Crooked Pine Academy

Tano's High School Reading List

2011-09-15T10:27:00.003-06:00

Key:
P = pleasure reading (elective)
C = class assignment reading (required)
A = audio book

2011-2012

Crazy Love, Francis Chan - P
The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton - P
Congo, Michael Crichton - P
Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton - P
The Lost World, Michael Crichton - P
Prey, Michael Crichton - P
Sphere, Michael Crichton - P
Timeline, Michael Crichton - P
My Brother Sam is Dead, Collier & Collier - C
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins - P
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins - P
The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane - C
ESPN Magazine - P
Mythology, Edith Hamilton - C
What If...? Intriguing Answers for the Insatiably Curious, How Stuff Works, Inc. - P
Across Five Aprils, Irene Hunt - C
The Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux - P
I Am Number Four, Pittacus Lore - P
The Bronze Bow, Elizabeth Speare - C
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain - C, A
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain - P
Short Stories of Mark Twain, Mark Twain - P
The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells - P
War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells - C, A
What Einstein Told His Barber, Robert L. Wolke - P

Exams

2009-02-25T18:20:00.003-07:00

Not this week or next week, but the week after, we have exams. First term exams were similar in format, but I have learned a bit and modified them slightly. The kids have learned a bit, too, since last time. They didn't do much in the way of preparation ahead of time first term, and the whole point of exam week was missed.

The schedule for what is due when, spread over the course of the exam week, is posted. I want them to show off what they know, what they've learned over the last twelve weeks. This time, when I gave them the sheet, they immediately began planning ahead. I can't wait to see how they do.

Nathaniel’s 2008-2009 Term Two Exam (6th grade)

Bible: Recite Psalm 119:9-16, orally or written.

Poetry/Penmanship: Write a poem by Emily Dickinson (six line minimum or two, if shorter).

Folksong Study: Sing “Goober Peas” from memory and explain its significance.

Artist Study: Describe your favorite Friedrich painting in detail and tell about it.

Literature/Writing: 1. Submit a well-written paragraph about each of three interesting figures you have studied from mythology

2. Submit a “translation” of a section of dialogue (10-12 lines) from Romeo and Juliet into modern English.

2. Submit a book report project on Kidnapped, selected from the list of ideas given to you

Reading: Read aloud a passage selected for you from one of your books

Dictation: Write a paragraph dictated to you, with excellent punctuation and spelling

Citizenship/Government: Tell about Caius Marcius Coriolanus--the positives and negatives about his leadership

History: Tell about three people or world events from George Washington’s boyhood, three people or events from his time as a soldier, and three people or events from his time as a farmer. Submit an illustration for one thing from each time period (a reproduction of a drawing from the book).

Spanish: Pass a written Spanish vocabulary quiz, based on the words we have studied so far. (75% or better)

Science: 1. Tell what you have learned from one of the chapters of Madame How.

2. Submit a complete sentence in “Analysis’ Language” and another one in English to simply explain what happened in the exploding plastic bag experiment. Submit cartoon-style diagram instructions for someone to recreate the experiment.

3. Tell three examples of complex systems in nature that would be unlikely to have “just happened.” Submit a diagram for one of them.

Church History: Submit a thorough paragraph on the ministry of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, or John Wesley.

Handicrafts: Present one wooden sword, dagger or knife that you have completed with excellence and describe the process of creating it, as well as the design’s historical significance.

Elliana’s 2008-2009 Term Two Exam (3rd grade)

Bible: Recite Psalm 119:9-16

Poetry/Penmanship: Write, from memory, a short poem by Eugene Field or James Whitcombe Riley (or 6-8 lines of a longer one)

Folksong Study: Sing “Goober Peas” from memory and explain its significance

Artist Study: Describe your favorite Friedrich painting in detail and tell about it.

