Meaningful Minutes: Geography, Part 2

The morning after I posted last week I thought of at least 4 more great resources for geography.  So here is part 2.

Barefoot Ragamuffin has a full curriculum but she has pulled out all of her geography readings and put them into the Geography Literature freebie (scroll down on the left hand side).   I found great books and authors I hadn't heard of before in her lists.   She also has a reprint of Charlotte Mason's Geographical Readers for free (you have to sign into Lulu though).  These are VERY basic but great for small tidbits of information.

If you want to focus on American geography you might want to check out "8 for each state".  A mom has put together 8 interesting sites to help you learn about each state.  There are some neat things on there.

Atlases and maps.  Of course!  My hubby found a HUGE atlas for $2 at the Half Price Book sale.  I always love a good historical atlas around.  Of course you can't really go wrong with a National Geographic Atlas. As you read, look up where things are.  You can also use wall maps (I got mine from Costco at one point).  I have used a shower curtain map in my class (really good for younger kids) and I have had fabric panels of the world and the United States which are also good for groups.  To be honest, we still don't own a globe.  Maybe that's what we should get this fall (they show up at Costco come August).

The Draw the . . . series teaches you how to draw places and continents all over the world.  If you want a place to start without investing - try blob maps (and here is a video series for younger kids to try it out.)

Right now my son is enjoying The Lost Art of Nature Signs.  It ties together geography, science, social studies and much more to help you understand how people used to read the stars, the land and more.  He is constantly stopping to tell me what he just learned - it is fascinating.

Peeps at Many Lands . . . this is an older series of books that gives you a sense of the land and history of different places around the world.  As with all older books you might want to read first and edit or discuss as needed.

Have fun with geography this summer.

Meaningful Minutes: Geography

You might not think of geography as something worth pursuing - you can always just look it up. However, it isn't just trivia - it speaks into history, science and much more.

Here are some fun ways to add it to your life:

Geo Puzzles - Get these for the summer and enjoy.  There is also one that helps you learn US history as well.

Holling C. Holling books - Often we think of geography as just knowing where things are on a map but there is much more to it and these books bring that to light.  Follow down the Mississippi, across the Great Lakes, on the Trails of the West.

10 Days in the _______ -  This is a series of board games that are fun and easy to play and teach geography at the same time.

Ticket to Ride - This is a bit more complicated than 10 days but is also fun.  My boys are constantly making up their own versions.   There are some that are other parts of the world and others depict maps during different eras.

Scrambled States -  This is game to help you learn the United States.  I think it is based on the book Scrambled States of America.

Halliburton books - I just recently learned of this incredible author.  He was an adventurer in the 1910s and 1920s - flying bi planes through Africa.  Some of his books are fictional and some of them are his own adventure stories.  I haven't read them all so there is a chance that parts aren't PG and they are for upper elementary and older students.  

Flag Frenzy or Flags of the World - I haven't played these - but if your kids are flag fans this might be a fun way to tie it to geography.

Montessori also has a World Map and Flag that could be a great combination.

You could also spend time considering the explorers and follow their exploits around the world.  Here is one book to get you started.   If you enjoy eating - you can try a fun take like Eat Your Way Around the World. A few weeks ago I mentioned Give Your Child the World which has stories from around the world.  

If you are a AAA member you can get free maps from your local office.  Consider getting out a map if you are going on a trip and having your kids follow along - instead of just listening to Siri tell you to turn right and left.  Try the old fashioned way!

I won't mention Risk - I don't want to bring that game into your home (ha ha).  I am positive there are other great resources out there.  I hope that this summer you will find ways to make geography fun.  I haven't really even touched on all of the physical geography and exciting exploits like Mount Everest.

Meaningful Minutes: Audio Books

We went on a LONG car trip this weekend.  Unfortunately, the audio book we listened to was not really approved for all listeners (however, the concerning ones slept through the questionable parts). It was a fun and fairly spontaneous trip.  It did remind me how great it is to have lots of listening options on hand.  Here are some free or cheaper resources for audio books (many are in the public domain, some have volunteer readers which can be hit or miss).

Librivox - This is my go to location.  Most readers are pretty good - just listen for a minute before you download.  Your kids will memorize the little intro that goes with all of these recordings - but FREE.  If you looked at the Ambleside list last week and wondered what was available on audio - here is your connection.

Sparkle Stories - This is a free app that has stories for younger children (4 to 8).  They focus on stories that have cooperation and teamwork and stay away from scarier themes for children.  I haven't really listened (my kids like the scary stuff) but many friends recommend it.  If you are interested use the trial and see if your kids like the stories.

Lit2Go - This website also features primarily older books but most of them have some acknowledged literary value.  Ambleside records MANY things - this is a more curated (I can't believe I just used that word) listing of stories.  They also have it available in PDF and easy to read on screen as you listen - this might be good for kids who are just learning to read.

Of course, we all know about the wonders of your local library and remember that if your library has Overdrive you can use it to check out audio books without leaving your house!  Audible is the most well known pay service.  I have yet to use it but here are some tips for getting the most out of it (here, here and here).

I am sure that there are more services (and some that we used to use that I can't seem to find anymore - bummer).  I imagine there is a whole world of podcasts that deals with this subject too - but I haven't delved into it.  If you have places you like to go for free or cheap audio books for kids - let us know!

Meaningful Minutes: Booklists!

Wow!!  I wasn't sure Easter would ever come.  Was that really only 40 days??  It is late this year so now everything seems like a downhill slide into the end of school.  I figure some of you planners out there might be thinking about what to do with your summer.

If you are looking for book suggestions here are some of my favorite resources:

Read Aloud Handbook - This is a classic.  I used it in middle school to find books to check out at the library and was gifted a new edition when I had my first little one.  Worth your time.

Read Aloud Revival - Here is her primary bookslist and thoughts about reading aloud (surprise) on this site.  If you haven't ever tried her podcasts - you really should.  She talks with authors, professors, moms and librarians about incorporating books into their lives.

Give Your Child the World - This book just came out last summer (and teamed with Read Aloud Revival for a summer reading challenge).  It looks at all of the continents and provides reviews of books that give you glimpses into life in that place.  The reviews are well done and offer age suggestions as well.   Totally worth having on your shelves.

