Far too many people assume that because I am a writer by trade, I have all of the secret insider knowledge necessary to teach children to write. While I may have a few more tricks in my pocket than the average non-scribe citizen, I'm definitely not above pulling form the wisdom of others when it comes to teaching my own children. The wheel has actually already been invented, and I'm too busy peeling potatoes and washing diapers to go out and carve my own.
For my older children, I've employed the venerable Writing Strands series. The drawback? The lowest levels of this program are, in my opinion, virtually useless. Even Level 3 is of somewhat dubious quality when it comes to actual writing instruction; add to that the fact that it can clearly not be used with your youngest students (the text is written directly to the students and is self-teaching) and you can see that it leaves something to be desired.
In general, my approach to the earliest levels of writing instruction has been to simply allow them to write. If the interest was there, I'd offer to transcribe longer stories. In a handful of cases I have created books on the computer, printing them out with frames above the text so that they can illustrate their own tales. As interest and general knowledge grows, I throw out a few story ideas and keep encouraging journaling.
Thus far, it has worked out pretty well. Neither Jo nor Atticus hates writing. Both would claim the mantle, in fact, if you asked. They'd also both claim to be qualified as veterinary assistants, however, but we're still paying for our German Shepherd's rabies shots every few years.
For Logan, who has blossomed in all things creative since the moment he took his first stuffed animals in hand and made them speak, writing is a far more intricate process. Waiting a few years to bloom into the Writing Strands realm seemed like a waste of his time. He's interested now. He wants to write now.
With this in mind, we gave WriteShop's Primary Book A a whirl. A slim, spiral-bound volume, the book is designed with two separate tracks in mind: the reluctant older writer (approximately second grade) and kindergarten and first grade students of beginning ability. Also available as an ebook (at a discounted price with no shipping added), this is a reusable resource that could easily straddle multiple children relatively close in age. Several early activities can be done orally, and the difficulty level can easily be customized to your child based on skill and/or interest.
The concept is simple: WriteShop has, essentially, done the work of selecting a theme, picking out a few activities and giving you a goal. It's your job, as the teacher, to combine the elements into an attractive package that will make your child love to write. If a particular theme doesn't appeal to your child, the teacher's notes encourage you to change it to something that does light the fire of imagination in your house.
In other words, this program takes the same approach I've been using all along with my littles: pick a topic, feed the fire, and slowly draw out the end product. Brilliant!
The process is fun, but the topics covered are no small shakes. From choosing an appropriate titled, gathering information and planning out a plot, this primary guide covers the basics at a relatively accelerated rate--far too many first graders leave their public school classroom still writing one sentence stories entitled "My dog"--but with a relaxed, casual pace that leads both child and parent by the hand.
My personal favorite part of this program is the emphasis on reading as building the skill of writing. It's a proven fact that great writers read as much as--or more than--they actually write. Each theme in the ten lessons included in Primary A suggests reading picture books, discussing plots, picking out details and otherwise enjoying the written word.
This has also proven to be Logan's favorite part of WriteShop. For lesson two, Logan chose an early reader about George Washington to read aloud to me. Using this as our jumping off place, we were able to collect three other beautifully illustrated picture books from our library and enjoy them together. Caught up in the hero that was George, Logan chose to write his story about a "could have happened" ordeal in which George was nearly captured by the British during the American Revolution.
His opening lines?
"In the beginning, George was not afraid. But very soon he realized he was in big trouble and he was very afraid."
His title? Not quite as snappy. It was "George Washington is Nearly Captured by the British."
Ah, well. That's why there's WriteShop Primary B, I suppose.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Good Friday
No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown. --William Penn
Good Friday is the mirror held up by Jesus so that we can see ourselves in all our stark reality, and then it turns us to that cross and to his eyes and we hear these words, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." That's us! And so we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. We see in that cross a love so amazing so divine that it loves us even when we turn away from it, or spurn it, or crucify it. There is no faith in Jesus without understanding that on the cross we see into the heart of God and find it filled with mercy for the sinner whoever he or she may be. --Robert G. Trache
The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it.
