OLD HOMESCHOOLERS NEVER DIE . . . THEY JUST WRITE CURRICULUM


"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants."

Deuteronomy 32:2

Courses of Study

To view the Course of Study for each grade level, you can click on the "Course of Study" label
or "Search This Blog" for the specific grade level you wish to see.
To date, I have courses of study completed for kindergarten through fourth grades.

Newsletter Articles

In 2013 the Lord started me producing a newsletter for the homeschool group we are a part of. Every other month I write an article on a topic the Lord has put on my heart. I've decided to add these articles to this blog. I hope you will find encouragement through some of my ramblings. You can click on the label "Newsletter" to find the articles.

Saturday, May 4

Second Grade, Bible, Set Three

Week One:
  • Hymn: Jesus Loves Even Me
  • Memory Verses: John 1:8 and 9
  • Searching for Treasure: Reviewed Sections 2 and 3
  • Reviewed Catechism
  • Prayed daily
  • Began reading The Warrior's Challenge, Trailblazer Series
  • Reviewed Bible passages
Week Two:
  • Hymn: I Stand Amazed
  • Memory Verse: John 1:10
  • Searching for Treasure: Study 8; we were able to have some very timely conversations about anger. I was able to refer to recent incidents of how a cousin was trying to start a fight with her and how the Bible says that is what an angry person does.
  • Bible Reading: Exodus 13 - 18
  • Reviewed Catechism
  • Prayed daily
  • Continued reading The Warrior's Challenge
  • Reviewed Bible passages
Week Three:
  • Hymn: Blessed Assurance
  • Memory Verses: John 1:11 and 12
  • Searching for Treasure: Study 8, Summary through Study 9, #3
  • Princess and the Kiss: Lesson 11 -- it was very interesting how God worked that both Treasure and Kiss were dealing with pride this week
  • Reviewed Catechism
  • Prayed daily
  • Finished reading The Warrior's Challenge
  • Reviewed Bible passages
Week Four:
  • Hymn: It is No Secret
  • Memory Verse: John 1:13
  • Searching for Treasure: Study 9, #4 through Study 10, #1
  • Catechism #85, 87, and 89
  • Reviewed Catechism
  • Prayed daily
  • Started reading Abandoned on the Wild Frontier (Peter Cartwright)
  • Reviewed Bible Passages
Week Five
  • Hymn: Lead Me to Calvary
  • Memory Verse: John 1:14
  • Searching for Treasure: Study 10, #2 - Summary
  • Reviewed Catechism
  • Prayed daily -- while reading Seasons of a Mother's Heart I got convicted about the way we have our prayer time. In the book Sally Clarkson says, "Unlike homeschooling goals, though, prayer is not a task to be accomplished and checked off a list. Prayer is a relationship to be enjoyed." One of my goals for this planning week is to figure out how to take this prayer time from a "task to be completed" to a time where I am showing K. that prayer is part of our relationship with God and enjoyable.
  • Continued reading Abandoned on the Wild Frontier
  • Reviewed Bible Passages

Second Grade, Math, Set Three

  • Numeration
    • We used the decahedron to make a four-digit number. Then we wrote it and used the word cards to make the the number. For instance: 4,612 and four thousand, six hundred twelve
    • Then we used the spinner to choose 10 more or less or 100 more or less, and wrote that number. There were a couple times when we had to rename to write the 100 or 10 less.
    • Another day we just used the decahedron to make numbers and see who had the largest number the most times.
  • Even and Odd
    • We took turns drawing three UNO cards and then made the largest odd number we could.
  • Rounding
    • We drew two UNO cards, and with a number line, decided what it would round to.
    • During week 5 we took a day to work some more on rounding.
      • I wrote out some 2-digit numbers and (after a little reminder) K. rounded to the nearest ten.
      • Then I wrote some 3-digit numbers and showed her how to round to the nearest hundred.
      • Next, I set up a practical activity. I told a little story about going grocery shopping and said we bought milk (I wrote down $2.68), eggs ($1.98), meat ($5.10), oatmeal ($2.50), and yogurt ($1.20). I had her round each amount to the nearest dollar (hundred) and add it up. Then I let her use the calculator and add up the exact amounts. She could see how close the rounded total was to the exact total, and how rounding is helpful when you need to keep track of how much money we are spending at the store, but don't want to add up exact amounts.
  • Word Problems
    • Everyday Number Stories by George Baker Longan, published in 1915. I'm not sure how far we will go in the book. I am mostly just picking out the number stories.
  • Statistics
    • Statistics by Jane Jonas Srivastava -- we read the introduction through page 9; then we did the red/yellow bead activity.
  • Addition and Subtraction
    • We played Addition/Subtraction Bingo
      • I made bingo cards with numbers and corresponding playing cards with equations on them.
      • We took turns turning over the playing cards, and putting beans on the answers.
    • We played Storm the Castle -- you can get this game from Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop
      • We played Storm the Castle again during week 5. However, this time we raced to see who could get across the bridge first. I had put one Milk Dud inside the castle, so the person who won would get something, but it wouldn't be that big of a deal to lose. K. won by half a second! She used the cards from SKIP-BO Junior and I used the UNO cards.
    • We went outside and did four-digit addition and subtraction problems with sidewalk chalk on the driveway.
    • Missing Addends -- I printed a worksheet from the internet and taught K. how to turn the addition problem into a subtraction equation to find the missing addend. These addition problems were very simple, and she really didn't need to do the subtraction problem to know the answer, but I wanted her to learn how it worked.
  • Fractions
    • Comparing Fractions -- I found a worksheet that had some fractions with the same denominators and some with the same numerators. She was really good at comparing the fractions with the same denominators, but was confused about the others, so we took a couple bananas and cut one into fifths and the other into sevenths. I asked her which was more, 3/5 or 3/7. Then she understood.
  • Geometry
    • Area -- I printed a couple worksheets from education.com and one from superteacherworksheets.com. These were just very simple -- find the areas by counting the square units and write the answer.
      • After the worksheets we went into her room and counted the number of floor tiles along the width and length of her rug. Then we drew it on graph paper and counted to find out the number of square tiles her rug took up. Then we did the same thing with her bed.
    • Perimeter -- I printed a worksheet from Scott Foresman, grade 2 math. On it she had to use a ruler and measure the length of each side of the shapes, and add them up. From education.com, there was one worksheet that had four problems that gave the measurements for each side and five word problems. The other worksheet had different shaped houses and she needed to find the one with the largest perimeter for Mr. Piggy to live in. I let her use the calculator for this sheet.
    • Lines -- I taught K. what horizontal, vertical, parallel, and intersecting lines were. Then we found examples of each around the house.
      • Another day we looked for each type of lines while we were driving around doing the grocery shopping.
  • Multiplication
    • I had written out some word problems, such as, There were seven lily pads on the pond. Each lily pad had three frogs on it. How many frogs were there?
      • First, K. drew a picture to demonstrate the word problem.
      • Then, we wrote a repeated addition equation and solved it.
      • Last, we wrote the multiplication equation and solved it.
  • Division
    • Equal Sets
      • We gathered a bunch of beads and 5 stuffed animals.
      • I put out a certain number of beads and stuffed animals and had K. divide the beads between the animals. You should always have an amount that will divide evenly.
      • Then we wrote the division equation and repeated addition equation.
    • Division as Grouping from Dazzling Division by Lynette Long
      • Put 12 cookies or crackers or raisins (the dividend) on a serving plate. Put out two small plates (the divisor) and divide the cookies equally between the two plates.
      • Do the same with 3 plates, 4 plates, 6 plates, and 12 plates.
      • Write out the five different division problems you solved.
    • Division as Repeated Subtraction from Dazzling Division
      • Write the problem: 30 ÷ 10.
      • Start with 30 paper clips. Thirty is the dividend.
      • Take away 10 paper clips and put them in a pile. Ten is the divisor.
      • Take away 10 more paper clips and put them in a second pile.
      • Take away the last 10 paper clips and put them in a third pile.
      • How many times did you subtract 10 from 30 to get to 0? Count the piles of paper clips. Three is the quotient.
      • Solve 30 ÷ 6 and 30 ÷ 2 the same way.

