Explode The Code

 Language Arts, Phonics  11 Responses »
Sep 102009
 
Explode The Code Workbooks
 
When I was teaching my children to read I did find a little gem to help reinforce their phonics skills.  It was Explode The Code!
These books were a surprise to me! Mostly because my children hate workbook type of learning. Whenever I have tried workbooks with my children it had been a disaster but Explode The Code was different. My children would actually ask if they could do their Explode The Code books!
 
So let me tell how Explode The Code is set up. It is for grades kindergarten through fourth grade. There are 2 workbooks for each grade level. For example first grade has books 1 and 1 1/2 and second grade has books 2 and 2 1/2.  The ” half” books are for children who need extra reinforcement in that grade level. Each day your child does one or two pages. Once the children have done the workbooks for awhile they are able to do them on their own with little instruction. The lessons are set up in a consistent manner that helps the child to easily learn the phonic patterns. The lessons consist of matching, reading, copying, spelling, writing sounds and words.  The lessons take very little time. My children easily had the lessons done in 10 minutes. There isn’t any teacher preparation!
 
Explode the Code can be a complete phonics program or a supplement to your program.  I saw wonderful progress with my children. It really cemented those phonic skills!
 
Explode is also available on-line now! I have not used their on-line product.
 
Explode is very affordable, less than $10.00 a workbook. Here is a link for more info:
 
I highly recommend these workbooks! These were a gem in our homeschooling!
 
Written by Korey
 

Co-ops; To Join or Not is the Question!

 New to Homeschooling, Uncategorized  No Responses »
Aug 262009
 
 School Teacher Chalkboard Message Generator
 
Co-ops, are they a good fit for your homeschool? Is it worth the time? Is it worth the money? Do my kids benefit from them? Will they enjoy it? Will they learn anything? These are all good questions we ask ourselves when we consider to join a co-op or not.
 
First, for any of our newbies out there let me explain what co-ops are all about. Co-ops are basically when homeschool families meet together to teach their kids in a group setting. There are many kinds of co-ops and they can vary greatly. Some co-ops are very structured and will meet on a regular basis, usually once a week. Some co-ops may be a little looser and may meet less regularly. They will offer many types of classes from art to science labs to writing classes. The classes may be divided by ages and/or subject. Most co-ops expect parent participation. Parents are usually the teachers but sometimes you may have a teacher from the community such as an art teacher.
 
What are my personal experiences with co-ops? Ever since we started homeschooling we have participated in co-ops. At first it was just to meet other homeschool families since we were newbies ourselves. My children were not excited about it at first. So I made sure they took classes that was an interest to them. Then a strange thing happened and my shy children started making friends at co-op. Now they just love it and can’t wait for every Friday. Now I am teaching at the co-op too and I love it! I generally teach science type of classes. In my classes we have dissected worms, sheep brains, frogs and more. We are blessed because our co-op is such a great one!
 
What are the benefits of co-ops? There are many benefits to co-ops and I will list just a few for you. Whether you join a co-op or not may depend on if it is the right season for your family to participate in a co-op. I believe there are times when a co-op may be a great fit to homeschooling but there are times when home is simply the best place to be. 
Benefits of co-ops:
 
1. A chance for your children to meet other homeschoolers.
2. Your child can take a class that may be more suited to learn in a group setting such as a drama class, band, a debate class, and more.
3. Maybe there is a subject you have not been able to teach at home. With co-op your child can have the opportunity to take it in a structured environment. Such classes would be a science lab with dissections or an art class.
4. An opportunity to take a class taught by an expert such as sign language or a cooking class.
5. An opportunity to take classes that will enhance your own homeschool such as a history class. If your children are learning about medieval history then a class about the vikings would be a great fit.
6. An opportunity for your child to take a class that is an interest to her. My daughter loves animals so any class about animals is something she loves to learn about it. 
7. Sometimes co-op is a way for your child to experience some of the “school experiences” without having to go to regular school. One example is at our co-op we had a yearbook class. At the end of co-op the children had the opportunity to purchase a yearbook and then attend a yearbook signing party. 
 
I am sure there are more benefits to participating in a co-op that I have not listed or even thought about. Co-ops can be fun and educational. My children always look forward to co-op days.
 
