Over the last several days, I have felt as though I'm missing something (or things) in our schooling. We've been doing the readings and narrating, but I just didn't feel deep enough. Being so new in all of this, I just have had no clue how to help the learning process or take it a little further for the kids. However, now I've been given a small nudge and the ideas are beginning to stream in (well, more like a small brook, but they're coming nonetheless).
Today, I happened upon a neat little website that happens to have a list of activites for the book Paddle to the Sea (used in AO year 1). I was so excited to read all of this that we are going to start over with the book and do more of it. I just don't think that Benjamin Bunny has soaked in very much, so we are going to have more fun with it! Here's the link Paddle to the Sea. I'm so excited! I also found a canoe coloring page here. And this website has great coloring pictures of birds.
On a walk yesterday, we saw a hummingbird. Those little critters are so quick, it was hard to tell what kind it was. I think it might have been a black-chinned though. A few weeks ago, we happened upon some California Quails in a parking lot at a hiking park near here and that was cool. They sure are beautiful birds! There were so many of them! We also got to see some cactus wrens.
Beginning Shakespear? It's been interesting for us. I'm loving the stories. (Why didn't we read these in school when I was younger? I'm getting it so much better now!) Now, Benjamin Bunny on the other hand, not so much. I'd have to say this is not his favorite reading. But he participates. So, I did some more searching and found this website or blog or something specifically about Shakespeare for children. There are some great printouts and at least a couple good ideas to get the wheels turning or interest turned up a little. We're going to do this week's reading again and try one of these and see how it works. This link is on that page, but I must mention it here because it is absolutely wonderful! You've got to visit this place, there are some great activities for the kids - a few online games that could occupy for a little while (something completely necessary now and then), a neat page with activites to share for Puck, word scrambles and meanings, challenge questions, and several others. It's pretty cool!
We also have our handicraft idea for at least this term. A clock. He's interested in them right now and it will be neat for him to read up on how a clock works and then make one on his own. We're not going the whole gear route this time, most likely. It's going to depend on what kits we can find. That would be cool though.
Well, that's it folks! I do hope you enjoy those ideas and web hits. They seem pretty cool to me and like they will be rather helpful.
Beginning the pendulum swing back into a somewhat semblance of normalcy, and signing off for this time,
~me
Thanks for the links. I'll go check them out!
ReplyDeleteI dropped most of Shakespeare this year. Gabriel was sick of all the "luv stuff" and I was beginning to agree with him. I began to question the necessity of exposing him to so much silliness and decided to let it go. I know, that is *so* un-AO!!!!
That's what's great about homeschooling. Tailor it to your family! If Shakespeare isn't working out for you right now, don't do it! Try again, maybe later!
ReplyDeleteHave a great 2010 schooling year!