List of Curriculum Options for Grade 8: Caitlin

As I stated in my previous post I am in the planning stage of our next school year.  Today, because it is 114 degrees outside, I stayed in the air conditioning, scoured my Eclectic Homeschooler Pinterest board, and then saved some new items to that board.  I have been saving items to this board for years, and it spreads over many grades.  I have other education boards you can look at as well.   You can use it for anything you want.  I will be posting the titles to each item that I want to potentially use, for ease of finding when I need it.  The very first link, is for Geometry proofs, and for high school kids.  If you have a high schooler taking Geometry, this is the hardest part of the whole class, especially if doing Common Core.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287245282467456490/  Geometry Proofs

8th Grade Items

History/Cooking/Geography:

50 DIY Projects for teaching Social Studies
The food timeline
Official State Foods
Tropical Grilled Chicken-  recipes for all the states
Across the country 50 state foods
Great Living Books for teaching American History
Hands on History cloth dyeing
25 great movies for our historically illiterate children
Teaching history through movies
Learning American History with movies



Language Arts/Grammar/Writing/Reading:

Pioneer Kids Book 1 not on Pinterest but you can find it on Kindle Unlimited
NanoWrimo young writers work book, there is also a Yahoo group that we joined
Daily Grammar
A guide to Grammar and writing
The University of Bristol
Scott Foresman free writing and grammar books
31 days of read alouds
Story steps
Art history and writing
Once upon a time stem tales
Christmas roll a story
Punctuation Jungle
Writing skills what to expect at what age



Science

Cloud classification
How clouds work
Cloud science project
Hands on Thunderstorms experiments
Virtual field trip about renewable energy
Free 40 page weather unit
Five for Friday weather edition
Homemade water clock
Exploring nature.org
Science of clean water, and make a water still
Free science printables
Weather thematic unit
Flaking out water in the air
25 ways to study wind
Hurricane unit study
Cloud classification craft
Using clouds to predict weather
Hurricane and tornado themed activities
DNA and genetics bundle, both kids
Free Wolf Unit this is also for writing
Free math game boards
Living math book list
17 apps for teachers in 2017



For the first two weeks of school, Caitlin will cook 2 days each week, for 4 days.  We shop in 2 week cycles.  She chose the following:

Florida:  Honey key lime grilled chicken, Key West penne, and gator smoothies
Alabama:  Southern fried chicken and dill potato salad
Alaska:  Curry salmon, probably use chicken with broccoli
Arizona:  Chicken and cheese quesadillas and sopapilas

I still need French and Piano

Happy New Year!

We are still on Christmas Break.  Our first day back to homeschooling, will be Jan 6th.  I need to start blogging more, because it looks like all I am blogging about is time off, and changes I want to make, lol.  I used to blog, on this blog, at least three times a week.  What happened?  Not sure, but I think as they get older, there just isn't as much stuff to share.  They don't like their pictures taken anymore, unless they take it of themselves, or their friends do.  Good grief! 

I will be making some changes in my daughter's Math curriculum.  I had mentioned previously we used Life of Fred last year, and she pretty much loved it.  However, this year we didn't have time to squeeze it in, and I feel it is a good curriculum, but not where I want her to be, so I didn't use it.  I also mentioned, since my mom's car accident, almost one year ago now, I thought it was best if I started incorporating Common Core into our curriculum, in case I ever had to return to work full time.  For my daughter, Math and Writing, would be her biggest issues as far as Common Core goes.  Her writing has improved immensely, and I am not so worried about that one, but her Math still needs much work.  We have been using CK12, and though that is going fine for most of the Math lessons, some of their lessons just are not clicking with her.  They don't seem to explain it well enough, or on a child's level of understanding.  So, I will be moving off of CK12, only for her Math, the Biology for my son is excellent, and going to Homeschool Math, Teachnology, and OpenEd.  With these three resources I am sure I can find what I need to get her where I want her to be.  I still say that on all online format, for learning, is not the way to go.  For some subjects it is fine, but not for all.  Both of mine struggle with an all online Math curriculum.  If none of these options prove successful, I will move to Math U See. 

