Next Week's Learning Goals

Parenting and Education (Other) Homeschooling
1

If anyone is interested, here are my learning goals for the next week (or possibly two). I’d would love to hear what your goals are as well!

Science
Understands how polar bears keep warm
Can identify/name basic Arctic animals
Can identify/name basic Antarctic animals
Can sort Arctic and Antarctic animals
Understands what camouflage is
Is familiar with how several Arctic/Antarctic animals camouflage
Knows at least one fact about each Arctic/Antarctic animal studied

Geography
Can locate Antarctica on a map
Can locate the Arctic circle on a map
Can locate 25 countries on the world map
Can locate all Canadian Provinces on Canada map
Is familiar with appearance/homes of Arctic peoples

Math
Can identify the widest/wider/narrowest/narrower of a pair or group
Can sequence narrowest to widest
Can identify the thickest/thicker/thinnest/thinner of a pair or group
Can sequence thinnest to thickest
Can predict which of two objects will be heavier or lighter
Can choose the group of items with more/less/most/least

Language Arts
Can recite “The Caterpillar” by Christina G Rosseti
Can define “noun”
Can define common nouns, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousin.
Can identify the letter (the capital) that makes a noun a “proper noun”
Can read 20 sight words
Can say the sounds made by the letters b, c, f, h, m, p, r, s, and v.
Can read all cvc “at” family words (bat, cat, fat, hat, mat, pat, rat, sat, vat)

Foreign Language
Can say the Chinese word for “cold”
Can say the French word for “cold”
Can name 5 objects in Chinese
Can name 5 objects in French
Can sing one French song
Can sing on Chinese song
Can sign “cold” in ASL
Does the ASL actions to “Humpty Dumpty” (wall, fall, horses, men, together, again)

Bible
Can name the first man and woman God created
Can name where the first man and woman lived
Can tell why Adam and Eve had to leave Eden
Can tell who told Eve to eat the apple
Can recite Genesis 1:1
Can recite James 1:17
Says evening prayer alone at least one time

Music Theory/History/Appreciation
Can tap one simple rhythm
Can choose between a C and F when hearing the notes played
Can identify portraits of Beethoven and Bach
Can choose composers portrait (between Beethoven and Bach) based on recited facts
Is familiar with the music of Beethoven
Is familiar with “throat singing”

Performing Arts
Can perform three basic tap dance steps
Can perform the basic Cha Cha step
Can play one guitar chord (Em?) while holding guitar in proper position

Art
Is familiar with the works of Van Gogh
Can name at least three Van Gogh works
Can identify Van Gogh From a portrait
Knows at least three facts about Van Gogh
Knows what secondary colours combined primary colours make

Phys. Ed.
Can do three yoga positions when named
Can play one game on the Zippity

Misc.
Can play a basic mouse control game
Can differentiate between left and right

2

Wow! Do you make a list like this EVERY week?

3

Well, I usually do it for a longer period, but I plan to start doing every two weeks to keep on track! :slight_smile:

Both of my girls really love to learn and I feel I have been doing the a great injustice by not keeping on top of things.
Hopefully clearly outlining our goals on a regular basis will remedy that!

4

Good for you! I’m jealous, I wish I had this kind of dedication!
Hey, side note, were in Canada are you?

5

I’m in Ontario - you? I seem to recall you being in Winnipeg, but maybe I’m going crazy…?

6

Yep lovely Winter-peg.

7

Hey, Waterdreamer!

Maybe we should petition SarahJean to move out here and we can start a Co-op. She could be Chair and organize our lives for us :slight_smile: lol

8

I’d LOVE to do that! Move to Ontario!!! :slight_smile: I’ve been searching for people to do a co-op with here!

9

What Curriculum do you use and/or how do you decide what to teach?

10

Anne,

I don’t use any particular curriculum and my choices on what to teach are based on what I feel the girls are capable of/what they are interested in. There are a few books/curriculum I use to flesh out my goals.

Science

  • Most of our science is based on a bi-weekly theme that I choose. Usually, this theme is based on something that Lily is interested at the time or something I think she will enjoy. This week, as you may guess, is Polar Regions.
  • There is also a really great preschool science site that we pull from for experiments - http://www.teachpreschoolscience.com/index.html. Don’t forget when you’re doing experiments to start the vocabulary and routine of the scientific process now!
  • As for learning the animals, I will make both a powerpoint for each region and a set of flashcards.

Geography

  • When it comes to learning what countries to locate in a given week, I just choose arbitrarily.
  • As you can see, if there is a place that relateds to out thematic study we will also learn to locate it.

Math

  • We are following the standards in Book One of the Complete Canadian Curriculum (meant for grade one students). We obviously don’t physically do the worksheets (though I suppose you could). We instead do fun activities based on the concepts presented in the book.

Language Arts

  • We are following “First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind” (also for grade one) which is where the first few goals come from. This is mostly English Grammar lessons.
  • For sight words, we are using the Little Reader trial at the moment in combination with our homemade flashcards that we usually use.
  • For phonics, I am simply choosing a CVC word family each week.

Foreign Language

  • We have chosen to begin with French, Chinese, and ASL because they are the languages that I have some proficiency in. Also, Lily was born in China (Chinese), we live in Canada (French), and ASL helps to tie the languages together.
  • We are waiting for Little Pim to arrive to add to our lessons

Bible

  • For our bible story, we use the “My First Message” bible. I then create corresponding comprehension questions and choose a craft to do.
  • As for our verse, I chose a list of verses that I thought could be understood and applied by a toddler and we work on one each week.

Music Theory/History/Appreciation

  • We use rhythm and music note flashcards
  • I choose a composer to add to our listening library each week.

