Sadie's Interactive Math Notebook

We've completed our first full unit of math using an interactive math notebook.  So far, my daughter and I are both enjoying math so much more than ever before!  It does take me a little bit of time to decide what kind of printable/foldable I want to use for each lesson and get it prepared, but it is so worth it to me to see her actually enjoying math class.

For those of you who aren't familiar with interactive notebooks, they are a way of taking notes for a subject in a creative way that is both visually appealing and...well...interactive.  I usually try to create some sort of printable that contains some of the information, but leaves a space for her to finish the "notes".  I also try to choose a fun way to present that information such as a foldable, and using fun fonts & colors.  Don't know what a foldable is?  It's easier for me to show you than to tell you, but basically a foldable can be anything that opens or can be manipulated by the student. It can be used to divide information into groups, or to help the information flow from one step to the next.  Graphic organizers and minibooks can also be used to hold information.  Let me show you what I mean...

I printed out a cover and inserted it into an old 3 ring binder.

I printed out title pages for each section of the notebook.  First is the Table of Contents.

Very simply, list either the title of the lesson or the topic, and the page number as you complete each lesson.

Next comes the body of the notebook; the actual lessons.

Place Value

 

Estimating

 

How to add, subtract, multiply, & divide.

 

Properties of Numbers

 

 Order of Operations

 

Place Value of Decimals

Comparing & Ordering Decimals

 

 

Front End Estimation

Operations with Decimals

Powers of Ten

Story Problems: 4 step plan

Story Problems: clue words

That is the end of the first unit.  We will continue on with subsequent units so that her entire year of work will be accessible in this one notebook.

The last section of her notebook is for vocab words.

Here she writes simple definitions or examples of terms she is unfamiliar with.

Wow!  That was a lot of pictures.  I hope I haven't overwhelmed you, or bored you to tears.  Since we have started using an interactive notebook, I'm always looking online to see what other people are putting in theirs.  I decided it would be nice to post pics of what is inside ours so that others can see it.  Do you use an interactive notebook?  How do you use it? What is your favorite foldable or mini book?  

Karissa

Use Transparencies to Make Lessons More Clear

There are some times when no matter how you present a lesson, your student just can't see the connection.  One of the tools I use to make lessons more clear is transparency sheets.  They are a great way to not only mix things up a bit, but they can make lessons and lesson planning less wasteful, too.  Just be sure to use mirror images when printing.  Here are a few of the ways I use transparency sheets.

Lesson Planning - As I mentioned in my Workbox post, I use transparency sheets in our Workbox file folders.  Each day I write out instructions for every lesson so that my daughter can quickly see what needs to be done for her classes.  At the end of the day, I wipe them clean and write the next day's instructions.  No paper lists to throw away!  I've used the same sheets for 3 years now, and don't see them wearing out any time soon.

Handwriting - When my boys were little I printed out handwriting practice sheets for each of them.  Having twins, it was easy to see just how many sheets of paper were being used up.  When my daughter came along, I wised up and printed her handwriting pages on transparency sheets.  We used them in conjunction with her Doodle Pro for a no mess way for her practice her letters over and over again.  If you don't have a magnetic doodle board, simply use dry erase crayons or markers.

Science - As my youngest is now in 5th grade, classes are getting more complex.  In science, she is currently studying the body systems of animals.  How better to illustrate how all the body systems fit together than with transparency sheets?! I found images of the systems at InnerBody.com, and printed them on the sheets.  She added them to her science lapbook, layering them so that she can view different combinations of systems together.  (Just ignore the ugly packing tape used to attach the sheets to her lapbook.  Sometimes you just use what you have!)

Maps - Whether the class is U.S. History or Government, transparencies are definitely the way to look at how states vote. I found these election maps at NationalAtlas.gov.  Laying one on top of the other makes it very clear which states are red, which are blue, and which are more of a purple.

Early learning - Although I have not done it myself, as you can see from the purple states, layering colored strips of the transparencies blends the colors beautifully.  Print one sheet with 1/3 of the sheet red, 1/3 yellow, and 1/3 blue.  Cut the three colors apart.  Then, leave them out for your preschooler to discover, and watch the magic of the rainbow light up his face.

How will you use transparency sheets to make lessons more clear?

Karissa

Mid-week Morsel: Stencyl Game Studio

The next stop on my list of ways to jazz up our learning this year is at the Stencyl Game Studio.  Stencyl allows users to create their own games, playable on iOS, Android, and Flash without coding (although you can write your own code if you wish).  Character behaviors are customizable using building blocks similar to those used in Scratch.  The freely downloadable program comes complete with resources for creating countless games, and also allows users to import their own resources to create truly unique games.  The Crash Course game and tutorial has you making your first game in minutes.  There is also an extensive "Stencylpedia" available to answer any questions you may have.  Once you have made your amazing new game, you can make it available in the App Store or Google Play Store.  You can also display the game on your website or blog.  BLiP is just one of many games available in the App Store created using Stencyl.  Of course, if you want you can simply play the game on your computer as well.  What will you and your children create?