We Survived the First Week but More Hands On Means Less Time for Other Stuff

We made it through the first week, and it went really well.  DJ has taken to his two FLVS classes, without difficulty.  Though he did say the Digital Design is kind of hard.  I reminded him that, that subject is all new to him and can not expect to learn it over night.  Caitlin has settled in more for her second week, not so much drama.  Her, and I, are doing a lot of hands on together work, this year.  I feel like she kind of got neglected last year, and am giving her extra teacher attention this year.  We are currently reading, The Yearling, together.  Some homeschoolers love this book, others hate it.  We are on chapter 4, and I love it.  At first she said it was boring, but now she is getting into it.  Because, the book takes place in rural Florida, we get a kick out of some of the language, and descriptions of where they live.  We discuss vocabulary words, and what is happening as we go along.  I think this will really benefit her, and me a lot.  Plus, sometime this year we can visit the Marjorie Keenan Rollins museum, which will be fun.  I don't know if I spelled her name right, too tired to look it up.

I will be doing a post later this week, that will be all supplemental work for a 3rd grader.  A friend of mine asked me to help her find some resources, so I thought I would share it here for all my readers too.  There is tons of info on this blog, but if you don't have to search for it, that is nice too. 

We did get to walk today, using our Charity Miles, apps, so that was nice.  It rained all last week, but one day. 

Free or Frugal Friday Test Sites We Used This Year

We are pretty much done with our regular school year.  Caitlin is done, and she did real well.  She only got tested on Math, Writing and Spelling.

DJ on the other hand gets tested in all classes.  I gave him his final for Writing, yesterday.  I gave him the option to pick the topic, but he could not come up with one for sure.  He loves to make up funny parodies to songs, so his assignment is to write a parody about Biscuit, that is the dog, to the tune of, We Will Rock You.  He was quite excited, and already has part of it done.  It will be posted to his blog and then printed to add to his homeschool evaluation portfolio.  Of course he has to use proper Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation. 

He did Earth Science for Science class.  He did not complete all the lessons, we used CK12, but Science is not a priority.  We are working our way through the tests on this website, for the topics he did cover.  I just write down the grade and topic when he is done. 

For Math, again we used CK12, I am using Math-tests.com for testing.  He is testing on the Pre Algebra section not, 8th grade Math.  I can print the results as he finishes each section.   Not every section has a test yet.  He was graded on CK12 for all sections, so I will see if I can print them from his portfolio.  I am happy to see he has retained his Math very well. 

History, he did Middle Ages.  Can not find an online test, so he will probably just write up an essay about what he learned.

Language Arts and Reading:  DJ did 9th grade Language Arts through the open network of Utah learning website.  He has done a book report for each book he read.  I used Easy Test Maker to create a final exam on the things he covered in the lessons.  He will not take this until he has finished reading the last book, To Kill A Mockingbird.  In the meantime he has been working his way through the Grammar tests on Cengage.  Again I print the results as he takes them.  I am only picking one test from each section. 

All of the websites mentioned are free to use.  Please be supportive to them, so they can stay free for all users, not just homeschoolers. 

Now for Summer Vacation!  Don't worry I will continue to post over the Summer.  Summer is when I get to write posts on opinions, hot topics, and fun crafty things to do.  So, stick around.

Perfect Weather for Lawn Work

Even though we do mow all Summer, the weather yesterday and today, was perfect for raking leaves and doing some of the extras we don't do when it is too hot.  It was actually 59 last night, which kept the house cool most of the day, even though it got up to 85.  Tomorrow will be a repeat of the same.  So, we will be washing walls inside the house, and cleaning up the garage a bit. 