Literature/Writing: 1. Submit a paragraph describing a favorite scene from Romeo and Juliet

2. Submit a “translation” of a section of dialogue (6-8 lines) from Romeo and Juliet into modern English.

3. Submit a book report project on Wind in the Willows, selected from the list of ideas given to you.

Reading: Read aloud a passage selected for you from one of your free-reading books

History: 1. Submit a list of four kings of England that you have studied this term, making mention of several (three or more) positive or negative things about each of them.

2. Draw a series of three or more full-page pictures that illustrate the life of Richard, Duke of Normandy.

Spanish: Pass a written Spanish vocabulary quiz, based on the words we have studied so far. (75% or better)

Natural Science: Submit ten flash cards that would teach children about different animals you have studied in the Burgess Animal Book for Children. Include a drawing, identification information (things like size, coloring, features), food and habitat information for each, as well as one other interesting fact about each. Flashcards should be made on white 3x5 index cards and done neatly.

Church History: Tell about the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Also, read and explain the prayer of his that you studied.

Handicrafts: Present one dessert that you have baked, by yourself, with excellence. Submit a neatly written and complete recipe for the item on a 3x5 index card.

Simple Air Pressure Experiment

2008-10-17T17:14:00.002-06:00

Many thanks again to Aurora Lipper and Supercharged Science for the idea for this simple experiment.

My Daughter's Classroom of Choice

2008-10-06T19:26:00.003-06:00

This photo was taken through the dining room window today. Note the warm and furry ottoman.

Fun With CHEMISTRY (of all things)

2008-10-04T10:47:00.005-06:00

On a whim, I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble last month called The Periodic Table: Elements With Style!, by Basher and Dingle.

Buy this book. Buy all of these science books done by Basher. They are incredibly entertaining and can't help but be educational, as well. My kids DIG on this one that we have, the one on the periodic table. It makes the elements personal, memorable and completely approachable. We can't wait to buy the others in the series.

So today, I found a link to this site, PeriodicVideos.com done by the University of Nottingham. It features a clickable periodic table, with a short video linked to each of the elements. The style is a decidedly nerdy UK chemistry version of Mythbusters. The kids and I watched about a dozen of the videos this morning and, while they are quite advanced and much of their content is over our heads, they are highly entertaining (to us, but then we are a bit nerdy) and educational for whatever level you are at.

When we pulled out the aforementioned book to read up on each element before watching the corresponding video, the videos made much more sense and we really enjoyed watching them.

Chemistry. Who knew it could be interesting and fun? I wish I had known it before I took my chemistry class in high school, the worst class of my school career. Fortunately, my kids will not approach chemistry with the same sense of loathing as I did, thanks to wonderful resources like these.

School During School

2008-10-01T15:02:00.005-06:00

Andy's woodworking school, is now up and running. We are past half way through our first week. Teaching my own students while Andy teaches his is proving challenging, but not impossible.

My job is to cook for the classes, a light breakfast of fruit and yogurt and fresh baked goods, and then a huge hot meal for lunch, plus occasional snacks and non-stop coffee. The way our house is set up, the kitchen is completely isolated from the rest of the world, so I can't just set the kids up where I am working (note: new kitchen countdown is on).

In adjusting to the new scheduling required, including me being very busy during the time that we have typically done school, I have had to get a little creative. Mind you, nothing I have done is terribly creative for a veteran home schooler, but we're talking about me here, folks, The Reluctant Home Educator.

Today, Tano and I listened to his chapter of Robinson Crusoe via audio book while we did the dishes together. Yesterday, the kids followed me around the yard as I watered my poor, neglected gardens, all the while discussing good poetry and brutal Vikings sweeping through English towns. Spanish consisted of the kids planning and rehearsing short conversations they could have with one of the woodworking students who is from Venezuela and speaks fluent Spanish.

It's different, but it is working.

The kids are also getting quite an education in the culinary arts and food service. They are meal planning and cooking and baking with me, learning to serve meals efficiently and attractively, and experiencing how much work it takes to clean up after big feasts. Plus, we are just learning how to work together well, like a team. It's good.

