new url for this blog

wayfarerfamilyfieldtrips.blogspot.com

New URL for this blog. 

homeschooling

Well, it's official. I will be home schooling the boys next year. So excited. I guess I've always wanted to be a teacher. My library sure reflects an educational bent! And I am looking forward to this time with my sons and knowing them more.

I have no intention of blogging my home school experience, but this particular blog may turn into some resources for schooling at home.There are too many out there already and I do not intend to have time to do anything but school and keep up with the house and family.

I will put our plan out there though, because it helps me organize my thoughts. Since we have been at a Classical model school, we will maintain that as I like it best. I am a well ordered person and plan to order our days as much as possible with a good solid routine. I don't do well with chaos, so if we want to succeed we will have to minimize that. Ha! Good luck you say. Well, thanks, I'm pretty sure I am going to need a great deal of that along with grace, mercy, understanding and a fair measure of providence which holds it all together.

I plan to use a linear timeline approach to all subjects and relating back to history as much as possible. I think I now have 5 or 6 book timelines for history, science, engineering, art, etc. We can reference them when making our own and doing our studies to see who fits in where! I love the notebooking idea. It is a lot like what the kids are used to with copy books and other writing and projects they do at school. Just much expanded. It seems very natural to me and not too crafty or complicated for the boys. It is also very cross subject and I like that as tying things together makes for longer lasting learning.

History will be our main class that ties subjects together. Story of the World book, activity books and other great books to go along with the subjects. Usborne and DK, and the library!!!  I got the REAL History Odyssey time line to go along with it. I liked how it looked and I like that it has a PRE History section available, and STICKERS no glue or cutting out. Living books and other good literature will compliment our learning in every subject.

Unlike most curriculum's we are going to start our history with Pre History. While this gets lumped in with Science a lot of the time, I find that it is really both. It is our history as people and our ancestors. So, we will start there. I myself am completely fascinated with it.

Ancient history studies will include a LARGE study of African history, the cradle of humanity. I am really excited about that and digging into the boys heritage. I hope they enjoy it as much as I think I will.

I hope to acquire The Story of US by Joy Hakim, the entire set, for reading along the timeline when American History is highlighted.  Still looking for a bargain as it is pricy.

While I plan to mostly do things in a linear fashion following a timeline across the globe, we will necessarily do units as well. For example, we are planning a trip to Washington DC this summer. So, we will do some units on government,  Presidents, national symbols, etc.

At every possible place I am plugging in as a natural part of our studies as much on African influence and African American history as possible.

Science will tie in for the Ancients with a few books I picked up called Science in Ancient Egypt/ China/ Greece. 3 books. There is a great series of books that are __________ for kids. These have great scientists and their discoveries as well as history, etc.  We will use them along our timeline for supplemental work and science discovery. Our main Science curriculum will be REAL Science Odyssey. It is a notebooking based science curriculum which looks completely fabulous! I am so excited to dig in. Starting with Life Science and will follow with Chemistry. Because of the bent of one of my sons I will be doing some engineering too, using a book called Hands On Engineering. Looks great.

We will incorporate our writing with History, Literature and Science using Institute for Excellence in Writing. (keeping with what the school we are coming from is doing and I like it very much). Easy Grammar will form a base for writing. Word Roots will give me a way to teach spelling and vocabulary with a format that makes sense. I will take words from our studies as well.

We will also use Discovering Great Artists for art history and projects and lots of art example books and an art timeline to fit it into history.

Meet the Great Composers book and cd along with Piano lessons will form our music class.

Math using Singapore. A change for us, but I think a good one. Dave is our Math and Science person so he is directing the curriculum for these mainly. He is also our principle and with a Teacher's licence and soon a PhD in education he can also keep our records and give progress tests or evaluations. BIG bonus.

We will also work on responsibility and character with these books: Lessons in Responsibility for Boys and a kids Bible study called Choosing Obedience and another called Choosing Self Control. There are many in this series. 