Free online lists:

Ambleside Online - This curriculum is based on reading quality literature - and the whole thing is available for free, for your perusal.  You most likely won't follow the weekly outlines but to see the overview of the books they read each year click on a year on the left side bar and then click on the "YEAR ____ Curriculum, Basic Version" link.  You can scroll down and see the poetry, litearature and free reads they recommend.  If you look at the key of symbols after the suggestion you will see that MANY of them are available as free audio downloads from librivox or elsewhere.  Now you have books to listen to as you travel in the car.  Personally, I have found that many of these books might be a little tough for the age they are listed at - so it is worthwhile to look at the list of the grade your child is leaving - as well as the one they are entering.

Classical Reader  - This searchable database by grade, genre, level and author provides a great list of books.  They combine new and older books.

Sonlight Curriculum - A popular homeschool choice, it lays out all of its readers for each grade level on a variety of subjects.  After finding the "browse by grade" section, pick your grade and then hit the tab "What's Included".  Scroll past the teacher guides and just look at the books recommended and start picking what might work for you.

Beautiful Feet Books - They provide primarily history based reading lists (however they include horses, science and California history?).  I have linked to the page that has their book packages. Once you find a pack you like, click on it - then click on the picture shown so that you can get the list of books. I just look for ideas and then use the library or Half Price Books. You don't need the teacher's guide (they use a very particular interpretation of history) to find some great reads.

Wayfarers - You can see all her reading lists for the 4 different time periods and SCIENCE for FREE by clicking on the links.  She does a great job of using older books (like Ambleside) but also includes newer ones as well.  You don't need the day by day so the booklist at the beginning of the program will give you some great leads.   Once you download the PDF scroll past the first 20 pages or so (unless you want to read more about how to implement the curriculum she uses) and you will run into the bookslists - she has geography books (world and state) and history (by time period) and science (by subject area).  Your library is your friend!

We use her English Lessons Through Literature (which is excellent) program. You can check out her booklist for each grade level (just scroll down).  She does not have as many options as other lists but they are great (although not everyone is a huge fan of the Wizard of Oz series).

Memoria Press - Here are a few books for each grade level.  If you want books to help you teach the book - they provide them.  They offer only a few per grade but they are wonderful selections.

If you are looking for something more secular and school like you might want to check out the FREE Core Knowledge Sequence.  It is a long document but it outlines the whole scope and sequence and the table of contents is easy to use.  If you look in the Language Arts for each grade level you will see the poetry and literature chosen for that grade.  It includes the history areas studied in each grade but they have created their own "textbooks" to cover the topic (I did find one at goodwill once).  You can also get the "What your ____ Should Know?" series by E.D. Hirsch (I got all of these at Goodwill- people don't know what they have!).   He also wrote Books to Grow On.

I am sure that there are other great places and resources.  Share if you know some.  I hope that your days, weeks and summer are filled with great stories.  I spent all my time with Babysitter Club books and would have benefited from a bit more challenge!

Meaningful Minutes: Poetry

I just learned that April is Poetry Month.  Great timing because I was planning on talking about it anyway.  Poetry used to be pretty far down on my list of "important things" to teach my kids. However, as you read older books about education memorizing poetry is assumed and considered essential.  They talk about how crucial it is to kids understanding language, using their imaginations, memory, beauty and connecting with nature and history. Yes, poetry can do all this.  As you read the stories of older men - they knew their poetry and often wrote some themselves.

Poetry is truly a lost art.  Our kids rarely hear it.  Often, they read silly, playful poems (which have their place) but don't graduate to other poems.  I highly recommend just making sure your young child knows Mother Goose Rhymes.  I was shocked when my 2 yo was reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb to herself as she fell asleep the other day.  Knowing and remembering poetry can help overcome boredom, encourage bravery and do so in a much more memorable way than prose does. Poetry used to have clear "rules" and this actually encouraged great creativity.  Poetry requires precise and rich in vocabulary that help evoke great images.

What poetry should we read?  

Mother Goose Rhymes - sing them, say them, show pictures, draw pictures, tell them from memory - enjoy them!

Jack Perlutsky and Shel Silverstien (be warned not all his works are kid appropriate) are always fun favorites.  If you haven't read any Ogden Nash (this is the one we have)- my kids love his quirky poetry.

In the past, students were introduced to Longfellow, Wordsworth, Robert Louis Stevenson and others at a young age.  There is a whole poetry rotation at Ambleside Online.

A. A. Milne, of Winnie the Pooh fame, also has some great poetry anthologies: Now We are Six and When We Were Very Young.  Casey at the Bat is a fun poem and you can get a musical retelling here.  Another poetry book for younger children is Hailstones and Halibut Bones which has color poems.

As your student hits 4th and 5th grade I highly recommend ballad poetry - the kind that tells of battles, heroic deeds, pirates, love lost and won.  Historic Poems and Ballads is the one that we are using.   It provides some background on the event and then the poem.  It is a reprint of an older book and some pages that is obvious but it hasn't interfered with our enjoyment. Another option is The Book of Heroic Verses.

What do I do with it? 

There are lots of ways to interact with poetry. Please don't just analyze it; enjoy it.  Don't kill yourself trying to memorize it - repeat the ones that you like over and again and you will learn it.  Some people recommend reading a poem three days in a row - adding a new one and repeating two older ones and then rotating.  You can also just read a new poem (or part of one) every day.  Consider having a tea time once a week where you share favorite poetry with each other over lemonade.  Share a favorite poem once a week for a few weeks and you will learn it.  Copy poetry into a place that allows you to keep lines that you love - either individually or as a family.  Maybe you would like to focus on one poet for a few weeks and get to know their work well and then move on to another.  Perhaps variety is more up your alley.  The main thing is to read poetry aloud in your home!

If you really want to make poetry memorization official you can try this program from the Institute for Excellence in Writing.   Another option are the selections included in The Harp and Laurel Wreath. There are also compendiums of more well known poetry out there that you can use for reference:  Sing a Song of Popcorn, Favorite Poems Old and New, Random House Book of Poetry, 101 Famous Poems, 100 Best Loved Poems and Committed to Memory.

