Methods, Plans

This is just in note form right now; I have to fill it out a bit so it makes sense, but Aidan is up early and demanding attention so I will have to do that later.


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A and I method for language arts.

Preparation

• choose a model --
• write notes (see History, Geography ideas)

Process

1. Read, discuss, analyze (5Ws, graphic organizers) -- focus on different parts -- sometimes find 2 retellings to compare and contract, or activate prior knowledge.

2. Start outlining story. Word analysis -- not necessarily using the model -- outside in -- apply knowledge in easy form to the model, perhaps.

3. Write the story. Sentence analysis -- grammar, usage.

4. Revise story and correct. Read other background material or do extensions.

5. Write final draft. Review of what has been learned that week.

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Math

• One lesson every day (concept, and related problems).
• Review (selected problems -- draw from Ray's Arithmetic, Core Knowledge, Comp Curriculum)
• Math journal on one day -- how to do something/copywork.
• Game or Quia occasionally.

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History and Geography

• read the text
• choose a subject to research further
• find locations on atlas
• mark timeline
• story for the progym (primary source, or retelling)
• draw a picture of an artifact, or a diagram

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Notebook for History

• Century pages (cardstock?)
• separate articles between century pages
• maps, miscellaneous pages like DK/Usborne format
• Little books (detachable)
• Include art, science history, and some journaling/essay questions.

When I look through their books I ought to quickly make a list:

• Persons -- Places -- Events -- Topics ---
• then activitiy ideas, writing, discussion ideas, correlations and extensions
• (make a template?)

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Science

• Nomenclature Cards,
• Minit Books,
• Games
• Posters or fact sheets or the equivalent

• Decide on a topic
• Reed a few different books -- take notes/narrations -- find overlapping information.
• Make some review-type materials -- visuals.
• Experiments, projects, field work.

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Planning -- overview of things to do

I have a big pile of 6 X 9 index cards filled with all kinds of notes I made while my older kids were out of town, while we were out of town, and during Thanksgiving vacation. The opportunity to think "big picture" for a couple of weeks is one of the things I'm thankful for during this season. Also the opportunity to sit and play games with the kids, talk with oldest son, and spend car time with them. I have a feeling that for many folk (including us at busy intervals) car time is the new equivalent of the old dinner table. Anyway, lots of conversations take place during these times!

So, here follows a list of things on my mind to plan/do for the next week or so before Advent starts in full.

1. I am working on some "method sheets" for next term, laying out how I intend/hope/dream to do things. They aren't going to be rigorous step by steps, but rather outlines I can pick up easily and revise easily according to how things are going. I coasted last term without an explicit written-down method, but with what I learned from experience from this, I can probably put together something that would help me remember how I do things when it's going well. At least, it's worth a try.
   
2. I am planning (proximately) for tomorrow and (mediately) for the next week or two. Since we've been off our "regular" routine for so long, and this week once again is filled with various appointments, I'm planning a couple of days at least of transition. What Transition means in our homeschool is that for a day, a week, or longer depending how long the vacation was, we work slowly back up to speed. I don't despair if things go "wrong" -- I just take notes and plan strategies to cope with the problems.
3. I am accumulating Advent plans... not just to do with Advent, but to do with the other things I plan/hope/intend to do during December and January. I already have more than I will be able to use, but it is fun to have lots to choose from so that if one idea falls flat, there's another ready to hand.
4. I am planning some sort of organized "attack" on the house to get it nice for Christmas. This strategy will have two goals -- decluttering and tidying, AND decorating and updating for the new season.
5. Of course, there is Christmas prep per se -- making or shopping for gifts; service projects, cards, meals, calls to friends.
   

Details to follow on all of these. Most of them are in draft form at least, but I have to think about the best way to organize them. I would like to make some more pretty forms. The 6x9s are great to scribble things down hastily -- I holepunch them and put a ring through the holes to keep them together --- but not so great for retrieval.

My husband just bought a color laserjet. We have never had one before. This one is for our home business, but I have access to it for our homeschool as well. So lower on my list is brainstorming how to make good use of it for homeschool. I don't think laserjets can work for photo-quality things like paintings and photos, but it would work fine for colored clipart and the like. It might make some parts of Aidan's homeschooling easier.... for example, I was going to buy him a set of flag flashcards, but now I could just print out his favorite flags and let him start a book of them.

Also, when my Spell to Read and WRite comes, I want to sit down with that and just.... take notes..... and think.... and plan.

Studying History for a Middle Schooler

On the principle that I don't usually know what I'm doing until I write it out..

We aren't doing Ancient Greece this year but here is what I wrote out in answer to a question about how people used Famous Men of Greece:

We had the Greenleaf Guide, so we talked about some of the discussion questions and also had a list of supplementary readings. The Mater Amabilis ancient history booklist has some suggestions for further reading. (here too

Also, you can do mapwork and keep a timeline or century book.

There are some ancient Greece activities but they might be a bit young for your 7th grader.... I also used some of the Dover coloring books but this was for younger kids.

some maps here

Basic timeline here

More links here

I hope this isn't throwing too much at you. We usually focused on reading, and discussion or narration, choosing a few topics (like Athens compared to Sparta) to focus on a bit more closely by doing some additional researching.

(Also, adding here that I would google for clipart on the individual characters and events, and I would look for study questions like these ones and probably read some primary sources like an actual Life of Plutarch and possibly a bit of Herodotus).