The boys will get to play a sport in fall and spring and get lots of running and playing in our big backyard all year round.

We have been accepted into the D20 Homeschool Acadmy for the TRACKS program at School in the Woods. It's in our neighborhood! Not much is. They will do local forest ecology, history, etc. it sounds really neat, maybe I can sneak into a few classes and learn something too! It is mostly experiential and hands on, so less classroom.

We are needing to UN classroom for a year, so no co-op classes for us right now. I am not sure I want to hand over main subjects as we are combining everything into a big pot of learning anyway. Maybe someday.

Ok, so how many times did I say, I am so excited?! Too many. I guess I am "so excited" to do this. Why didn't I keep doing it after pre K and Kinder? Who knows, but we are going to be back together after this semester.

I joined some groups to get ideas and support. So glad for those who are experienced. I am so amazed at the number of places to buy used curriculum and books, etc!!! I am thankful as this is not a cheap endeavor.

Wish me luck.............. and patience and grace and mercy and providence.

Free days calendar-Denver area

FREE DAYS

Looking for things to do this summer? Check out the free days calendar for the sciences and arts in the Denver Metro area.
http://scfd.org/p/free-days-calendar.html

Concerts,
museums,
art exhibits
history
science
story
art
music

This is a great resource!!!

Mammoths and Mastodons

Trip Review:
We recently visited The Mammoths and Mastodons exhibit at the Museum of Nature and Science in Denver, it is a wonderful special exhibit. I really liked that they showcased the work being done here in Colorado, AND they have the baby Mammoth and that is really very cool!
The exhibit did talk a bit about the people who lived at the time but not as much as the school curriculum. The kids really liked it (ages 15-7). In fact, almost a week later, my boys were playing in the snow and created a 'museum exhibit' which included an entire herd of Mammoths. I was impressed.

We also saw the IMAX movie about the Ice Age. That was really neat. Certainly recommended as it talked more about why they became extinct, cave drawings, land bridge, ice age man and what is an ice age anyway.

Tips:
For younger kids you will need to explain that the images of Mammoths and other ice age creatures are computer animated and are not real. You will have to explain that we don't really know what they look like, but have pieced together an idea of what they looked like from clues. It is like playing a game of Clue or a guessing game in which you arrive at a close answer from clues you get in the game.

Use the restroom before going in, there is not one within the exhibit and if you leave you can't go back in.

No food or drink, kids will need to eat before going in and get a good drink. There were lots of hungry and tired kids in there.

Read a book about the Ice Age if they have not yet done the class lessons. There is not a audio tour for this one so you will need to give the info to your kids. It helps if you know how to link it to what they have or will learn or a book you read together. Simple terms, related to things they know or have read are great.

Be excited even if this is not your favorite theme. :)

It is good to know that this is a separate fee from the museum entrance itself and therefor is rather pricy. If you have a membership it is significantly reduced!

You have to select a time to visit and if there are a lot of visitors you have to keep to your time. You can buy and reserve on line. http://www.dmns.org/mammoths-and-mastodons

Curriculum:
Ice Age
Grade 1

I am, I can, I ought, I will

Charlotte Mason's Students Motto

"I Am, I Can, I Ought, I Will."

http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/CMMotto.html

I am . . . a child of God, a gift to my parents and my country. I'm a person of great value because God made me.

I can . . . do all things through Christ who strengthens me. God has made me able to do everything required of me.

I ought . . . to do my duty to obey God, to submit to my parents and everyone in authority over me, to be of service to others, and to keep myself healthy with proper food and rest so my body is ready to serve.

I will . . . resolve to keep a watch over my thoughts and choose what's right even if it's not what I want.

