try." ~ Yoda

Continuing or Tweaking the Existing Plan

Some planning is easy-peasy. After all, if something is working well, it is easy, and right, to decide to continue on with it for the next year...that is, if there is a higher level to continue onto. The only rub lies in the completion of the final level.

Then, there may be those subjects which need a slight change. Not necessarily a change in curriculum, but perhaps something different in the presentation or pace. Maybe just a small supplement is needed.

"Blind we are,

if creation of this clone army we could not see."

~ Yoda

Changing Parts of the Plan
Sometimes a curriculum needs changed. Perhaps it worked great for the older children, but a younger child isn't thriving with it. Minor changes don't help, and a full blown change is necessitated. These changes aren't to be taken lightly, but are needed from time to time. {It should be said here, there is no perfect curriculum, but there is a right curriculum for you, your child, your family.}

"If no mistake you have made, yet losing you are...

a different game you should play." ~ Yoda

Changing the Entire Plan
All is well and said, if the decision to keep homeschooling (and to keep homeschooling in the same manner) has been made. Mistakes will be made in all journeys, but sometimes, we are on the wrong path. Perhaps this is the most difficult decision to make.


If you have begun planning for next year. You are not alone. I'm right there with you.
So, my friend, here's to another year to plan, more decisions to be made, and a wealth of wisdom to be sought! And...

 

"May the force be with you."

 

*Just having some fun with the task of planning!
Photograph features my son's recent drawing of Yoda.

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Giving Your Kids a Rich Education

...regardless of what educational choices you make.

Wealth isn't always measured in money.

Similarly, the value of an education isn't always measured in a schooling choice, curriculum, or method. In fact, what happens outside the classroom may be more valuable then what occurs inside four walls with a desk, book, paper, and pencil.

5 Ways to Enrich Any Education:

Hands on Learning - Reading a book about the solar system and the placement of the planets is good. However, building a model, or walking paces in ratio to the actual distances each planet is from one another creates a more personable and enjoyable learning experience. Projects, activities, or hands on learning, help spark interest and cultivate passions which can last a life time.

Field Trips -  Writing a report about the Revolutionary War pales in comparison to touring Valley Forge or Boston. Science, history, literature, music, and art classes are easily enhanced with field trips. There are many interesting places to visit for each of these subjects.

Nature Walks - Listening to a lecture about forests is good. However, visiting a forest, experiencing the sounds, sights, and textures of a forest is even better. Using identification guides to name plants and animals, or recording observations in nature journals allows children to learn from any nature walk.

Competitions - Not all competition is unhealthy. Somewhere along the way, while passing out trophies to every participant, we as a society have lost an appreciation for good, healthy competition. While there is a time and place for rewarding effort, there is also a time and place for rewarding excellence. Competitions for science, math, geography, spelling, and history abound. Students benefit just from participating, whether they win or not. They are encouraged to do their best.

Memorization - Like competition, memorization may have fallen out of fashion. In an age when we can 'google' almost anything, people often see little value to memorization. However, memory work is mental exercise for the brain. Just like muscles need to work, so does a brain. Encourage your child to memorize things of value, like Bible verses, poetry, spelling rules, lists of Presidents, dates of historical events, state capitals, etc. Besides, memorization doesn't have to be all drill and no fun. Check out some ideas for making memory work easy and fun here.



The bottom line in enriching any education ~ your child's experiences matter!

Making Memorization Easy and Fun

Ever since our children were little, we have helped them memorize Bible verses. It is important to us that they hide God's Word in their hearts from a young age. To make it fun and easy, I went to great lengths to collect or create aids and activities to accompany any verse.

Years later, when I read The Well Trained Mind, I have wanted our children to memorize other things as well. Some of what I wanted the children to learn wasn't fun or interesting to them. {A list of state capitals or presidents doesn't suit everyone's taste, after all.} It was then that I began to transfer and alter some of the activities and learning aids I collected or made for their Bible memorization. Some of these ideas follow.

Using the whole body

• Sign Language - Learn the motions to say the memory piece in sign language or make up your own hand motions.
• Hopscotch - Create a hopscotch board with parts of the memory piece contained in each square. As the child hops through the board, he tells (or reads) that segment.
• Movement - Allow your high energy child to run, hop, crawl, or tip toe as he recites. For my youngest this alone has been his favorite. Sometimes, he runs as he shouts his memory work.
• Clap - Use a rhythm to match the memory piece and encourage your child to clap as he recites.
• Index Card Mix-Up - Write portions of the memory piece on index cards. Mix them. Have your child read and put them in the correct order.
• Throw 'Snow Balls,' Scatter 'Leaves,' or Spill 'Ink Blots' - In winter, make white circles to throw onto memory pieces, covering parts of the words. Have your child try to remember what is under the snow ball. In autumn weather, scatter real or paper leaves in the same fashion. In the spring, spill black paper ink blots to cover up parts of the memory piece.