Of Runaways and Literacy

2008-09-26T11:11:00.005-06:00

A young girl came to my front door this morning. She couldn't have been more than eight years old--a cute little thing. She said she was a runaway slave and had seen the lantern on my hitching post. Was this a safe house?

Yes, it was.

She asked if she could stay a bit and get warm and rested. I invited her in, of course. Poor thing was breathless and shivering from cold and fright. Two big tracking dogs had been close on her heels.

She looked so bewildered and lost, and I suggested that perhaps learning to read and write would help her on her journey. I directed her into the living room to the makeshift school table and bade her look in my own daughter's Kitty Folder for a page of copywork. Pencils were already on the table. That would get her started.

Follow the Kitty Folder
Follow the Kitty Folder
For a page of copywork will help you read and write
If you follow the Kitty Folder

The little girl beamed and set about her work.

------------

If you haven't already guessed it, we enjoyed studying the Underground Railroad today and learning the traditional folk song, "Follow the Drinking Gourd." When Elli went outside for her break, she began to act out what she had learned, and brought it back to the house with her, hoping I would play along. She loves it when I do. Here are the links we used in our study:

National Geographic -- The Underground Railroad (an interactive simulated journey from plantation to freedom--very well done)

The Big Dipper, As Seen Through Other Cultures (a fun interactive look at the constellation, as it has been viewed in other times and places)

An overview of the meaning of the song and its lyrics

Teacher Tube -- Underground Railroad (an eight minute video overview)

Some guy singing the song with a guitar (a three minute video)

Notes From Week Four

2008-09-25T15:30:00.010-06:00

NOTE: The following post is long and probably uninteresting to anyone but me. I am posting mostly for my own records.

We are a third of the way through our first term of home education. I am still enjoying myself, and the kids are too, in most areas, but the glossy sheen is starting to fade, just a bit. Here is where we are at as we approach the end of week four:

- We are a full week behind my intended schedule for Spanish, but I think I was overly optimistic at the start. I am slowing it down and giving more time for review of terms and phrases already covered. I really need to get better about using it around the house more in general conversation. They are picking it up and enjoying it, but I forget that even the most basic vocabulary and phrasing is brand new to them. That's ok. We are not in a hurry.

- Both kids seem to like the Book of Centuries we are compiling, a time line in a book that they create sort-of-a-thing. They are noting overlaps in various subjects they are studying. For example, Tano took note this week that Fanny J. Crosby, the hymnist who wrote a song we just finished studying, was about my age when the Civil War broke out. For whatever reason, this made history come alive for him. I'll take it.

- Copywork/penmanship is going very well, I think, and I am seeing fairly dramatic improvements in both kids' handwriting. Elli is just learning cursive for the first time and is picking it up quite naturally, but is frustrated with the pace of her progress. Tano is un-learning some bad habits and learning to form his letters properly, with a consistent slant and spacing. He doesn't really want to spend time on his handwriting as it was "always good enough before," but even he is impressed with the changes, I think.

- Our Shakespeare study is going well, so far. We will be adding two more students (ages ten and eleven) this Friday, and met with them this week to catch them up on what we've covered so far in Romeo and Juliet. I was surprised that both of my kids wanted to sit in on the meeting and seemed genuinely excited to share their new knowledge of old English and the plot of the play, so far.

- Art instruction (Nance is teaching basic drawing techniques) is more enjoyable for Tano than Elli, so far. Tano is ready and eager, whereas Elli is just not picking up on the concepts and feels frustrated with her abilities, comparing herself to the other students, most of whom are quite a bit older than her.

- Science experiments are a big hit with both kids. I need to start working on making Tano do more actual science to go along with the fun experimentation.

- Both kids are using "Dance Mat Typing," the free online typing program from the BBC. They are actually learning to type and enjoy the program.

