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First program for 7 & 5 year old boys - 2004
I applied for Registeration in Feb and have just been approved 2 years. I was so excited. They didnt even come out. I feel the course and the disc of the course helped me heaps in getting my thoughts together. I have enclosed a copy maybe it will be a help to others. Any way hope all is going well for you. I have not worked out how to attach doc so have just copied it. During 2004 T....... will be working through the following textbooks and aiming to study a number of varying unit studies these will vary according to the needs and interests that are presented. We have started to be involved in two Home Education Groups one being Penrith Home Ed Group and the other is Blue Mountains Home Ed Group. Through these groups we endeavor to develop a friendship among other homeschoolers and a support network for activities and schooling ideas. Through the Penrith Group we will be involved in doing a unit study theme of Oceans for Term 1 and The Bush for Term 2. Please see attached Schedules for 2004 and Term 1. The following is a break down of things we do in the various key learning areas and how we use them to assist in our school program. English We would like to continue using LEM Phonics. We in the past have struggled through the Spelling Lists found in Word List K which we have covered twice during 2003. This year we will focus on reading skills rather than spelling skills. Through the use of Workbooks 4, 5 and 6 we will further develop understanding of endings of words and base words also learning about sentence construction. Perhaps later in year or next year we will go back and attempt to do spelling lists and the rules that apply. In addition to using LEM workbooks we will aim to use Read Well 2 to have an understanding of what we read and answering questions on the various short stories and poems that are introduced. Towards the end of the year we will introduce writing in pen to avoid all those pencil rubbings that take up so much of class time. T....... loves reading and is happy to sit down with books and attempt to read some of them on his own. T....... will endeavor to keep an exercise book recording books he has read aloud to us. We plan to visit the local library once a week and we borrow approx. 30 books a fortnight. We have been attending story time and craft at the St Marys Library last year which T....... was not really interested in as he wanted to look for his own books to read. This year I have thought to introduce T....... to the documenting of Toys in the Community Toy Library and help me in the recording and counting of toys borrowed. This year we will plan to use a dictionary and using alphabetical order in the placement and sorting items particularly in names and in the use of Dewey Library System. For excursions and projects we are aiming to develop a scrapbook of pictures and happening. Through the use of the computer and his own handwriting we will record highlights to be presented in a folder at the end of the year. We also use the computer as a way of encouraging reading and developing keyboard skills. T....... has access to many programs on the internet to help encourage such skills. We have also access to many CD ROM's which develop a desire for reading. Some of these are: Computer Classroom Reading at Home Grade 1 & 2 Computer Classroom Spelling at Home Grade 1 & 2 Madeline Classroom Companion 1st and 2nd Grade Jumpstart 1st Grade Buzz Lightyears 2nd Grade Last year we used videos to help absorb an understanding of sounds and word building 'The Word Machine Series' was particularly useful we will endeavor to access these again from our local library. In addition to these we have purchased some videos in a series called 'Home Study Video' the English made Easy focus on punctuation, parts of speech, plurals, sentences, spelling skills and correction of common errors these developing over 3 separate videos. In addition we have 2 videos specifically on Phonics and the use of these in words. Mathematics T....... enjoys doing math's. Last Year we used a lot of worksheets created from the internet. Late last year we purchased A Beka Arithmetic 2 which covers a variety of Material relating to Math's. Due to the American component we have done our own work using Australian Currency and with Measurement and Distance in particular. These are mostly developed through hands on experiences like going shopping getting change for $2 and estimating what the change will be, Little Athletics and distances ran e.g. 100 metres or 500 metres. Shotput is measured in centimetres and metres. Through the Community Toy Library we will develop counting and sorting skills and learning about dates and money. In addition to workbook we will do regular worksheets with a mixture of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication and develop some of these skills which T....... enjoys. The Multiplication Tables Adventure CD ROM will continue to be used during Computer time as will Edmarks Mighty Math Carnival Countdown as well as the fore mentioned 1st and 2nd Grade learning programs (see English). We aim to use 3 videos in the Math's Made Easy series covering Measurement, Time and Space and progress onto Long Multiplication and Long Division using tens and hundreds. Problem Solving will be introduced using Numbers, Money, Length, Mass, Area and Volume/Capacity also using the Home Study Video Series. Science and Technology T....... will participate in various Field trip excursions which will introduce him to varying science and technology concepts. Questions that have arisen already this year are New Tarago Bought - Where is the engine? In a bus, truck, plane, car, vw, etc.? Do 4 WD's have two motors? Due to both sets of wheels turning simultaneously. Following Car Accident - What is insurance? What is Third Party and Full mean? How much is our car insured for? What is Excess? Why do you have to report it to police? What is a witness? The questions keep coming we endeavor to explain these concepts to him whenever we can or we research them on computer or at the library. He is eager to find out how things work and is really into lego construction. We went to Lego Exhibit in January 2004 and Powerhouse Museum to encourage his curious mind. We talk about changes taking place in every day circumstances