There may also be reasons why a co-op may not be beneficial for your family. Sometimes it is the season that your family is going through. If you just had a new baby arrive it may not be the time that you can participate in a co-op. If you have a family member that has required medical care then it may not be the time to join a co-op. It simply may be that  your curriculum is so full that there is not any time to fit in a co-op. It could also be that your children have other things they are participating in such as sports or music lessons which may not leave any time for co-op. 
 
Some things to ask yourself when you are a considering a co-op:
 
1. Can your family afford a co-op? Co-ops often cost and that can be a big factor for many homeschool families.
2. Can your family afford to give up the time away from your regular homeschool to attend a co-op?
3. Does a co-op offer any classes that are an interest to your children?
4. Does the co-op offer any classes that will benefit your children’s education?
5. Co-ops generally mean parents must volunteer in some capacity. You need to decide if you want to make this commitment.
6. Co-ops in general are a commitment for your family. Is it a time that your children can make that commitment?
 
How can you find co-ops in your area? Check with your local support groups. They will often have information about co-ops in your area. You can also check with your state support group.
 
Co-ops are a great way to enhance your homeschool. There are some ways to make sure a co-op is a good fit for your family. First, talk to the leaders of the co-op. If possible visit the co-op and see what it is like. Talk to the families who attend the co-op. Look at what classes are offered at the co-op. Consider teaching at the co-op some classes that you want your children to participate in.
 
So hopefully I have not confused you but possibly made it a littler clearer if co-ops are a good fit for your family.
 
Written by Korey

 

Character Building for Families

 Bible  3 Responses »
Aug 122009
 
Character Building For Families
 
Here is a typical scenario in my house: One of my sons decides he wants to make “shooting sounds” with his mouth while he is drawing his civil war scene. My youngest daughter who is also at the table drawing gets annoyed with her brother and starts to tell him he needs to stop making that noise. Ahh, now my son has realized he can now tease his sister with this annoying noise he is making. So my daughter now gets even more annoyed and decides to hit him. My son of course retaliates and now my daughter finds me in the other room and tattles on him. Does this sound familiar to anyone here?
 
When we were having days like this I knew I needed to find something that can teach my children how to love each other on a daily basis! We needed some character training. My wonderful friend told me about a curriculum she was using with her children that was just for character training.
 
I am sure every child will need some guidance in character traits such as obedience, cheerfulness or truthfulness. I know in my house all of my children have needed some extra guidance in character building. Let’s face it all of us can use some character building.
 
As I said through a wonderful friend I found this wonderful curriculum called “Character Building For Families.” It is published by Full Gospel Family Publications. It is a bible study designed for the whole family which focuses on character training. I am sure one of the reasons most of us have chosen to homeschool is to have more time to develop those Godly character traits we want our children to have.
 
Let me tell how the curriculum is laid out.  It is a topical unit study of christian character traits. There are two volumes that can be purchased. The first volume covers 12 traits; obedience, orderliness, diligence, loyalty, deference, cheerfulness, gentleness, contentment, gratitude, truthfulness, servanthood, and hospitality (I am sure many of you are now thinking my children could use guidance in one or more of these traits). There are 165 lessons. In volume two there are five topics covered; stewardship (of money, time, speech, bodies, friends and the gospel), teachableness, mercy, patience, and desire for Jesus. There are 135 lessons. The traits can be done in any order. We had started with gentleness because at the time it was the most needed trait that our children needed to learn. Each character trait is broken down into daily lessons.  A single trait may have as many 14 lessons. Each lesson starts with a biblical passage to read. Each day there is bible memorization. The verses to be memorized are to help cement those daily lessons of each trait being taught. There is discussion about the bible passage that is read and how it can be applied to our lives today. Sometimes the lesson may ask Mom and dad to give examples in the own lives of how to apply a lesson. The lessons have questions for you to ask your children. Each lesson ends with prayer and the lesson gives suggestion of how to pray for that day. It is a simple layout but a very effective one. It demonstrates how God has shown himself through his word and how he wants us to be like Jesus.
 
What are the cons? It may be a little advance for younger children such as 2nd grade and lower and there are not any pictures.
 