There is also a series of books called Poetry for Young People that gathers together the most well known lines of each poet from Robert Frost to Shakespeare to Maya Angelou to Rudyard Kipling. Each book focuses on one poet and has great artwork to accompany the lines they have chosen.

If your children are middle school and up and they enjoy poetry and you want them to learn more about analysis and poem construction The Art of Poetry or The Grammar of Poetry might help you out.  If you are looking for a poetry anthology these might provide some resources.  I am not a huge fan of their student workbooks - but it might fit your child.

I encourage you to add a bit of poetry to your life.  You never know what might happen!

Just for fun:

Keep A Poem In Your Pocket
By Beatrice Schenk de Regniers

Keep a poem in your pocket
And a picture in your head
And you'll never feel lonely
At night when you're in bed.

The little poem will sing to you
The little picture bring to you
A dozen dreams to dance to you
At night when you're in bed.

So - -
Keep a picture in your pocket
And a poem in your head
And you'll never feel lonely
At night when you're in bed.

from http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/poem/poem1b.html

Meaningful Minutes: Picture Book Biographies

I am a history buff and I LOVE biographies.  If they are well done, they provide a look into not only the life of the individual but the issues of the time and invite you to walk in their shoes.  Below are some picture book biographies.  Many of these are wordy and dense for a picture book- they are not meant for young children (although they can be read aloud well).  The picture book format was chosen for these stories because it allows the author to use images to further the story - not because the topics are childish.

Demi - Her works include Alexander the Great, Marco Polo, Muhammed, Jesus, Saint Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc, Tutankhamun, Columbus and many more.

D'Aulaires - This couple created a series of picture book biographies - often using word carvings that were created into pictures.  Titles include Leif the Lucky, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Buffalo Bill, Columbus, Pocohontas, and Abraham Lincoln.

Diane Stanley - Her books are visually inviting and detailed.  She delves into the lives of Joan of Arc, The Bard of Avon (Shakespeare), Leonardo da Vinci, Shaka, Good Queen Bess, Michaelangelo, Cleopatra, Peter the Great, and Saladin. 

Peter Sis - His books aren't strictly biographies - they are more about a specific time period or era.  They are really meant for slightly older children too - late elementary.  He looks at The Wall (Iron Curtain), Starry Messenger (Galileo), Follow the Dream (Christopher Columbus), The Tree of Life (Darwin).

Aliki - This author has written books on a number of themes but his historical books are not to be missed.  Their pictures are great as is the information he provides. Titles include The Medieval Feast, William Shakespeare and the Globe, Mummies Made in Egypt, A Weed is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver, The Story of Johnny Appleseed, The Story of William Tell, The King's Day: Louis XIV of France, and The Many Lives of Benjamin Franklin. 

Jean Fritz - She has written lots of historical fiction and some are picture books and others are longer.  Her books don't have gorgeous pictures but there is quite a bit of meat to the text she provides for the age she is addressing.  Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?, Shh . . We're Writing the Constitution,  And Then What Happened, Paul Revere, George Washington's Breakfast, What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?, Where was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May?, Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? and You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton? and others are her picture books.  The stories with questions in the titles are for the youngest set.  She then has chapter books about Sam Houston, Teddy Roosevelt and others.

Although Robert Coles wrote mostly for adults about children, this is one of my very favorite biographies, The Story of Ruby Bridges.  It doesn't cover her full life but the episode it describes is powerful. He was the psychologist assigned to her as she helped desegregate Louisiana schools.  He is one of my very favorite authors, but I digress (try The Call of Stories).

I have not read ALL of these titles but I have read at least a few books by each of these authors.  I do encourage you to preview them because these are written about historical figures so they will all have some type of bias or approach. Older books tend to romanticize characters a bit more and newer books often have less of a "hero" factor in their presentation.  All of them have a place and provide a great opportunity to discuss perspective with your children.

Although these are picture books many will require more than one sitting to complete.  Remember to take your time and enjoy the story.  Do you have any other titles or authors you would recommend in this category?  Happy reading!

Meaningful Minutes: Literature Conversations

Book lovers dream of having deep conversations with our kids about the stories and ideas that we love - or, maybe, just I do.  It can be hard to know how to start those conversations and get kids beyond - yes, no, I liked it and other similar nondescript responses.  Today I share two (maybe three) great resources for starting "the great conversation" about what you are reading.

In classical writing there were 5 topics (or here) that helped you develop your theme.  All of these topics can easily be turned into questions to develop a conversation. They are definition, comparison, circumstance, relations and authority.  There are whole books (and curricula) written on how to use these approaches but here is a quick primer.   

Andrew Kern, of the Circe Institute, says that the best question to ask is "Should X (a character) have done Y (an action)?"  Should the ants have shared food with the grasshopper?  Should Calpurnia Tate tell her mother that she wants to go to college?  This simple question opens the door to great conversations about motivation, outcome, cause and effect and more.  There is even a process to help your child learn how to do this by themselves as they think about story and history.  Simple but effective.  

The other offering I have for you is a more organized approach that teaches you how to use Socratic questioning in the framework of the narrative arc.  Whaty what what??  Socratic questioning is a technique used to help students find the gaps in their knowledge so that they realize what they don't know and can begin to search for answers to those questions.  It is learning through thoughtful questions instead of telling children what to think. The narrative arc (scroll through - it's on the 3rd page) is the general outline that every good story goes through.  

The Center for Lit has developed an 8 hour DVD seminar about teaching classic books.  I haven't seen the seminar - I just got the workbook and have enough background to figure out how it works. There are 173 questions that can be used to help explore character, setting, scene and more from picture books to War and Peace.  This book can be used for all your children throughout their lifetime.  It can help you get more out of what you read as well.  

BONUS - Did you know that Mortimer Adler, who tried to pull together all the great works in the Great Books of the Western World through Encyclopedia Britannica, created a list of 103 themes that are found throughout literature?   There are lots of creative ways these subjects could be used, followed and discussed in the literature and history your child is reading.  I heard of one teacher (who had students for multiple years) who had the kids pick a few themes or ideas that intrigued them and asked them to follow it through the books assigned for that year.  As a parent you could do a similar thing with your middle schooler and up.  Consider encouraging your kids to have a journal of themes in what they are reading (and you can lead by example). 