--Oswald Chambers
Does God really love us? I say look to the crucified Jesus. Look to the old rugged cross. By every thorn that punctured His brow. By every mark of the back lacerating scourge. By every hair of his beard plucked from his cheeks by cruel fingers. By every bruise which heavy fists made upon His head. God said, "I love you!" By all the spit that landed on his face. By every drop of sinless blood that fell to the ground. By every breath of pain which Jesus drew upon the cross. By every beat of His loving heart. God said, "I love you! " --Billy Lobbs
Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.
--Watchman Nee
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The REAL me
Sarah tagged a whole slew of unwitting bloggers with a very mean meme that she didn't create but ... COME ON, PEOPLE!!! I am sitting at my computer. I deserve a little peace!
O.k., actually I'm horribly amused by this one, as you can probably tell from the smirk on my face.
To be magnanimous with the whole thing, I'm tagging anyone who has a vowel as the second letter of their name. How do 'ya like them apples? :-)
O.k., actually I'm horribly amused by this one, as you can probably tell from the smirk on my face.
Here are the rules:
Take a picture of yourself right now.
No primping or preparing.
Just snap a picture.
Load the picture onto your blog.
Load the picture onto your blog.
Tag some people to play.
That's it, easy as PIE
That's it, easy as PIE
To be magnanimous with the whole thing, I'm tagging anyone who has a vowel as the second letter of their name. How do 'ya like them apples? :-)
TOS Review: Homeschool in the Woods Activity Paks
If there's one thing that has slid almost totally off the radar since our family expanded to include the pre-preschool set, it's crafts. Now, I was never a great crafts mom, I'l be honest. Science experiments? Yes. Art projects? Sure. Random messy play? Absolutely.
But crafts--and by that, I mean those projects-for-projects-sake kind of handiworks--have always been a rare effort for me. Maybe it's because I never especially enjoyed them myself as a child. Maybe it's because my home is already awash in a sea of blue crayola-ed styrofoam cups with little paper Peters attempting to walk across the water. Maybe it's because I always have the sneaking suspicion that there are bigger fish to fry in the ocean of academia. Maybe it's because my children seem quite willing and able to cook up more than their fair share of crafts when left to their own devices for any length of time.
Whatever the reason, I just don't do that many crafts with my kids. Add this to my list of failings as a homeschool parent.
I have done a handful of very successful lapbooks, however. And it was this minor victory that gave me a sense of "I can do it!" when I first laid eyes on the Homeschool in the Woods Activity- Pak. It's a hybrid, I told myself. It's a lapbook, only ... not. Don't worry. We can get through this.
Complete disclosure: I have yet to fully "get through" the New Testament Activity-Pak. There is simply too much stuff. What we have done, though, has been enjoyed by all. Beautiful artwork, fun concepts and easy assembly. Included in this huge project pack are the following topics:
1. The Lineage from David to Jesus
2. The Birth of Jesus Christ
3. Miracles of Jesus
4. The Beatitudes
5. Fruit of the Spirit
6. The Parables of Jesus
7. The Last Supper
8. The Crucifixion
9. The Ascension
10. Pentecost
11. The Resurrection
12. Prophesies Fulfilled
13. The Twelve Disciples
14. Paul’s Missionary Journeys
15. “The New Testament News”
16. The Armor of God
There's a poster for your children to make. A newspaper, scroll-style. Beautiful maps to color. A neat study of Paul's journeys told through postcards. A triptych to assemble.
In other words, a lapbook hopped up on one too many caramel macchiatos with whip.
We've been slowly meandering our way through the Activity-Pak, and enjoying it as a low-key addition to our normal Bible studying. We're probably half way through the activities at this point, which puts me in a bit of a bind: my children know that there's an Old Testament Activity-Pak available, and I'm thinking that they're thinking they'll get to do it.