- Bible has been a highlight of our day. We are able to enjoy it as a family around the table after breakfast. We are reading Proverbs together, bit by bit, most days only covering a few verses, but enjoying lively discussions over them. We are also memorizing a verse each week from Psalm 119 and each person must be able to recite it at breakfast on Friday morning. It has been a real joy for us, so far.

- Nature study is going well. We are spending part of each Thursday afternoon down at the river, where each kid has adopted a particular tree to observe, study and document. They are drawing in their nature journals and Tano is making detailed lists of observations. It is fun to see the leaves changing. The differences are rather dramatic from week to week at this time of year. Today we also added in a short hike down the river bank to a marshy area and admired small and large trees that have been felled by beavers. Along the way, we found lots of neat footprints of animals going back and forth from the river for drinks of water.

Breaking it down per kid:

- Tano really doesn't like dictation, even once per week. He groans when it is announced, but is still willing to give it good effort.

- Tano's poetry study is going better than I would have ever dreamed. He is loving Alfred, Lord Tennyson, his poet for this term. He is taking to poetry beautifully, and enjoys finding the rhyme and rhythm patterns, as well as picking apart the imagery and symbolism. Tennyson rocks.

- Tano's study of Alcibiades, from Plutarch's Lives (Kaufmann's Young Folks Plutarch version) is going better than I would have anticipated, but we are reading such a short amount of it each week that it is hard to get up much momentum and interest.

- Tano has settled into a groove with Robinson Crusoe and is really enjoying it, reading (while simultaneously listening to) two chapters per week, spread over four days.

- Tano has suddenly gained an insatiable thirst for knowledge of WWII weaponry, especially fighter planes. He's doing research on them in his self-directed learning time, taking notes on each plane's specifics, and then building each one out of Lego blocks and photographing it before dissembling it for parts for the next one. The P-38 model was actually pretty cool. He is not studying WWII at all right now, so this new interest has taken me by surprise.

- Tano is enjoying his study of the universe in It Couldn't Just Happen, but is struggling with the the more literature-based Madame How and Lady Why. It is an old book written for British school children and takes a very round-about literary approach to learning scientific principles. I hope the book picks up a bit, honestly. It is a little slow right now, and not completely capturing his attention, even though I can see where it is headed and think the premise is great. I don't want it to become drudgery, though.

- Tano and I both are both enjoying Poor Richard, a beautifully written biography of Benjamin Franklin. We both look forward to each new segment. I loved biographies when I was his age, and this one is particularly well done.

-Tano is also enjoying Minn of the Mississippi, which so far is about the birth and life of one particular snapping turtle. Each chapter is very short, but well written and somehow suspenseful. I caught him reading ahead at one point.

- Tano's mythology study, from The Age of Fable, is starting out slowly. This week, we finally finished the preface and introduction. We are both hoping the book picks up a bit now that the preliminaries are out of the way. He is learning, though, and his new-found knowledge of some basic Greek and Roman gods and goddesses overlapped nicely this week with our art study. This week's print was Botticelli's "Primavera," which features Venus, Mercury, Cupid and Zephyrus prominently.

- Tano had a lot of fun drawing a cartoon version of Botticelli's "Primavera" in art study this week. His rendition of Mercury was hilarious, and his Cupid had his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth in concentration, a gesture that the boy himself does frequently.

- Tano is enjoying the history of the American colonies in This Country of Ours, but is frustrated with the slow pace of Johnny Tremain, a historical novel set in the same general time period. I loved Johnny Tremain as a kid and read it several times, so I really talked it up to him, but that was a mistake on my part. I hyped it up a little too much, I'm afraid, and his expectations were too high. I'm learning.

Ok, this has become more lengthy than I expected and I can't sit here any longer. Next time I update like this, I will focus on Elli and what she is up to.

Overheard

2008-09-23T13:15:00.006-06:00

Over lunch today, my eight-year old daughter was recounting to Daddy and Grandpa the tragic tale of Roland, beloved nephew of the mighty Charlemagne. Roland, sung about by poets through the ages, was a courageous but ill-fated general, tragically struck down in battle because of the spiteful intrigue of a traitor. It was quite the grand story to be told over such humble soup and sandwiches.