Another day we can talk more about what to read.  

Meaningful Minutes: Foreign Language - Spanish

I apologize for skipping everything last week.  We were sick and then my older boys and I went to Mexico with the Rohi Foundation.  It was a great experience and I think we will be annual spring breakers there.  It reminded me how crucial it is to get to know another language.  I am not going to argue that 15 minutes a week will make you fluent.  However, 15 minutes is better than nothing!  If you start at a young age it does add up.

There are lots of theories and questions about languages.
    Which one should I start with?
    Should I focus on spoken or written language?
    What if I don't speak the language?

Here are my two cents on the subject.

   Start with the one that you know or feel will be the most useful.  Especially if you are using a Romance language - once they know one - they can more easily pick up the next.  If you think that Mandarin is up and coming - go for it.  I would wait for Latin (after many attempts to do otherwise) until kids are a little bit older - 9 or 10 at least.

   You won't become fluent by spending a few minutes a week on it.  Prior to the last 30 or 40 years most often the classroom objective (often in middle and high school) was writing and reading which can be mastered in a classroom in two or three years fairly well.  There was no delusion that sitting in class was going to transform you into a fluent speaker.  My mom took French from an early age and they did it all orally until about 7th grade and then they introduced the written word.  If you have young ones - this is what I would recommend.  The younger they are the more I would focus on the oral language.

   There are TOO many resources out there to help you with pronunciation and oral input to let your personal inability be a barrier.  This is a great thing to learn (or re-learn) along with your kids.  It will help you remember just how difficult it is to learn something new - keeps you humble.

Here are some Spanish resources that I enjoy:

Salsa - This is a series of Sesame Street like episodes that are all in Spanish but use common stories like "Little Red Riding Hood."   It's free and the videos are about 20 minutes long.

Getting Started With Spanish - This is a SLOW but thorough introduction to the language.  All of the audio files are on the website so you can listen for free.

Madrigal's Key to Spanish - I took four years in high school and using this book helped me remember quite a bit.  I think it could be used with middle and high schoolers.  She also has See It and Say It in Spanish (which I own but haven't used as much) and a Conversational Course (more traditional introductory textbook for older students).  

Cathy Duffy has tons of reviews of different Spanish Courses available.  I have been tempted to get The Learnables many times but haven't done it yet.  If you want a grammar based approach for your late elementary student I think Spanish for Children is probably a solid program.  We have Song School Spanish and like it (here are coloring pages for all the words learned - I printed them four to a page and now have flashcards and could make them into matching game, etc.).

If you have young children and a bit of background yourself you can use The Bilingual Book of Rhymes, Songs, Stories and Fingerplays.  This book has it all - except a CD to help with pronunciation.   You can also just use picture books that you would use with your 2 year old if you have a background in the language - Brown Bear, Brown Bear . . . , Red Hat, Green Hat, etc.  These books use the pictures to tell the story so that kids can associate the words with the picture and NOT the English word.  It is best to avoid translation as much as possible - pictures are much better.

The best situation is if you have a native speaker who can come play, read and sing with your children at least once a week (or more if possible).  This can make a huge impact - but isn't always easy to arrange.  Even if you just learn a phrase or a few words a week you can really make strides over time.  Try to use them as you go throughout your day.

For someone else's take on teaching a foreign language at home take a listen.  The Gouin series was a popular method used to encourage conversational speaking in the early 1900's.  This is a pretty good overview of it and a modern adaptation of the method.

I know there are many more resources out there (song CDs ,videos and more).  These are ones I am familiar with that might not be as widely known as others. I'd love to hear something you have tried out in your home.

Meaningful Minutes: Nature Study

Did you know that nature study was THE elementary science curriculum at the turn of the century? Of course, science has progressed significantly in the past 100 years - but not enough that we should leave this behind.  Nature study helps children enter into the wonder of the world around them.  There are MANY surprising and fun things in nature. Instead of diving straight into manipulating it - why not enjoy it as it comes?  It also encouraged observation and often was tied with drawing and beginning painting.

You can make nature study an "event" - loading everyone in the car with sketch books and pencils and watercolors and guide books.  However, it can just be walking around the block and checking out the birds, squirrels, trees and flowers (the bluebonnets have started popping up around here).  If you take the same walk throughout the year you can help your kids notice the changes (trees, animal habits, etc.)   Just realize that walking with a 2 yo you may not get far - they stop to look at LOTS of things.  Enjoy their pace.  Often it can be helpful to take a picture if you want to identify something later or draw it at home.  I live in an urban area and I think there are at least 6 or 7 different types of trees on my block. 

Calendar of Firsts -  You can either get, make or just record on your current calendar the first time you see or hear something.  We should add our bluebonnets starting up early this year.  If you keep it for a few years you can begin to see patterns and look forward to signs of spring (and fall).  

Nature Journals - If you are so inclined you can combine nature study and drawing/art.  There are lots of resources out there for keeping a nature journal - here are a few:  

Keeping a Nature Journal

Laws Guide to Nature Journaling   (you can listen to him talk about nature here and here and his series of drawing you tube videos) 

Jim Arnosky has a foundational book Drawing from Nature and a series that guides you through the seasons as well.  

If you are looking for more guidance check out the Handbook of Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenge.  

If you want to focus more on birding check out this website (with a whole section on songs).   

If you really want to dive in you can flip through Nature Study: A Manual for Teachers and Students. Intended for elementary teachers - it covers the reasoning behind the study, ways to do it and an 8 year course in nature study (year by year and season by season)!  

There are also many ideas for nature scavenger hunts, playing nature bingo, etc.  I prefer to just enjoy but sometimes a game can spark kids interests. 

Many poets have been inspired by nature.  There are whole volumes that focus on nature themes.  

Poetry of the Seasons 

Poetry of the Year 

World's Best Poetry: Poems of Nature

Of course you can always get field guides to help you identify what you find.  Peterson's and Audobon's tend to be good and can often be found at thrift stores.  Just make sure you check the region they are from so that the flora and fauna included match up with what you might see in your area.  

This is an area I REALLY need to grow in.  That's one reason I am linking all of these things so that I can come back and find them.  I hope that you delight in the arrival of spring with your family this year. 