Since we have to also do school, I do a lot of this stuff during school hours by myself.  That is fine, the kids help when they can.  DJ learned to operate the riding mower today, so he is excited about that.  He has been using the push mower since the beginning of Summer.  Tomorrow will be Spelling, Vocabulary and Grammar tests.  DJ will be finishing up his Knight writing assignment, on his blog, and Caitlin will continue reading Dolphins at Sunrise with chapter reviews.  And of course Math.  Speaking of Math, DJ has been going along quite smoothly without any snags.  Until this week, lol.  He can not seem to catch on to Reciprocals.  No matter which way I explain it, he is still unsure.  He has been watching a video, but I think he might appreciate reading a bit more about it.  So, below are three resources that you can use, as well, when your kids get stuck on Reciprocals.  Last year, we used FLVS for Math, and it was awful.  Because, I believe that you should not move on to the next lesson when you do not understand the one you are on, which is what FLVS required, it just did not work for us.  This way he can go over it and over it until he gets it.  He almost got it all the way today.  We will see how it goes tomorrow.

http://www.icoachmath.com/math_dictionary/reciprocal.html
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/58334.html
http://www.mathnstuff.com/math/spoken/here/1words/r/r13.htm

2013/2014 Science Curriculum

By far our favorite subject is Science.  Between 4H, Earth Kids and all the other Science we do with school, we got tons of it.  So, I have saved the best for last.  DJ and our Earth Kids group will be doing Marine Biology, using a 4H project book.  If anyone is interested in it, it is in pdf form, and I can send it to you.  I think for 4H they will be studying water conservation, and we still work on Wetlands with Earth Kids.  Caitlin will be doing all that as well, plus her own Science unit studies, there are 20 total.  Below is the full curriculum for each, with the extra resources at the bottom.

8th Grade Science Curriculum:

Scientific method
Ecology and environment
Conservation
Composition of the earth
Ocean and atmosphere
Weather
Water and its uses
Weathering and erosion
Recycling of resources
Magnetism and electricity
Heat and light
Forces in liquids and gases
Wave, mechanical, electrical and nuclear energy
The earth's movement
Newtons laws of motion
Machines
The atom
Periodic table of elements
Compounds and mixtures
Chemical changes
Astronomy
They universe and milky way
Space and space travel

4th Grade Science Curriculum

Environment of the local region
The insect world
The reptilian world
Plants and animals of the past
Structure of plants
Seeds Ecosystems
Balance of nature
Weather's influences
Weather instruments
Climate
Cause of seasons
Oceans and the hydrosphere
Light and Color

Extra Resources for Science:

http://wwweequalsmcq.com
http://biokids.umich.edu
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
http://www.outdoorbiology.com
http://www.adventuresinmommydom.org
http://www.oceanfutures.org
http://www.nhptv.org
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com
http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
http://www.seasky.org
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org
http://www.naturediscoverycenter.org

Lesson Plan For 9/8/08, A Magazine, Homeschool Book,Spanish Parts Of The Body

Today, I have some interesting things, to share with you, plus my lesson plan for tomorrow.

First is this great Homeschool Book, called The Unofficial Guide To Homeschooling, by Kathy Ishizuka. My husband signed this out, at our local library, for me to read. See picture below, this book is chock full of information. It has all the homeschool laws, for each state. It has tons of website links, that offer reduced, or free resources. It also has, insider secrets, money saving techniques, time saving tips, the latest trends, handy checklists and charts. This book is a great read for anyone who homeschools, is thinking of homeschooling, or even for people who need some advice on giving their children a little extra help in school.

Next, is this great magazine, my husband bought at the supermarket the other day. I go to the supermarket often, and I have never seen this particular magazine. It is called Wonder Time, and is both a parenting magazine, and a magazine a young reader might like to read. It is not geared toward homeschooling, in particular, but it does have great ideas for parenting, school in general, crafts, nutrition, etc. I thought it was kind of expensive at 4.95, but there was info I could use again, so it was ok.