This curriculum was a great fit for our family. It is so easy to implement into your homeschool day. The lessons generally take 20 minutes. We’ve have had some great discussions in our daily bible lesson with this curriculum. This is a great bible curriculum that is easy to teach and so effective. No preparation is needed. The only material needed is a bible. We did keep a bible journal. My children would write our bible verses that we were memorizing and they would journal their thoughts about what they had learned in our bible study. That was something extra we added to the program.
 
It is very affordable, the cost is only $15.00 for each volume or $28.00 for both volumes. Here is a link if you would like more info:
 
This link shows examples of the program:
 
Written by Korey
 

The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading

 Classical, Language Arts, Phonics  2 Responses »
Jul 292009
 
The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading  
As homeschool moms we will have to consider how we will teach our children to read. Teaching our little ones to read may seem intimidating to many of us. Many of us will read all kinds of theories on how to teach phonics. I also made this journey as a homeschool mom and yes, it is intimidating! You don’t want to mess your kids up and you especially want to teach phonics the right way the first time. One thing you have to consider is your children’s learning styles. My children are not big fans of workbooks especially my daughter. I tried to teach her phonics with a well respected workbook program but it was just not a fit for her. So I was one of those parents who didn’t get it completely right the first time but I am pleased to say she has turned out to be a great reader. I will give credit to the wonderful phonics program we used. It was “The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading”.
 
“The Ordinary Parents Guide To Teaching Reading” is a phonics program written by Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington. Jessie Wise also co-wrote “The Well Trained Mind with her daughter Susan Wise Bauer.
 
I love this program for its simplicity and effectiveness! It doesn’t have any fancy gimmicks or far-out theories that nobody understands. In my opinion, it has an old fashion approach to teaching phonics. 
 
What do you need for the program? All you need for this program is the book, “The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading” and some simple supplies such as index cards. That’s it! No fancy materials to purchase! There is a combo pack avaiable that has all the letter cards, magnetic letter boards, and an audio CD for an additional price.  These additional materials are not required but it does save you time from making your own letter cards.
 
The Ordinary Parent's Guide Combo Pack
 
The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading Combo Pack
 
 
How is it taught? The authors believe you can teach reading to a child as young as three years old. They believe reading is a separate subject to be taught from writing and spelling. Even though your child may not be able to write at such a young age, they may be able to start understanding some basic concepts of learning how to read. This program can be started whenever you think your child is ready to start learning how to read. As I always say the beauty of homeschooling is knowing when your child is ready to learn. The lessons are completely scripted for the parent. You read the lesson out loud to your child and you teach her new concepts every day. You will have to make some simple letter cards on index cards if you choose not to buy the pre-made ones offered for this program. Each day you will sit with your child (we love to cuddle on the couch for this), you will read the scripted lesson and your child will listen. During the lesson you will ask your child to practice her new skills she is learning. You may either use a marker board or index cards for each lesson. As the lessons progress your child will start to read sentences with all the letter sounds they have learned from previous lessons. The reading exercises are in the book. Ms. Wise truly made this so easy to use. There is plenty of review for each lesson. There is very little preparation needed. On some days your child may play a game to reinforce their new skills. Most games require some simple index cards with letters written on them or simple household items.
 
There are 196 lessons in this book! So there is more than enough material to teach your child to read. We took over a year to go through the book. The book starts with simple vowel sounds and then progresses to single consonant sounds. From there the lesson progress to consonant diagraghs, long vowel sounds, silent letters, consonant blends, r-changed vowels, two syllable words, contractions, plurals, three syllable words, suffixes, prefixes, and more!
 
A daily lesson will take less than 30 minutes. There is not any writing involved. Again, the author believes writing is a separate subject and should not be taught with reading. This makes it simpler and easier for the child to learn to read. They are not having to focus on their reading and writing skills at the same time. It is not necessary to supplement any readers, there are plenty of reading exercises with each lesson. We did use the “Bob Books” with the program to help my daughter gain confidence in her reading skills.
 
The book is very affordable, generally priced at $30.00 or less. The combo pack is available from Peacehill Press at $55.00
Click on link below for Peace Hill Press:
 
 
What are the cons? It is a simple program so if you prefer a phonics program with more “bells and whistles” then you may not like this book.
 
My daughter did wonderfully with this program. She was reading with ease within a few months. I highly recommend this program.
 
