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MNMommy
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| Posted: Jan 09 2010 at 9:46pm | IP Logged
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I LOVE the idea of studying by chunks. My question, though, is where do you find your resources without spending a million hours online and a million dollars? I hear about rabbit trails too, and I've always wondered what resources are used for rabbit trails and where do they come from?
As an example, I want to do a dog unit since we will be getting our first dog this spring. I would love to have a few quality books discussing dog breeds and dog care. How and where do I find those? My tiny library has three books on this topic and they are all over 50 years old. They might be fine books, but I'm just guessing that these three books aren't going to grab my children's hearts and get them excited about a new dog.
Do you sit at the computer and read from it? If you do, are you including your littles who don't read yet? I want to include and grab them too.
I don't have an extensive home library so I can't go there.
I looked at Netflix, but they didn't have many educational offerings for the younger years.
Do you have some core resources that you turn to again and again? What are they?????? Name names, ladies!
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Jennifer
Tired mom to - 10yo dd, 7yo ds, 6yo ds, 4yo dd, 2yo ds
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Mary K
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Are you able to do interlibrary loan? Is there a better library in a different town?
Try doing a search on dogs at the different forums, I'm sure you'll find lots of ideas.
God bless,
Mary-NY
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Jan 11 2010 at 12:17am | IP Logged
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Great questions, !!! I'll be back later with how we use Rabbit Trails with my girls and I'm hoping others will chime in.
In the meantime, here are some links from the archives to get you started on WHAT ARE RABBIT TRAILS:
::Help me understand rabbit trails
::Not sure how to get started
::How much planning for a unit study
::What is a Rabbit Trail?
You could also browse the Rabbit Trail Forum to get an idea of what subjects and what people are using as resources...there are lots of books, movies, actiivties, etc.
You're in LUCK! There is a Dog thread in the archives! Our first rabbit trail - DOGS!. You can also go in and bump the thread to see if anyone has any other resources or ideas to share. Just post at the end of the thread asking "Any new resources to share?"
And, you're learning about DOGS at the PERFECT TIME OF YEAR!  The Iditarod is only 54 days away!!!!!   And, OF COURSE, we have a thread about that too  ~ The Iditarod!!!!
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Suzanne in ID
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MaryM
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| Posted: Jan 11 2010 at 3:32am | IP Logged
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Chunking, rabbit trails, unit studies...all somewhat similar as they could be catch all terms for a method of organizing learning opportunities but don't necessarily have specific guidelines. What attracts me to this idea is that it feels like something I can do in any way that seems to work for me. So I'm not good at a "how to" answer because it's not going to be the same for anyone.
We are fortunate to have a great library system where I am going to be able to find lots of books or will be able to have the library request then from the neighboring systems in the state very easily. That's where I usually start. But also will do google searches on the topic - not necessarily to find sites - though those are helpful. But more often to give me additional "connections" to the topic. For example googling dogs I might find a veterinary clinic which would remind me that setting up a field trip to vet clinic (or human society or pet shop) would be a good activity to add to the study. I'm sort of a "If you give a homeschool teacher a computer she's going to google she's going to find ______" type person when it comes to doing a unit/chunk/rabbit trail (whatever you want to call it). I never know exactly where it will lead...not much help huh...
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| My question, though, is where do you find your resources without spending a million hours online and a million dollars? |
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I hardly spend anything - I'm pretty cheap  . I will admit to sometimes spending too much time searching - again - but that doesn't have to be the case. More isn't necessarily better. Taking a page from the idea of simplicity in learning being discussed elsewhere on the forums - we can do a lot by focusing thoroughly on less, just a few quality resources.
I would say how I start is to just brainstorm - for me that is the key to doing an approach like this. Just trying to think of any possible connection to the topic that might be available.
For example with the dog topic:
-Think of experts in area (vets, dog groomer, breeder association) and talk to them for resources and ideas. I have found one of the best ways to learn about a topic is to talk to people who have a passion for it. They love when you are interested and they love to share that interest with others.
-Think of places where you can see dogs locally (pet shop, Humane society, vet clinic, dog groomer, dog shows) and plan a field trip to visit some place of interest.
-Think of connections within other subject areas. Is there anything that might relate in the various subject areas?
Art - anyone who is known for drawing painting dogs? A site like talks about dogs in art with examples listed. You could them go and find samples of those pieces online.
Science - anatomy of a dog/compare contrast to another mammal
Math - research and graph some statistic about dogs (ave. life expectancy, size, population, etc.)