After finally, finding my Spanish software, we have added Spanish, back into our lesson plans. This week, we are studying parts of the body. The pages shown, are picture dictionaries, scanned onto my computer. You can print them, and use them, if you like. The software is called Instand Immersion Spanish, The Euro Method, and I purchased it at Walmart, for not an expensive price. It is a 2 disc set, for beginners, and advanced speaking. It is simple to use, and fun too. We already mastered colors, and numbers to 10, so we have skipped those two sections. If anyone is interested in those picture dictionaries, just post a comment, and I will post them for you to print for your own use.

One last thing, I would like to add, about useful sites. Busy Teachers Cafe, has great free printables, for clever writing ideas, for younger children. They list them as daily assigments, for every day of the week. They are great, you should check them out.

Lesson Plan for Monday 9/8/08

Reading- Read Chapter 4 of Dinosaurs Before Dark.
Writing- Imagine you have a fairy god mother.
Spanish- Parts of the body.
Music- If time permits, I can play piano
Spelling Lesson 2- ice, pick, gone, case, faces, cage, magic, age, wagon, give, giant, once, danger, places, climb.
Vocab List Lesson 2- ice, cage, magic, age, wagon, give, giant, once, danger, climb
Math- Multiplication, addition, subtraction, greater than and less than.
Language Arts- Sentences, plural nouns, phonics review
Beavers Themed Unit I do have this saved to my computer, if anyone is interested in it, just comment me, and I will upload it for you to print.

Free Transportation Themed Unit Study

This Mondays School Express free unit study is on Transportation. It is the same one from last week, except this week they added a Transportation activity book. Both of these are avaiable for free. The email they sent me says I can share the information. It is a rather large file, so if you are interested in it, just drop me a comment, or email, and I will send it to you via email. If you would like to sign up for the School Express newsletter go to http://www.schoolexpress.com click sign up for free newsletter, then all you have to do is verify via email, and you will get next weeks free themed unit. Tomorrow I will be putting up our school calendar for the 2008/2009 school year. If you need a calendar for your school year, this one will be great for you to print and use. Have a great week.

Monday August 11th: Homeschool Freebie of the Day

Today on Homeschool Freebie of the Day, is a Ebook, called Grammar Land. It is a old book that tells a story of Grammar. It is free to all homeschool freebie of the day members. Not a member of Homeschool Freebie of The Day, then go here, and sign up for their free newsletter http://homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/ It is that simple, and bingo you are a member. Every Monday they will send you a newsletter with 5 days of different freebies. This week there is a bonus freebie, for members only called How To Teach Phonics: The First Four Years. It is again a completely free ebook. I have checked both of these out, and have kept them both. So go sign up for your free newsletter, and start getting these great freebies, every week in your email inbox.

Our Local Library: 3 Rivers Florida Library

We use our local library, often for lots of different things. My daughter, hopefully, will be attending their free preschool class once a week starting in the fall. They have a nice variety of books, friendly service, and if they dont have what you want they will get it for you from one of their other network libraries. It is a small library, but they do offer a quiet place to study, do research on one of the computers, or just read and browse their selection of books. My kids love going to the library, every other week, and choosing all new books to read and learn. DJ, will always pick me a book, and I am always curious as to what he gets. He usually picks me a cooking book, gardening book, or a gemstone book. Sweet Huh. Your local library, can be your best friend. I cant stress how important they are, in our community.

http://www.3rivers.lib.fl.us/

Teacher Created Resources

I received this catalog, in the mail yesterday, for Teacher Created Resources. I have no idea how I got on their mailing list, but I am sure glad I did. They have tons of great learning, and creative teaching options. Their prices are very reasonable, and quite low compared to others I have seen. If you want to check out their website, and possibly get a catalog for yourself, go to http://www.teachercreated.com Another very good website, I would like to tell you about is Busy Teachers Cafe. I found their site, while looking for writing tips, for young children. Their site is geared for k-6, and they offer a free monthly calendar, of writing ideas. They have other great things, as well, but the writing ideas is what I use the most. Check them out at http://www.busyteacherscafe.com