When she had finished her tale, and noble Roland lay dead on the battlefield with his uncle the king weeping over his body, her eyes took on their familiar knowing twinkle and she smirked, "The third grade kids at Lone Rock School [her former elementary school] probably wouldn't even be able to pronounce Charlemagne."

September Still Life

2008-09-22T21:01:00.003-06:00

I didn't know a messy desk
could be this beautiful.

Adjusting to Freedom

2008-09-18T21:18:00.002-06:00

You would think that the freedom of no longer being bound by the confines of the traditional school day would be thrilling to me. But you would be wrong. I spent too many years of my life setting my mental clock by the rolling of the buses, morning and afternoon, to just unplug the clock and forget about it.

This week the kids and I have been helping Andy (Daddy) out in the shop, as he gets things ready for his new woodworking school. He is putting up some beautiful redwood wainscot on the walls, which is really attractive, but a lot of work. We have jumped in to help cut the lumber down to size, round off the edges and finish it with hand-rubbed oil so it can be installed.

Tuesday, we did school first and then worked out there on the redwood all afternoon. Wednesday, we worked on it all evening, even setting up flood lights in the yard so I at my sanding station and Tano at his oiling station could keep going after dark. But this morning we really shook things up.

Andy had someone coming to work at nine o'clock in the morning and wanted him to be able to start installing right away. We didn't have all of the wood ready to go yet, though, so we got up early, had a quick breakfast, and went out there, all of us, to finish the job--or at least get enough done by the time the help arrived that he could get started. We worked until lunch time, got it all done, and then did school after that.

Those of you who are accustomed to this home education thing are still waiting for the punchline. But that was it: we worked all morning and didn't start school until after lunch. After lunch!!

I'm still adjusting, folks. Give me time.

Mini Co-op Day

2008-09-12T23:03:00.007-06:00

Two of my very dear friends, Nance and Jen, and I have joined forces for Friday afternoons at Nance's house. Between us, we have eight students--one fourteen-year old, one thirteen-year old, one twelve-year old, two eleven-year olds, one ten-year old and two eight year-olds. Jen also has a very little guy, but he is more interested in playing with the dogs and the cat outside, than sitting in on class sessions.

I am teaching Shakespeare for the first segment. We started today with an introduction to reading old English in play format, some old vocabulary, and the basic plot and characters of Romeo and Juliet, the first play we will tackle together. It was so fun. I am really looking forward to digging into the play next Friday, and the kids all seem to be into it, too.

After Shakespeare, Nance is teaching art. Today, she had the kids drawing, trying out different art pencils to see what they could push them to do, and attempting some basic shapes with light and shadow. The kids had such a great time experimenting with various techniques.

After our Shakespeare and art classes, we all drove off to the church for choir practice, which also started today and will take place every Friday afternoon until the three performances in December. This is a community choir for kids from third through eighth grades, and it has a reputation for excellence. The director is very experienced and really brings some amazing talent out in the kids, a rag-tag group of about forty young voices from our little farming and ranching community. It's Elli's first year and she is SOOOO EXCITED. Tano is not interested in singing, but loves to be part of big productions, so he is an assistant to the director, helping out with whatever she needs.

It was a really great day. I think we will look forward to Friday afternoons.

Here is a photo of my Shakespeare class, taken last Friday on our field trip to The Route of the Hiawatha. They are a really great group of kids.

More photos of the bike trip are posted here.

Fun Science

2008-09-10T20:37:00.003-06:00

Many thanks to Aurora Lipper and Supercharged Science for the idea for this simple hovercraft experiment. Making this video was the kids' idea. Enjoy.

Narration

2008-09-09T22:33:00.003-06:00

The concept of narration, in Charlotte Mason's terms, is the retelling of what was just read. This is done to train kids to read carefully and absorb, rather than just skim lightly and have to re-read for content.