So much for not being a crafty mom.
But crafts--and by that, I mean those projects-for-projects-sake kind of handiworks--have always been a rare effort for me. Maybe it's because I never especially enjoyed them myself as a child. Maybe it's because my home is already awash in a sea of blue crayola-ed styrofoam cups with little paper Peters attempting to walk across the water. Maybe it's because I always have the sneaking suspicion that there are bigger fish to fry in the ocean of academia. Maybe it's because my children seem quite willing and able to cook up more than their fair share of crafts when left to their own devices for any length of time.
Whatever the reason, I just don't do that many crafts with my kids. Add this to my list of failings as a homeschool parent.
I have done a handful of very successful lapbooks, however. And it was this minor victory that gave me a sense of "I can do it!" when I first laid eyes on the Homeschool in the Woods Activity- Pak. It's a hybrid, I told myself. It's a lapbook, only ... not. Don't worry. We can get through this.
Complete disclosure: I have yet to fully "get through" the New Testament Activity-Pak. There is simply too much stuff. What we have done, though, has been enjoyed by all. Beautiful artwork, fun concepts and easy assembly. Included in this huge project pack are the following topics:
1. The Lineage from David to Jesus
2. The Birth of Jesus Christ
3. Miracles of Jesus
4. The Beatitudes
5. Fruit of the Spirit
6. The Parables of Jesus
7. The Last Supper
8. The Crucifixion
9. The Ascension
10. Pentecost
11. The Resurrection
12. Prophesies Fulfilled
13. The Twelve Disciples
14. Paul’s Missionary Journeys
15. “The New Testament News”
16. The Armor of God
There's a poster for your children to make. A newspaper, scroll-style. Beautiful maps to color. A neat study of Paul's journeys told through postcards. A triptych to assemble.
In other words, a lapbook hopped up on one too many caramel macchiatos with whip.
We've been slowly meandering our way through the Activity-Pak, and enjoying it as a low-key addition to our normal Bible studying. We're probably half way through the activities at this point, which puts me in a bit of a bind: my children know that there's an Old Testament Activity-Pak available, and I'm thinking that they're thinking they'll get to do it.
So much for not being a crafty mom.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
TOS Review: Apologia Elementary Science
For many, science is the bane of their homeschooling existence. They manage creative ways to blend math into their lives (games, anyone?). They select Language Arts materials that support their overall plan for not just literacy, but actual expressive communication. They work in character-building exercises and yes, they read a great number of really good books. But at the end of the day, they just didn't find a single spare moment to incorporate anything resembling science.
An overwhelming number of homeschooling moms have told me that they feel ill-prepared to teach anything beyond the most basic science in the early elementary grades. An even more startling number of homeschoolers have shared that is is because of science that they will eventually be enrolling their children in public school once they reach the age of labs and period tables.
In today's homeschooling climate, there's just no reason to forgo teaching science, or to fear it so strongly that it leads you to abandon educating your own children. The curriculum options are far too numerous and varied--not to mention accessible--to ignore this subject area.
For years, I wrote my own science curricula. This involved lots of time at my computer and many, many library holds. While I hold no doctorate in the experimental sciences, I have a deep fascination with them and a huge admiration for God's artistic model of creation in general. Wanting to pass that love on, I pieced together long, involved studies on topics such as the human body, the atomic model and space.
Unfortunately, my children were 8, 5 and 3.
Yes, it was a clear example of absolute overkill. And no, my kids don't remember any of it. The beautiful atom analogy that involved rolling a chocolate chip in marshmallow goo? Forgotten. The entertaining Seemore Skinless game? Forgotten as well.
Anyhow ...
At some point, my husband requested that I focus my energies in different directions. "Buy a science curriculum," he advised. "This is eating up too much of your time." Being a wife who knows when she hears the voice of wisdom knocking, I complied.
