Actually it has been nearly 2 months since we started lessons. The time has flown by and it is already time to start compiling my first quarter observations.
Last year I typed a progress report each quarter (after about 9 weeks of lessons), and I think I will do that again. I included the topics we'd covered, a critique of our progress, books we'd read, field trips we'd taken, and any other information I'd felt was pertinent to the learning process. I didn't give my son grades, but for each subject area I assigned him a progress label, such as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Progressing. It actually helped me a lot to look back over the work my son had completed, reflect on what we'd done, and decide whether we'd met our educational goals in each subject. I then could use this information to make any necessary changes to our curriculum map.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Last week we went on a field trip to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C. This was a really interesting trip. You get to tour the facilities where they are actually making paper money. We saw them printing $50 and $100 bills. We saw workers loading "paper" into the machines to be printed and the printed sheets into the machines that inspect the money. We saw other workers repairing one of the machines that prints final details onto the bills. We also saw them inspecting the money under special lamps with magnifying glasses.
The tour begins with a video on the entire process of making money, from printing the background color to the money being monetized by the Federal Reserve. You are then joined by your tour guide who takes you along a special corridor that has been constructed for you to walk through and be able to view a portion of the printing and inspection process. Your tour guide explains the process to you and tells you lots of interesting facts, like that they print over $900,000,000 a day at the facility and that most of that money goes toward replacing old, worn money. The tour takes only about 45 minutes. The tour ends at the gift shop. After our tour, we ate lunch at the Department of Agriculture's cafeteria, about two blocks from the BEP tour entrance.
This was an informative and fun field trip. Even the younger children, who might not really understand the concept of money, were interested in watching the machines and the BEP employees. The older children (and adults) learned that making money is a very complicated process. They also learned about the security features that are designed to discourage counterfeiting. (Actually my kids didn't know what counterfeiting was until we went on this trip.) I felt that the tour was a little rushed. At each of the 4 "stops" on the tour you only had a couple of minutes to watch what was going on in the manufacturing process. There were also wall displays along the tour that you didn't have time to look at because you were being rushed along because the next tour was right behind you. Our tour guide was very nice and tried to take time to answer our questions and accomodate us, but the overall tour schedule didn't allow for her to take very much time at any stop along the tour.
We went with our field trip group and reserved a group tour space, but they do have public tours throughout the day. The tour is free. If you are interested in more information visit www.moneyfactory.gov.
The tour begins with a video on the entire process of making money, from printing the background color to the money being monetized by the Federal Reserve. You are then joined by your tour guide who takes you along a special corridor that has been constructed for you to walk through and be able to view a portion of the printing and inspection process. Your tour guide explains the process to you and tells you lots of interesting facts, like that they print over $900,000,000 a day at the facility and that most of that money goes toward replacing old, worn money. The tour takes only about 45 minutes. The tour ends at the gift shop. After our tour, we ate lunch at the Department of Agriculture's cafeteria, about two blocks from the BEP tour entrance.
This was an informative and fun field trip. Even the younger children, who might not really understand the concept of money, were interested in watching the machines and the BEP employees. The older children (and adults) learned that making money is a very complicated process. They also learned about the security features that are designed to discourage counterfeiting. (Actually my kids didn't know what counterfeiting was until we went on this trip.) I felt that the tour was a little rushed. At each of the 4 "stops" on the tour you only had a couple of minutes to watch what was going on in the manufacturing process. There were also wall displays along the tour that you didn't have time to look at because you were being rushed along because the next tour was right behind you. Our tour guide was very nice and tried to take time to answer our questions and accomodate us, but the overall tour schedule didn't allow for her to take very much time at any stop along the tour.
We went with our field trip group and reserved a group tour space, but they do have public tours throughout the day. The tour is free. If you are interested in more information visit www.moneyfactory.gov.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Luray Zoo
Last week we went on a field trip to the zoo in Luray. It is a small rescue zoo. When I was a child, it was a very small reptile zoo with just two rooms. It has now expanded to include outdoor exhibits with many different kinds of animals.