While we don't do narration after every single passage that is read by each kid, we do randomly choose one or two items per day to narrate. I had read that kids from a public school setting can be quite resistant to this process, so I wanted to start it out well, before they could develop any negative opinions.

I searched around for other people's creative ideas and blended several of them into my own. Using this little system, my kids actually look forward to narration and count it as a special treat, like an occasional dessert after dinner.

We use a single die, found in a baggie of unclaimed game pieces. After a child reads a passage, s/he rolls. A one or a two means that I will choose the style of narration that will be given. A three or four means that the child will choose from the list. A five or a six means that s/he gets to roll again and let the die decide which item on the list (of six options, conveniently) will be done.

Here is the list:

1. Oral narration (the child just summarizes aloud what was read)
2. Written narration (a couple of sentences or a paragraph, depending on the age of the kid)
3. Draw a picture or a comic strip (my son happily drew a whole chapter of Robinson Crusoe for me this way today)
4. Series of two-word sentences (eg. "Tree grew. Boy saw. Boy wondered. Buffalo ran. Boy worried...." Great for simple subject and predicate.)
5. Charades/pantomime (they enjoy this more than I thought they would)
6. Q & A (this one requires them to roll again; 1-3 = parent quizzes kid, 4-6 = kid quizzes parent)

Narration rocks.

The other night at dinner, I suggested that my daughter tell Daddy about a particular passage she had enjoyed in one of her history books. She narrowed her eyes to suspicious (but merry) little slits and asked, "Do I get to roll?"

P.E.

2008-09-09T22:00:00.002-06:00

I had no idea I would have so much fun playing with my kids and calling it P.E.

Today we grabbed my husband's Frisbee golf (Folf, in some parts of the country) discs and made up an impromptu game in the yard. We took turns calling the next "hole" on the Folf course and then had to run to our disc, wherever it landed. We got our blood pumping; we breathed in the cool, fresh air; we laughed together, encouraged each other, cheered each other on.

And it was part of our required schooling.

Amazing.

Magic Beans

2008-09-09T21:45:00.003-06:00

In choosing a math curriculum, I found many systems that included a package of manipulatives, colored blocks and such which would help kids gain a concrete understanding of tens and ones as they learn to use numbers effectively. In the end, I chose to go with a program that had only printable worksheets, presenting groups of tens visually, but not physically.

Turns out, my daughter could really use something to move around with her fingers. I dug through the dry goods and found some beans. I gave her a pile of small black-eyed peas to add and subtract with and she was so happy. Then, a day later, I replaced half of the black-eyed peas with big red kidney beans. On a whim, I told her that the kidney beans were "super beans" because they were worth as much as ten little beans.

Oh, the glee!

She is really very easy to entertain, fortunately, and hasn't developed any of the jaded qualities so many of her public school friends have. She thought the Super Beans were the best thing since pink glitter.

The terminology is now firmly established. When she is struggling with a problem, I can ask simply, "How could you get from here to the next Super Bean? Now, what is left over?"

She gets it. She loves it. She thinks math is a blast.

Because of a pile of dry beans from the cupboard.

Do not, people, do not go out and purchase math manipulatives.

Least Favorite Subject So Far

2008-09-06T16:34:00.003-06:00

You would think the boy was being asked to pull his own teeth or clean his room or something, the way he sulks every time I mention our composer study. We got to it finally today, in the form of reading the first part of a short biography and then listening to a piece of music. Our composer for this term is Johann Sebastian Bach, and the first piece we are studying is "Magnificat in D."

He tolerated the reading of the biography well enough, as this first section included a juicy story of how Bach was raised by his tyrannical older brother after both of his parents died, and how he had to sneak challenging sheet music in the middle of the night and hand-copy it by the light of the moon so his brother didn't catch him with it. The kids both love a good story, so they were intrigued, especially when the evil older brother found the boy's work and confiscated it, leaving young Bach to rely on his memory.