Those are just a couple ideas to get started. Don't push it - the ideas shouldn't be contrived, but there are quite often very natural and interesting connections.
Are there any fun activities to do? Think games, cooking, etc... (Game - dog breed freeze tag, have to name a dog breed to save self from being frozen. Food - dog cupcakes)
And I would google and find the national club page for specific breeds you were interested in. They are going to have good info. And no I would not sit and read to young children from the computer, but I would download a few specific facts and pictures for a couple breeds.
Suzanne wisely pointed you to the existing dog thread in our Unit Study/Rabbit Trail forum. For someone who wants help with the brainstorming aspect asking for help in a community like 4 Real is a GREAT way to go. Some of us love to contribute brainstorming ideas like this. And I definitely have some new ideas to add to a dog study.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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JuliaT
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| Posted: Jan 11 2010 at 5:47pm | IP Logged
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This is where being a book-aholic comes in handy. I buy wayyyy too many books but it does help when we are going down a rabbit trail because usually I will have some kind of resource that can help us.
Our nearest library is 45 min. so it isn't quite handy to depend on it. So I just buy. I know not everyone can do that but this is how I handle the problem. I also use the internet for activity ideas. I just Google my topic along with lesson plans and I sift through the ideas. It doesn't take that long.
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Julia
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Paula in MN
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Jennifer, I don't remember where in MN you are, but you should be able to do ILL through your library. I can through ours, and I get books from all over our great state. Also, thrift stores, Goodwill, Savers -- all are great places to find cheaply-priced books for lessons. Garage sales are even better!
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 Paula
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MNMommy
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| Posted: Jan 13 2010 at 10:28am | IP Logged
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Paula in MN wrote:
| Jennifer, I don't remember where in MN you are, but you should be able to do ILL through your library. I can through ours, and I get books from all over our great state. Also, thrift stores, Goodwill, Savers -- all are great places to find cheaply-priced books for lessons. Garage sales are even better! |
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Thanks, everyone for the replies. We can do the ILL through the library, and it is quite easy. However, the kids & dh already think I spend too much time on the computer. Even an hour in the evening to research something easy like dogs is an issue. Then, when we ILL the books, it takes a week or two to get them in. Our rabbit trails are cold by then. KWIM? We live in a very rural area with few resources. It's an hour to get to a larger town with a thrift store, and honestly, when we make the trip that far, I have so many other errands to do that thrift stores don't make the list. Four small kids in a thrift store is't fun either!!
I guess I'm just whining. I miss the wonderful libraries in San Antonio. I miss all the thrift stores and the bookstores. I miss all the variety of fieldtrips. I love where I live now, but it just makes rabbit trails difficult. I want to teach with rabbit trails, but I have to find a rhythm that will work for our family, our budget, and our geographical location.
I think I need to spend some valuable computer time finding a few quality resources in all the subject areas so that it is possible to start a mini rabbit trail while the kids are still interested.
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Jennifer
Tired mom to - 10yo dd, 7yo ds, 6yo ds, 4yo dd, 2yo ds
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melanie
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Is there a library in the larger town that youc an visit, even once a month or so? Our smallish town doesn't have a great collection and we rarely go there, but there's a town half an hour away that has a wonderful children's collection...even lots of Catholic books! We are "lucky" in that we travel that way once a week, so we make our library stop then. With ours, you can even reserve books for free online and have them waiting for you to pick up! I felt bad taking advantage of this at first, but I got over it. It's difficult to take the time to hunt up books with a toddler who likes to clear the shelves.
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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Sarah M
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melanie wrote:
| With ours, you can even reserve books for free online and have them waiting for you to pick up! I felt bad taking advantage of this at first, but I got over it. It's difficult to take the time to hunt up books with a toddler who likes to clear the shelves. |
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Oh my goodness- don't feel bad about that! That was one of my principle jobs when I worked for the library system- finding holds for patrons, and putting them on the hold shelves. The library LOVES offering this service to patrons- so do take advantage of it! That's what it's there for!!!
I did want to add that being a chunky planner doesn't mean you have to use gads of books. I'm finding that using one or two well-written books (and they don't have to be the *best* books- just good quality books!) is more effective here than using a stack of books on the subject. We seem to be able to dive deeper without getting bogged down or burned out this way. It seems to me that's how Julia does it to (am I right, Julia?)-- using one main book as the springboard...
Of course, one could get a bit obsessive about finding the very best book, since only one or two books are being used, and that could be just as much of a time-suck, stress-inducer. So I just find a "good enough" book and make it work for us.
