Category Archives: Homeschool

Our journey through the US continues! This week, we are studying Massachusetts.

In the mailbox today, the boys found a note card with a few simple facts about the Mayflower:

• It was the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America.
• It docked at Provincetown Harbor in Massachusetts in 1620.

We also talked about how many passengers were on the ship and how long the voyage took.

Under the notecard, there were two baggies with instructions and materials to build their very own version of the famous ship.

The materials were simple:

• 1 piece of tinfoil
• 5 post-it notes
• 10 popsicle sticks
• 5 beads
• 5 toothpicks

They were given 25 minutes to create a boat that would float holding 5 pennies. They could use only the materials listed above.

Jake: I need glue.
Me: No, you can only use the materials in front of you.
Jake: Ok, can I use a stapler?
Me, with a chuckle: Nope.

They had their materials and their mission, so I went into the kitchen to set the timer and wait.

After about 15 minutes, Joe was done.

“I need a container with water Mommy.”

His ship was big. He’d used the whole piece of tinfoil so we decided to fill the bathtub to see if she would float.

Success!

Using a little critical thinking and imagination, he was able to build the ship and make it float.

Joe used the foil, post-its, beads and toothpicks.

Jake used only the foil and popsicle sticks. He needed a little help, so Joe and I worked with him and built a little raft-like boat.

They both had a lot of fun building it and Joe was quite proud of himself…as he should be!

I found this idea on Pinterest–that wonderful resource and terrible addiction.

It’s a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) activity, a challenge to use multiple skills to build a boat that floats with only a few simple materials.

Although they didn’t realize it, they tapped into the majority of these skills with this activity.

Joe was using the scientific method to design and construct the boat. He knew it had to float so he bent the sides of the tin foil up so it wouldn’t take on water.

Although technology did not come into play with this activity, it could easily be modified to include documentation on the computer for recording findings and practicing keyboard skills.

He planned and constructed the boat using his engineering skills to create the boat out of the supplies at hand.

Using his art skills, he decorated his ship with beads on the end of toothpicks. He called these toothpick beads “mayflowers”.

Finally, he used his math skills by forming lines and shapes to build the boat.

This project was designed for older kids, but I modified it to fit the boys’ age and ability level. Jake needed extra help, so Joe and I both assisted him…although Joe was frustrated that Jake kept trying to use the stapler.

“Jake! You can only use the things in front of you!”

Such a stickler for the rules…at least for this project.

Math was a struggle for me in school.

I did ok in Geometry. I took Algebra because it was required. I memorized and studied enough to pass the tests. I never took Calculus or any of the higher level courses…because I didn’t have to.

When I went to college, a general math course was a requirement. The class was in one of those huge auditoriums with at least 70 other students. I passed the class, barely…by studying for hours and memorizing without really ‘getting it’.

When it was over, I breathed a huge sigh of relief that I’d never have to take another math class EVER again.

Then we decided to homeschool and the prospect of teaching math…terrified me.

I tried to quell my fears by telling myself that Ray was good at math and he could handle the more difficult concepts. Or, that we could hire a tutor when it got too difficult.

All I’d have to do was teach them the basics.

But then I realized that I was copping out. If I’m not excited about or interested in math, how could I expect the boys to be? I don’t want to push my negative feelings about math on to their little shoulders.

I also realized that I’d be missing a golden opportunity…for myself.

By working and learning alongside the boys, I would get another chance to learn to love, or at least not loathe math.

After researching different curricula and talking with my homeschool mentor, we took the plunge and ordered the Alpha level of Math-U-See.

What do I like about this curriculum?

The approach.

There is something for every learning style. There are videos for audio and visual learners and manipulatives and worksheets for hands-on learners.

The concepts are taught step-by-step: introduce, review, practice and master.

You don’t move on to the next concept until the student can teach it, demonstrating that they fully understand the logic behind it.

The mantra.

Build it. Write it. Say it. Teach it.

Joe loves being the teacher, so this may be perfect for him.

He loves telling people how to play a game-explaining the rules, demonstrating the play, praising the ‘student’ when they play the right way and repeating the rules when they don’t. Amazingly, he doesn’t get frustrated or hostile when he is teaching a new game to someone.

He loves showing me a new bug he found, telling me about where he found it, what it was doing and what it was eating.

When I introduced our math lesson today, his eyes lit up when I told him he would be teaching Daddy what he learned. It made him more enthusiastic about the lesson.

The videos.

The set came with an instructor’s manual and a dvd along with the student workbook and test booklet.

The videos are wonderful. To prepare for the first lesson, I read the corresponding chapter in the instructor’s manual and watched the video for Lesson One. It was about 15 minutes long.

The manipulatives.

The blocks that come with the set are a lot like legos. There are ‘units’, fives, tens…all the way to 100’s.

This morning, when we watched the video for Lesson One: Place Value, both boys immediately wanted to use the manipulatives to follow along. They were having so much fun!

Jake: Look Mom, two tens!

Joe: Let me do it by myself Mom. I’ll show you.

We’ll spend time working on understanding place value over the next week or more. Joe will progress to Lesson 2 only when he understands and can teach Ray, Jake or me the concept.

Jake will progress only when he can teach Ray, Joe or me the concept. Each will work at his own pace.

And we’ll practice the concepts we learn everywhere we go.