Guest Post: Internet Kids Road Trip

I was excited to learn about this book. Welcome Anna Blake to Ohio Homeschooling this week!

The story behind our family project started about 12 month ago when our home office computer was badly damaged by a ransomware virus. We lost most of our photos and important documents due to gruesome act of the hackers.

At the time, our son Max was only 6 months old, and some of the photos we lost were his newborn one’s. So, that virus not only damaged our files, it stole our most precious memories.

That’s when it hit me, in a world where electronic devices have become our best friends, it’s inevitable for our kids to follow our footsteps. As we all know, the online world is full of dangers, be it sex offenders, identity theft, or ransomware viruses, our kids are as vulnerable as ever. I guess because we just recently had our first kid, both me and my hubby became especially paranoid about kid safety. Plus, all those scary stories you see in the news on daily basis.

Did you know that law enforcement officials estimate that more than 50,000 sexual predators are online at any given moment?

After surveying dozens of parents that we personally knew with kids ages 6-10, we realized that 90% of them do not supervise their kids’ online activities, and those that do, do not educate their kids about risks associated with the online world. However, all of them showed interest in our idea of an educational book that talks to kids through a captivating storyline and colorful illustrations about the internet. I guess it’s easier for all of us to let some book educate our kids instead of us doing it in person :)

That’s how “Internet Kids - Road Trip”, a book about staying safe online, was born. From the getgo we’ve decided that both printed and electronic versions of the book will be absolutely free (we even pay for shipping). This way, we can get it into as many hands of little girls and boys as possible.

During the past few months, we’ve worked with a published kids book writer to come up with a storyline and address all safety concerns that we’ve collected from our mommy surveys. My husband and his very talented sister hand drew all characters and came up with the illustrations. For a while our home looked like a publishing house, with hand sketches all over my kitchen countertops, bathrooms and even under our pillows. Max would steal them from the office desk and try to hide pages whenever he could.

I’m happy to say that our first batch of 1,000 books is currently in print (YAY!) and we have a waitlist of schools that agreed to distribute them to their students. Still, that is just a drop in the huge ocean of readers nationwide that will hopefully benefit from it. Meanwhile, we’ve started to work on our next book series, focusing on another touching subject, kids bullying.

As Kofi Annan once said, “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.”

I wish all of you and your families to stay safe and have wonderful experiences such as family road trips :)

If you would like to get a free copy of “Internet Kids - Road Trip” book, please visit: www.antivirus.best/book

About Anna Blake

Anna is a stay at home mom, wife and owner of very demanding cat, from sunny Chatsworth, California. When she is not busy chasing her 2 year old around, you can find her trying out new salad recipes or re-watching favorite chick-flick movies.

Together with her hubby they educate kids and adults about internet safety through their website and recently created an educational children's book "Internet Kids - Road Trip".

Presenting Math Samples in Different Ways!

When I say the words "math sample," what comes to mind?  I am guessing
this:

Math worksheet

That is a great example, but today I want to look at other ways you can show progress in math by math samples.   Many families ask me how to show progress in math. They might be unschoolers, or families who just participate in more real-life math.  I am hoping this gives everyone a new vision on the words "math sample."

Maybe your student has worked hard on building something.   What about sending me a picture or a copy of the plans they drew up to make it?   Like a garden, a design for a table, or a plan for a fort.  All of these involve math and are excellent work samples.

Maybe you play a math game with your student.

Maybe you use Khan Academy and you could send a screen shot of what you have done this year. Here are some directions to do this.  

Or maybe a math app progress report.

Maybe a picture of your child measuring something, or using a white board to solve problems.  How about a video of them talking about how they solved a math problem.  There are so many options.  You can always email me for more ideas. 

I hope this gets you started!
~Becky

photo credit: Small bench via photopin (license)

photo credit: Fort Plans via photopin (license)

Unschooling/Freestyle Assessments

Reposted from last year.