Meaningful Minutes: Dictation

I am sorry I skipped last week.  I honestly don't have a good reason.  Life!  This week lets talk about the next step after copywork  - studied dictation.

This may sound like an outdated skill that only secretaries of old needed to know - but really it is a great skill to practice at home.  Dictation is basically writing down what someone is saying aloud - word for word - in your own handwriting (it does make a difference).  Eventually, you want children to actually hear and summarize in notes - but dictation is an intermediate step.  Dictation helps children with handwriting, listening, grammar, spelling, and attention.

Dictation should begin when a child is about 9 or 10.  They need to be comfortable with the process of writing and copywork as well as able to spell basic words before they move into dictation.  I often do studied dictation - which means that the child can look at the passage before you read it aloud to them.  I tell my son to notice spelling, punctuation and anything else that is different and make sure he has it down.  When you dictate it you simply read it phrase by phrase.  You should only read each phrase once (attention) but with newbies you might repeat a few times.  The child writes what you said including proper spelling and punctuation.  At the end they check it against the original passage and notice where they were off.  With short passages this takes less than 10 minutes.  As students get older it can be much longer - expanding their attention and their memories as you grow into it.


Here is another interpretation, a checklist article and a video about it.   One mom has her child study on her own, while the other leads their children through the process.  Some people have the children use the passage as copywork first and then it becomes dictation.  Others allow the student to study it one day and actually do the dictation the following day.  I think it depends on your kids.  I would typically have it written out on a sheet of paper - not the white board - for beginning students.

You can pull passages from anywhere - literature, maxims, nursery rhymes, the Bible, favorite quotes, fables. Just remember the age and ability of the child you are working with.

 If you want help finding them you can try these resources:

Writing Through History (the curricula developed by the person doing the video above) has dictation passages picked out from the history passages she has chosen.

Here is a more traditional (FREE) dictation book.

Dictation Day by Day is an older series.
book 2 - This one starts VERY basic - but it gets more difficult pretty quickly.  There are also maxims and proverbs and memory selections in the back.  I always like to build confidence where I can.
book 3 - (just for kicks read the first lesson!)
book 4 
book 5
book 6

If you want a more modern series you can check out Spelling Wisdom.  There are five books in this series which begins in 3rd grade and ends in 12th grade.  (There are more hints about using this process on their page).

Dictation is another step towards ensuring your child is a competent listener and writer.  I do remember doing this some when I was in 5th grade - mostly history selections.  It was rare but we did do it.  I highly recommend this as a great way to keep skills sharp over the summer.  You can decide how much grammar you want to discuss as you look at passages.  It can help with spelling as well. If you use a book of collected passages many of them are quotes from famous people, works and sayings - beauty.  Again, you are getting a lot of bang for your 15 minutes of investment.

Meaningful Minutes: Geometry

I have always struggled with 3-D shapes; meanwhile, my dad was a Tetris addict.  Hopefully by adding some fun games that require visualizing and playing with shapes you can help your kids become more visually "able".

Here are a few ways to do that:

Set - Although this is a card game and it is more about pattern recognition, I think it can be added into this category.  It is a bit difficult to explain the rules but it requires you to pay attention to shape, pattern and number simultaneously.  There is even a free online game each day that allows you to play against the computer.

Paper Sloyd - I think the easiest way to explain this is "useful origami".  In some schools it was used in the early elementary grades to prepare children for geometry.  Paper folding gives them the physical experience of shapes - it becomes obvious that a triangle is half a square, etc.  The link is to a whole booklet of these types of activities.

Origami - There are tons of online tutorials and books about this traditional Japanese folding art. This is the book I used growing up and still have - it is simple and in color - but also out of print.  There is even Star Wars origami (it is actually pretty complicated).   This past week I was with some 8 and 9 year old boys.  I was shocked at how many had never folded a paper airplane before.  We had a blast doing it!  Origami can be pretty complicated so make sure you check the book.  Some kids may never progress past the beginning stages.  That's fine - it has still helped them to better understand how shapes work.  I don't encourage you to be over bearing about the connections - just make observations as you go along.  You will be amazed at how much they "see" on their own.

Tangrams - This old Chinese puzzle uses 7 shapes to create a variety of different figures. You can get a printable version  for free (print on cardstock, laminate them or use contact paper if you have it).   You can search for tangram puzzles (here is a starter location) and find a zillion.  Typically the figure is solid black and you have to figure out how to put the shapes together.  The solution has the pieces slightly spaced apart so that you can see how it was done.  There is even a full book of puzzles.  We have an older version of this game where you race to see who can solve the puzzle faster (and you get 2 sets of tangrams and a bunch of puzzle cards).

If you are looking for a more typical "curriculum" to teach geometry (for whatever reason) you might want to try Math Mammoth's series.  Here are the resources for grades 1- 3, 4 - 5 (with videos) 6th and 7th (book 2 and 3).   If you want a collection of worksheets for more practice for 5th - 8th grade check this set out.   Although not a full curriculum this is a fun place to play with geometric ideas.

Mapping - Physical maps are actually quite abstract but you can begin by "mapping" your house.  Get a piece of graph paper and a tape measure and get busy.  After you have mapped it (maybe even put in furniture) you can go to the next level of hiding items and showing where it is on your "map". Then kids can find it.  From there they can begin to map other things (classrooms, schools, grocery stories, etc.)  Let them build a building (or town) and draw/ map it. Eventually, they should use physical maps and help you drive places. I know most of the world relies on GPS but you lose something if you can't "see" the way the streets are working together.  For some places this is a grid - but not for my town!  Helping your kids to see this can help their visual-spatial sense.

Graph Paper Games - There are MANY out there.  Playing Battleship on graph paper, dots or the multiplication game (two dice and you make a box that size - whoever has the most squares after so many rolls wins - oh is that area??) are just a few.  If you are going somewhere have a pencil and graph paper and play a game.

If you are truly gung ho and want to do it the "traditional way" you can get cozy with Euclid's Elements (it is public domain so you an read it for free and possibly in Latin or Greek!).  Here are some great thoughts about how and where to start that at home.  Knowing Euclid goes beyond geometry - it teaches you how to build any type a proof - at least that was Abraham Lincoln's experience.