Click on the link below to find out more about “The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading.”
 
Written By Korey

Handwriting Without Tears

 Language Arts, Uncategorized  8 Responses »
Jul 152009
 
Handwriting Without Tears:  
“My Printing Book”
“Printing Power”
“Cursive Handwriting”
“Cursive Success”
“Can-do-Cursive”
 
Handwriting Without Tears is a handwriting program created by an occupational therapist. It is a 30 year program with proven success for thousands of students.
 
We started using HWT right from the beginning of when we started homeschooling. It has proven to be an excellent program in our home. The beauty of the curriculum is how simple it is for the child to learn! We started using the program at the 1st grade level. My daughter is a lefty and I knew I wanted a handwriting program that would help her to write beautifully.
 
Their unique writing paper is unlike any other handwriting program. The writing paper does not have the typical three lines with the middle line being a dotted line. HWT believes typical handwriting paper causes line confusion for many students. HWT created writing paper with only 2 lines. The bottom line keeps the child’s writing straight. The second line called the mid-line controls the size of the letters. HWT believes by having only 2 lines will cause less confusion for the child. HWT offers different levels of the paper. There is the wide double line, regular double line, and narrow double line. HWT also offer writing notebooks and journals. I love the notebooks. We use them for science, history, art, and more.
 
   
 
About the program: There are seven levels available starting in the pre-k level up to 5th grade. We did not use the pre-k level or the kindergarten levels since we were not homeschooling yet. The pre-k and kindergarten levels are a hands-on approach with various materials. I will tell you about the levels starting in 1st grade and up. Their products are not labeled by grade but HWT does recommend certain levels for each grade. As the parent you can decide when your child is ready for each level. That’s the beauty of homeschooling!
 
“My Printing Book” is recommended for 1st grade. In this book the student will be introduced to printing lowercase letters and reviewing capitals. The hands-on material is also suggested for this grade. There is the 4″x6″ slate chalkboard used to practice making letters. We did not use the slate chalkboards but I do think it is a wonderful way to reinforce your child’s handwriting skills. 
 
“Printing Power”  is recommended for 2nd grade. The student continues to master his printing skills. 
 
“Cursive Writing”  is recommended for 3rd grade. It is the first book that teaches cursive. At this level the student can continue to use the manipulatives to help practice his new cursive skills.
 
“Cursive Success” is recommended for 4th grade. The child continues his mastery of his cursive skills.
 
“Can-do-Cursive” is recommended for 5th grade. This is perfect for the child who needs another year to master their cursive writing skills.
 
What is a typical lesson like? It is a simple program to implement. My children do 1-2 pages for each lesson. Each new skill is clearly taught in the child’s book. HWT uses simple explanations for each new skill. In the lower grades, HWT uses “magic bunny” to show how to make new letters. In the older grades, HWT continues to use simple explanations and drawings that the child can easily understand. The lessons are short and can be done in 15 minutes or less! The teacher guides provides tips and activities for each lesson.
 
Handwriting Without Tears is a no-fuss program that is simple to use! It is very affordable. The student books and teacher guides are $6.95 each. The teacher guides are simple but do provide plenty of instructions, tips, activities, and lesson plans. As homeschool moms we often ask “Do I even need the teacher’s guide?” I do recommend using the TG to get the full benefit of the program. There are manipulatives available for all the grade levels. As the parent you can chose to incorporate the manipulatives or not. The manipulatives are wonderful for a tactile learner.
 
What are cons to Handwriting without Tears? Honestly, I can not think of one negative thing of this program. If you prefer the fancier handwriting then you may not like the style of HWT. It is a simple style that is meant to give the child a strong foundation as they learn their own style of handwriting.
 
The HWT website is very helpful if you would like more information. There are plenty of samples to view.
 
Written by Korey
 

Teaching Textbooks

 Mathematics  No Responses »
Jun 172009
 
Teaching Textbooks: Math can be your friend too!
HPIM2310
 
Math is the one subject that can make my children cry in my house! To tell the truth it is the subject that I least enjoy teaching. When one of my sons started having trouble in math I started shopping around for a new math program. I was looking for a program that I can stick with all the way through high school. My son was using a great math program but I was finding it was adding too many new concepts too soon which caused much frustration with many of his lessons. In addition, my son was not retaining all the new concepts he was learning. After much consideration I switched my son to Teaching Textbooks for sixth grade. I can say with much delight that math has become our friend for the first time in our home.
 