Anything that includes animals is always a big hit with my kids, but we went with our field trip group and all of the children really seemed to enjoy it. Some of the highlights were the baby wallabees, the very active capuchen monkeys, the alligator turtle. (We even saw a copperhead passing an unfertilized egg. Our guide had quite a time explaining that to the 4-9 year olds in our group.)
Being a small zoo, our group was able to interact with the owners, asking questions about animal care and particular animals at the zoo.
One of the important things I think my children came away with is that pets are a responsibility not to be taken lightly. This is a rescue zoo. All of the animals were either exotic pets that were surrendered by their owners or animals that had been hurt and could not be returned to the wild.
Visit www.lurayzoo.com for more information.
Anything that includes animals is always a big hit with my kids, but we went with our field trip group and all of the children really seemed to enjoy it. Some of the highlights were the baby wallabees, the very active capuchen monkeys, the alligator turtle. (We even saw a copperhead passing an unfertilized egg. Our guide had quite a time explaining that to the 4-9 year olds in our group.)
Being a small zoo, our group was able to interact with the owners, asking questions about animal care and particular animals at the zoo.
One of the important things I think my children came away with is that pets are a responsibility not to be taken lightly. This is a rescue zoo. All of the animals were either exotic pets that were surrendered by their owners or animals that had been hurt and could not be returned to the wild.
Visit www.lurayzoo.com for more information.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Reflections on our first week
So, the first week of lessons has come to an end, and I think it would be a good idea to reflect on how things went. Overall it was a good week. My older son (the now fourth grader) got right back into the swing of lessons. My nephew and niece both work very well. It was a little difficult sometimes when everyone needed help or instruction, and noone is doing the same thing.
I would say the biggest problem we encountered was the four year old. He simply refused to do any work or lessons. Each day when I said, "Ok guys it's time to get started," he would tell me what he was going to do. "Mom-mom, I only going to do my calendar today." "Mom-mom, I not do colors now." What am I supposed to do about that? (Seriously, it's not a rhetorical question. I would love suggestions.) So far I just haven't fought it. I don't have time, all the other kids need my time. I let him do puzzles or play with his moon sand, and when a bigger kid has free time they read him stories and can sometimes coax him into singing his ABC's or identifying numbers for them.
I've already encountered my first unplanned interruption, when my husband decided to stay home from work on Friday and take all the boys (my nephew included) camping at Smith Mountain Lake. There went anything I had planned for Friday. The good thing is I hadn't planned anything for Monday because it is a holiday, but we are just going to have to get some work done. My husband will be home, but maybe instead of being a distraction to the boys, he can help me work with each of them individually.
Our homeschool co-op met for the first time this week. We are meeting at a new church, so there were a few snags. But overall I think it went well. I was a little concerned because my older son was moving up a level and his reading skills are not on grade level, but he loved all of his classes. I am teaching Virginia Studies, U.S. Geography, and Spelling. My classes went well, I will have to tweak some things now that I've gotten a feel for the students' abilities and prior knowledge.
I'm excited about next week. We will be going to the Luray Zoo with our field trip group. And, we are starting our Astronomy Unit Study. Now if I can just get the little one to cooperate, it will be wonderful.
I would say the biggest problem we encountered was the four year old. He simply refused to do any work or lessons. Each day when I said, "Ok guys it's time to get started," he would tell me what he was going to do. "Mom-mom, I only going to do my calendar today." "Mom-mom, I not do colors now." What am I supposed to do about that? (Seriously, it's not a rhetorical question. I would love suggestions.) So far I just haven't fought it. I don't have time, all the other kids need my time. I let him do puzzles or play with his moon sand, and when a bigger kid has free time they read him stories and can sometimes coax him into singing his ABC's or identifying numbers for them.
