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ahappyheart
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| Posted: Oct 02 2008 at 10:19pm | IP Logged
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Has anyone just read their children a chronological history like M.B. Synge's Story of the World Series and required nothing more from them than a time line piece and that they pay attention during the reading?
I ask because my children really enjoy reading their own books and doing their own studies on topics from those books, but I worry about letting them do this in a way that is not together? For example my youngest, 8 wants to read Meet Addy, and she wants lessons in geography, science, history, language and bible all centered around her book? My other two want the same with books of their choice.
I'm nervous about this. We just finished a study of Jamestown and Insects using materials I purchased for this year. We had fun but boy it was hard to do even half of what was suggested. I really have a feeling they can do history and science with just their independent readers.
My husband is okay with trying this, but I am having a hard time letting go. I did use FIAR when they were younger and I do feel they learned a lot and since then have let them do book type studies on and off, mostly though with me directing the topics like we did an Egypt study and they each read Egypt themed chapter books and I read aloud to them from fiction and non fiction on Egypt and they did a History Pocket on it, together. In the same manner we have covered Greece, Rome, Medieval Times, Early Americans, Early American Exploration, Columbus, Jamestown, Pilgrims, World War II. Each time I "fed" them information about the topic and they stayed together by reading the topic's "theme" based fiction or non fiction.
This would be different, they would all go off on their own. Their book would dictate the topic. The book they chose, with my approval of course.
I would love to hear from Mom's who have children learning all different things in science, history etc... Does it make for a confusing day? Do you let them chose any book they want or do you give them choices of certain books ( that is what I have done, given them choices as I can't imagine pulling history lessons or science or bible from some of the twaddle we own_) :rofl:
I know this is long, and I really want to hear opinions Oh my children are ds11, dd10 and dd8, they have always been homeschooled.
Please give me advice and tell me of your experiences. Thank you.
Editing to add that my children all use their own level materials in Spelling, Grammar and Composition and Math. Together we do drawing, typing and French, though in Typing and French they work at their own pace on the computer. Also editing to add in the past we have read science together too, studying Astronomy using a living text book last year and Great Inventors and Inventions using a living book and we did Science from FIAR and we did a study of our state and did a related science study for it and a few other states in past years.
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ALmom
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| Posted: Oct 02 2008 at 11:22pm | IP Logged
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Ok, actually what you describe is more what happens here in history because I've never been able to pull off the group thing, I am not a hands-on type and my children really need the kinesthetic aspect of learning.
Sometimes we don't even use a text that is read by all, but I do sequence the books read - not that we are all on the same time exactly at all times, but everyone is studying the same general event.
The individual tangents don't happen as much in science, just because my olders hate science and my science fan leads the rest of us. Still, I am not so concerned that we are doing the same specifics as long as the general theme is the same. So, for instance, this year we are focusing mostly on physics and chemistry topics (much like you'd find in a physical science course). I have kits that are good for ages 3rd - high school and everyone follows some of their own tangents. I have plenty of resource books. (I am overrun with books, actually). Of course, we also have a garden thing going and so on so it isn't a total rule. What I plan, though, is around the theme and dad may do a weekly experiment to draw them all in and offer some explanations and get our science hating high-schooler to actually get her hands on stuff rather than just pass the test.
I do give guidance in terms of time period, book choices, etc., and make sure important things are not totally neglected. I am flexible to change if they bring the book and the plan to me and request something different or want to substitute. Most generally come up with their own projects as long as I have idea books, lots of raw materials and some good pictures. In our house, weapons of the period are the initial enticement in. It could get out of hand if we were too widely diverse and I had no requirements - mostly because of planning to have resources and the expense, and I tend to have to have an outline of sequence for me  . It would simply be way too far outside my controlling comfort zone.