Using a chalkboard, white board, paper, or side walk with pencils, markers, chalk, or crayons

• Write It Out - Use normal letter, block letters, cloud letters, swirly letters, etc to write out the words.
• Illustrate It - Make a picture, or several, about the memory piece.
• Write It Backwards - After the child has written it out, it can only be read with a mirror.
• Make a Secret Code - Write out the memory piece in a secret code, complete with a key.

Using only your voices

• Volley It - With your child, take turns saying parts of the memory piece.
• Record It - After recording the memory piece, let your child listen to it often.
• Vary Your Voice - Sing it, shout it, whisper it, or say it in a funny voice.
• Mouth It - Say with no sound at all.

Our Daily Schedule

Just how do we fit together learning and living?

Today, I thought I would share what works for us so far this year.

Each year, we change our routine to fit the school year's lessons and our family's situation.  We began with the same basic approach as last year, but with a few necessary alterations.  The key to our days is flexibility within a structure.  There are days where our plan is completely altered, but for the most part, we try to follow our daily schedule.

 

Our Daily Routine

{because even though we really do have a schedule with times, we don't adhere strictly to the clock.  Instead, we progress from one activity to the next.}

• Wake up / Morning Chores
• Breakfast
• Gratitude Journals, Prayer, and Bible Study
• Math
• Language Arts
• Break (typically happens around 10 AM for about 15 minutes)
• Catechism
• History
• Aesthetics
• Foreign Language
• Lunch Prep
• Lunch
• Clean up
• Quiet Time & Wrap Up of formal lessons {During this time, I also do corrections and set up for the following day}
• Outdoor Play, Outdoor Physical Education as a family, Science Co-op, Piano Lessons, or a Nature Walk {depends on the day}
• Dinner

Ways to Stifle Creativity

...in yourself, your children, and others.

• Comparisons - With each comparison, we lose.  We lose the joy of creating by making it a competition.  Typically, one that no one wins.
• Cruel comments - Constructive advice can help, cruel remarks just hurt.  Whether we say them aloud, with facial expressions or thoughts unheard, cruel words only hinder creativity.
• Basic physical needs going unmet - It is almost impossible to think straight when you haven't had enough sleep or food, let alone be creative.
• Spending too much time reading or researching what others are doing - Creativity doesn't have to be unique.  In fact, with a world full of 6 billion+ individuals, there is bound to be at least one other person doing something very similar to you.  However, you are unique.  NO one, not one of those 6 billion+ people, is you.  You have a unique combination of personality, resources, thought process, and talents.  Live them out.  Take regular breaks from reading, internet surfing, and pinning everyone else's great ideas, and use those free times to discover a few of your own. 
• Predetermined expectations - Knowing what you want to achieve and trying to be perfect are two different things.  Failures will occur.  Grow and learn from your mistakes.  Some mistakes can turn out to be fantastic, creative endeavors.

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

- Albert Einstein

Planning a Year

Sometimes it is daunting to plan an entire year for one student, let alone two, or more!

Now that our school year has ended, our year end reports are turned in, and our portfolios are completed, I can turn my full attention to planning for next year.

Typically, I start with the basics.  Using a One Year Summary page, I sketch out when certain sports seasons occur, which months we have breaks, when co-ops begin, and when specific exhibits or special days happen.  For instance, football season runs from August through October.  On those months, I make a note of this.  When we found out The Dead Sea Scrolls would be on exhibit in Philadelphia until October, I made a note of this as well.  We don't want to miss that opportunity!  Our science co-op begins in August, but our Friday co-op doesn't start until September.  Both of these are included on the summary. 

Then, I create a One Year of Studies plan for each child.  Each is simply a grid of subjects.  I list how I will approach and teach each subject.  Will the class be taught by me?  If so, with what books or texts?  Will the class be covered by a co-op?  Or will we seek a tutor's help?  These are the kind of basic questions I try to answer on this planning page.  Once everything is filled in, it allows me to check for balance as well.  Are there too many items in the science category and nothing in the history block?  Did I forget to plan for art or music?   This also ensures that I have planned to keep the core classes as our main focus without neglecting our extras.

If you are beginning, or already knee deep in the planning phase, for next school year, then perhaps these forms will help you as well.  They are available here.

Later this week, I hope to share more of our upcoming school year, including the books we will be reading aloud next year.

Writing a Year End Report

It's that time of year!  The time of year when I report on all we have done for an entire school year to our umbrella school.

For our family, along with finishing our 180 days, we must create a portfolio and write a year end report for each child. 

