Long story but let's just say it has become necessary to homeschool my youngest. I started this week and without any records and guidance from the school on where he is right now, we just dove in. I get records, textbooks, and hopefully his portfolio and assessment information tomorrow. If not, then I found an online diagnostic for reading and math. (4th Grade) I was soooo..... sick this week. What a week to start! We also have a lot of other crisis going on right now to add to our plate. It's a mess but we did manage to get in quite a bit. Language Arts *Morning Journal Prompts *started a password entry only kid Blog (included adding intro/summary sentences, editing, naming source, and matching media to writing) (first topic: why he likes cats better than dogs) *read one book for pleasure (big deal for this kid, started with his favorite topic--cats) *registered for an online kid book sharing community where he logged his reading and wrote a book recommendation based on the above book Math/Science *watched a nutrition video on Brain Pop and answered a comprehension quiz (not planning to do a full unit, just wanted him to think about his choice of snacks, etc. lately and be encouraged to try new foods) *went to Subway to try wheat bread (victory!). *wrote a small grocery list of foods to fit each food group (dinner) and learned to add decimals (completed a follow up worksheet) *completed a few other worksheets to see what he knows right now *played a division memory matching game Science *started a State of Matter Unit *watched a Brain Pop video on State of Matter and answered a comprehension quiz *completed a concept map on the physical properties of paper *set up 5 stations showing various physical changes of various matter, took photos, made a chart in PP (added concept map to PP) *read a non-fiction passage on sneezing and answered standardized test-like questions for it (and made some interesting connections the next day based on this article and me being sick) PE *went bowling a few times and after explaining a technique, he proceeds to teach another boy of similar age how to apply this technique We had a prior standing appointment so we missed the art club this week. We missed his regular gymnastics class due to something that came up unexpectedly. I planned a field trip tomorrow for a cultural park which I planned to include painting shi shi dogs, glass blowing and learning a little bit about their traditional instruments BUT we have some last minute legal stuff come up. Argh! I plan to instead add some grammar/word study/phonics type worksheets (I know, I know) and play a multiplication drills game on the iPad while we go through the appointments. I'm also hoping his brothers will play a game of Scrambled States of America with him this weekend (brother's new Christmas game we haven't played yet). Considering the obstacles this week, it wasn't a shabby start. I guarantee you he got more instruction in 3 days here than he did in 3 weeks in the recent new program they set up for him which included him doing a puzzle for an hour a day as one of his academic/but behavior stability choices and that doesn't include the abundant down time already built in, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. (I have no idea where to start with art and music. Those are the next standards I need to read. I'm nervous about teaching music. Hello---I can't hear well!! Hehe.)
I have no idea TG. I'm trying to get the core set up first and then add that. I want it up and running though within 2 weeks. When I went to pick up textbooks today, I was expecting to get something for art and music. I see textbooks listed on their district website. That would have at least given me a starting point. Then I needed to look and see what standards I could find. But right now, I'm a bit clueless. On Monday I will at least take him to the Art Club at the youth center but eventually I need to teach actual lessons. I feel the beginning of the year overwhelmed vastness of getting it all started. I have some studying to do this weekend to look over whatever assessments the school sent home and decide if I need more and what to do with what they've provided. I'm hoping somewhere in there they gave some guide as to what units have been covered for science and social studies.
Here in Australia, parents who chose to home school their child enrol in 'School of Distance Education". Due to geographical challenges and people in the outback, it was started for those children on stations (farms literally hundreds of kilometres from nowhere) but anyone can enrol. It is very high tech, students have lessons at scheduled times as a 'class' (on line) with a teacher. SoDE provides resources to help parents and they follow the state curriculum. A parent whose child was in my class last year now has 4 children home schooled and is very happy with the system, as they are very supportive of both her and her children. Do you have a similar 'school' in the States? I think SoDE makes it very easy for parents to home school their child(ren).
GarageBand includes basic piano lessons that apparently go rather heavily into music theory (http://www.techradar.com/us/news/co...ageband-really-teach-you-an-instrument-605468). Richard Byrne's Free Technology for Teachers blog has mentioned apps of various sorts for learning music... When you get a better idea of what your boy is supposed to be learning, ask, and I bet we can come up with resources that will work.
Cut---what an adventure! Good luck to you and your son! I know that he'll enjoy this time with you much more than the time he was having in school.
Just started using the evan-moor book on teaching art today! Second graders loved it...I am so NOT an artist so I am glad to have a resource that is simple and scaffolds the lessons.
I don't have access to those books here and I may be moving in a month so having one mailed to me won't do me any good.
cutNglue - art & music are "enrichments" here, so I feel sure they are not high on the list of things provided for parents who are homeschooling. That being said, could you enroll your child in private music lessons (violin, piano and such)?
Cut, I think you can actually "look inside" most of the book online--it might at least give you some ideas of where to start...