I have never done the extent you are describing in terms of integrating all the subjects together in unit study style - the thought of planning all that would overwhelm me. I do sketch out a sequence with choice in terms of books for the olders. The youngers, its fine with me as long as they are reading something in the time period. But children are very individual here and tend to go off on their own tangents. I have to keep the general time focus the same. If one is doing Ancient History, then we are all doing general ancient history. Science fan is likely to go off on science related topics. Others may be fascinated by the Roman army, someone else has more of a focus on early church and so on. I tend to like the political history and how it intesects with church history and will pick some read alouds related to this that are included somewhere in the plan. The littlest get to read about St. Paul or some other related Biblical event. In the end we get a much more detailed view overall, the children end up debating and pulling out their sources to prove their point, and my very untalkative crowd becomes animated with just the right nudging from siblings . I don't know how to describe it - but it works.
The other thing that is neat, is that sometimes they are off on individual projects, but often they pull each other in. If science fan is out making a model of an early Mesopotamian farming village - he has, of course, decided to use the real clay in the backyard and must have a lighter and dry leaves to "cure" it so it doesn't crack. As soon as the pyrotechnics or the mud (oops clay) begin to come out - well everyone has to get their hands in it. They also all took part in his hydroelectric dam (mud play is just too enticing and they learned a bit of science as science fan explained his desires and set them off to build the houses he was planning to light up).
Other times they do individual projects and then show them off. But if they need more people, they (not mom) entice siblings in. So, for instance, our oldest at home went off on a medieval tangent one year and decided that they should have a festival. She needed knights for jousting and archery and the melee ... her brothers fit the bill and she made some simple things to get them started. By the time it was over, every scrap metal in my house had been turned into armor. My older son even tagged up with a couple of other boys (this is my stay at home, doesn't like to have to talk kid) and they now have an entire club dedicated to making full armor. One mom (thanks, in part to seeing videos of how dangerous our sword fighting here got in the melee) specified full head protection. You should have seen the Christmas wish list for those boys - old knee pads, silver duct tape, old helmets. At one point there was some trading of the metal tops off the huge tomatoe sauce cans for pop tops (great for chain mail). It has been a great benefit to our son in terms of social and bonding.
A lot of good comes from this as there are so many exchanges, so many ideas, so many projects. It does get messy - and sometimes they pull things you are unprepared for (and it isn't always super safe)like trying to make saltpeter after studying the civil war or some such notion. I am in awe of my children and learning that these projects, etc. are valuable tools for learning for them. I guess some of it depends on the particular dynamics between children, but we have found that letting them follow their own trails has actually brought us more together. How easy it is to pull off depends a lot on how independent and creative your children are. My children's projects are all self-directed. I would not have time to plan individual projects for each child - but then again I would stress with trying to plan even a single project for one child.
Doing things this way has increased the overall enthusiasm of all of us. It does sometimes stress me because I am very detail oriented and go nuts without a time sequence. But then I'm fascinated by what they are doing and interested and trying to place it in context for myself, that I end up getting my children to explain where it fits - and timelines are wonderful!
If your youngest is adament about Abby - then perhaps everyone could study Civil War in general. There are plenty of different angles and as long as no one else has adament opinions otherwise, you could probably find something each would find fun. I place a sequence of events in order in my plans for each (more detailed, of course, for my highschoolers, but also very much written with her input in the first place) and depending on the child, they either use this as a reference and build willy, nilly or they follow the timeline in sequence and go into their own tangents.
In our house, when everyone went on a WWII kick, I had two children who read opposite perspectives. My son who wants to be a pilot, read tons of firsthand acounts from Luftwaffe pilots because he liked their airplanes. My daughter started from the 101st Airborne division and expanded to the American and British soldiers from there. They argued endlessly over whose equipment was best, etc. I made sure they had the political side of events and it grew into a family history interview with my fil who was in reconaissance in WWII in Patton's army. They have now expanded into the submarines of both sides.
Things don't necessarily meander where I think, but we really learn tons. I make sure there is balance and perspective - ie son may be fascinated by the Luftwaffe pilots but he should know the evils of Goerring and Nazi ideology. It did make the "enemy" human and you read about some really good people on both sides. In the end, we ended up with a much more accurate picture of events.
I'd say, have fun and see what happens for a while.
Janet
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Willa
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| Posted: Oct 03 2008 at 9:36am | IP Logged
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ahappyheart wrote:
Has anyone just read their children a chronological history like M.B. Synge's Story of the World Series and required nothing more from them than a time line piece and that they pay attention during the reading?