I do not dread writing a year end report, except maybe trying to figure out how to encapsulate all the learning each child did in one year to less to a few pages.  However, for the most part, writing a year end report is a wonderful time of sweet reflection and evaluation.  Through the writing process, I am amazed by how much the children learned, but I also find areas which they need help.  For those problem areas, I take our summer break time to evaluate the problem, pray about how to address it, develop a plan, and implement a correction.  Which means, once in awhile, we spend a bit of summertime doing school.

The past few weeks, I have been enveloped in the process of completing each child's portfolio and writing year end reports.  Earlier this week, I outlined how our family builds a portfolio, but today I wanted to focus specifically on writing a year end report.

What is a year end report? 

A year end report is a summary of your child's academic growth from one school year. 

Do I have to write a year end report?

The answer to this question depends on your individual state's requirements, your school's requirements {if you belong to an umbrella school}, and your own personal preference.  Obviously if your state law or your umbrella school require a year end report, then you must comply.  If neither do, then the choice is up to you.  Even if our umbrella school did not require one, I would still write one.  A year end report is a fabulous summary of academic activities and growth for one year.

How do I write a year end report?

A year end report is easy to write if you have kept some organization throughout the year.  I have outlined the procedure I use below.  Of course, year end reports can vary in format and length.  This is just my experience.

1. Decide on the format for a year end report.  It is easier to fill in specific information into a pre-planned form.  Our umbrella school requires a specific form which basically includes three sections: the student's information, a curriculum listing and evaluation {by far the longest section}, and a promotion statement.
2. Begin with the easier information.  I complete the student's information section first.  It includes student's name, parents' names, student's date of birth and age, student's grade level, current school year, days of attendance and days of enrollment.
3. Next, I work on the curriculum and evaluation section.  I decide which subjects are most important and list them accordingly.  Our children have the following subjects listed on their year end reports: Bible, Language Arts, Math, History / Geography, Science, Latin, Aesthetics, and Physical Education / Health. 
4. Under each subject, I begin to list all the curriculum used throughout the year.  Then, I list any additional resources, field trips, and supplements.  These all appear in a list form.  This is an example from one daughter's Bible section {CHURCH'S NAME is where I include the specific church's name, but for privacy issues it is not included in the example below}:

   Bible Curriculum:      Who Is God? And Can I Really Know Him? by John Hay & David Webb      Who Am I? And What Am I Doing Here? by John Hay & David Webb       The Westminster Shorter Catechism, questions 57-85 Resources:       Training Hearts, Teaching Minds, by Starr Meade, pp. 192-280       The Westminster Shorter Catechism Songs, Volume 3, by Holly Dutton Additional Programs:       Sunday School at CHURCH’S NAME, weekly attendance      AWANA club at CHURCH’S NAME, September 2011-May 2012             TNT – completed book for year 3      Vacation Bible School “Main Street” at CHURCH’S NAME, July 18-22, 2011

5. After all the curriculum, resources, field trips, supplements, and additional programs have been listed for each individual subject, then I begin writing an evaluation for each subject.  This does not have to be a lengthy process.  My evaluations are typically one paragraph in length.  I include a brief outline of how we used the curriculum, resources, programs, etc. and what the child's progress was.  Any remarkable successes, difficulties, or challenges are included in the evaluation portion. 
6. Once the curriculum and evaluation portions are completed, I simply have to write a promotion statement.  This is literally one sentence declaring a grade completed and promotion of the student to the next grade.
7. Finally, I set the report aside for a day or so.  Once a day or more has passed, I read through the year end report and make any necessary changes.  I check for cohesiveness, ease of understanding, grammar/spelling mistakes, and proper format.  Generally, I review each report three times, which is probably a few times too many.  However, I want to be sure it is an accurate reflection on the school year and the child's progress. 

Creating a Homeschool Portfolio

Sometime during the fall, I mentioned the importance of building a portfolio over the course of an entire school year, rather than waiting until the end.  Now that the end of the year has arrived, our family is putting the finishing touches on our children's portfolios. 

The purpose of a portfolio is to show a student's progress throughout the school year.

It is not to showcase perfection.

Instead, it should be an honest representation of the student's work.

It does not have to be all inclusive. 

How to Create a Homeschool Portfolio

Our portfolios are set up the same each year.  For each child, I begin with a three ring binder which has pockets on the inside covers.  We like to decorate our binders with patterned paper and colorful labels.  Other families may prefer to use a blank binder or allow the child to decorate the outside with his artwork.

Inside the binder, I create three basic divisions: administrative paper work, academic samples, and extra curricula activities.  Typically, I separate these sections with dividers. 