I really enjoy reading the freestyle assessments I receive.  They are so interesting.   People often ask me for some ideas on what to write and send.  The following is what I have shared with them. Hopefully it will help you as well.  

I have seen freestyle assessments written in many different ways.  The key thing is to show the progress your child has made from last July/August to now.  Ohio law says the child must make progress within their ability.  So when I do this for my kids I try to think through the following questions.  How have they changed? What can they do now that they could not do a few months ago, several months ago, and a year ago?   What do I have demonstrates this? (pictures, samples etc.)  Lastly, what can I share that communicates this?  

As far as writing up the assessment, I have seen them set up by subject, by project, and just sharing progress. The following are some ideas to get you started.  I think once you get started you will be surprised at how much you have to share.

If you write by subject you might write about the following.  I am going to give many examples to choose from.  Please do not feel you need to use all of them.  These are to spur your thinking about your year. 

Reading:  Share the books your child has read or you have read to them. Maybe share a series they are into like the Boxcar Children, Arthur, or Henry and Mudge.  What magazines do they enjoy reading?  Is there a web sites they enjoy visiting and reading?  What your child is reading now versus the beginning of the year communicates the progress they have made. 

Writing/Handwriting If your child is writing tell me what they are writing. Tell me if they are making lists, writing their name,  writing stories, labeling pictures, writing letters etc.  If they are older, tell me about their creative writing, poetry, or journaling.  Send me a sample.   Do they write a blog, email letters to Grandma, or maybe record in a nature journal?   Tell me about it, send me a link, or take a picture of it.

Math: Share how your child is telling time, working with money, adding or subtracting, multiplying or dividing, using percents, and/or measuring.  Tell me about activities your child participates in like cooking, grocery shopping, or building with blocks or LEGOS ©.  Share games with me that you play that involve math.   If you happen to do any worksheets you can always send in one from the beginning of the year and the end. 

Science/Social Studies/History/Art/ Music/PE: For younger kids you might share experiences to demonstrate progress.  You write  about the museums you have visited, zoo visits, park trips, neighborhood walks, nature walks, music lessons, and any sports your child may participate in.  Do you attend the YMCA to swim each week?  Do you attend an art class?  Tell me about books they have read or you have read together, if they have completed any projects, or art work your child has created.  This is a great place to include pictures.   For older students share what they have learned this year, a class they have taken, and/or a research project they have been working on.  Having your child write a summary of what they have learned is a fantastic way to demonstrate progress.  

Another way share your student's progress is to write up your assessment by project.  For instance you worked on a community or family garden together.  You discuss how you preplanned by getting books from the library and  reading about plants, your internet research, the garden store you visited,  how you measured the rows, how you prepared the soil, did you count the plants, if you sold them the skills you used,  and anything else that your child learned.  You might include pictures of your child working in the garden, some notes your child took while researching, and a list of books your child read.  You might share the 1-3 projects that your family used to facilitate learning for the year.  Then maybe you share about trips, nature walks, park visits, any type of lesson, and art you do.

Recently, I have had families submit Power Point presentations to me.  They take pictures and write up the progress their student has made.  For instance, a stack of books their student has read, pictures of the art they have made, pictures of a math program or their student cooking with an explanation of the learning happening, or videos with their child playing an instrument, working on a project, or accomplishing a hobby.  Just an idea if you are proficient with Power Point.

You are trying to showcase what your child has accomplished this year.  Usually when I sit down and think about all we have  learned, I am excited about the progress my kids have made.   If you are working on learning most days you have made progress. This is your chance to celebrate by sharing it with me.

If I can help you in anyway let me know. Link to Freestyle Assessment
Becky
ohiohomeschool@gmail.com

Math Programs I have Loved. . . . Miquon Math

A few months ago I found a set of Miquon Math books at a thrift store.  It was quite a moment in thrifting history.  Now to tell you why I was so excited and why I like this math program.