I ask because my children really enjoy reading their own books and doing their own studies on topics from those books, but I worry about letting them do this in a way that is not together? |
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I guess this is how we do it. Because my children aren't spaced very close together, I've never been able to do much multi-level teaching. Some years the kids haven't even all been on the same historical time period. When they are, I usually give them separate books to read as you describe.
My main challenge, usually, is trying to keep track of what they are learning individually, and I guess I've had to let go of that a bit. I usually try to decide on a "core" of knowledge I want the child to be familiar with and then I let them do the extra things mostly on their own with perhaps some discussions or narrations.
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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ahappyheart
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| Posted: Oct 03 2008 at 10:36am | IP Logged
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Janet,
Thank you, I loved how you said letting go is bringing them together. Your HS sounds fabulous and very much where I would like to aim to go. I am at a lose as to how to teach them to pursue their own projects and fear at this young age I need to model for them how to find history, science, geography etc. . . in their reading. It seems I need to teach them to think on the material, for lack of a better way to put it. I have in the past asked for writing responses to their independent reading and it seems for some it is a struggle to come up with details greater than I liked the book because it was good. LOL. I have read over your response twice as I loved hearing how it is for you. I see you are confident their minds will question and wonder how you taught them to come up with their own topics? Are there particular resources you use to list things for them to do. I have these Kathryn Stout books that are question starters for language, writing, history, science. They are outlines too telling you what you might study in say science per grade level which I find helpful. I have many books, craft wise for time periods and beginning and advanced research blurb type books, Kingfisher, DK, Usborne. Is this the type of book they go to, to begin their research? Thank you for all you gave me to ponder, it is very helpful. : )
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ahappyheart
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| Posted: Oct 03 2008 at 10:40am | IP Logged
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Willa,
It is good to hear others are doing this way and not always together in time with history or topic with Science. Have you found any books a particular help in aiding the children to come up with their own science and history topic? I would love to hear their titles. I feel like I have plenty and yet the children do not know how to use them as I have not given them that chance having always planned the projects for them myself. I feel sad that I have done that but feel too they need training in how to think of the things on their own. Thank you for writing and making me feel like I'm not alone in doing this.
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ALmom
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| Posted: Oct 04 2008 at 12:24am | IP Logged
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Susan:
I'm trying to remember back to how it all started. I think most of the really neat things have taken off after I had at least 2 at 11 or above. It is as if I needed 2 old enough to feed off each other. The groundwork was set with all kinds of reading and all kinds of books. My first two really didn't have the same kind of response and I spent a number of years really worried because no one would write anything (it was like pulling teeth). My oldest was really only interested in music, and didn't want to spend a lot of time with academics, so we had requirements and probably butchered things a bit with her, but she is fine anyways. I do remember her writing me a research paper on changes in music influenced by politics and ideology. While I was stressing with her, some of my youngers were off playing a lot of the time. (We had a number of vision problems so I was doing some vision therapy for a number of years and we were down to bare essentials for a while. I do remember doing a lot of charts - liturgical wheels, posters for the Communion of Saints with family and church family photos to illustrate along with, of course, our favorite saints. I kept purchasing something different in the hopes that something would work. When everyone was younger, I just tried to keep planned school short so that there was time for play and therapy and cooking dinner.
