Learning all those prepositions can be redundant and boring so why not add a little fun.  Don't just repeat those boring  words, say them while signing.   I like to use both the Perigee Visual Dictionary of Signing and the ASL Browser.

After six weeks of using the Classical Conversations Foundation Guide,  as my core Curriculum, the memory work is getting hard.  I have been amazed at my children's ability to memorize and my decreasing ability.  I had to call on Dr. Memory  for a little help. 



Learn more about the Learning System from the author of the Memory book , Dr. Memory

My children love Signing Time. We began using ABC Signs two years ago for our spelling practice. On Monday, we dictate and write our new spelling list, Tuesday through Thursday, my children practice spelling in sign language, Friday they take a written or sign test.  Although we no longer need to use our DVD for practicing our ABC Signs, we will hold on to this treasure.

My youngest son, who could not write at the time, became a great speller. When he did begin writing, his spelling had given him sucha a boost, he began writing in complete sentences.  

Chuckle for the day: 

One time at the eye doctor, a deaf couple was sitting across form us signing. My son leaned over quietly and asked, “How did they know I sign?”

Our junior scientists conducted a scientific experiment causing the volcanoes to erupt. Using the Usborne Kid Kit;  Beginners Volcanoes book, three volcanic rocks (mounted on card) for your collection: pumice, obsidian and basalt, vinyl volcano model, instructions for lava and volcanoes food coloring tablets.

We did find our books fascinating with many facts, we had hoped, our volcanoes would have displayed more excitement; not just a slow drizzle.


A field trip to Hawaii would be very educational, after all ,we are studying volcanoes.  How could I convince my husband?  LOL

 Do your kids have boundless amounts of energy?  You are not alone! I found this awesome math facts VHS; now on DVD, a few years back.  A great way to start our home-school morning, a few wiggles, and  oodles of giggles.  Can Do! Kids are kids who focus on what they can do instead of what they can't.

Are your children frustrated  with all the rote memorization; charts, flash cards and speed drills? My children not only mastered all their basic math facts; they had fun. I kind of enjoyed the 20 minutes free time myself.  

All those kinesthetic learners who need to use their whole body to learn; Can Do Kids is for them. A little stimulation for Brain Development and Learning will help those harder to teach children as well.  The
Stages of Critical Brain Development.

I found this great article on response writing.   I am so excited to have an  excuse to eat some Oreo Cookies.

Title - OREO Response Writing
By - Mark A. Schneberger
Primary Subject - Language Arts
Grade Level - Fifth through College
Themes or Keywords: Writing, Response

Objectives:

To use OREO cookies to teach students to connect with how they personally feel about specific issues (or in a literature course how they can connect with a specific piece) rather than summarizing and/or regurgitating what was written about a certain issue or offering a plot summary of the piece.

Materials:

One large bag of OREO cookies
(any center filling will do).

A chalkboard/dry erase marker board and
chalk/dry erase marker

Pencils/pens and paper.

Introductory Activity:

Teacher should explain to the students that they are beginning the stages of "Response Writing" to a written work.

Explain that rather than reading a written work first, the class will work first on the more important part--how to engage in responding.

After informing the students that this is a food based activity, and those allergic to chocolate are warned, the teacher should take out the unopened bag of cookies.

Body:

He should then open the bag and explain to the students that they are each to take a cookie (even if they don't intend to eat one) and pass the bag to the person to their right--until each student has a cookie. The teacher should then explain that as soon as each student takes a cookie, he/she should write a short five-sentence paragraph which explains "what just happened"--meaning what was the process of watching the bag come around the room, taking a cookie, perhaps eating it, and writing about what just happened.

The students will spend at least two minutes passing the cookies, and they'll spend another three to five minutes writing their short paragraphs.

Next, ask each student to share his/her paragraph with the student who passed him/her the bag. Have them read their paragraphs aloud to each other and compare their very alike writing--looking for similarities.

When they are done (in about two minutes) write the words "Plot Summary" and "Summarization" on the board. Then, call the students to attention, and tell the students that you want them to try to not do that style of writing again when writing about literature or other published works as it is called "Plot Summary" and "Summarization" which will generally result in a very surface level response to something read. Also, explain to the students that just like their cookie paragraphs, summary writing often results in lack of originality in students writing and often makes one student's paper seem just like another.

Now explain to them that you would much rather they do something different.

Write the words "Critical Response" on the board and explain to them that it's much more important for the students to try and demonstrate how they feel about a subject, rather than to simply explain what the subject is. They can do this by asking themselves and answering the questions, "How does this make me feel and Why?" This causes them to connect emotionally and intellectually with the piece.

This kind of demonstrative writing is called "Critical Response."

Then ask the students to try and write a short paragraph which demonstrates how they feel about giving him/her the bag. Have them read their paragraphs aloud to each other and explain to each other how this second paragraph is different than the first. Also, have them identify any specific "feeling" words that are in the second "Critical Response" paragraph.

Conclusion Activity:

Finally, as a whole class share experiences and impressions of the activity to ensure all students understand the difference between the two writing methods.

Vocabulary Words:

Plot summary--the simple retelling of the plot of a story.

Summarization--the regurgitation of information from an article or other piece in an effort to explain what was read.

Critical Response--explaining your mental and heart-felt connections to something written. Basically, explaining how you feel about something written and why.

Evaluation Activity:

Take up the paragraphs and read them to ensure that the students have demonstrated the different writing styles.

              Front

         Front Flap

    Center Flap

      Back

On a rare occasion we will create a very extensive or elaborate themed lap book but most the time we do something simple. This makes life easier on mommy.  The more prep work or time spent preparing can be very exhausting.