Performing Arts

  • Lily LOVES to dance! I’m just teaching her some basics right now.
  • Lily really enjoys music, particularly guitar because she sees so many people around her playing. I will add chords as I feel she’s ready.

Art

  • We have an art curriculum on the way (Artistic Pursuits - As They SEE It). In the meantime we are arbitrarily choosing an artist to study.

Phys. Ed.

  • We don’t get out much, so we do simple yoga and active console games at home.

Misc.
-Anything I feel we should learn that doesn’t fit into the other categories.

  • I also often make printable learning games for us to play, based on our theme.

I hope this helps - feel free to ask any more questions you might have!!

11

Thanks!

12

Thank you very much for sharing! You are so organized! May I ask how old your kids are? :slight_smile:

13

Always happy to help!

My girls are 24m, 11m, and we have another due in February!

14

Well job! If you want more info on how to start a co-op let me know. I would be glad to help you since I started one years ago. And if you are interested in taking a free homeschooling 101 class then see the topic in the homeschooling board on here. Keep up the good work and if you don’t have a blog let me encourage you to start one so you can keep all of your weekly schedules on like blogspot.com and then create a book from all of your schedules. You cna create a book of all of your blog content through blogspot, it is resonably cheap as well.
Well K to you!

15

Hi MOF,

I would love more info on starting a co-op! You can PM me with more info.

I do actually have a blog already - www.teachcooklove.blogspot.com . I’ve let it lapse for the past 6 months or so, but I’m going to try to schedule in a few blocks of time a week to keep it up to date.

I am really good at planning and organizing(sometimes not so great at executing though( so I have considered writing a book. You never know - maybe some day!

16

Okay now, SarahJean, give it to me straight.

Canadian to Canadian.

Is this a WISH list or a “Yep Fershur” List? Are these things you are going to bust your behind to get accomplished in a week or just be pleasantly surprised if it happens? Are you going to be upset with yourself if it doesn’t go as planned? Do you do other things with your kids - story time, music class, gymnastics, play groups or are you at home 7 days a week?

Am I the only one out there that is both impressed and depressed by SarahJean’s list? …because I’m feeling like a bad mommy right now. I’m just not seeing it happening in my house…and you have TWO kids - and are pregnant!!! - I’ve got ONE. Tell me that biologically you have some superhuman genes…please…tell me that. And if you do, grab a kleenex box, put on your cape and fly over right now for some tea and consoling - my little one will be asleep for another 30 minutes. Come NOW!

17

LOL Kizudo! No super-human genes here!!

Now, let me answer your other questions:

  1. Let’s call it a “very likely to accomplish” list. And my aim is for two weeks, if we get some of them done in the first, I may add a few things to the next week. I feel like posting my list here and documenting our progress will make it all the more likely that things actually get accomplished.

  2. I will definitely not be upset if it doesn’t go as planned! When does anything EVER go as planned! LOL I do know that even if things don’t go as planned, we will have tried very hard and still learned so much.

  3. We do spend a lot of time at home. We used to do Salsa classes, but that ended and we sometimes go for play dates. We also go swimming once a week or so as a family and go to the library for new books. I would like to take them out more often, but it’s difficult, as I have no support network where we live. We go out about 2-3 times a week as a family, often travelling on the weekends.

  4. Don’t feel like a bad Mommy!!! I’m sure your little one is brilliant! Really, if I showed you a photo of my floor and kitchen counter right now you would totally understand. With the kids, spending quality time with hubby, cooking, and my photography side-business, cleaning somehow always lands last on the priority list. I’m really working on achieving a balance there!

  5. Although I have no cape I do have lots of tea and I wish I could come!! I can’t seem to find any like-minded Mommies to play with in my area and it’s a tad depressing!

I may start blogging about how we go about our activities in a day (if I can find the time), maybe having a model to follow will make it seem less overwhelming?

Keep watching this thread and my blog to see if we are successful! LOL

BIG HUGS!

18

yes…blogging about it would be helpful - especially if you include a few “wow! that did not go as planned” stories - good and bad…

I guess part of my anxiety right now is that we’re out 3 mornings a week (gymnastics, library & music) - four if I’d take him to the FREE French play group…and that’s not even including any play dates. With the traveling to and from and maybe stopping for groceries or a quick hello at daddy’s work, there is no “learning” time left in the mornings and after his nap is not exactly prime time. I squeeze in what I can but I fear a list like yours would just make me feel like I’m always missing the mark…watching/reading a “blow by blow” of your day in a blog would be nice.

What I’ve done:
I have 3 binders - math, language, fine motor In them I have mini-lessons planned - paperwork and manipulatives in plastic sleeves. When I have a moment and he’s eager to learn I grab a binder pull what’s at the top out and go with it. I never get through the entire binder every week, but what doesn’t get done is just at the top of the binder for the next week. Every weekend I put in new stuff - so it never gets too full but there’s always something thought out to do.

19

Don’t worry I have LOTS of “Wow…that did not go as planned!” moments!!

It sounds like you have the perfect plan for your family schedule! :slight_smile:

We were out a LOT more in the last city we lived in. We went to a Mandarin play group, Salsa Baby classes, two different play dates, and church each week.

In my perfect world, I would have a little studio in my house where I could teach Kindermusic, baby signing classes, Salsa Babies, and baby aerobics. That way my children could get lots of activities in, but I wouldn’t have to haul them all over the place without help from hubby! Maybe one day…

20

Wow! Lots of neat ideas!

And I’m impressed and depressed too. :stuck_out_tongue:

I didn’t start early education with my children quite as early as most of you, but I’ve recently printed out the learning objectives for Kindergarten in my state. I’m hoping to frame some lesson plans for my 3 year old using those as a starting point.