Ok so our curriculum isn't working for us at the moment. I kinda threw things together on the fly and well it's a fight to get DS to do anything during the day. So I'm thinking of changing the course of things for the summer while I research and get the money together for curriculum that I think will work for him / us. I'm thinking of going the unit study approach for the summer, but I'm not even sure how or where to start. He wants to learn about Space and I figure we could spend a few weeks on it. But how do I incorporate all areas of learning? He's already working at a 2nd grade level, and he's not due to enter 2nd grade until fall. So we are already ahead. So stopping where we are and taking a different approach while I figure things would won't hurt us at all. So does anyone have any good links, resources, help for doing a unit study. Thanks
I have a Space unit at TheSimple Homeschool. It is for grades K-3 and has lot of different activities for kids to do. You can check it out here: http://www.the-simple-homeschool.com/simple-schooling-space.html
You could use the Magic School Bus Chapter Book on Space as a spring board. And there's LOTS of stuff at places like edhelper, enchanted learning. OH...and a FREE unit over at www.learningpage.com which is all about space, has fact files, science, Language Arts and Math. You just need to register your email address. OH...and DO check out Colorado Mom's stuff too - her Simple Days units are really cute...I've used a few of the freebies she's given out, and my kids like them!
I love CM's stuff.... But there is also some cool stuff from Amanda Bennett..... we did her Christmas one and I loved it! Here's one on SPACE - and she has levels - so the vocab words and work will be seperated for the different ages.
My son and I have been working though this free lapbook off/on for awhile. We printed everything out and use library books and internet sites like Nasa. He loves it.
The Magic Treehouse series also has a space book - I think it's #8, "Midnight on the Moon". There may or may not be nonfiction guide to it. Visit an observatory. Math problems in space. If it is x miles from the sun to Mercury, y miles from Mercury to Venus, how far is it from the sun to Venus? An oxygen tank has 60 minutes of oxygen. If an astronaut uses 30 minutes on a spacewalk, how many minutes of oxygen does he have left? Etc. American History - read nonfiction books about the US Space program; world history would be books on the Soviet space program as well. "October Sky" is a great movie, and a true story; Homer Hickem (sp?) went on to work for NASA. It depends on your son's movie watching. My 6 yo will sit thru more than my almost-8 yo. You guys can build a rocket - if you are really courageous you can build an actual bottle rocket and see what flies better (science), but we have a nice air pump; if you have a bicycle pump or something you might be able to use that to make a rocket fly. Painting, clay models for art. Make charts of planetary information - that's math (charts and graph) and science combined. If he likes fiction, he can write a story - or stories - about exploring space. Nonfiction - brief report on planets, what his favorite planet is and why, etc. Google your county or city and "astronomy club" and there is a good chance you'll find one nearby. Most of them have stargazing nights, free and open to the public, and astronomers are great; you don't have to bring a telescope, and they'll let you look thru theirs most of the time. Just a few off-the-cuff ideas.
Thanks guys! I'm still trying to figure out which way to go. I think we are going to finish up this week and take a few weeks off while momma figures things out. I was thinking about doing my own curriculum for next year but I'm just not sure about it. Hopefully DH gets a job soon and I can buy what I want for next year. I keep going back and forth. Oh and he changed his mind and wants to do weather now. LOL With hurricane season coming up, I think it is what we are going to do.