What is Teaching Textbooks? It is a math program developed specifically for homeschoolers. It uses the computer and textbook together. Teaching Textbooks have math programs starting at 4th grade level up to pre-calculus.
 
What is a typical lesson like? Your child will sit at the computer and put in a Teaching Textbooks CD-rom that goes with their program. Once the program is up, your child will click on the lesson for that day. A lecture will then start to teach the child the new concepts for that day. Your child will be able to practice throughout the lecture the new concepts he is learning. After the lecture, which is generally no more than 5 minutes, your child will be given practice problems before he starts his lesson. Your child will work out the problems on paper or in his textbook. Once your child has a problem worked out, he types in his answer on the computer. If your child gets the answer wrong, the program will tell the child the answer is wrong. They can choose to try again or see the solution to the problem. If your child gets it wrong three times the program will give the correct answer and will ask him if wants to see the solution. The child can choose to watch the solution or skip to the next problem. At the end of the lesson the child will be given a grade for the lesson he has completed. We have found that our lessons are taking 30-45 minutes each day (with no tears). After a child completes a chapter he is given a quiz. The quiz is set-up much the same way as a daily lesson. If a child gets an answer wrong on the quiz he is given another chance to get it right. After the quiz is completed your child receives a grade. 
 
The computer component of the program: All of the lessons have a lecture that is done on the screen in a simple easy to follow format. Each problem is on the computer CD and the text. The purpose of this is two-fold; the child can work out his problems in the textbook, then enter his answers into the computer for the automated grade-book; secondly, if your computer breaks down you have the option to use the textbook for your lesson. So far we have not written in our textbooks. My children work out their problems on paper and then enter their answers into the computer. With grades 4th-7th there is the automated grade-book. When a child completes his lesson he receives a grade for that lesson. You can look at the grade-book and see what problems the child got wrong and if he viewed the solutions to the problems. Each problem has a solution that a child can choose to view if needed. Each of the solutions are given in clear concise steps. The grade-book will also show how many tries it took a child to get an answer correct. This is very helpful to you as the teacher. It really gives you a clear picture of how well they are mastering their lessons. Quizzes are given in the same format as a lesson. When a child reaches 8th grade the automated grade-book is not available. Eighth grade and up are able to view the lectures for each of their lessons and solutions for any problem a child needs help with.  
 
The pros of the program: This is a great program for a child who is not naturally math minded. The lectures are done with simple explanations. Concepts are taught in a thorough and concise manner that does not leave the child dizzy with too much new information. It allows the child to be independent with their math program. It is taught in an incremental manner. New concepts are introduced each day but the child continues to review each day from previous lessons. There is plenty of review throughout each of the lessons. The lectures have clear explanations of new concepts.  My favorite part of the program is the automated grade book. It is a great tool to use.
 
The cons of the program: You need to have a computer to view any of the solutions. You could manage to do a lesson without the computer but if you do not understand how to work out a problem then you will not to be able to view the solution. The program does come with an answer key for each of the lessons. If you have a child that is strong in math you may find you will need to move up a grade a level. The programs cost between $119 and $184 but the program can be used for more than one student.  
 
Teaching Textbooks is an exceptional math program that was created just for homeschoolers. I highly recommend this program especially for any child who struggles in math. If you would like more information you can visit Teaching Textbook’s website. On their website they have many samples of each grade level. The website has free placement tests if you are unsure what grade level to place your child in.
 
Written by Korey
 
 

God and the History of Art

 Art, Charlotte Mason  6 Responses »
Jun 072009
 
God and The History of Art By Barry Stebbing
 
I consider myself a Charlotte Mason homeschooler. I may wander off the path sometimes but I do try to keep true to Miss Mason’s ideas. Sometimes it is difficult to find a curriculum that fits into the Charlotte Mason thinking but I have found one such curriculum that has been a perfect fit. It is called God and The History of Art. It was created by Barry Stebbing, a renowned Christian artist who creates wonderful homeschool art programs. This program can be a great fit for Charlotte Mason, classical education, principal method, or for those who are just simply eclectic.  
 