I've already encountered my first unplanned interruption, when my husband decided to stay home from work on Friday and take all the boys (my nephew included) camping at Smith Mountain Lake. There went anything I had planned for Friday. The good thing is I hadn't planned anything for Monday because it is a holiday, but we are just going to have to get some work done. My husband will be home, but maybe instead of being a distraction to the boys, he can help me work with each of them individually.
Our homeschool co-op met for the first time this week. We are meeting at a new church, so there were a few snags. But overall I think it went well. I was a little concerned because my older son was moving up a level and his reading skills are not on grade level, but he loved all of his classes. I am teaching Virginia Studies, U.S. Geography, and Spelling. My classes went well, I will have to tweak some things now that I've gotten a feel for the students' abilities and prior knowledge.
I'm excited about next week. We will be going to the Luray Zoo with our field trip group. And, we are starting our Astronomy Unit Study. Now if I can just get the little one to cooperate, it will be wonderful.
Friday, August 28, 2009
NPS Junior Ranger Program
We are very lucky to live right outside Shenandoah National Park. This summer we've been to Dickey Ridge; and we've hiked to Overall Run Falls and Old Rag Mountain. (All of the kids, even the 4 year old, made it to the summit!)
Earlier this year we found out about the National Park Service's program called Junior Rangers. It is offered at most national parks. Children can complete a booklet of activities and participate in ranger-led programs in order to earn a badge or patch. (There is a nominal fee to cover printing costs at some of the parks.) Each park has their own unique patch. Shenandoah National Park's Junior Ranger program is by far the most time-intensive one we've done this summer. In order to earn your SNP patch you have to complete 12 activities in the booklet and attend 2 ranger-led activities. My son has earned a patch from Yorktown National Battlefield and a badge from Petersburg National Battlefield.
I think it is a great program. It encourages children to think about why it is important to protect our natural and historic places for the future. The program also gives the kids some focus as they tour the wonderful sites made available through National Park Service. If you are planning a visit to a national park and intend to do their Junior Ranger program, make sure to get your Junior Ranger materials early in the day to ensure you have ample time to complete the activities. To find out if the park you are visiting offers a Junior Ranger program, visit the National Park Service's website at www.nps.gov.
If you are unable to visit a national park, but your child would still be interested in participating in something similar to the Junior Ranger program, you can visit www.webrangers.us.
Earlier this year we found out about the National Park Service's program called Junior Rangers. It is offered at most national parks. Children can complete a booklet of activities and participate in ranger-led programs in order to earn a badge or patch. (There is a nominal fee to cover printing costs at some of the parks.) Each park has their own unique patch. Shenandoah National Park's Junior Ranger program is by far the most time-intensive one we've done this summer. In order to earn your SNP patch you have to complete 12 activities in the booklet and attend 2 ranger-led activities. My son has earned a patch from Yorktown National Battlefield and a badge from Petersburg National Battlefield.
I think it is a great program. It encourages children to think about why it is important to protect our natural and historic places for the future. The program also gives the kids some focus as they tour the wonderful sites made available through National Park Service. If you are planning a visit to a national park and intend to do their Junior Ranger program, make sure to get your Junior Ranger materials early in the day to ensure you have ample time to complete the activities. To find out if the park you are visiting offers a Junior Ranger program, visit the National Park Service's website at www.nps.gov.
If you are unable to visit a national park, but your child would still be interested in participating in something similar to the Junior Ranger program, you can visit www.webrangers.us.
Monday Is the Big Day
Not that we haven't been learning all summer long, but Monday is the day when we start our Fall School Schedule. No more last minute obligations--I hope my family is reading this. (It's not that I mind helping them in any way. I just need advanced notice so I can make sure I've planned the boys' lesson time accordingly.)
As I said before I think the schedule is going to be key to me keeping my sanity, especially on those days I have 4 kids all doing somewhat different things. I'm not too attached to the schedule yet. I figure the first 2 weeks will be a trial run, and it will definitely need to be tweeked.
