# 1st time homeschooling: Looking for ideas



## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

Well, we did it! today I took the first step in removing my oldest DD (9) from public school. Monday will be her last day to say goodbye to her friends and collect phone numbers and I'll snag her withdrawal certificate.

I went with the K12 program-- I like the options of the curriculum and how it's easily broken down into simple to execute blocks. I was homeschooled through some of elementary and jr. high and my mom pretty much went freestyle so it was mostly unschooling and it didn't do any favors for my math skills. 

She'll be doing basic subjects (+ 1 foreign language) not too shabby for 4th grade. 

I'm going through I think the regular jitters that I am destroying her social life. LOL! She always did "OK" in school and got along well with the teachers but I think she can do much better than "OK"-- she's a smart kid and can handle more than she is given. She wants to be a farm vet someday, and I think the best place to learn those skills is going to be kidding season this winter, and learning about animal care. 


My 1st grader is going to be staying in public school, she is excelling to a much higher level than her sister was and I think at her maturity a traditional environment works well for her, plus I think it'll be easier on her older sister to not have her younger sister dogging her while she tries to concentrate. 

Plan is-- we'll have a common wake up time. DD6 will get on the school bus, DD9 will log on, hour break for lunch and a couple brain breaks. 
If she finishes her daily work before sister gets home, she's going to pick something from a list of educational activities for the week to work on-- I need ideas for this list!

So far-- I have:
-Reading time, we are looking for ideas on good enriching literary books on about a 5-6th grade level. (If I haven't read them before I will be reading them also so we can do discuss, dissect and evaluate. 
Suggestions for books would be GREAT! She wants to read Hunger Games. Maybe at the end of the year I said. LOL. I was reading Narnia books at that age, I was thinking of starting there. 

-Creative writing time, short story or poems

-Critical thinking exercises and brain teasers

-Educational games-- because my kid is of course a gamer. Limit 2 game days per week, otherwise she'll play Oregon Trail every day! LOL
Suggestions for FUN games (not just like math drills) are welcome. 

-Art time, looking for ideas like crafts or projects that teach about different techniques. Not just painting a picture or drawing a horse for an hour. 

The point of this block is to teach that self enrichment is fun too.


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## PNWKatie (Aug 4, 2012)

Congrats! Just be warned it can be addicting. My DD6 spent 6 hours in school today (the state only requires 2.5 for kindergarten), because she wanted to. My DD5 spent about 2 hours in school (and a bit more on and off, but since she's not even "officially" in school at all I figure it was plenty!). 

Fun stuff for education:

learn about other countries? My DD's picked India, Japan, China, Brazil and one other one (sorry escapes me at the moment). They'll look at the culture, some history, fun trivia facts, where it is (geography anyone?), what types of animals are there (they LOVE animals), plan a dinner based on the type of food served in the country, look at the "traditional dress" of the country, etc. They'll watch a few movies on the country, read some age appropriate books about the specific country if we can find them. Lots of stuff wrapped up in one "class". A different country every 6 to 8 weeks. Let your daughter pick them. 

Zoology - If your daughter loves animals this can be a great "unit". Is there a specific type of animal your daughter likes? Do a report on her animal of choice, visit a zoo, or watch some fun video's on youtube, discovery channel, National Geo, etc. Where do they come from, how big do they get, how many are left in the world, what do they eat, habitat, etc. 

For me, the girls learning to LOVE to learn is the biggest thing. We do our online PS like K12 for our core classes and an extra language (right now it's sign language, but they are also learning a foreign language at home that's not available through the online school) then we add in things they like to do as extra work on our own. The most important thing for us was making sure that learning was FUN. They get excited about school and what they are learning, the ASK to have MORE and MORE to do, but I try and limit how much extra the get as actual work, I DO want them to play and be kids!


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

I went with K12 for my second grader, and so far I have loved it. Perfect combo of online and real-life book work. They give optional activiites at the end of most lessons that will help you give a little extra something.


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## PNWKatie (Aug 4, 2012)

We are really enjoying the online schooling as well. My kindergartner gets to start sign language tomorrow as an elective as well as her core classes and our extra "classes" they pick. She's almost through the science and social studies for kindergarten already and they'll send her the 1st grade stuff once she's done. Most of the kindergarten stuff is just review for her since she was homeschooled last year as well. Thankfully the online schools can work with you and advance where they need to and stay on task on things they aren't so strong in. I can't even imagine how bored my kid would be in a B&M kindergarten class this year.


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## farmerestes (Jan 6, 2013)

Book ideas- 
Harriet the Spy, then maybe watch the Nickelodeon version to talk about what film makers change when they translate a book?
Little Home on the Prairie series
The Westing Game- a great age-appropriate mystery
And how about non-fiction books on vet science, or specific animals? Maybe the books about James Herriot (?) the country vet.


Hope I've helped


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

what about 4H club if she wants to be a vet? She would have the opportunity to meet other kids who live on farms and are into animals too. Just a thought. =0)


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## Mattemma (Jan 1, 2013)

Kahn Acad is very useful.My kids use it as part of their Montessori schooling.My dd will probably use it more once she does HS for high school.

http://www.khanacademy.org/

My ds plans to attend a charter school for high school.Isn't it great that we have so many options for our kids? Wish I had those options when I was in school!


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