There are two books in this program: God and the History of Art 1 and God and the History of Art 2. The first book teaches earliest known pieces of art up to the Renaissance period. The second book starts from the Renaissance period and goes up to the 20th century. In this program your child will study beautiful pieces of art and at the same time will have many enriching art lessons. Mr. Stebbing has put so much into this program. Your child will learn art history, about past artists and many famous pieces of art. Your child will learn drawing techniques, and will receive hands-on art instruction.
 
The program is designed to be done over a period of 5 years. There are over 250 lessons!  It is for children ages 10 and up. This is not a “little kid” art program! Your children will learn many drawing techniques over the period of 5 years. The program comes with the two books, 35 mini art reproduction postcards, 24 paint cards, and 10 marker cards.
 
The lessons are simple to teach. The lessons are not time consuming so it is easy to add into your homeschool day.
 
My children have enjoyed learning new ways to draw. They love seeing how a simple technique can enhance their drawings. We have enjoyed learning about so many artists and the pieces they have created.
 
The mini postcards are used in many of the lessons as you learn about artists in history. The cards are used in comparative studies as you study a particular artist. The cards are from various time periods and artists. Miss Mason would have wanted us to study the actual pieces of art but we know this is not always possible so the mini postcards are a great way to study so many pieces of art! Throughout the lessons you will see that Mr. Stebbing has created the program with a strong biblical influence.
Mr. Stebbing has created an art program that not only teaches art but an appreciation of seeing God in art.
A quote from lesson #2 encompasses Mr. Stebbing thoughts: “I believe that God has given each and every child a joy for art. Since God is an artist, He has given this joy and certain amount of ability to everyone as a free gift so that we all may participate in creating!”
What a great quote!
 
Some of lessons include instruction on how to draw people, dragons, faces, geometric shapes, arches, clothing, animals, and more.
 
Some of the other lessons are coloring with symbolism, one and two point perspective, mixing paint colors, pen and ink drawings, making a self portrait, penmanship, narrative art, mosaics, still life, blending with paint, shading, copying a Renoir, and so much more!
 
Your child will study art history from many different time periods such as early christian art, Greek and Roman architecture, Greek pottery, Pre-Raphaelites, Byzantine art,  Impressionism,  Renaissance, Romanticism, and so much more.
 
Some of the artists you will learn about: Rembrandt, Jean Francois Millet, Gerard Horenbout, Constantinople, Leonardo DaVinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Monet, Renoir, Peter Paul Rubens, Van Gough, American artists, and many more.
 
I have already named so many wonderful things about this program but what are the cons regarding this program? You will need to photocopy the lessons if you have more than one child. This program is not for younger children so it is not easy to have younger children join in. Since this is for older children this is not a program that has your child making cutesy art projects. I consider this a plus not a con because your older child will learn to make beautiful drawings and develop a love for art.
 
This program can be a great fit for Charlotte mason homeschoolers, classical education, principal method, and others.  
 
Written by Korey, Charlotte Mason mother of 3
 

 

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise

 Charlotte Mason, Classical, Language Arts  2 Responses »
May 052009
 

 
fll_thumbAs a homeschool mom hopefully you will at least once use a curriculum that will leave you with cherished memories. First Language Lessons was one of those programs for me. It is a curriculum that leaves me with warm memories of cuddling with my daughter on the couch as we would do her grammar lessons. Oh, how I miss it even more as I write this review.
 
What is First Language Lessons? It is a complete grammar and writing program for first and second grade.
 
When my daughter was in 1st grade I was looking for a language arts program to suit her needs. I was a new homeschooler at the time and was afraid to step away from “workbooks”. I went with a typical language arts workbook program and boy, did my daughter shed tears with those workbooks. It simply was not an enjoyable way for her to learn. I knew I needed to find something that would give me sanity and yet educate my daughter without a daily dose of tears.
 
Through many hours of searching and boring my my dear husband with endless conversations of how I need to change my curriculum, I finally found my solution. It was First Language Lessons!
 