For a while, we used AO LifePacs as spines for individual kids, with a heavy rotation of library books and other resources thrown in to balance the blah presentation. After a while, though, even I was bored stiff of the things and they had to go. I didn't want my children to lose their love of science simply because the tools we were using to teach were lackluster.
Enter Apologia Elementary, a Charlotte-Mason based science curriculum that centers on creation and notebooking.
In truth, I had coveted the Apologia books for some time. While I'm not generally a CM homeschooler, I like the idea of applying that method specifically to science, which seems a very natural and easy fit. I liked the general flow of the texts I had seen, and was impressed by the detail: binomial nomenclature, classification and a explanations so thorough that they leave no stone unturned all hallmarks of the Apologia books. And these are for grades K-6, folks. Talk about impressive! No watered down, "this is a plant" here. This is science for thinkers, a full meal for the mind instead of snack food intended to be remembered only as long as the next text.
What held me back from buying an Apologia curricula wasn't the price (books sell new for less than $30), but the fear that my younger learner wouldn't be able to keep up. I had decided on Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, but was concerned that my kindergartener would struggle along while my 5th grader flew through the lessons. Gearing something like science to multiple ages can be a bit of a trick, so I wanted to make sure that I got it right.
The answer to that concern has been the notebooking component. Free notebooking pages available online allow Logan to write in simple facts and draw pictures that accompany what he's hearing, while Jo uses plain lined paper to outline and take notes. The notebooks--which are described in detail in the science texts--have become keepsakes of time well-spent learning about the world.
The writing is wonderful--conversational, straight-forward and yet, as I have mentioned, quite detailed. I enjoy reading it aloud while the kids work on their notebooks. Looking at what they've written after the lesson, I can tell that the age-range fears were unfounded; Jo's page is chock full of blow-by-blow information on bats (complete with Latin names for certain functions), while Atticus has a bare-bones set of facts listed, and Logan has sketched a bat and noted details in the margin.
The one drawback to this program that I can't leave unmentioned really has nothing to do with the author, the method or the product itself. It's more of a "Man, I wish I didn't know that," underlying detail that soils the overall pudding for me. Dr. Jay Wile, author of Apologia's upper level science courses and former owner of the company, has been quite active in the pro-vaccination movement. While I am all for defending your beliefs and stating what you perceive as a lack of logic on the behalf of those who debate your stand, I can personally say as the mother of a child who had a violent, adverse reaction to a vaccine (that would be Logan) that a blanket faith in the vaccine industry in misguided. It's good to ask questions. It's good to inform yourself. And it's good to go where God leads you on issues of strong contention.
As I've said, Dr. Wile is no longer the owner of Apologia. Had I known his rather vocal stand prior to purchasing the two Apologia books I own, I very well may have reconsidered. But I may not have. I really can't say from this vantage point.
Apologia's elementary science programs are an exceptional value and of excellent academic calibre. It's hard to beat this program.
An overwhelming number of homeschooling moms have told me that they feel ill-prepared to teach anything beyond the most basic science in the early elementary grades. An even more startling number of homeschoolers have shared that is is because of science that they will eventually be enrolling their children in public school once they reach the age of labs and period tables.
In today's homeschooling climate, there's just no reason to forgo teaching science, or to fear it so strongly that it leads you to abandon educating your own children. The curriculum options are far too numerous and varied--not to mention accessible--to ignore this subject area.
For years, I wrote my own science curricula. This involved lots of time at my computer and many, many library holds. While I hold no doctorate in the experimental sciences, I have a deep fascination with them and a huge admiration for God's artistic model of creation in general. Wanting to pass that love on, I pieced together long, involved studies on topics such as the human body, the atomic model and space.
Unfortunately, my children were 8, 5 and 3.
Yes, it was a clear example of absolute overkill. And no, my kids don't remember any of it. The beautiful atom analogy that involved rolling a chocolate chip in marshmallow goo? Forgotten. The entertaining Seemore Skinless game? Forgotten as well.
