Blount Home Education Association
• Aug. 26, 2006 - Language Arts Ideas
Hi everyone! Here's my two-cents' worth on Language Arts. This seems to me
to be the trickiest area of home schooling because there are so many different
aspects to it: Reading, Handwriting, Writing, Spelling, and Grammar.
Choosing the materials from one curriculum provider (Sonlight, Abeka, Alpha Om ega, etc.) and sticking with them seems to work well for many people, but if
you haven't found one you like, the "eclectic" approach works, too.
We did Sonlight Language Arts through second grade. It worked for both of my
daughters to learn how to read. Sonlight describes their approach as a
"natural language-learning approach," and they offer supplemental workbooks to go along with their readers and activity sheets. This is what we used:
1. Get Ready, Get Set, and Go for the Code for Kindergarten.
2. Explode the Code--Workbooks 1, 2, 3 for First Grade
3. Explode the Code--Workbooks 4, 5, 6 for Second Grade
(This series is good for phonics and spelling.)
4. Wordly Wise Workbooks A and B for Second Grade (vocabulary)
For 3rd Grade, I am using a more eclectic approach with some materials
purchased from Sonlight and elsewhere. Shoshana is doing:
1. Wordly Wise C (vocabulary)
2. Word Study D (vocabulary)
3. Daily Grams (for 2nd and 3rd grade grammar)
4. Sequential Spelling 1 (a spelling program that builds spelling around
word families)
HANDWRITING:
We have been using and enjoying "A Reason for Handwriting." We used their K
book for Kindergarten, Book A (Manuscript for First grade), Book T (Transition)
for 2nd grade and Book C (Cursive) for 3rd grade. This program uses Bible
verses as handwriting exercises.
GRAMMAR:
We are using Shurley English 1. We started it last year but got bogged down by the amount of text and gave it up. I started it again in January and really liked it! There are great jingles for learning about parts of speech, exercises for sentence classification, and a weekly test. Even though my girls are in 2nd and 3rd grades, we are going to finish Shurley English 1 this year because I think it will provide a good foundation. Then we may skip to Level 3. (I actually bought a used Level 3
which turned out not to be the homeschool version, but I guess I'll try to use it
anyway--the layout and plan is different from what I'm used to.) Shurley
English is a bit pricey, but it would sell well used on eBay.
WRITING: Writing remains a bit of a mystery to me. I know that many people
like "Writing Strands," but I looked at it and felt bored. I figure that if
I'm bored with it, the girls will be, too. So I have bought a new program to
try this year, "The Institute for Excellence in Writing," (IEW). This is also
"pricey" but is supposed to teach me how to teach writing to my daughters all
the way through 12th grade. Stay tuned to see how it's going.
I would be glad to show anyone any of these materials or workbooks if you
want to contact me personally. I can bring things to Monday Fun, or you can stop
by my house. I'd also be interested in anyone else's comments on Writing and
Grammar. Sonlight sells Winston Grammar, but it looks like it's for 4th
grade, so I haven't bought it yet.
Marj Overstreet
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• Jun. 8, 2006 - Resources for 7th-12th Graders: Reviews and Insights
If you want to know about books for kids who are challenged by certain subjects (or just outright challenged by academics in general) ----read through this email and links will be found.
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One thing we as homeschoolers know is that our kids are gifted in different areas. Sometimes our kids are not gifted in language arts or math or seat-work subjects. It is a good thing our kids are not good at everything because God needs a variety of people to do many different things in this world. Unfortunately, the traditional school system wants all kids to reach a certain level of competency in just about everything under the sun ~ before kids can pursue what they are wired to be or do.
I know my younger child enjoys art and singing and cooking and cake-decorating. So far we have yet to find a "seat-work" subject she really loves. She has finally concluded that math is her favorite subject, but usually that is when she's doing math "in her head"; she doesn't like to write out problems, and she still struggles with new concepts. The bottom line is learning new things is a challenge, and transitioning is a challenge when it comes to transitioning in activities, knowledge, or just daily life (eg. new clothes and not wanting to give up old favorite ones).
I've now homeschooled my youngest child for 6 years and she has prompted me to think outside the box of traditional education. I remember when she was five, someone said try "Five in a Row" and gee I went for it..... but it didn't go over well. At age 6 we were doing Get Ready For the Code and with great difficulty. Shortly after the 10th birthday we began to *really* read words that contained more than three letters. Reading is now fun, but comprehension is not always there.