How does this program work? It is set up to be done through 1st and 2nd grade. In first grade you start with very simple lessons that are done orally and some small writing exercises. The first forty lessons are completely done orally. In the first grade level the student is taught nouns, proper nouns, capitalization, and pronouns. Sentence types are introduced near the end of 1st grade. During first grade the student is also taught their telephone number, the days of the week, the seasons, holidays, months of the year, titles of respect, and how to write dates. My favorite part of the program is the poem memorization. I will never forget my daughter reciting the poem “The Caterpillar” by Christina G. Rossetti. This is a memory so dear to my heart. There are various short poems that the child is to memorize. The memorizations are right on target for being age-appropriate. My daughter and I would laugh so hard when she was memorizing the poem “The Goops”. Oh, such a wonderful memory!!
 
The second grade level takes it up a notch in the level of work expected from the child. Some of the poems are longer to memorize. All eight parts of speech are introduced including linking verbs, state of being verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and interjections. The writing consists of copy-work and dictation which is done in many of the second grade lessons. It may sound a little intimidating to teach all eight parts of speech to such a young child but the idea behind the program is to introduce the child to grammar. It is in the later years that your child will perfect these grammar skills.
 
Another part of the program is narration which is done in first and second grade. The narration is done in two ways, with picture study or story narration. With picture study the child will study a picture and then describe it to you orally. In story narration, a story is read and the child is asked to tell the story back to you in his own words. Both types of narration create wonderful vocabulary skills.
 
What are the pros? The lessons are short and easy to teach. Very little material is needed. The two year program is much cheaper than many of those fancier programs out there on the market. This is a very effective program introducing all eight parts of speech. Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington have created two more volumes of First Language Lessons that goes up to the fourth grade level. The best part is that you can cuddle up on the couch for many of the lessons. 
 
What are the cons? For some homeschoolers they may not want to introduce grammar at this young age. There is a lot of repetition which some may not like but I consider this a plus.
 
In conclusion, First Language Lessons is an excellent program to gently introduce grammar to the young child. From my experience this program gave my daughter a strong foundation in grammar and writing which she has continued to carry with her .
 
For more information regarding First Language Lessons please click on link:
http://www.peacehillpress.com/
 
Written by Korey

The Curriculum Choice

Apologia: Exploring Creation with Biology 2nd Edition

 Charlotte Mason, Classical, Science  No Responses »
Apr 202009
 

Apologia: Exploring Creation With Biology 2nd Edition  Am-biology2

This is a college-preparatory, high school level, biology course that would be recomended in a student’s freshmen year. It is designed to be an independent study. It includes tests, labs, and video clips to go along with the course. Dr Jay L. Wile is the author of this course.  

 
Overview of the program : 
 
The are 16 modules to be covered in one year.  The student will read the modules and answer review questions throughout each module. There is a study guide at the end of each module to be done before the student takes a test. There are tests for each module. There are 1-2 experiments for each module. Many of the experiments are examing prepared slides under the microscope. There are four animal dissections.  
 
Supplies: You need to purchase Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Biology textbook or CD-rom version. Both versions are the same. You need a student micropscope, prepared microscope slide set, dissections tools and animal specimens. All of these supplies can be easily purchased from Apologia or many other homeschool suppliers. I do suggest to shop around for the best prices.
 
The student will be introduce to the study of biology in the first module. The student will then start to study the five kingdoms of the animal world. The course starts at the microscopic level of Kingdom Monera. In the second module the student will collect samples of pond water, and will study the samples under a microscope.
 
Kingdom Protista is the third module. Microscopic life is studied under the micropscope. There are some great video clips of Amoebas.
 
Kingdom Fungi is the fourth module of the course. The student will have opportunties to do experiments with yeast, and different types of mold. The student will study  samples under the microscope.
 
The fifth module is a basic introduction of chemistry. The student will perform experiments that explore diffsion and osmosis. There is also an experiment with organic bases and acids.
 
The sixth module is the study of the cell. It is great chapter that explains the magnificent world of cells.
 
The seventh module is the study of cellualr reproduction.  Again ther are some great video clips to go with this chapter.
 
The eighth module is a short chapter on genetics. Experiments with punet squares are done in this chapter.
 
The ninth module is a great chapter on creation vs. evolution. Dr. Wile goes over microevolution and macroevolution. Charles Darwin is introduced along with his theories.  It is great chapter with wonderful tidbits of interesting information.
 
The tenth module is thestudy of ecology. Dr Wile did a great job making this chapter interesting with true stories.
 