Until everything took off, I had different books for different folks and some family read alouds but as age variations were so wide, this didn't always work and sometimes it became read aloud time at bedtime and everyone got to pick one book. Bedtime did take a while but those read alouds were part of the routine. For olders it was one chapter in a chapter book and some would combine as interests came together. I tried to entice, and such but honestly, my 11 year old science fan is just now really liking to read anything outside of science. My current 14 year old has always been a huge reader and mostly he makes timelines. He took off after I ordered a whole bunch of history books to read. (A lot of the ones in Emmanuel books for American History) back when he was 9. But he just read, didn't write about them, or illustrate them or much of anything. I was relieved he was reading so I didn't press too hard, though I did try and encourage some sort of notebook, he just never seemed to connect with what he was reading unless I left him alone and let him read - so that is what we did. I did use the Beautiful Feet Holling C Holling plan for my science fan (11 yo) to entice him into history and that helped. I looked for easy projects - ie the Jamestown village that was posted here. I picked up a Scientific Explorer Rome (it has things in it about building a water clock, etc.) There are a number of punch and create forts, the temple, etc. by various companies and I try to have things like this around. I enlist my children to get a feel for their interests, enthusiasms, requests when we do the lesson planning so it goes into the plan in a logical sequence - but it is child chosen with guidance. The above mentioned projects come complete with all supplies and directions so the children are able to do these on their own. I am available to help, but not generally needed. This makes sure there are some projects for my kinesthetic learners and I don't stress over the rest. The rest just sort of started happening the more they read. The children go off on tangents from there if and when something really inspires them. They generally do read the basic things I ask and I just don't have a lot of written response requirements to their reading. Each child is reading different books on the plan - but they do sometimes inspire each other and we almost always have funny stories or debates at supper - not planned. But my children are now mostly older with only 2 being under 10. Oh, yes, building models was a passion for the boys, so we looked for sales on the WWII model plane kits. They build them and then re-enact in our house - to varying degrees of accuracy, but they do know every plane and which country and war it was in.
As I discovered passions in this house (which is easy here because I have very 1 passion kids), I would keep my eyes open for just the things that would interest them and pick them up. So I picked up a book called the History of Technology in Pictures - all American history from a science perspective and in pictures. It will be a hit with science fan. All the science encyclopedias we own came from a library sale. Most of the history books came from a library sale or from garage sales.
I am really looking into getting the instructions and materials for diaroma building for my sons, especially. They do not like to write, but seem to build endlessly. They are old enough now to figure it out mostly on their own.
Sometimes some of the creativity happened simply because life and the season we were in precluded me being very on top of things - ie controlling. They explored in their own way and I look back and realize God sort of arranged things so I would discover how my chidren actually did learn. They simply surprised me, after years of pulling my hair out, they just did it. Some of it was having one older dd who just gets everyone going with enthusiasm while doing a ton of work - all her creativity seems history inspired so she pulls in the others. My science fan just is overflowing with excitement and honestly the whole house just is in awe - so he pulls all of us in (or just his brothers when it is more dangerous and they don't want me to know  ). As the passions presented themselves, I learned to ask them before ordering. Science fan circled stuff in homescience. Dh and I looked it over and saw stuff that he had circled that would fit what everyone is studying and which dh felt was more than stuff he could more cheaply put together himself - and we made a huge order with homesciencetools. I probably could never get any of these to work, but science fan does and then demonstrates, in his enthusiasm, to everyone else and before long the 8 year old is doing the same stuff. In some things, like crystal growing, so is the 6 yo. I guess what finally happened is that we actually tapped into the talents of our children and these more than compensate for my deficiencies.
If you are interested in civil war, I can put together a whole list of books we have on hand - but the key is to think about the interests of your children. I have some on civil war foods, etc. which would probably appeal to your child who wants to follow Addy. I also have some great histories that go into the weapons and battles, there are maps, etc. which is another nonwritten way to form a paper trail - some of my dc trace maps. It does depend on the age of your children and the various interests that are poking out. Also tap into your own enthusiasms. I am not artistic at all so I leave that part to my artistic children. I love history, politics, the what, where, when, why and how - and am a bookaholic - so I essentially collect books, organize information and make sure we have some sort of sequence somewhere. I'm an addicted planner so I take my children's passions and desires and try to sketch out a game plan - or my artistic children would have no coherence but would flit from thing to thing endlessly. We all balance each other and tap on individual family talents when things are ideal. (They aren't always ideal, of course, and when push comes to shove, I revert to the schoolteacher me  until my children cannot stand it any longer and break out with ideas or catch me between plans and run!
Janet.
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ahappyheart
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| Posted: Oct 15 2008 at 10:10am | IP Logged
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Janet,
Thank you for writing again. No I don't have a hard time with coming up with books or lists and after reading Meet Addy decided to share some of it with my little one who then decided to read Helen Keller instead. She is and is doing great. DS11 finished Babe Ruth and is moving on and other Dd10 is reading Abraham Lincoln. I think this whole process of giving them more control and taking on less myself is one that will evolve like you said.
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Book Studies vs. Chronological Hist.?