But when I said I was going to play the music while I made lunch and I wanted them both to listen to it, he protested vigorously. He wanted to read. He wanted to nap. He wanted to crawl under a rock and not come out until the twenty-minute playing time was over.

I told him he was welcome to read, that the music wouldn't be a distraction. He disappeared into his room to read. I dragged him back out to the living room where he could hear it.

He said he wasn't against studying music, but would much rather study someone likeThousand Foot Krutch, one of his favorite bands.

I told him that I would be happy to study TFK, as soon as their music has proven to still be culturally relevant and significant after 250 years, as Bach's has. He groaned and made a fledgling attempt at rolling his eyes.

His younger sister wrinkled up her nose and cocked her head to one side in confusion, "But we will be dead by then!"

Another low groan arose from the boy, this one in response to the little sister who still doesn't catch good sarcasm.

I personally think it is a part of a well-rounded education and don't plan to back down, but my son is digging in early for a good long fight.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to gain at least a grudging respect for this music and that of the other composers we will be studying.

A Note on P.E.

2008-09-03T22:59:00.002-06:00

Using the Presidential Physical Fitness thing might end up very cool for me, even more than the kids. You see, when we signed the kids up for this program, I signed myself up, as well. In doing so, I committed myself to a half an hour of exercise, five days per week for six weeks. I am getting some fresh air and exercise, AND I am playing with my kids more--Follow the Leader, sword-fighting (Tano's wooden swords are a real workout!), and today, a bike ride with Elli. So far, so good.

A Note on the Name

2008-09-03T22:41:00.002-06:00

I was at Staples a couple of weeks ago to purchase some school supplies and they asked if I had a discount card. I didn't, but I saw a brochure for a teacher discount program and inquired about it. The young cashier said I was welcome to apply for it. In filling out the blanks of the application, right there in line, I came upon a bit of a challenge:

Name of School ____________________________________

I consulted briefly with my son, who was with me, and we quickly decided on Crooked Pine Academy. You can see why, in the photo. That crooked pine tree (along with the one in our neighbor's yard) also features prominently in our street address; it was an easy choice.

Week One

2008-09-03T19:02:00.006-06:00

Here is what each kid is especially enjoying this week:

Nathaniel
BIOGRAPHY: Poor Richard, by James Daugherty
NATURAL HISTORY: Madam How and Lady Why, by Charles Kingley
SCIENCE: It Couldn't Just Happen, Lawrence O. Richards
GEOGRAPHY: Minn of the Mississippi, by Holling C. Holling
POETRY: Alfred Lord Tennyson's "The Eagle"
LITERATURE: Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Dafoe
MATH: Math Mammoth, by Maria Miller

Elliana
HISTORY: Our Island Story, by H.E. Marshall
BIOGRAPHY: The Little Duke, by Charlotte M. Yonge
GEOGRAPHY: Tree in the Trail, by Holling C. Holling
NATURAL HISTORY/SCIENCE: Burgess Animal Book for Children, by Thornton W. Burgess
MATH: Math Mammoth, by Maria Miller
FREE READING: Mr. Popper's Penguins, by Richard and Florence Atwater

Together, we are also having way too much fun with conversational Spanish and today we enjoyed the art of Botticelli.

There are several other books that they are using, but these have already become favorites. We will see which ones remain at the top of the list and which others may ascend.

The Beauty of Free Audio Books

2008-09-02T23:12:00.001-06:00

As I transition my kids from the level of work they are accustomed to at the public schools, to the level they are doing as a part of Ambleside, I am finding that audio books are the way to go.

I used to frown on the idea of using audio books for actual learning, as opposed to spare-time pleasure reading, but now my opinion has changed completely. I am finding that my children can handle reading books at a much higher level, if they can hear the audio as they read along. Not only is it entertaining to listen to someone read to you, but it helps them to stay on track and not let their minds wander. Plus, new vocabulary in the reading is assimilated naturally because difficult words are pronounced for them and their meanings are more easily discernible contextually, when spoken.