Often we don't think about the role geometry plays in our lives - from mapping, to interior decorating, to proofs to fun games.  There are ways to bring this subject to life and ensure your kids have a solid foundation.  I'd love to hear other ideas that you have.

Meaningful Minutes: Copywork

Are you concerned about your child's handwriting?  Try copywork.

Do you have a young one who just can't spell well?  Try copywork.

Do you wish your kids read Bible verses, fantastic quotes, poems or at least knew a few maxims? Try copywork.

Concerned about grammar?  Try copywork.

Want to move from print to cursive?  Is your child interested in calligraphy? Try copywork.

Want your child to memorize important information?  Try copywork.

Although it sounds a little "old fashioned" copywork can do all this and more.  Yes, your child is literally copying what someone else has already said or written - as well educated people have done throughout history.

How to:

To begin students should have the line being copied and directly below it should be the space for them to write. If they are young (6 or 7) you can still have the guidelines for baseline, mid line and upper line.

As they become more confident you can move to having the passage at the top of the page and space below for them to copy.

Eventually they can copy from a board.  This is actually a DIFFICULT task because of the amount of tracking on paper, in the room, likelihood of distraction, etc.  So this is a GREAT way to prepare for the classroom.

Copywork should always be done as neatly as possible.  Children should check their own work.  You can also emphasize a point or two (spelling, grammar, word usage, etc.) if you like.  The actual copying should start with small pieces and maybe work up to 5 to 7 minutes.  If your child struggles to write - set the timer and let him be done at 10 minutes.

How copywork helps: 

Students can focus on handwriting because they aren't having to think about what to say or how to spell it - they can just look at the paper and form the letters properly.  It is also not tracing - which doesn't really teach them how to form the letters properly (have you ever watch a kid totally ignore the arrows and write it any which way).  That's why we start with forming a letter "perfectly" and then move on.  Muscle memory and such.

At first kids will probably copy letter for letter.  However, they should quickly move to word by word - but they have it right in front of them to check.  It isn't a test, it is practice with proper spelling. Eventually they should "transcribe" which means they read a few words and then write them and then go back for the next section. CM talks about asking children to "take a picture" of the word in their mind.  This reinforces proper spelling of a variety of words as they read excellent passages.  If you really want to focus on spelling you can talk about the phonics of the word (ay the two letter ay that can be at the end of English words, etc.).  Students can also immediately correct themselves without a sense of failure.  This might also sound like preparation for taking notes?  Who knew it can do that too!?

Famous quotes, Bible passages poems and sayings - all things worth remembering.  Writing it down in your own hand can help you remember it better.  Why not introduce these little gems to your child's life in a simple way? It also can help kids understand poetry.  When they slow down enough to copy it they can better recognize the rhyme, rhythm, alliteration and other techniques used within the poem.  Don't belabor the point.

Grammar.  Truth be told I still struggle with the right places to put the commas in a quotation. However, with copywork you do it and then check it and correct immediately.  It's not a test, you are just observing it done correctly - again and again - and then you know.  So pick passages that illustrate the difficulty your child is having and let them copy and check.  No pressure, but they will learn the right way to do it.

Copywork is a great way to introduce a new type of handwriting - typically cursive.  Again, the model is right in front of them and they are copying it.  Start with letters (correct formation is key) and then move into words and eventually sentences - worth knowing.  If your child is interested in calligraphy helping them find passages worth copying can allow them to focus on using the pen correctly to form the letters.  Plus, it means they will create something worth keeping.

Writing something down is one way to help you memorize and study it. Just don't do what I did in 4th grade and leave out a whole stanza of the poem you are supposed to memorize!!  Check your work! If you want to memorize, copy it more than once - if you want exposure, just do it once.

Eventually, copywork moves into studied dictation and common placing - but those are for another day.

Resources for copywork: 

Bible Verses: You can easily search for free ones.  I like the packs at Intoxicated on Life.  Use them as they best fit your needs.

History: I LOVE Writing Through History.  It is a bit more than copywork - it is a 4 year cycle program with 2 levels (1st - 3rd grade and 4th to 6th grade) and multiple fonts.  Each level includes stories, original documents, historical narratives and more from that era.  She then picks out passages for coypwork for your students.  So if you want to combine story, copywork and history easily - THIS IS IT.  I would highly recommend this as a summer resource.  Read for 10 minutes, narrate for 5, write for 5 and you have covered history, literature, composing and copywork all in one.  The pieces could easily be used for written narrations if you children are old enough to do that (9 yo+).

You can also choose your own passages (from literature you are reading, maxims or sayings, etc.) and make your own at a site like this.  You could start with maxims from Benjamin Franklin or Washington's Rules of Civility.  Why not copy the Preamble to the Constitution, parts of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream speech" or a quote from your favorite book (actually my son always copies the joke or tricky part of the story)?

Copywork is a VERY simple idea that works on multiple skills at once and can create a permanent record of your child's handwriting development, books/ stories read, poetry they loved, verses they memorized, etc.  Of course, you can just have the children pick their favorite passages from what they are reading and help them to learn to record wisdom from others (but that is moving into common placing).

To show honor to their work I highly recommend getting a special notebook just for copy work.  This makes it easier to keep track of the passages you have worked on and is much better than papers scattered everywhere (ask me how I know?).   Even a simple composition book will do.  As they get older they might want something fancier.

If you want to read about how others use copywork you can check it out here, here (I love her jar idea) or here.

Meaningful Minutes: Drawing

Recently a friend attended a local free art class.  The educator explained to the children that with the advent of cameras there was no need for realistic drawing any longer.  What?? I am still trying to get over this! The point of drawing has much more to do with the development of the artist than it does with the specific drawing outcome (although, hopefully skills increase). I believe there is a place for "process art" and "interpretive art" but many of us have never received basic instruction in drawing. So, why draw in the age of cameras??

1.  Drawing forces you to observe closely.  This is something we want our children to do - drawing slows you down enough to actually do it.

2.  Drawing encourages you to use a different part of your brain.  Honestly, this is one reason I resist it. If you are an adult wanting to start out I recommend Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain or You Can Draw in 30 Days.

3.  Drawing encourages a different kind of expression.  Our children are constantly asked to use their words.  Allowing them to use images, to draw, can be a helpful break.  I am always amazed at the drawings my 1st graders do in Sunday School to go with the story we are telling.