Anyhow ...
At some point, my husband requested that I focus my energies in different directions. "Buy a science curriculum," he advised. "This is eating up too much of your time." Being a wife who knows when she hears the voice of wisdom knocking, I complied.
For a while, we used AO LifePacs as spines for individual kids, with a heavy rotation of library books and other resources thrown in to balance the blah presentation. After a while, though, even I was bored stiff of the things and they had to go. I didn't want my children to lose their love of science simply because the tools we were using to teach were lackluster.
Enter Apologia Elementary, a Charlotte-Mason based science curriculum that centers on creation and notebooking.
In truth, I had coveted the Apologia books for some time. While I'm not generally a CM homeschooler, I like the idea of applying that method specifically to science, which seems a very natural and easy fit. I liked the general flow of the texts I had seen, and was impressed by the detail: binomial nomenclature, classification and a explanations so thorough that they leave no stone unturned all hallmarks of the Apologia books. And these are for grades K-6, folks. Talk about impressive! No watered down, "this is a plant" here. This is science for thinkers, a full meal for the mind instead of snack food intended to be remembered only as long as the next text.
What held me back from buying an Apologia curricula wasn't the price (books sell new for less than $30), but the fear that my younger learner wouldn't be able to keep up. I had decided on Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, but was concerned that my kindergartener would struggle along while my 5th grader flew through the lessons. Gearing something like science to multiple ages can be a bit of a trick, so I wanted to make sure that I got it right.
The answer to that concern has been the notebooking component. Free notebooking pages available online allow Logan to write in simple facts and draw pictures that accompany what he's hearing, while Jo uses plain lined paper to outline and take notes. The notebooks--which are described in detail in the science texts--have become keepsakes of time well-spent learning about the world.
The writing is wonderful--conversational, straight-forward and yet, as I have mentioned, quite detailed. I enjoy reading it aloud while the kids work on their notebooks. Looking at what they've written after the lesson, I can tell that the age-range fears were unfounded; Jo's page is chock full of blow-by-blow information on bats (complete with Latin names for certain functions), while Atticus has a bare-bones set of facts listed, and Logan has sketched a bat and noted details in the margin.
The one drawback to this program that I can't leave unmentioned really has nothing to do with the author, the method or the product itself. It's more of a "Man, I wish I didn't know that," underlying detail that soils the overall pudding for me. Dr. Jay Wile, author of Apologia's upper level science courses and former owner of the company, has been quite active in the pro-vaccination movement. While I am all for defending your beliefs and stating what you perceive as a lack of logic on the behalf of those who debate your stand, I can personally say as the mother of a child who had a violent, adverse reaction to a vaccine (that would be Logan) that a blanket faith in the vaccine industry in misguided. It's good to ask questions. It's good to inform yourself. And it's good to go where God leads you on issues of strong contention.
As I've said, Dr. Wile is no longer the owner of Apologia. Had I known his rather vocal stand prior to purchasing the two Apologia books I own, I very well may have reconsidered. But I may not have. I really can't say from this vantage point.
Apologia's elementary science programs are an exceptional value and of excellent academic calibre. It's hard to beat this program.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
CONTEST!!!
More than one person has asked been confused; apparently, by not titling the previous post CONTEST, I made a snafu. The Rabbit Trails post is a contest. Feel free to enter it. There 'ya go!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Rabbit trails, anyone?
Today I sat down to lunch after a completely typical morning of school (math, LA, the basics) and readied myself for our daily Sonlight readings. The goal was to close out a book that has quickly become one of my absolute favorites to recommend to others: Whatever Happened to Penny Candy. I opened the book and, over pb & js, started in. Part of the day's reading was on the concept of government spending in areas of science and engineering. The example given regarded the airline industry. Straightforward enough. I listed the example, and we commenced our normal discussion.