1. File folders: legal and letter size
2. Felt pens, glue sticks and scissors
3. A large basket of stickers
4. Two crates of construction paper; all different sizes.

Before I begin any project with my children I stick to three principles: Educational, Creative and  Fun.

1. Educational
a. Math
b. Grammar
c. Writing
d. Reading
e. History or Science in bite size pieces

2. Creativity
a. new ideas -a mental process involving the generation of new ideas
b. new associations between existing ideas or new concepts.
c. experience

3. Fun
a. laughter
b. touching
c. interaction
d. communication

I assist my children when they need help but I do not do it for them.  (only the younger ones.) This will help your children to see and hear your instructions.

Sample Lesson
Step 1- Open your file folder. We are going to make match box size squares out of 11” x 17” paper.  This will be easier for the smaller children to open and close.  I would like everyone to glue three across the top of the left side of the folder.  Above I will write Adjective, Noun, Verb.  This will also allow the children to catch up.

Step2- Using school in a box, each child will pick one out.  Starting with myself, I will say the name of my object, “duck”.  After everyone takes a turn, I will say “noun - duck.” Everyone will always have a turn before we move on.   I will now ask each child to go find a noun and bring it back to me.  Each person should have two nouns.  We will write one on the front of our match box and the other one in the inside.  Anytime we work on lap books I am the walking talking dictionary.  I do not want anyone stressed about spelling.  My younger children do everything verbally and someone else writes for them.


  Adjectives                          Nouns                             Verbs
                                      Duck (written outside)          
                                      Marble (written inside)
         
Step 3- We are now going to put some action to our noun.  I will pick up my duck and say, “verb-quack”.  We will all take turns doing this with both our objects. While rolling my  marble I will say, ” verb-roll”.  Write your verbs on the match box. 

      Adjectives                          Nouns                             Verbs
                                      Duck (written outside)           quack (written outside)
                                      Marble (written inside)          roll (written inside)

Step 4 - Adjectives-our describing words. Picking up my duck. I will say, “adjective-yellow”.  And so on. We will continue the rest of the match boxes later, another day, or on our own.  I do not want to spend to much time or nobody will have fun.

       Adjectives                           Nouns                                Verbs
yellow (written outside)      Duck (written outside)          quack (written outside)
small (written outside)        Marble (written inside)          roll (written inside)

Step 5-  Using legal size paper or writing paper we will fold it in half, cut across the seam, fold in half. Your paper will need to be large enough to write a sentence. Glue on the right side of the file folder, lined up with the adjectives, nouns and verbs.  Each of you will now make a sentence with your words verbally before writing them.  Do not make them to complicated.  We will continue the rest of the sentences later, another day, or on our own.  I do not want to spend to much time or nobody will have fun.

The yellow duck was quacking. (written on the outside)
The boy rolled the small marble. (written on the inside)

                                            *see example below

                        Left Side                                                                      Right Side
Adjectives                           Nouns           Verbs                  Sentences
yellow (written outside)    Duck             quack        The yellow duck was quacking. (written on the outside)
small (written outside)      Marble         roll             The boy rolled the small marble (written on the inside)

Step 6 - Make a fold the size of index cards. I will bring my Great Search Books to the table.  Each child will choose the animal of choice around the edge of the book, draw picture in color on the index card, glue to top flap. Copy write the bite size information on the inside.  We will make three total for the back. 


                                                                                            Coral snake

Back of file folder
picture of coral snake (on the outside)
Coral snakes are poisonous, (written on the inside)
so animals do not eat them.

Step 7 - Everyone will use their own imagination to decorate the front.  It is very important to make a lap book with your kids.  Your participation is what makes this fun for your children.  My daughter decorated the front of our lap book.  On the inside front flap she chose to use information from Tadpoles and Frogs.

You might want to check out  The Big Book of Books by Dinah Zike

Step 8 - When the lap books are completed, we will  present them before our family. At first my children hated sharing but now they all want to go first.  The bite size pieces of facts will usually grab dads attention.

                                                                     
What lives in the grass? What's on the flowers? What’s buzzing around your head? What lives in the bushes? What’s sitting on the wall?  What lives in the garden?

You will never hear my junior entomologists ask those questions but they just might show you.   We always have bug books! With big colorful pictures and bite size chunks of information. My boys are on the move so we need to keep our information short and sweet. Our youngest is the official bug hunter, zip lock bag in hand, he is on the prowl. Once the creatures are captured the boys look through the books to further understand their new pet. Yes, you heard me correctly. Our newest additions, three crickets.

Supplies Needed:  Bug Books, zip lock bags, yard and a child or two.  On a rainy day, fake bugs from the dollar store will satisfy those curious minds.  

Things to Learn:  Everything you ever wanted to see about the world of creepy-crawlies, within and around your yard.  This is a great time to teach your children how to use the index and glossary to learn more about their amazing creature.

Lesson Plan
Investigation and Experimentation -Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. Students should develop their own questions and perform investigations.  Repeat observations to improve accuracy and know that the results of similar scientific investigations seldom turn out exactly the same because of differences in the things being investigated, methods being used, or uncertainty in the observation.  *California State Board of Education, grade 3

Did you know reading just 20 minutes a day for one year, your child will be exposed to  One million words as well as increase spelling, grammar and writing skills? A typical child between the ages of two and five learns ten words a day.  In three years, your child’s vocabulary could vastly increase up to 15,000 words.

Recently statistics found 20 percent of adults reading level was fifth-grade or below -- insignificantly beneath the level needed to earn an income.  

I am always seeking new authors for myself or my children. You will find a few of my treasured resources and look forward to seeing yours!

Who Should We Then Read?

Beautiful Feet Books

Robinson Curriculum

Lamplighter Publishing

*I often find many of the titles at the local library…