4.  Although doodling isn't quite drawing it can be very helpful to students. Doodling can help you focus and bring your thoughts together - it is not mindless and it isn't a distraction for many of us.

Resources to help with drawing: 

Ed Emberly books are my favorite.  They aren't "high end" but they help you break down an object into its shapes and parts.  Each book has tons of different ideas for how to draw things.

If you want to join history and drawing you should check out the 8 book series Draw Write Now or the 5 book set Draw and Write Through History.

I have had more than one artist friend recommend Barry Stebbing's program.  It focuses on color, art technique and the basics of shape and line.  There are videos as well as drawing books to work through.  It starts with young children and goes through high school.  You won't find fun artsy activities - but you will find the basics art skills introduced and practiced.  

Mark Kistler also has a variety of `books and videos available. You might remember him from his days on PBS.  He also has a series of you tube videos you can watch.

Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes is used often.  I had trouble actually implementing it but it is worth considering.  Here is a series of blog posts that can help you use this approach more effectively.

Drawing is a way to observe, discover and enjoy life in a different way.  I encourage you to take 15 minutes this week and try drawing something.  Take time to notice its shape, texture, and lighting. Take time to slow down and observe with your child.

Meaningful Minutes: History

As many of my friends have moved from homeschooling to elementary public school their kids have noted the lack of history.  As a history major this is disturbing to me.  There is so much to be gained from an understanding of our history (teaching the election of 1912 brought up themes very similar to our most recent election).  History helps us to consider issues and problems without the emotion of today and allows us to see how things change and stay the same.  It offers perspective plus the stories are great.

Adding a short history reading to your week can help your kids meet these men and women of the past.  Today, we will look at a few spine or complete history books that might work for your family. We are made for stories so why not share some true and inspiring ones with our kids.

Story of the World - This is a 4 book series that covers much of world history.  There is also a CD version and activity book that you can buy in addition to the text itself.  If you get the CDs you can learn history while you drive. The activity book is a great resource if you want to go "hands on" with history.  The best way to use this resource is probably to read a chapter (they are pretty short) and then have your child narrate it back to you.  If there are themes or issues you can bring those up as well.

M.B. Synge - This is an older series of books that covers from Ancient times to World War I.   There might be some phrases and perspectives that are not appropriate for today so either edit as you read or talk about how things have changed.  It starts with "On the Shores of the Great Sea".  These are all public domain so you can get them for free.  There are also recordings of this series on librivox. Not all of them have been recorded yet.

A Child's History of the World - This is a volume that was originally written in 1935.  If you get an older version it might have language that we would not use today.  The more current versions cover history beyond 1935.

The Story of Mankind - This is another single volume that covers from Ancient Egypt to more current times.  It is cheap on kindle and you can also listen to it through librivox.

The Story of US -  This is a 10 book series that covers American history.  It is a bit more text book and less story than other books.  She also has a three book series that covers scientific history if that is something your kids are interested in - this is probably best for a middle school student though.

H.E. Marshall - She wrote a number of histories.  Our Island Story is about England.  This Country of Ours is about early American settlement.  The Story of Europe starts with the Romans and moves through the Reformation.  Some of these are found on librivox.  Her writing is very detailed and might give you more than you want to know about an era but it is engaging.

Mary McGregor - Her histories are from a specific country - France, Rome, Greece.  I have not read these but they look engaging.

Famous Men of ------ - This series has short biographical stories covering Rome, Greece, The Middle Ages and Modern Times.   In addition to the free online stories, there are full color editions that include famous art work and renditions of the people in the stories.

I encourage you to look for books that tell the story and don't just hand out facts.  It will help your child connect with history and make it come alive.  I am sure there are many more sources I could list and if you have a favorite add it in the comments.  Most of these resources are free so it just requires a little investment of your time to help your child see how history fits together.

Meaningful Minutes: Narration

This week we turn towards a skill - narration.  Is that really a skill? Yes, it is!

What is narration? 

This idea seems SO basic. In fact, it is probably one of the most frequently used skills and it almost seems natural. You listen to a sermon or podcast and someone asks "What was it about?".  So you narrate - or tell back - often with some reflection, connection and emphasis on what impacted you or what it made you think about.  Although the concept is simple, it actually requires quite a bit of mental focus and thought to do it well.

What should they narrate? 

Anything and everything!  Honestly, if a child narrates a math problem you can better see their thinking and find where they have gone off track. Narrating is most often associated with reading or listening to lectures.  Sometimes, as parents, we feel we must read everything our child is reading in order to have a good conversation.  Honestly, they need you to listen to their narrations - they don't need comprehension questions or deep literary thoughts (especially in elementary school).  If you listen, they re-tell you stories all the time (tv shows come to mind).  Did you realize this is preparing them for being good conversationalists, writers and presenters (wait, they are already doing that)?

In some ways, this doesn't mean doing much different - it means valuing what your child does.  It can be BORING to listen to the 100th re-telling of a Magic Treehouse story - but it is how they think through and process what they are learning.  Start appreciating it for the great skill that it is.  If you want to elevate the conversation provide them with different material to listen to or read!  If you want to practice this skill Aesop's fables are a great place to start.  They are short, simple stories - but don't tell "the moral" - allow them to reflect on it.  

I will say that it is very DIFFICULT to narrate a textbook.  When all the facts have been distilled for you there isn't much story to tell.  Stories are much easier (and appropriate) to narrate. That's why you may not remember the sermon points but you do remember and re-tell the story he used to make his point.  Also, kids younger than 6 will spontaneously narrate their lives to you but they shouldn't be expected to do so.

If you are reading aloud always ask the children to remind you what happened last time in the story before you start reading a new section or chapter.  This is a great informal way to sneak narration in and make sure everyone is on the same page.  Mason also encouraged that children only hear a passage once and then tell it back to encourage them to pay attention the first time.  If they know you will read it over and over whey would they pay attention?

Still don't believe me . . . 
If you want to learn more about the details of narration here is a multi-part part series.  It discusses why this is a valid assessment method, how to help students begin to use narration thoughtfully, how narrating moves items from short to long term memory and other useful insights. Try to avoid interrupting, prodding or looking for "the right answer"; the whole point is to see what your child thought was interesting, remembered or found important.  If they seem way off track - well, now you know and can ask questions and discuss it. If you are trying to find ways to make it more creative or interesting - there is a long list here.