Barb Shelton wrote a book I mentioned not too long ago called Senior High: A Home Designed Form+U+La. It is the only book of its kind which explains how to pursue and document a non-traditional high school experience. If you want to spread out course-work for a subject over a couple years and then turn in your grade and credit for that course, Barb supplies the helpful form to enable you to do that. She also explains how to take non-traditional learning such as 4-H ecology and give a high school science credit for it without ever opening a high school science book. Barb has a Guide a Log book that enables one to do the same with younger grades. Her Booklet Building Book is ideal for grades K-5 as kids learn to document their collections or real life experiences which is a building tool that will transition them to 'real' research. Barb promotes an archealogical education where kids dig into knowledge rather than being spoon-fed predigested textbooks. This is one way---------you can take an unschooling attitude, or a hands-on style teaching, and make it work for all grades including high school. I can't remember if I saw it in the Well Trained Mind or on a classical reading book reading list, but somewhere it said use the DK Skeleton Book and DK Mammal book (chock full of pictures) to do biology. Of course you'd want to get a supplemental experiment book------------ Castle Heights Biology experiment book can be used by middle school grades (is recommended by Barb) and would be a good supplement to other books such as Usborne's Intro to Biology or their Biology Encyclopedia.
Now, for those of you who do NOT want to be unschoolers or education archaelogists, there are some wonderful textbooks out there with high school level content that are on a 4th grade reading level. Let me share some of them with you.
Check this out at the state of Florida: the website says that teachers can buy the books OR print them off the internet. I have no idea if homeschool teachers can buy these, but the 3 high school level science books are completely on the internet for your printing pleasure. Biology, Physical Science, and Marine Biology. You'll find Spanish, math, Language arts, history, health and PE too. Remember these are secular books ~ but then so are many of the Usborne and DK books we own. We process the secular info and discuss it as it comes up. That doesn't make the books all bad, certain points just need clarification
. One of my favorite companies is AGS--- Advance Guidance Service. They sell some wonderful textbooks. I own their Physical Science book. It's a lovely book and not overwhelming at all. If you want to find AGS books on ebay, go to the AGS site and look at sample books to find out who the author is----then pursue that author and book title on ebay or other used sites.
Click in the middle of this home page for the secondary education books. They cover all subjects. I *REALLY* believe that these books could be good for the non-learning challenged IF they have trouble with a particular subject. I know from our physical science book that they take the subject and break it down quite well.
Here is another curiculum to consider called Paradigm Accelerated Science--- I will give you a homeschool vendor from which to buy it or Timberdoodle. Now, get a look at Paradigm up closely with their company at the first link and also see a lot of samples and their many subjects at the company online headquarters
If you want to do US and World History for grades 7-12 that does not include a tests, look at Beautiful Feet. The high school level history teacher manual outlines reading and wr iting assignments that will ultimately allow you to earn 1 credit for US history as well as 1 credit for World history. It uses quite a bit of literature that is below high school level reading. Three of the Joy Hakim History of US books are core texts for this program ~ and those books in color are in the library in the reference section by the Lily Pads (short chapters) and also in the adult section in the black and white versions. Seems to me that essays are part of the Beautiful Feet program ~ and there is a very easy to use essay book suitable for grades 5 -12 written by Les Simonson called the Essay Handbook - How to Write an Essay. I believe Elijah Company used to sell it. I bought mine used. But I found you can see the entire line of WIN products (not just essay) at Christian Family Resources. Lifetime Gifts and Books sells the essay book for a couple dollars cheaper, but they evidently are not carrying the whole line of WIN books by Dr. Simonson. I think Simonson's books are good for the reluctant writer. I once had a book called If You are Trying to Teach Your kids How to Write You've Got to Have This Book ~ and I sold my copy to someone. However, God put that book back in my life when I picked it up for a dollar at a yard sale. It too is a good book if you are trying to figure out *how* to get your kids to write.
Last year I had bought the Abeka biology textbook and thought that was what my older daughter might eventually use. We do not like Apologia or BJU science. I ended up selling my Abeka Biology as I wasn't convicted that it was a match. I could end up changing my mind. But, last week I got to look at the Christian Liberty Press Biology Book------- and I think it's gonna be the winning choice for us. You can see it at Christian Liberty Press (when you arrive at that home page, look on Tenth Grade on left hand margin, and scroll down on the 10th grade screen until you see Biology A Search for Order in Complexity). The chapters are relatively short. Some of the chapters have topics that look totally unappealing, but I actually bought the multiple choice tests last week for $3 up at Cedar Springs. The tests have all the info I think my girls need to know for biology.