Administrative paper work includes the following:

• Title Page - This one page document displays the student's name, grade level, school year, and school name and address. 
• Student Page - The first page after our Title Page always has a photograph of the child taken sometime during the school year.  It is a must in all of our portfolios.
• Year End Report - Summarizing and evaluating the curriculum and the child's academic abilities, this report helps explain what the child did during the school year.
• Reading Log - This is a concise listing of all books read by the child or read aloud to the child throughout the entire school year.  I have included the forms we use every year on our printables page.
• Attendance Sheet - A single page with a grid of days denoting when the child completed school days.  Our state requires 180 days of school each year.
• Lesson Plans - Detailing each day and subject, these pages outline what was done when.

Academic Samples are taken from the entire year. 

For every subject I have mentioned in the Year End Report, I include a portion of the student's work.  The idea is to show progress, not perfection.  A child is still learning and will make mistakes.  I try to pick samples that are truly representative of their abilities and demonstrate the progress they have made. 

Any special projects that are too large to fit in a three ring binder are photographed and the picture is included with a brief description of the three dimensional or oversized project. 

This past year when my son completed his science fair project, we dismantled his tri-fold board and remounted the pieces to card stock.  This enabled the pieces to be included in his portfolio.

Notebooks or workbooks that we would rather not tear apart are included in the pockets of the binder.  Some smaller notebooks even fit into a protective sleeve or if the notebook already has holes, it can sometimes be placed right in the binder. 

Extra Curricula activities are, of course, all the extras.

The final section is a catch all for all the great field trips, activities, additional programs, and sports our children participated in during the school year.  Some years, I even include pictures of holidays, birthdays, and special events.

* Photographs in this post show samples from each of our children's portfolios.
* Later this week, I hope to outline how I write Year End Reports.

More Math Resources

Math was one of my favorite subjects in school.  Actually, I liked most of the subjects, except science.  I am not sure I ever had a good science class, or rather, one that I enjoyed.  It was always at the bottom of my favorite list, if I had to list them all.  Math, however, was closer to the top, right alongside of history and literature. 

While I personally find numbers and calculations fun, some of my children do not.  Which is why, when I found a few new-to-me math resources at the library, I picked them up, checked them out, and brought them home.  We have been going through them a little at a time over the past few days.

Here's what I found...

Books:
How Many Jelly Beans? A Giant Book of Giant Numbers! by Andrea Menotti
Two children and a dog, discuss how many jelly beans they could eat over the course of a year.  With each number grouping, the same number of jelly beans are shown.  As the numbers increase, the jelly beans are pictured in decreasing size to fit on the page.  Finally, in a huge fold out section, one million jelly beans are shown.  Fabulous and fun way to learn the immensity of larger numbers.

What's Your Angle, Pythagoras? A Math Adventure, by Julie Ellis
While this is probably not the best biography, as it is not historically accurate, it is a great book to introduce the concept of Pythagorean Theorem and its practical application.  Excellent resource for any student learning the basics of geometry.

Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter: A Math Adventure, by Cindy Neuschwander
Join a host of characters with math related names in a medieval setting complete with knights, damsels, and dragons.  In this math adventure, two cousins must sail to the Isle of Immeter and use formulas for perimeters and areas to solve a mystery.  A fun way to introduce, or reinforce these concepts.

Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland: A Math Adventure, by Cindy Neuschwander
Another Sir Cumference book!  These books are a favorite of my children.  They love the whimsy and comedy.  I love the math concepts they learn.  This one is about angles and is another great resource for learning some of the basics of geometry. 

DVDs:
Math Challenge: Fractions, animated video by Schlessinger Media
Using a fictional story line of secret agents and villains, our hero Matt Mattics must solve math problems involving fractions, mixed numbers, and improper fractions. Students are encouraged to help Matt.  The episode is about 10 minutes in length.

Math Challenge: Equivalent Fractions & Mixed Numbers, animated video by Schlessinger Media
Both Dr. Strangeglove and Secret Agent Matt Mattics are again locked in a fight of good verses evil.  Math questions using equivalent fractions and mixed numbers are vital to good's triumph in this episode of Math Challenge.  This episode is about 15 minutes in length.

Bill Nye's Solving: Algebra I, Volume I, video by Disney Educational Productions
A twenty-five minute video filled with Bill Nye's (the Science Guy) quirky, but informative explanations.  Algebraic principles including variables, balancing equations, and exponents are covered in this first volume.  A great extra when beginning algebra.


These math resources are fabulous finds from our local library.  If you can find any or all of them at your local library, I would definitely recommend borrowing them!

{Links are not affiliate, but are included for reference.}


Related Posts:
Math Resources for the Middle Grades
Learning Math Concepts
Early Learning: Math Manipulatives