Charlotte Mason wrote a little more about the motto in volume 1, which I've re-worded here:
I am, I ought, I can, I will. These are like four steps of the ladder that St. Augustine wrote about when he said we could 'go up on the stepping stones of the old, sinful man we cast off and are dead to, and ascend to higher things.' I am means that we can know ourselves and understand what we're really like. I ought means that we have a moral judge inside us. We feel like we're subject to it. It lets us know what our duty is and compels us to do it. I can means that we know we have the ability to do what we know we're supposed to. I will means that we resolve to use the ability we know we have to do what our inner moral judge has urged us to do. Resolve is the first step in actually doing. These four make a perfect, beautiful chain . . .  (You can read Charlotte Mason's exact wording on page 330 of volume 1.)


"I am, I can, I ought, I will." This was the motto she gave us. I am a human being, one of God's children; I can do right by my fellowmen and by myself; I ought so to do and God help me, I will so do. Is this not a great message she has given us?
(Michael A. E. Franklin, one of Charlotte Mason's students; from In Memoriam)


"I am, I can, I ought, I will." Miss Mason chose your inspiring motto.  You can say,
      "I am the greatest thing in God's creation: a human being with a spark of God's divine spirit in my body.  Because I belong to the human family I can do the great things that other human beings have done. I have powers of doing, thinking and loving.
      "I can use these powers. I can change my thoughts from things that harm me and that worry me to the beautiful things I have learnt in my School: I can know the ways of activity, I can think kindly thoughts of God's creatures in the past and in the present, in this and other countries, of people who do not think as I do in religion and politics.
      I ought to do these things: I owe it to my God, my parents and my School.
      I will forget myself, and live up to the ideals of my School.
      God is on the side of those who will, and with His help we will all go on working as Miss Mason hoped we would.
(By the Hon. Mrs. Franklin, from In Memoriam)

Philadelphia Field Trip

Again, not Colorado, but a very good family field trip! We will go for one day to Philadelphia, but longer could very enjoyable. If you are going there you will find a lot to do. See if you can incorporate it into last year or next year's studies. Some of these places have links for teachers with ideas. Check them out.

Most of these can be found with links here:  http://www.philadelphiapass.com/attractions/

Philadelphia things to see and the grade they correspond to:

1. Betsy Ross house, Colonial America, Revolutionary War, (low $) 1,3,
2. Elfreth Alley Colonial America, (low $) 1,3
3. Benjamin Franklin sites and tour, 1, 3, k
4. Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, Colonial America, (free) 1, 3
5. Lights of Liberty 3D movie, about independence and why it is important to remember, (moderate high $) all grades
6. National Constitution Center , 1,3, 8
7. National Liberty Museum 1,3,7
8. Philadelphia Zoo K, 3,5
9. The Academy of Natural Science of Drexel University, all grades
10. The Franklin Institute, Science, all grades
11. The Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent , 1,3 Colonial, not sure on the other grades, but likely has some immigration and industrial rev. era things.  2,6
12. Gettysburg. You CAN NOT miss this National Park. So much history. Free  1, 3

New York City field trip

Ok, So I know I said it would be mostly local Colorado on here.... but, since we are doing a family field trip to NYC this summer, I thought I would share. Some of these places have links for teachers with ideas. Check them out.

Pretty much everything can be found as links on this page: http://www.newyorkpass.com/attractions/

Here is what you can do and what grade it enhances:

1. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,(free, ferry $) K, 2, 6
2. Tenement Museum (also has stuff related to Industrial Revolution in America) (about $20 tours only) 2,6
3. Historical Society of New York (low cost)(immigration, early eras of America) Colonial, Revolutionary, Immigration, 1,2,3,6
4. American Museum of Natural History, ($20, $33 if you include the planetarium (grades 1,3, 6) well you can get any grade here k-6+
5. as well as the New York Hall of Science in Queens (low cost) K-6+ hands on Science museum
6. Native American Museum, (free) 2,3
7. Bodies, the Exhibition (human body biology) (moderate$) 1,2,3,4, Biology (while K does do some Human body, this may be too much for a younger child, use discretion). 
8. Historic Richmond Town, Colonial America living history museum on Staten Island,(very inexpensive) 1,3
9. Terracotta Warriors,($?) China 3rd