The eleventh chapter is where all the fun begins. This chapter is the study of invertebrates. The student will disect the earthworm. This is a great disection to start with. It’s interesting and easy to do.
 
The twelth module studies one phylum; Pylum Arthopoda. The student has the oppprotunity to disect a second time. This time it is the crayfish. This is another great disection. It is very interesting and fun. The student will also study insects and spiders.
 
The thirteenth module is the study of Phylum Chordata. There are two more dissections in this chapter. The student will study Class Osteichthyes and will dissect a perch fish. This was my least favorite dissection due to how bony the perch fish is. I would reccomend getting a fresh fish to dissect as oppose to a preserved fish. The student will then study Class Amphibia. You can guess what dissection comes next. Yes, its the infamous frog dissection. My kids loved the frog dissection. It is amazing to see all the organs in a small creature. My daughter took the heart out and sliced it in half. It was amazing to see the chambers of the frog’s heart! 
 
Modules fourteen and fifteen are the study of Kingdom Plantae. Again, their will be experiments using the microscope. There is an experiment to dissect a flower, not as fun as the frog but still interesting.
 
Module Sixteen is the last module. You study reptiles, birds and mammals in this chapter. The last experiment is examining a slide with chicken embryos.
 
What are the pros? This is an excellent college-preparatory course for high school. There has been claims that some students have been able to clep out of a college biology class after taking this course. The course is set up for independent study. There are some interesting video clips that can be seen on the CD-Rom version or the CD companion that goes along with the hardcover textbook. The microscopic slides are  wonderful quality, and are a great teaching tool with the course. The dissections are fun, easy, and interesting. The textbook reads easily. The author has a wonderful writing style that keeps the student interested. There are tests to go along with the course. The author has a pro-creation view point given through-out the book.
 
What are the cons? Can be costly especially if you don’t own a microscope.
 
If you would like more info here is a link:
Written by Korey
 

The Curriculum Choice

Rod and Staff English

 Classical, Language Arts, Uncategorized  No Responses »
Apr 172009
 

Rod and Staff English: Grades 3, 4, and 5

Grade 4 English

I am generally a devout Charlotte Mason homeschooler but I do wander off the path sometimes. When it comes to teaching grammar I tend to go the way of classical education. We have been using Rod and Staff English for 3 years now and it has been one of my tried and truly loved curriculums. We started using Rod and Staff when each of the children reached 3rd grade level.

Rod and Staff is a publisher that produces bible-based curriculum for christian schools and homeschoolers. They produce curriculum from preschool to high school levels. They provide full curriculum or you can purchase individual subjects. I have used their English and Math programs. For this review I will only go over their English curriculum.

In third grade the student will study sentence types and structure. There are different types of writing exercises throughout the book. Simple diagramming is taught at this level. There are five parts of speech taught: nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. There are lessons that teach dictionary work, proofreading and communication skills. There are 125 lessons and 5 unit tests.In the fourth grade the student will learn seven parts of speech: nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions. Diagramming is included in many of the lessons. There are lessons on capitalization, punctuation, synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms. A typical lesson has an oral drill, a written practice and a review. Composition skills are taught with various types of writing lessons. There are 127 lessons and tests for each chapter.In fifth grade the student will learn all eight parts of speech. The student will learn many new grammar terms. Diagramming is continued to be taught but at a higher lever of skill. There are composition skills taught including outlining, writing a report, writing a friendly letter, poetry skills, and writing stories. There are 119 lessons and tests for each chapter.

 What are the pros? Rod and Staff is an excellent and thorough grammar program. It is above grade level in my opinion. It is easy to teach, an open and go type program. The teacher manuals are easy to use. There is plenty of diagramming practice. It is a strong grammar program. It has a classical approach to teaching grammar.

What are the cons? If you don’t like diagramming or don’t feel it is important, you may not like how much diagramming is taught in many of the lessons. It is above grade level. If you have a student who struggles in grammar you may consider going a grade level down. If you don’t want a program that has any religious content, you may not like the bible references that are throughout the book.

If you are interested in finding more information regarding Rod and Staff curriculum, please click on the link below.

http://rodandstaffbooks.com
Written by Korey
The Curriculum Choice

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