About midway through, I brought up the precursors to commercial airplane travel: namely zeppelins/dirigibles. The kids looked at me blankly.
"You know ... the Hindenburg?"
"That sounds familiar," Atticus said after a long while.
We raced upstairs to our trusty World Book program (thanks, SL!). I pulled up the entry, complete with a video snippet of the airship's demise.
And they, of course, were hooked.
The rest of the afternoon was an absolute wash ... if you're concerned with things like sticking to plans and meeting predetermined goals. If you value the random art of learning then it was a resounding success. After looking up the entire history of zeppelins, finding them in The New Way Things Work and discussing the stability and flammability of certain gases (Atticus: "That was really dumb to substitute hydrogen for helium. What were they thinking?") and talking about which design elements were most likely to have been valued by someone using a gas versus jet propulsion (Logan: "I'd have built mine with bamboo. It's the lightest."), the kids settled in to what became a three hour drawing conference centered on their own conspiracy theories as to what actually took down the Hindenberg. These ranged from the plausible (an errant cigarette from the smoking lounge) to the fantastic (something involving Jedis and lightsabers) to the historically involved (shot down by a band of German resistance fighters who set up shop in the U.S. and plotted acts of terror against the Nazi party).
I didn't plan a bit of this, but it turned out to be educationally challenging and fun.
I love rabbit trails like these, and I know I'm not alone. In honor of this latest hop down the bunny lane in my own family, I'm offering a prize to the family who shares their own most fascinating rabbit trail with me here at Books and Bairns. Simply leave a comment linking back to a post on your own blog, mentioning that you're participating in the "RABBIT TRAILS, ANYONE?" contest and you'll be entered in a drawing for your choice of one of the following:
--a copy of Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
or
--a copy of Beyond Five in A Row volume 3
or
--a pack of three historical fiction titles from Salem Ridge Press.
If you don't have a blog, feel free to share your rabbit trail in the comment section. Contest ends April 16.
Happy (rabbit) trails!
About midway through, I brought up the precursors to commercial airplane travel: namely zeppelins/dirigibles. The kids looked at me blankly.
"You know ... the Hindenburg?"
"That sounds familiar," Atticus said after a long while.
We raced upstairs to our trusty World Book program (thanks, SL!). I pulled up the entry, complete with a video snippet of the airship's demise.
And they, of course, were hooked.
The rest of the afternoon was an absolute wash ... if you're concerned with things like sticking to plans and meeting predetermined goals. If you value the random art of learning then it was a resounding success. After looking up the entire history of zeppelins, finding them in The New Way Things Work and discussing the stability and flammability of certain gases (Atticus: "That was really dumb to substitute hydrogen for helium. What were they thinking?") and talking about which design elements were most likely to have been valued by someone using a gas versus jet propulsion (Logan: "I'd have built mine with bamboo. It's the lightest."), the kids settled in to what became a three hour drawing conference centered on their own conspiracy theories as to what actually took down the Hindenberg. These ranged from the plausible (an errant cigarette from the smoking lounge) to the fantastic (something involving Jedis and lightsabers) to the historically involved (shot down by a band of German resistance fighters who set up shop in the U.S. and plotted acts of terror against the Nazi party).
I didn't plan a bit of this, but it turned out to be educationally challenging and fun.
I love rabbit trails like these, and I know I'm not alone. In honor of this latest hop down the bunny lane in my own family, I'm offering a prize to the family who shares their own most fascinating rabbit trail with me here at Books and Bairns. Simply leave a comment linking back to a post on your own blog, mentioning that you're participating in the "RABBIT TRAILS, ANYONE?" contest and you'll be entered in a drawing for your choice of one of the following:
--a copy of Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
or
--a copy of Beyond Five in A Row volume 3
or
--a pack of three historical fiction titles from Salem Ridge Press.
If you don't have a blog, feel free to share your rabbit trail in the comment section. Contest ends April 16.
Happy (rabbit) trails!
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