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Katie
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 8:02am | IP Logged
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Hi All,
I'm looking for ideas for the 3 months I'll be away from home with my five children, while we are in the States to have our new addition. I think I have the Kindergartener covered (couple of workbooks, easy readers, leapster!), but I need to decide what to with my 3rd, 4th, and 6th graders. We'll be in a hotel for a few weeks then in a rented house, with some travel to see nearby family. I had thought about taking their school textbooks along and following on with their classes as best as possible (they attend a small international school) but to be honest the textbooks are boring, dry and out-of-date, so I'm not that enthused, and I doubt they are either.
I'm thinking of keeping it simple - silent reading daily, some kind of daily writing assignment, a math workbook.
Does anyone have an opinion on a decent math workbook? I like the look of the DK ones, but the Spectrum ones look more thorough. What about daily writing assigment ideas? Is there a book with prompts or ideas that aren't too contrived. My kids hate those "Imagine you are a newspaper reporter..." ones.
Should I be doing spelling, grammar?
Any other ideas? Am I right to do this and not send them to the local Catholic school for 3 months? They have friends there, but I'm really looking forward to a school break for me and time to be with each other as a family.
Thanks for any thoughts.
__________________
Mother of 5 in South America. No 6 due in April.
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Mary K
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 8:34am | IP Logged
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Hi,
I think you answered your own question with "I'm really looking forward to a school break for me and time to be with each other as a family.
Enjoy this time with your new baby, visit family and friends, maybe some of them could take your other children to local interesting spots, while you get extra rest and cuddling time with baby.
God bless and congratulations!
Mary-NY
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Elena
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 8:35am | IP Logged
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Well, I think if I were going to a different country for a while, I would do a lot of lessons on learning about the area we were going to visit including the history, the culture, the food etc. and then I'd make my spelling and writing lessons about that. Math would be just out of a regular text book.
Of course since you're traveling to have a baby I guess I'd also want to do a little science unit on pregnancy and birth and childcare etc. i don't think I'd want to do too much more than that - you will obviously have your hands full!
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Elena
Wife to Peter, mom of many!
My Domestic Church
One Day at a Time
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 1:43pm | IP Logged
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For the writing prompts you could visit Julie's Bravewriter site and look up the friday freewrite prompts. They are usually pretty good and there are lots to choose from.
Bravewriter-friday freewrite
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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melanie
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 6:17pm | IP Logged
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I agree, math and some reading would be plenty here, maybe some journaling and disposable cameras for lots of picture taking! If you want something else, my oldest has been using editing books the last two years, and I consider it a very efficient 15 minutes in our day.  With these little assignments, she practices grammar, spelling, punctuation, reading comprehension, dictionary skills, and even handwriting (its the one subject I require her to do in cursive). We used Great Editing Adventure last year and we're using Editor in Chief this year. I think Editor in Chief is more challenging and requires some reading comprehension practice. Great Editing Adventure had shorter selections but required using a dictionary and thesaurus, good skills to practice. Both programs are good I think, and I will use them again.
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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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ekbell
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 6:24pm | IP Logged
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Katie wrote:
Hi All,
Does anyone have an opinion on a decent math workbook? I like the look of the DK ones, but the Spectrum ones look more thorough. What about daily writing assigment ideas? Is there a book with prompts or ideas that aren't too contrived. My kids hate those "Imagine you are a newspaper reporter..." ones.
Should I be doing spelling, grammar?
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We use the Canadian equivalent to the spectrum workbooks for math, while they aren't at all 'exciting' I like the sequence and have found them to give a good grounding in basic math skills when coupled with my favorite math manipulatives (money!).
My children tend to be happiest coming up with their own ideas for daily writing but I like to have something for when they are stuck for ideas.
Stories with a View: Narrative Inspirations by Margot Davidson is written for grade three & four and is open ended enough to be appropriate for an older child. Part of the reason I recommend it is because it can be used for Picture and Poetry study even if the children don't find the writing suggestions appealing.
We enjoy simply sitting together and looking at a picture or reading a poem, then using the questions to trigger discussion.
However I'd also suggest journaling or scrap-booking about your trip and the baby -pictures, pressed plants (we have a book with leaves from where we used to live), tickets, napkins, comics about the adventures of stuffed animals (my daughter's stuffed animals have had some wild adventures), notes from family, notes about family, commentary on what the pictures and other stuff is about .....and you have a nice educational activity and keepsake. Assuming of course that your children will enjoy making such a keepsake.
Given the length of time and the upheaval, I wouldn't worry about separate spelling and grammar. I would recommend adding something 'unessential' to your plans, something that the family would particularly enjoy; an indulgence.
In my family this would tend to be fine arts- because everyone enjoys it and adding some CDs of music and music history or a few art and drawing books plus every one's small watercoloring kit
(I made up a kit for everyone five and up after seeing these) for wouldn't take a lot of extra space.
We've recently gotten into making watercolor Art Trading Cards (although we haven't stuck to the exact size requirements) which are ideal for mailing to family or making away from home, and can be made relatively quickly. It's also nice that once we've gotten tired of the (pause to count) 50+ cards currently on the wall we can store them in trading card pockets.
[It's truly amazing how many of these art cards can be made by four people (ten by me alone) in less then a month]
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Marcia
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 11:23pm | IP Logged
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oh we've been doing the art trading cards too! 2.5x3.5inches lovely.
I'd suggest taking it easy....but math games always work for us when we are "off school".
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Marcia
Mom to six and wife to one
Homeschooling 10th, 7th, 5th, 2nd, PreK and a toddler in tow.
I wonder why
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wamegomom
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 11:43pm | IP Logged
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I'd suggest some games, a temporary library card, and plan on enjoying the family version of a "babymoon." It's really a tiny chunk of time in the long run, and with a library card you have books, magazines, DVD's, maybe story and craft times,......
When we spent a few weeks in the Denver area last summer for dh's spinal surgery, games, the library card, and visiting with 4real friends Mary and Gwen at local parks, as well as scouting out a couple of nearby state parks (oh, and the laptop!) made for some good memories.
I vote for no pressure, no lesson plans and lots of playtime as you fall in love with your baby together. And remember, you're going to need some rest!
Mary Alice in Kansas
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Jan 22 2010 at 11:51pm | IP Logged
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What Mary Alice said.
If you crave more structure, why not work on a unit study everyone would enjoy? (We have done this in the past with good results. We've used Amanda Bennett's materials and also created our own California mission study.)
Another idea would be to assign each child one day per week with a camera. The photos would make wonderful scrapbook material, writing prompts, baby book memories, etc. You may discover that one of your children has an affinity for photographing nature (and adding to your nature study...).
When we did this, ds took photos of airplanes, and lots of them. I've since used them to illustrate my (paid) blog posts, thus giving him many photo credits that he can add to college applications, etc. (Motto: Save Everything Digital!)
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Katie
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| Posted: Jan 25 2010 at 8:31am | IP Logged
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Thanks for the great ideas and encouragement! We are so excited about having a library, and I think I am going to go the take-it-easy mode. A math workbook, a journal/writing book, and quiet reading time every day. Swimming abd walks on the beach, too. And playgrounds! With my crew shared unit studies usually don't work so well, so I think we'll just live and soak it in. The reverse culture shock, jet lag, some good friends to hang out with, visits with/to the American family, and a new baby will be enough to occupy us I'm sure. And yes, I need to take it easy, before and after. I'm not a spring chicken anymore!
Thanks everyone!
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Mother of 5 in South America. No 6 due in April.
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: What would you recommend? - 3 months away