Karissa

Mid-week Morsel: Zooburst Digital Storytelling

As I continued my search this summer for ways to make school more fun, I set out to find a way to motivate my reluctant writer.  After numerous searches (that I couldn't retrace if I tried), I stumbled upon a website that was just what I had been looking for; Zooburst.  I was familiar with sites like Storybird and MediaChalk that allow users to create digital stories, but Zooburst takes digital storytelling to the next level. Users can create pop-up books either from preloaded clip art, or art they upload themselves.  I like having the option to upload our own art, particularly if my children have a specific topic they are to write about.  As I said, I was looking for a way to encourage my reluctant writer.  What I didn't expect to find was a creative and interactive way for the kids to study & display what they have learned.  Check out this great Zooburst story reviewing math's order of operation rules...

One final note:  as with many great sites, Zooburst offers some of its features free, however other features are only available to paying subscribers.  Oh, and they have an iPad app also.  What cool tools have you found to keep your children excited about learning?

Karissa

Working on Behavior

One of my favorite tv shows is NBC's Parenthood.  There are so many times when I burst out laughing because I can totally relate to something said or done on the show.  I had one of those moments while watching the episode "Trouble in Candyland" during which one mom asks another about how she gets her son to behave and cooperate.  "Bribery," she replies.  "We call it an incentive program, but it's really just bribery."  While there is some debate about the technical differences between bribery and incentives, I found myself nodding in agreement, and laughing out loud.

The final piece of the school at home puzzle is behavior management.  You can't be an effective instructor, and your child can't be a receptive student if you both are constantly battling behavior issues.  We have created a new incentive program at my house, and so far...it's working.  I'm calling it Working on Behavior.  My daughter is 9, but very much wants to get a job so she can earn some money.  We don't offer allowances at our house, but I won't go into the details of that decision right now .  We do, however want to fulfill her need to get some satisfaction for her hard work, so she and I had a talk about the fact that her school work and household chores are her job for now.

After some thinking and discussing we agreed on this...

She can earn up to $10 per day based on her behavior during school and completion of her chores after school.  At the end of each week, she will receive her paycheck, which she will need to deposit into her account.  She can then use her checkbook to buy rewards from us.  Rewards can be things like extra dessert, staying up late on weekends, or extra tv or video game time.  We also agreed that other rewards can be added to the list as we go.  This allows her to feel more grown up, and gives her more of the things she really wants while teaching her that successes in the working world are linked to performance and effort.  (It doesn't hurt that she is learning to manage money and a bank account at the same time.)

I sat down and made a chart to display how much she is earning each day, an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of her weekly pay, and then linked it with Word documents I created for printing her paycheck, blank checks, deposit slips, and check register.  I formatted all of these documents so that you can download them and quickly fill in your own information.  I set up the spreadsheet to accommodate up to 35 students, and set up the Word documents as mail merge templates so that you can easily print paychecks, blank checks, and deposit slips for multiple children.  Download my Working on Behavior Starter Pack for free.

Last, but not least, please congratulate Melanie S. on winning the Ready-to-read Bundle!  Thank you for the entries I received.

Karissa

Mid-week Morsel: Playing the Stock Market

Even when my children attended traditional public school, it has always been important to me to teach them the things that aren't taught in school.  My 16 year old boys got their first checking accounts this summer, but they've known how to manage and balance a checkbook for several years.  It was one of our summer school topics a few years back.  Now I've found another great resource for my older kids; a free virtual stock exchange! HowTheMarketWorks.com features a stock market game allowing players to practice trading real stocks using imaginary money.  It will make a great addition when we learn about the stock market.  Speaking of which, they also have an education center on their website where both teens and adults can learn the basics of how the market works.

Karissa

Great Days Need Great Starts

Okay, you've chosen your curriculum, set your schedule, and planned your lessons.  You are ready for school to start...or are you?  All your hard work getting the materials ready might not mean anything unless you get you and your student ready to succeed.  Your best chance for success starts with a nutritious and delicious breakfast each day that will wake you both up and fuel your bodies & brains.  There are a few cold cereals out there that actually pack in a lot of vitamins and minerals, but why settle for over-priced, soggy cereal that had to have nutrients added to it, when you can get your nutrition straight from the source?  With three kids of my own, I know that healthy homemade breakfasts that fill you up can be time consuming and expensive.  I've scoured the web and found some mouth-watering ideas to start each day right, without busting the budget, or cutting into your beauty sleep.

Breakfast wraps like this peanut butter and granola wrap are a

very portable way to do breakfast.  Get creative and wrap just

about anything up in a whole wheat tortilla (or in an egg white

omelet).  Here are some ideas to get you started.

