Free Online Math

Free math

MasterMath

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Khan Academy - Good for homeschool

By browsing other HE blogs, I've come across a few that have been using 

Khan Academy

I have put it here to bookmark.

Planning for the 2013-2014 Academic Year

Annie will be going back to her primary school to complete her primary schooling, she will be in year 6, the year they get them to practise SATs and them take them. The plan was that she would go back, but secretly I was hoping she would stay at home with me. We have really enjoyed our 6 weeks together, she has built up her confidence, we have learnt so much, but in reality done little 'school work' and yet education has taken place. There has been lots of baking, she follows recipes of quite complicated cakes with little or no input from me. This is Maths and Science at a basic level, the measurements, timing, sourcing ingrediants, temperatures, what tools to use,, cleanliness and hygiene, looking at healthy options for food, exercise and so on. She has written stories using Story Starters by Karen Androla she has done some Math in text book and online, what has jumped out to me was how she struggles at Math, she is apparently on per with where she should be at her age, but is going to have to work hard to make it a level 4. I feel if she comes out then, I need to go back to basics, I want her to be comfortable with Math, not dreading it. At the Moment I'm looking at Math Mammoth specifically the blue series which is topic based rather than level based. I have just drafted a rough plan of when I want 36 weeks, starting in the September of 2013, since I have a son in high school, it will follow alongside for the most part his school holidays, although we will have extra time. Planning will be key, as for me it's the only way it will work, as these 6 weeks have shown that having ideas is not enough, a lot of time is wasted. I'm seriously considering the file crate idea, the best place I've read ablout it is at By Sun and Candelight dawn the author is so organised! The Americans call them file crates and they seem easy to buy over in the US, but here in the UK I'm struggling, I've found this at Staples

It doest look like it comes with the suspension holders though, it's just got the groves to hang them on, so I'm looking for something a bit cheaper.

Jotting down ideas for a Charlotte Mason homeschool...

I still don't know if both girls will be in school in September, or if they will be back at school, or rather Annie will be back at school. So I need to prepare something. I really like Charlotte Mason's ideas,








 see more about her HERE on wiki. 


 More info can be found at CharlotteMason Help Simply Charlotte Mason and the excellent curriculum Ambelside Online 
 Everyone has their own take on it, for the moment I'm going to adapt the ideas as I go along.
A Charlotte Mason Education in a Nutshell 


 So I need to cover Maths, Language Arts (reading, writing, spelling, and grammar which is basically Literacy!) and Science, these are the core subjects. I'd like History, Geography and Bible Study, to be integrated. This would include Nature Study. I like the idea of Artist and Composer Study, but will probably include them in the history, unless I can find a simple schedule. Then there's learning another language, we've chosen French, as a recent trip there has instilled enthusiasm, and Tom is doing GCSE French as one of his options. I have plenty of source material, I just need to make or find lesson plans to tie it together. I've ordered a couple of books on Latin and Greek root words, to help with Vocabulary, will review when received and used.
Pyhsical Education, will take the form of swimming, walks, cycling (must dust off bike!)and exercise dvds. We have proper hula hoops, they are good fun too. Art, will include artists materials, and mediums, I may tie in history and studying an artist in this. Ideally I'd like music to be learning the keyboard.It will be watch this space as I personally have no musical ability what so ever.


That leaves handicraft, which in Charlotte mason's terms was sewing, baking, woodwork, all things I think are important but I'm going to encompass  more into it and call it house-keeping with diy thrown in, that's a bit of a mouthful need to come up with a better name...


Looking back on what I've written, it doesn't look too bad, but it's the scheduling, finding out how much needs to be done, I need to keep it simple and light, to allow for free time and to be able to concentrate more on the things we enjoy, as in Annie's case that would be baking.


This is my starting point, off to do more research.


The above websites are brilliant resources to learn about Charlotte Mason, but I also own many books about her, I do own the Original 6 volume series, but it's rather pricey, if you click on the picture, you will see that

. 


  You can instead read her writings for free HERE

A gentler introduction to CM is the books by Catherine Levison ,

                    


or this book by Karen Andreola

  

How time has flown...

Just a quick update, Tom is at the end of year 9, now starting year 10 work at school. Annie has come out of school for the last 6 weeks of summer term to trial Home-Education, she may finish year 6 back at school, but the plan is she comes home for year 7 onwards. Ruthie, has remained at school, where she is in year 1, depending on what Annie does, will dictate when Ruthie comes back home to be educated too. I'm restarting this blog, to plan and document how we are all doing. I'm looking forwarding to reading all other Home-Educators experiences.

Very pleased

I think I've about sussed the basics now for Tom, this September, ( I may start him in July...shh don't tell him)
He will be in yr7, so age appropriate between 10-12

I've already posted about getting Maths and English sorted. Click on highlighted links to see what I've put.

Now for Science and History

I've just sorted Science



I wanted something that backed up God as Creator, rather than pushing evolution as fact, when it is only a theory. I also didn't want anything preachy! Something that was going to have good grounding for future exams, possibly IGCSE or GCSE.

I came across various curriculum's mainly US based, and finally plumped for Apologia Science you can find sample chapters there.

I bought mine from Conquest Books, they posted the same day as I ordered and I received the books the next day, excellent service!

Apologia is pricey, but I worked out the cost over the year, then divided it between 3 kids , and it seems reasonable then. Although we haven't started it I looked thoroughly through it, just some tiny points that I may adapt or leave out, but that's to do with personal preference nothing more.

It is very good, and covers quite a lot, I'm very pleased with it, I just hope it reaches my expectations, when Tom starts this.

I will use along side where appropriate with Galore Parks, So You really Want To Learn Science Bk 1 found here
It seems quite tame in comparison with Apologia, but it is in it's own right a very good book for yr7 ish Key stage 3, and one of the best I've seen from the UK.

Now for History, I wanted something to follow chronologically with World history and British history.

For World History I'm going to use the Story of The World books.
Book1,
Book2,
Book3,
Book4

There are 4 years worth of books there, I shall start with Book 1, when appropriate I shall use Galore Park History books I have all the junior and the two SYRWTL books here is junior book3
The Galore park books will be my spine for British History along with Our Island Story
With both World History and British History I shall use Encyclopedias to help with research along with any biographies and fiction books along the way.

Just got to get Geography sorted(nearly there with that) plus the very hard job of scheduling lessons plans , making workable schedules...that is what's going to take the time.

Thank you to Anthony.

Some of you will notice I have changed my profile picture. I wanted something that depicted what my children were all about. Initially I was looking at old paintings, then I came across this picture on Anthony's blog. I fell in love with it straight way,because for me, it just so looks like my 3 children!

I emailed Anthony for his permission to use his picture and as you see, he kindly gave his permission :-)

Thank you Anthony.

They are Anthony's kids in the picture, you can see what they painted here just scroll down to Nov 7th

Anthony has done some wonderful pictures, make sure you check his blog out.