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Leonie
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I usually start with a cup of tea and an online search for any free study guides for the topics.
For example. we were talking about Louis Lowry's book The Giver recently and my yongest son said he hadn't read it. I reeled in horror!
So, I am looking for our copy of the book and have put a note in my diary to sepnd a little time next week to look for any online study guides for the book.
Now, we may not follow any or all of the ideas in the study guides, but it gives us a start. A jump start for ideas. Then we just read together on the topics, or read the book in this case, and see what comes up for us om discussion..then we sue Googlr, ou home library and the pubic ibary. We keep it low key. We won't cover everything. We just want good enough, as Sarah do some actvities that make the rabbit trail meaningful.
For us, having a spine for a rabbit trail is helpful. The spine may be a book or a study guide or an online resource..and then we deviate without trying to do everything!
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Leonie in Sydney
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Mackfam
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Sarah M wrote:
| I did want to add that being a chunky planner doesn't mean you have to use gads of books. I'm finding that using one or two well-written books (and they don't have to be the *best* books- just good quality books!) is more effective here than using a stack of books on the subject. We seem to be able to dive deeper without getting bogged down or burned out this way. |
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Agreeing!
I do some of this *chunky* planning! I like all the thoughts shared, but when I read this thought of Sarah's I really wanted to agree. I think Mary mentioned the same thing here:
MaryM wrote:
| More isn't necessarily better. Taking a page from the idea of simplicity in learning being discussed elsewhere on the forums - we can do a lot by focusing thoroughly on less, just a few quality resources. |
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We are pretty rural and thus not too close to our library, and it is sadly not as plentiful in some of the books/themes as I would like. Anyway, I make use of our home library when I plan like this which means that I use fewer books (please don't envision a gigantic home library - I keep a few good books on topics I'm most likely to plan for in this way - history and science/nature study). My approach is to really spend time with these books and get to know them - allow yourself to wonder aloud when reading a simple picture book. Getting in the habit of wondering aloud has been the nursery for some of our most exciting rabbit trails. They're just quiet little questions, and don't require anything more than the question from me - I'm not trying to make a lesson out of it...just asking a question. I'm always delighted with the response, and it generally gets me thinking.
The internet is a great tool for extending a lesson immediately (while the trail is still hot!) or digging into something we read about in a book. I also appreciate the gift of my mother's old homeschooling library and some time I spent finding inexpensive but valuable solid reference material! These have been invaluable in terms of looking something up, following a question to its natural conclusion, etc. I find it important to not let all research be accomplished through google - it's important to learn how to use indexes and skim for information and let that spring new questions or answer old ones.
I'm not sure if I'd call this chunky planning or unit studies or rabbit trails...it generally starts as a chunky plan and delightfully evolves to include a few fun rabbit trails. Here is an example of one of our chunky plans - The Way Things Work - Boy Meets Machine
In general, but definitely NOT ALWAYS, I do like to find one book that might serve as a spine. If I have other books that will add to our study, that's great. I look through the table of contents and search through our shelves, and Amazon for other titles that might be a good fit. I check our local library for availability. I tend to *strew* these books in a way that invites but I don't insist on their use. If we are off on a rabbit trail and one of those other books are helpful I'll dig into it with the children.
Living out the day to day of this *chunky* plan is pretty simple here. We like to read together and then allow ideas or rabbit trails to spring organically from our reading. Projects naturally follow.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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AnaB
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Also, just to encourage you, sometimes it's better to not have SOO many books to choose from. I am surprised, when I think about it, how many books we could use right here in my own home.
There is something to be said for getting to know a few books really well than not remembering anything from perusing lots of books.
I do sympathize with you though. I often feel the same way. Maybe invest in some good reference books like, a used copy of North American Wildlife Field Guide by Reader's Digest, One Small Square books, a nature encyclopedia, an old set of Brittanica or other encyclopedia, Audubon nature encyclopedia, and story books. These are good to keep on hand. Also look up your local public TV guide. PBS had lots of great shows like you can even use a Rick Steeve's episode if it has to do with a country you are studying.
Ask hubby for a block of time, like maybe Saturday morning, to work on the computer. I do have an issue with being on the computer too much and my hubby is very protective of my time. If your husband knew that this was all the computer time you would be using, he might be more willing to give it to you. (It's hard to stick to that though).
Be careful of too many resources and rabbit trails on one subject or you will fry you and your children!
Hope this helps.
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His By Grace, AnaB blessed WIFE to Jeff and mama to 4 blessings!
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: More chunky questions