Tano is reading the unabridged Robinson Crusoe this way and Elli is reading the Burgess Animal Book for Children. They are both loving both the books and the format of listening while reading.

As an added bonus, by setting one kid up for a twenty-minute audio book session (I just plug headphones into my computer and run the mP3 files directly), I am free to talk through a different subject with the other child without being a distraction.

The best site I have found for free books online, featuring both the printed text and the audio (when available) is Project Gutenburg. I've mentioned this site before, but it bears repeating. If it exists for free online, they probably have it--and you might be surprised how many books (particularly classics) are available online.

The Way We Roll

2008-08-27T10:13:00.008-06:00

The Big Picture
Ambleside Online is the basis for the approach, format and structure I will be using this year. If you are a fan of Charlotte Mason, it is an absolutely incredible resource, with a wealth of helpful information and an incredible support base of people who are willing to help--all for free.

Other resources I am/will be using include:

Math
- Our main curriculum, Math Mammoth, downloaded in a PDF
- The best game I've found to teach or review basic multiplication facts, Timez Attack (we are just using the free download and LOVE it)

Penmanship
- For Elliana, third grade: An Elegant Floral Alphabet, downloaded in a PDF (this item has been revised and now includes 64 pages of activities)
- For Nathaniel, sixth grade: Great Quotes From U.S. Presidents, downloaded in a PDF
- Additional custom copywork and penmanship practice will be created using the School Script Dashed font, available for free download. Note: By using the back-slash key instead of the space bar between words, you can create seamless lines for your text, as well as create empty lines for students to practice in. Size can be adjusted just like any font.

Extra Science
- Lots of excellent resources at Supercharged Science for free, plus things to purchase, of course
- Earth Sky Kids
- Reasons to Believe, for when my son's questions go way beyond my own knowledge base
- Home Science Tools has a huge list of experiments to try at home for a variety of ages, plus everything you could possibly need to purchase for science education, and they happen to be located in Montana
- Silly, but educational science songs from Singing Science

Keyboarding Instruction
- Dance Mat Typing, available free online from the BBC, is comprehensive, funny and cute--and did I mention FREE?

P.E.
- The Presidential Physical Fitness Program is an ideal option for education at home, as the whole family can be involved at their own level. An online tracking system will chart everyone's progress. We will start this year with just the Active Lifestyle program and hopefully advance to the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.

Spanish
We will only be focusing on learning and practicing useful words, phrases and sentences orally this year, without worrying about any written language at all.
- There are some good phrases to learn at Linguanaut
- More phrases and essential vocabulary can be found at Indo-European Language Tutorials
- And a whole boat load more at Tiscali
Some of these sites, and the sites they link to feature Spanish from Spain, as opposed to Latin American Spanish, so some caution should be used, if you have a preference.

Literature
Our curriculum will be heavy on literature.
- 91 Ways to Respond to Literature provides just what its name implies. It will help keep things fresh and exciting.
- So many old classics are now in the public domain and are available for reading on-line, printing out, or even in audio book format. There are lots of resources out there for this, but the best place to start is with the Gutenberg Project.

Games
-Easy Fun School (great name) has a huge collection of fun and educational games on a wide variety of topics. Some of them are really quite good.

By Way of Introduction

2008-08-27T09:47:00.004-06:00

Here we go. After attending public schools myself as a child, marrying a public-schooled kid, teaching in the public schools, and raising two public schooled kids of my own (my son has completed the fifth grade and my daughter has completed the second grade in the local public schools), we are changing horses mid-stream. As a family, we have signed a one year contract to try education at home. I'm sure we will all learn a lot.

This blog will serve many purposes, but primarily it will be a place to note the best web resources I've come across, as well as a place to document our journey. Come along with us if you'd like, but hold on; we are unfamiliar with this horse and it may be a wild ride.