Second Grade, Reading, Set Three

We are continuing to read Story Train Monday through Thursday, about four pages each day. One day K. complained, "I have to read all that!" But when she got to the stopping point she didn't want to stop. She said, "But, I want to find out what happens."
 
Comprehension Skills: Drawing Conclusions, Reading Corner:
  • I used the questions on pages 72 and 73 to diagnose her skill level. We do need to work on this skill.
  • I read a variety of fables to K. and let her guess the moral or conclusion. (pg 73, Skill #1)
  • Cause Clauses -- There were about six sentences, cut in two pieces for K. to match up. For instance: The clouds were so dark | because it was raining. (pg 73, Learning #1)
  • I picked a story K. had not read before and read most of it to her, then stopped and asked her what she thought would happen. (pg 73, Skill #2)
  • I picked up the book Yummy Riddles by Marilyn Helmer from the library. At the top of each page is the question. Then there is an illustration of the riddle and the answer at the bottom of the page. The illustration gave K. and idea of the answer, but still made her think. I kept a sheet of paper across the bottom of the book to hide the answers. This book was a lot of fun to read. We laughed a lot. (pg 73, Learning #2)
  • "What doesn't belong?" -- we took turns writing down four things, then letting the other person cross out the item that didn't belong. Example: bike, car, dress, truck. (pg 73, Skill #3)
  • Analogies -- there is a list in the book that we used. K. caught on really quickly. I'm not sure we had done this before. (pg 73, Learning #3)
  • I read a story to K. about a boy that wanted to go hunting with his father, but was too young. Then he wanted to go to town with his mother, but had to stay home and watch his sisters. One of his sisters got hurt and he knew how to help her and when his mother got home she was so glad that he had done such a good job taking care of his sisters. I stopped four times while reading the story to ask K. how the boy was feeling then. (pg 73, Skill #4)
  • What would happen if? -- talk about what would happen if it never rained, or if we didn't have shoes, or if no one had names, or .... (pg 73, Learning #4)
  • Don't Forget Me -- one person lists three things that go together (hand, foot, leg) and the other player says a fourth thing that goes with them (arm). This is a good game for in the car. (pg 74, Learning #5)
  • How Do You Know? -- this involves reading a very short story and asking questions where your child has to see the relationships and draw conclusions. (pg 74, Learning #6)
  • Why Words -- I had picked out a story in Finding New Neighbors and underlined some sentences or parts of sentences. As I read the story to K., I asked her why or how -- what in the story supported the statement? (pg 74, Learning #7)
From Games for Reading:
  • Two Drawing Games page 42 -- I drew a picture and let K. study it as long as she wanted. Then she turned around and I added three things to it. She was to tell me what I added. then it was her turn to draw and mine to guess. Instead of just drawing designs (like we did when we played this before) we drew pictures. I think it made the drawing part easier and the finding more fun.
  • Hard Listening page 83
  • Picture Memory page 37 -- I had chosen two pictures from old calendars. We looked at one for two minutes, then I hid it from K. and asked her questions about it. After that we looked at the second picture for two minutes and then K. asked me questions about it.
  • Find It page 35 -- we looked for vertical/horizontal, parallel/intersecting lines