whether it be observing the removal of a house or the constructing of a paper airplane we encourage questions and asking of people involved in such processes that may be able to answer our questions. The local Observatory at Werrington has a Star Watchers Club which we have joined and will visit on a monthly basis God Willing. Through attending excursions hopefully we will go through Warragamba Dam, Linden Observatory, Dairy Farmers Factory and an Electronics Assembly Line at GPC using Robots and others as excursions are planned throughout year. Computer programs that will assist us to understand how things work will be Brain Pop, Edmarks Sammy's Science House and DK My First Amazing Science Explorer. Some of these experiences we may write about, draw pictures of or compose a scrapbook page on. Although a lot of these are observed in everyday life and commented on on a daily basis. Human Society and Its Environment. Australia Day is always a big day in our family as we listen to Australian Music, Poetry and Exhibits. This year we went to Regatta Centre where we met with local Fire Brigades and Police persons. We visit various historical places and towns visiting museums and farms on our journeys throughout the year these are often spontaneous and have no idea where they me be at this time. One place Mum wants to go is Belganny Farm at Camden to see the Rum Core Rebellion Reenactment. This Farm also tells of Australia's Farming Heritage. As previously mentioned we foresee involvement in the Community Toy Library at St Marys as a tool to develop skills in many areas including being involved in helping others and develop social and communication skills. The Library will be utilized for its videos and its books and also its cassettes as we introduce music from other countries, lands and their habitat and animals from all over the world. We have various CD ROM's to use on the Computer including: DK Amazing Animals DK Castle Explorer DK My First Amazing World Explorer Madeline 1st and 2nd Grade Jumpstart Languages T....... will be participating in Spanish Classes during first Term where he will be introduced to the culture, language, food and country. History classes are to be conducted on The Romans, Aztecs and Egyptians through home school group which we intend to participate in. T....... likes to help in the kitchen so we will taste the tastes of various national dishes. We will be involved in our churches Missions Banquet which involves food, cultures, climates and learning of Missionaries around the world. We weekly pray and discuss the differences for the missionaries in various countries and are learning to know where they are on a map. When we go on excursions that require map reading T....... is encouraged to find where we want to go. He is also asking where we are on a street directory when out in the car. Creative and Practical Arts T....... has Piano Lessons once a week which he also learns Music Theory. We are big on cooking and T....... enjoys being in the kitchen peeling carrots, stirring pots, making cakes, cooking pancakes for breakfast and French Toast are just some of the things he does. Whenever a Birthday is had in our family the boys make the cake and ice it. They really try to fit as many lollies on a cake as they can, very artistic. We recently went to the lego exhibit in Sydney where T....... was given lots of ideas as to what to build with his lego. Currently he is into designing robots. After seeing Star Wars he is interested in designing space craft using lego. Most of T.......'s spare time is spent in designing and reconstructing with his lego. For First Term he will be involved in Spanish classes at the local community centre where they will introduce him to many aspects of the Spanish culture through craft, food, games and music. At church he is exposed to a variety of different musical presentations through Hymns, songs and choruses. We listen to a variety of music at home ranging from Classical, Country, Easy Listening, Children's, Rock, Australian and Christian. We use the Computer for research purposes and for general learning experiences. We are learning to use the Computer to help in visual display projects. Roller Coaster Tycoon has been a fantastic program exploring creativity and in planning and public relations as he seeks to find out what the Theme Park visitors need and want and then builds it. Lots of reading but he doesn't notice as he is having fun. We have access to various painting programs on the computer which you design a scene and then paint it. This in effect has squashed any interest in colouring in as it takes too long. Does not do a lot of drawing unless requested of him. Scrapbooking and photography are two areas that we will introduce over the year encourage exploration with various items. Personal Development, Health and Physical Education T....... is involved in Boys Brigade, Sunday School, Bible Study, Ice Skating, Little Athletics, Spanish Classes, Star Watchers, Toy Library, 2 home school groups and family friends. He is learning many social skills through the various activities he is involved in and learning to assimilate these experiences into building and shaping his own character. We are attempting to do 10 minutes of wake up exercises most days which we all take it in turns to lead the session. We will look at bone structures through our Unit on Oceans covering invertebrates and vertebrates. Environmental issues will be covered as we look at pollution and water cycles. As a family we go on a BBQ/Picnic to a park fortnightly where we will incorporate bush walks, bike riding or sport (cricket, soccer, frisbee, swimming) In Summary The Activities that we will be involved in will vary over the year depending on term and season. The Text books listed will probably take us through for approximately a one year period. Then we access which books would be best for the coming year. I aim to do a Progress Report once a term. I have been introduced to a new computer program called Home school Tracker which keeps records on the computer. I am uncertain at this stage whether this is the best method for me. We keep a daily diary of events happening and try to keep a list of books read, videos watched and excursions attended in addition to the daily diary notes. Compiled by N.... February 2004 |
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