I also plan to use Body By Design for one year of human anatomy ~ coupled with a dover coloring book ~ and reading In His Image, and doing a unit study on nutrition to wrap it up. I don't think it's carved in stone that we have to do biology in 10th grade. I'm trying to make up my mind about whether I want to do biology first, or human anatomy first. I know what order Apologia does it in ~ but I'm considering tying anatomy and home ec and health all into the same year. Sue Gregg's cookbooks have some wonderful ideas for supplementing our health book and our nutrition study which goes hand-in-hand with human anatomy.
We have used the Master Books Science Books --- Weather, Geology, Astronomy, and Ocean for earth science. My umbrella school allows earth science as a high school credit, or it could be 8th grade. These books are very readable and they all have free online study guides at the New Leaf Press publishing website. The books have great pictures and are interesting. Body By Design also has a High school level free study guide at the same site. free science study guides at Free science study guides: You have to type in on their website search box the title you want and then you will see the button to click on for the free study guide. You can search for Astronomy, Weather, Ocean, Geology or Body By Design.
One last thing I will mention is this: the Mennonite curriculum company called Christian Light Education sells a high school level Basic Math course. Abeka has both a consumer math *and* business math course that are high school level. My eldest daughter looked over both of these math courses and declared they are both easier than Saxon pre-algebra. Although Abeka might lead you to conclude Algebra 1 is a pre-requisite for these courses, I do not find this to be so AT ALL. I think a student could easily do both without having taken Algebra 1. Christian Light Education also sells several industrial arts "shop" type curriculums for boys. A woman who taught home ec up at Thursday Connection told me that one might conclude that the Christian Light Education Home Ec is identical to Alpha Omega, but that it is *not*. She bought both to help her teach home ec. According to that gal, the Christian Light Ed Home ec is tops. Another person online told me they used Future Christian Homemakers book as their core high school level home ec book ~ but it all cooking. They recommend Stitches and Pins (ages 8-16) sewing book. Another really cool book at this site is 'Buckles and Bobbins' which is a sewing book for boys ages 8-16. I have not bought these sewing books------I'm on a book diet right now. But I was blessed to have a friend do a trade with us which enabled us to get the Training Our Daughters to Be Keepers at Home which is a really cool home ec course for teen girls that can be spread out over 7 years. For younger girls I like the Pearables Home Ec (good up through age 12 or middle school).
I hope that somebody is helped by these titles. One thing Barb Shelton has taught me is to prepare my girls for their Christian walk, and for their life calling, and then work in what the world wants. So often we worry about the state's educational system. It gets to bog you down when you worry about ACT scores. But if you look closely to see where your child's giftedness and abilities lie, you might see that that preparing for the ACT would rob them of something, or preparation time for something, which God prepared in advance for them to do. Lean on Him and He'll make your homeschool path straight.....
Linda McCausland
p.s. Three really super cool resources Elijah Company
For parents with sons a book called Preparing sons
Homeschool Oasis has hundreds of articles and also an online bookstore with books you don't usually find elsewhere. Barb has this thing about wanting to offer good books that others don't. Often they are educational books that aren't schoolish for example like her Compact Classics (2 page Cliff Notes style works on every great literary work from every genre imaginable); great books but beware the print is too small for a learning challenged kid. Compact classics would be good for a literature challenged highly intelligent teen who wants to know something about *every* literary work but not read them all; perhaps it might boost an ACT score. It just occurred to me that I could put those 2 page spreads on the xerox machine, zoom in on them, and make that font bigger. |
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• Jun. 5, 2006 - Free downloads at Homeschool E-store
Each week at the homeschool e-store you can download a free book . This week's
free book is Know Your Gene . You will have to register first and then you
can download the free book in a pdf file. I save them to my computer
and then print them if I want to use that particular workbbook . They
usually put up a new book on Mondays to download for free, so be sure to
check back in . They also send an e-mail out once a week to let you know of
that week's specials and the title of the free download. I have saved some
wonderful books to my computer this way .
Enjoy !!!
Nancy
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