Some homeschooling miscellany

Just some random things, nothing earth shattering.

Here's a math game I made up for Jamie yesterday; if you're child is just adding and subtracting, you may like it.

1. Make card with numbers and matching symbols on it (I used pumpkin stickers. I know you can do this on the computer, but I do things, not last minute, but spontaneously, and Jamie helps. It reinforces lower math skills. That's it). We made cards from 1 - 12, because 12 is hard, only 10 fingers you know.


2. Lay them face down (blank side up) like a number line.

3. Use your handy 12 sided die (if you homeschool, get lots of die. It also helps, shout out to my BIL, to make Chutes and Ladders go faster).

4. Turn over whatever number comes up.

5. Roll again. Jamie has to decide. Add or subtract, then by how much. If he has trouble, he can count the stickers. Since the cards are laid in a number line, he can then count up or down to the answer. It seems like magic.

6. Continue bringing this game up until it doesn't seem like magic anymore :-)

Jamie has a favorite poem, his first:

Adventures Of Isabel

Isabel met an enormous bear,
Isabel, Isabel, didn't care;
The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous,
The bear's big mouth was cruel and cavernous.
The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you,
How do, Isabel, now I'll eat you!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry.
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She washed her hands and she straightened her hair up,
Then Isabel quietly ate the bear up.
Once in a night as black as pitch
Isabel met a wicked old witch.
the witch's face was cross and wrinkled,
The witch's gums with teeth were sprinkled.
Ho, ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed,
I'll turn you into an ugly toad!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry,
She showed no rage and she showed no rancor,
But she turned the witch into milk and drank her.
Isabel met a hideous giant,
Isabel continued self reliant.
The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid,
He had one eye in the middle of his forehead.
Good morning, Isabel, the giant said,
I'll grind your bones to make my bread.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She nibbled the zwieback that she always fed off,
And when it was gone, she cut the giant's head off.
Isabel met a troublesome doctor,
He punched and he poked till he really shocked her.
The doctor's talk was of coughs and chills
And the doctor's satchel bulged with pills.
The doctor said unto Isabel,
Swallow this, it will make you well.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She took those pills from the pill concocter,
And Isabel calmly cured the doctor.

Ogden Nash

I am considering our post Christmas curriculum. Everything is going well, but I feel like Jamie needs more. Right now, we are pretty basics driven, reading, math, and an another, a unit, whatever catches his, or my fancy. Right now, it's Thanksgiving, and will be Christmas around the World, which should dovetail nicely with the "you're not getting as much this Christmas, see gross consumerism isn't what it's about in lots of places" theme we have going for this (and future) Christmases. Fridays are a catch all day, art and (sometimes) Chinese. I have had no real curriculum from Chinese, so I have been making it up from free websites and one video. He understands there is this other language called Chinese. That's another post.

Anyway, I'm trying to decide. Adding history, an easy choice, maybe Tues. and Thurs. (since Weds. we go to book club, those days are already rushed) or more writing, or both. He doesn't do a lot of writing (creative, letters, summaries, etc)., but he's 5. History would be easy simply because it would be, more or less, done. Additionally, my own history education was, hmm, abysmal, so I'm interested in improving it. And, of course, writing can be incorporated into everything, which is what I've done so far. But, is that giving writing short shrift?

I do understand, of course, that he's 5. Chances are, I won't ruin him with any decision except turning him off. Decisions, decisions.