I was first introduced to this program through Sonlight.  They recommended using it.  I was intrigued and bought one for my son.  I love this math program, because it is how I want to think, and want my kids to think.  It is the type of program where you  experiment and try to several different ways to do 3 x 3.  (3+3+3; 3x3; 27 x 1/3) You use manipulatives, find patterns,  and you experiment with math.  I enjoy working through the pages with my kids.

Their site describes the program in the following way:

Based on the belief that mathematical insight grows out of observation, investigation, and the discovery of patterns, the six workbooks of the Miquon Math Materials lead children through an exploration of mathematical relationships. Concrete models are not supplements to the written work but instead are the basis of it and are used continuously.

It just speaks to me.  But, it has not spoken to all my children.  My daughter who uses Teaching Texbtooks was annoyed by all the experimenting.  She wants to complete her math and be finished.  My son on the Autism Spectrum did not really like it either.  Just so you know.

It is a low cost program.  You could start with one book to see if it would work for your kids.  This part of the series is for grades 1-3(1-4).  They also have a Keys to Program.  More about that another time.  They have some downloadable forms on the web site you can check out as well.

Just some more math thoughts.  Have a great day!

~Becky~

Planning for Next Year: Book of Lists

I enjoy learning more about homeschooling.   My grandmother who recently passed away last year continues to inspire me.  She took Belly Dancing and Bar Tending in her 70's and 80's. She went to different lectures on topics up until her death at age 95.  Once she  told a friend who did not want to go to a topic," What are you going to have to contribute if this topic comes up in conversation?"  I believe he was speechless. 
For me a great source of homeschooling information is the public library.  I went to the 371's in non fiction  and looked around on the shelves.  I found  The Homeschooling Book of Lists there.  I think it is worth a look from your library.  It is from 2008 so it is not the most up to date resource out there, but I did enjoy looking through it. It talks about many topics in homeschooling briefly.  It is a good springboard for learning new things.   
I also learned  they have a web site called the Homeschooling Link.   It is a resource I was not familiar with.  I just started to explore the site, and learned quite a bit.   I think my Grandmother would be proud of me.
Enjoy the week
Becky 

Article on my son. :-)

This is an article on my son.  I thought you might enjoy.  He asked me if he could teach a class at our local library on origami and make an exhibit.  They were very open and everything went from there. 
More tomorrow on planning.
Becky

Planning for Next Year: Links from John Hopkins CTY

I am trying to plan during the month of July.  I am searching out some new links and new ideas for next year.  We try to plan most of the year before August as it seems to make the year go more smoothly.  We do not plan in stone, but plan to give ourselves a road map.  We still take some detours and correct our route, but we try to aim for a destination.  Though that destination has a way of changing through the years.

In planning I found that the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth has some wonderful links on their web site.  If you click here you will see the main page of links.   My favorite page of links was this one.  The resource page includes links  for twice exceptional children, links to articles, and publications.  I found it very helpful.   It had a wide variety of resources that is worth checking out if you have a gifted child, a child with a learning issue, or just to learn more about what is available online in the world of learning.

I hope your road map continues to develop and become more interesting.  For me a little planning everyday is more helpful than hours all at once.

Happy Planning!
Becky

Planning for next year: All through the Ages

We are trying to finish up our planning for next year.  I discovered this resource that I really like.   It is called All Through the Ages by Christine Miller.  I bought it it directly from the publisher Nothing New Press.  They also have an ebook version.  I noticed one of my favorite homeschool stores, Lamp Post Homeschool Store,   carries it too. 

It is a very helpful book for planning your history curriculum.  All Through the Ages is a compilation of over 5,600  living books and great literature arranged by chronological era, geographical region, and reading level from many  sources.   We like it with the many levels in our home. The book has a code system in the beginning as to where to buy the book she recommends. There are enough choices that you library is bound to have some of them.  

 If you follow this link and scroll to the end of the page you will see a link to PDF file that is an example from the book. I highly recommend this book.  I am going to leave you with a quote from her web page
Happy Planning.

from the web site.