In the end, narration isn't about them getting every point of the story right, it is about helping children remember these stories long term.  So, only use this technique with stories and thoughts worth remembering.  It can also form the basis of thoughtful conversation as they grow older and are in the habit of telling you what they are reading, listening to and thinking about.

Meaningful Minutes: Picture Study

It was hard to choose where to start this series but this is so simple I couldn't pass it up.  Picture study!

Charlotte Mason encourages us to help children develop a "gallery of paintings" in their minds.  Isn't that a wonderful image?  That's what I want.

How to "study" art? 
     Enjoy looking at paintings and other works of art with your children or students.  You can add details about the artist's life, the history, etc. but really the value is in just OBSERVING and DISCUSSING the painting (this is not art history, criticism or technique class). Often it is recommended that they look at it for a few minutes and then you take it away and ask them to tell you what they remember from the painting (or artwork).  When they are done have them look at it again and see how it matches with their description.  If you want a full description of the process you can read more here (here or listen here).  Of course, you can enjoy art however you would like.  This is a process that can take less than 15 minutes and add beauty to your life.

What to study? 
     She recommends picking 6 items that represent an artists' work and spreading them out over 12 weeks (so 1 picture every 2 weeks).   The pace may seem slow but that is intentional.  You want children to have time to really look and spend time with the work - not just race through them. Looking at one artist for a few weeks helps your child (and you) to get a sense of the subject matter and style of that artist.  It may not seem like an "intense" schedule - but that's the point.  After a school year students could know 18 paintings (possibly more at home).  If you multiply that by a few years - imagine what a "gallery" your child will have.  You of course can adapt this to your needs and situation as you see fit.

    I encourage you to hang what you have up - use clipboards, put them on your fridge, display them in frames from the dollar store, etc.  I actually got a cheapo stand and put the picture we are looking at on top of the piano.

Where to get art?
      Most of these paintings and works are in the public domain - so you can just go out there and look on the Internet.  You can also get art print calendars (cheap in January) or visit Half Price Books and Library sales.  The resources below lean towards 'greats of Western culture' but all of art and architecture is out there for you.  These are some packets that come ready made - some free and some not too expensive:

     Barefoot Ragamuffin- through Lulu - free but you have to print your own (or look at them on a screen).  Level 1 and 2, Level 3, Level 4 and 5 - so that's 5 years for free.  (You do have to register for free with Lulu to check out). She also includes versions that you can color - if you and your kids enjoy that.

    Ambleside Online - This is another option for free prints.  They have chosen 6 prints per artist and have links to them on the Internet.  You can of course can find them elsewhere as well.  They have over 40 artists divided over 12 week terms - you of course just choose what you like and use it.

    Simply Charlotte Mason - Picture Study Portfolios - There are two types choices at this site. The first "extra" set is just the prints (and unfortunately I don't think they have the name of the work and artist on the back).  The full set includes a short biography of the artist and questions to go with each picture.  There are 18 artists (so far).  These range in price from $8 to $16 and are printed on high quality, glossy paper in full color.

    Memoria Press - Art Cards and Posters - Although they say K -2nd grade - is Cassat really meant just for that age group?  I haven't seen these in person but they look wonderful.

   Enrichment Studies also has art collections available.  Some collections cover an artistic period and others particular artists (you can get Peter Paul Rubens and Women of the Renaissance for free right now).   If you sign up she has a a freebie available each month (she does artists, scientists, poets, musicians).  Well, there you have it covered!   You print these on your own.

I am sure that there are other options out there (here are a few more suggestions) and if you have thoughts please leave them in the comments.

How to fit it in? 

   -  Planning: I recommend taking one evening or chunk of time and picking out artists for at least 6 months. Then order or print everything and put it somewhere accessible.  If you try to do it week by week it will not be done (at least not at my house).  So, just plan it once and then work the plan.

   -  If your child has down time at school send them to school with a set of prints to observe.  They don't necessarily have to report back to you - but you can try to make it happen.  You might include some questions to get them thinking.

   -  Include a picture every two weeks at dinner time, bed time or breakfast.

   -  Create portfolios for students in your classroom to peruse.  It might be easier to do 4 pictures - just attach them to a manila folder (if you are printing them out).  Hand them out with a few questions for the kids to ponder as they look.

   -  Teachers and afterschool programs can use them during circle/ gathering times as well.  Again, just once every two weeks - show the painting, allow students to react and maybe ask a few questions.

   -   In my Sunday School class, about once a semester, I try to do an "art" lesson.  There are quite a few Biblical incidents that have been done by multiple artists (many artists love the "Walk to Emmaus" and yesterday we did "the Adoration of the Magi" - over 35 paintings to choose from).  You can also choose one artist who has covered quite a few Bible stories (we did Giotto and the story of Jesus' birth through Madeliene L'Engle's book in December).  Either way, look it up, print it out and just add it to the lesson.  I ask the children open ended questions and often encourage them to draw their own picture of the scene.  It also brings a mental image to the story that is not a stock Sunday School curriculum photo!  You can also easily do this at home as you read the Bible or celebrate parts of the church calendar.

Questions to ask: 

     I try not to tell them the name of the piece first - many are depictions of stories that they might know.  It is more fun if you give hints and then they have the "aha" moment for themselves.  If you are truly concerned that children will stare blankly and be unable to respond to a piece of art - here are a few questions you can use to get the ball rolling:

    -  Who or what is in the picture?
    -  What colors do you see?
    -  What do you think is happening?
    -  What season do you think it is?  What time of day do you think it is? (this is my son's favorite question)
    -  Is there anything that you don't recognize in the picture (many of them will be pastoral so they might not know what's in them)?
    -  How long ago do you think this happened?  Where did it happen?

The point is to focus on what they see.  You want kids to respond with answers and support, "It's winter because there is snow everywhere."  Seems basic but this is a good observation. Eventually they will begin to see more - if given time to do it at their own pace.  Picture study should be a fun part of the day.

Age Group:  All ages.  Family fun activity.