Soccer practice and co-op start next week. And the following week dance class and music lessons start. It's always a new adventure and I'm ready (I think).
As I said before I think the schedule is going to be key to me keeping my sanity, especially on those days I have 4 kids all doing somewhat different things. I'm not too attached to the schedule yet. I figure the first 2 weeks will be a trial run, and it will definitely need to be tweeked.
Soccer practice and co-op start next week. And the following week dance class and music lessons start. It's always a new adventure and I'm ready (I think).
Monday, August 17, 2009
Where Has the Time Gone?
As I try to organize my supplies and my space to prepare for a new school year, I am struck by how fast the summer has flown by. It seems we were just scrambling to finish up third grade material and take tests; and, here it is almost time to start again.
We are expecting a big change this year. My sister is going back to school to complete a nursing degree and her children will be staying with me Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I won't have them all day everyday, but enough that I will need to keep up with some of their work too. It just makes it even more pressing for me to be more organized this year.
For social studies and science I am going to try to do Unit Studies. My neice and nephew are both close in age to my oldest son, so I think they will all be able to work on the same (or similar) material. Our first unit study is an Astronomy Unit. I'm developing it myself. I've purused several different companies' Unit Studies. Some were very in depth and/or kind of complicated, I thought. Others were extremely simplistic. I'm going to try to find a middle ground. I have developed an outline of what I think we need to cover and some activities to include. But, I don't want to be too rigid. I want to be able to expand as the kids' interest is piqued. And some things might need to be skimmed over if they aren't as interesting or dropped altogether if they are too complicated.
For language arts we are going to do Literature Studies. I actually purchased a book on this, because it is completely new to me. I'm hoping since grammar is taught in the context of the selections being studied, it might not be as boring as what I was doing last year. I am not using the spelling from the Literature Studies. Because my oldest had such a problem learning to read he still needs a very phonetically structured spelling approach, which does not describe the Literature Studies spelling at all.
Back to my original thought...we've had a wonderful, fun-filled summer. We went to the beach. We visited Yorktown and the Petersburg Battlefield. We visited family. We went on hikes. We swam at the pool. We've tended a vegetable garden that has provided (and still is providing) us with abundant zuccini and tomatoes! We've played with friends and done many other fun things. They say time flies when you're having fun--I guess that's true.
We are expecting a big change this year. My sister is going back to school to complete a nursing degree and her children will be staying with me Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I won't have them all day everyday, but enough that I will need to keep up with some of their work too. It just makes it even more pressing for me to be more organized this year.
For social studies and science I am going to try to do Unit Studies. My neice and nephew are both close in age to my oldest son, so I think they will all be able to work on the same (or similar) material. Our first unit study is an Astronomy Unit. I'm developing it myself. I've purused several different companies' Unit Studies. Some were very in depth and/or kind of complicated, I thought. Others were extremely simplistic. I'm going to try to find a middle ground. I have developed an outline of what I think we need to cover and some activities to include. But, I don't want to be too rigid. I want to be able to expand as the kids' interest is piqued. And some things might need to be skimmed over if they aren't as interesting or dropped altogether if they are too complicated.
For language arts we are going to do Literature Studies. I actually purchased a book on this, because it is completely new to me. I'm hoping since grammar is taught in the context of the selections being studied, it might not be as boring as what I was doing last year. I am not using the spelling from the Literature Studies. Because my oldest had such a problem learning to read he still needs a very phonetically structured spelling approach, which does not describe the Literature Studies spelling at all.
Back to my original thought...we've had a wonderful, fun-filled summer. We went to the beach. We visited Yorktown and the Petersburg Battlefield. We visited family. We went on hikes. We swam at the pool. We've tended a vegetable garden that has provided (and still is providing) us with abundant zuccini and tomatoes! We've played with friends and done many other fun things. They say time flies when you're having fun--I guess that's true.
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