All Through the Ages by Christine Miller is a guide for teaching and learning history using literature rather than textbooks. Textbooks make history boring, but history is full of excitement, adventure, and heart-wrenching drama. Bring the “story” back into “history” by using this exhaustive guide to over 7000 of the best in quality historical narratives, historical fiction, literature, and “living books”! With nothing more than a library card, parents or educators can effectively teach their children both World and American history using this guide. It doesn’t matter whether the children are pre-readers or college-bound seniors; books of every reading level are included for every era, from picture books and beginning readers through the great books of Western Civilization. The author is a college-educated homeschooling mother of three with thirteen years’ experience, who compiled this guide in response to the overwhelming need for an organized one-stop resource for teaching history using the literature approach.

Freestyle Assessment thoughts

I really enjoy reading the freestyle assessments I receive.  They are so interesting.   People often ask me for some ideas on what to write and send.  The following is what I have shared with them. Hopefully it will help you as well.  

I have seen freestyle assessments written in many different ways.  The key thing is to show the progress your child has made from last July/August to now.  Ohio law says the child must make progress within their ability.  So when I do this for my kids I try to think through the following questions.  How have they changed? What can they do now that they could not do a few months ago, several months ago, and a year ago?   What do I have demonstrates this? (pictures, samples etc.)  Lastly, what can I share that communicates this?  

As far as writing up the assessment, I have seen them set up by subject, by project, and just sharing progress. The following are some ideas to get you started.  I think once you get started you will be surprised at how much you have to share.

If you write by subject you might write about the following.  I am going to give many examples to choose from.  Please do not feel you need to use all of them.  These are to spur your thinking about your year. 

Reading:  Share the books your child has read or you have read to them. Maybe share a series they are into like the Boxcar Children, Arthur, or Henry and Mudge.  What magazines do they enjoy reading?  Is there a web sites they enjoy visiting and reading?  What your child is reading now versus the beginning of the year communicates the progress they have made. 

Writing/Handwriting If your child is writing tell me what they are writing. Tell me if they are making lists, writing their name,  writing stories, labeling pictures, writing letters etc.  If they are older, tell me about their creative writing, poetry, or journaling.  Send me a sample.   Do they write a blog, email letters to Grandma, or maybe record in a nature journal?   Tell me about it, send me a link, or take a picture of it.

Math: Share how your child is telling time, working with money, adding or subtracting, multiplying or dividing, using percents, and/or measuring.  Tell me about activities your child participates in like cooking, grocery shopping, or building with blocks or LEGOS ©.  Share games with me that you play that involve math.   If you happen to do any worksheets you can always send in one from the beginning of the year and the end. 

Science/Social Studies/History/Art/ Music/PE: For younger kids you might share experiences to demonstrate progress.  You write  about the museums you have visited, zoo visits, park trips, neighborhood walks, nature walks, music lessons, and any sports your child may participate in.  Do you attend the YMCA to swim each week?  Do you attend an art class?  Tell me about books they have read or you have read together, if they have completed any projects, or art work your child has created.  This is a great place to include pictures.   For older students share what they have learned this year, a class they have taken, and/or a research project they have been working on.  Having your child write a summary of what they have learned is a fantastic way to demonstrate progress.  

Another way share your student's progress is to write up your assessment by project.  For instance you worked on a community or family garden together.  You discuss how you preplanned by getting books from the library and  reading about plants, your internet research, the garden store you visited,  how you measured the rows, how you prepared the soil, did you count the plants, if you sold them the skills you used,  and anything else that your child learned.  You might include pictures of your child working in the garden, some notes your child took while researching, and a list of books your child read.  You might share the 1-3 projects that your family used to facilitate learning for the year.  Then maybe you share about trips, nature walks, park visits, any type of lesson, and art you do.   

You are trying to showcase what your child has accomplished this year.  Usually when I sit down and think about all we have  learned, I am excited about the progress my kids have made.   If you are working on learning most days you have made progress. This is your chance to celebrate by sharing it with me. 

If I can help you in anyway let me know. Link to Freestyle Assessment
Becky
ohiohomeschool@gmail.com