Oatmeal doesn't have to be hot, or boring for that matter.  Use this

overnight oatmeal recipe from Betty Crocker to find ways to jazz

up your baby bear's porridge.

Kids love waffles, but most moms don't like the gallon of syrup &

inevitable sugar rush that comes with them.  Making a tasty Carrot 

Cake Waffle Breakfast Sandwich will surely satisfy everyone.

"You know what ELSE everybody likes? Parfaits! Have you ever

met a person, you say, 'Let's get some parfait,' they say"...you

know the rest.  Parfaits are delicious.  Breakfast parfaits made

with either yogurt or cottage cheese, like this Mango Avocado

 Breakfast Parfait, are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Like oatmeal, rice can frequently be thought of as a boring

breakfast.  If you get creative and think outside the box, you can

come up with some new and flavorful ways to have rice for

breakfast.  My Chocolaty Rice Cereal is a special treat that will

wake up your taste buds.

Not all muffins are created equal.  Some are more like dessert, and

others try to be so healthy that you might as well eat raw grains.

Blah!  Either way, they are loaded with carbohydrates.  These

Morning Muffins, on the other hand, are made with more egg than

flour, and contain only 7 grams of carbs.  Make a whole pan and 

have breakfast all week.

What quick and healthy breakfast list would be complete without

smoothies?  Smoothies are so versatile, they can be made to suit

even the pickiest eater.  Peanut butter banana smoothies were my

go to food when my sons went through their picky phase.  Boston 

Magazine recently published a colorful list of 12 healthy breakfast

 smoothies that will start your day off right.

Okay, so quick breads might not be the healthiest item on my

list,but they sure are good.  They don't have to be all that bad,

though.  There are simple recipes to make healthier quick breads,

like this pecan topped pumpkin bread.  My Recipes compiled a list

of 5 irresistible healthy quick breads to give you some ideas.

I hope this list of ideas for delicious and nutritious breakfasts help you and your family start each day right.  If you have any great breakfast ideas that I didn't mention, please post them in the comments below.

Karissa

Mid-week Morsel: Scratch

Most kids aren't too excited to get back to school.  While they may have a favorite subject or two, there are plenty of other less well liked subjects to curb their enthusiasm.  Whether your children attend a traditional public school, are unschooled, or fall somewhere in between, adding something truly fun to their school year can work miracles in terms of keeping up their morale.  I have found several ideas for adding some fun education this year that I will be revealing in upcoming Mid-week Morsels .  The first is Scratch.  What is Scratch?  Their website explains it best..."Scratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation with people from all over the world. As children create with Scratch, they learn to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically. Scratch is designed and maintained by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab."  Scratch is a great free way to introduce your children to the world of programming.  My next idea will be introduced in the August 27th Mid-week Morsel.

Karissa

How We Use Block Scheduling

If you are the parent of a child who goes to school at home, you know what a difference scheduling can make in how smoothly your day flows.  Now that you understand your child's learning style, it's time to consider her personality traits.  Ask yourself questions like, "Does she transition easily between subjects & activities?", "Does she loose interest in activities after a certain period of time?", "Does she feel overwhelmed by the number of classes she has to take?"  Knowing the answer to these kinds of questions will help you decide what type of class schedule will work best for your child.  If you have more than one child, remember, they may all be different.

My daughter does not transition easily between classes, but my boys do.  However, she can stay interested in a topic much longer than my boys (unless we're talking about video games or military history & weaponry).  She is also more likely to feel overwhelmed by having too many classes to complete each day.  Because my children have such different personalities, they also have very different schedules.

I don't really have to do much scheduling for my boys because they are capable of scheduling themselves...which is the ultimate goal.  From time to time one or both of them may put off one class so that they can work longer on another class. They will do this when they are in a groove and don't want to stop, but for the most part they follow a pretty traditional school schedule, working a little on each class every day.  They are both the type of person who feels like he is getting more done if he can quickly cross things off his to-do list.  Give them a longer list of quick things to do, and they breeze through it.

My daughter is just the opposite.  If she saw a list of seven classes to be completed, it wouldn't matter if you told her each class would only take five minutes, she would be overwhelmed.  For her schedule, we use much larger blocks.  Last year, she only worked on one class each day, completing a week's worth of lessons at a time.  That was actually a little too big.  This year she decided she would like to have two classes each day, completing half a week's work for each class. Bigger blocks allow her time to get a lot of work done in a subject without having to "change brains" too often.  Here is our plan for this year:

One of the perks of schooling at home is having flexibility in your schedule.  If after a few weeks of school, we realize that this schedule isn't quite right, we can tweak it a little...or completely trash it and start from scratch.  If you aren't sure what type of schedule is right for your child, check out this free ebook from The Education Alliance at Brown University.  It is written for schools systems, but starts with some great examples of various versions of block schedules and lists pros and cons for each.

What kind of class schedule do you use in your home?  What type of schedule does your local school use?  How is it working for you?

Karissa