Help Getting Started!!

Here are some free daily lesson plans:

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/

Hi S.

I have homeschooled my children for years. I school under Idaho Virtual Academy. This Academy is in almost all the states. They send you all the books and material necessary for each class including art and a computer. The daily schedules are put up for you and all you have to do is either follow that schedule or make it your own. My kids have liked because some days they just want to do two classes.The program is free because the academy is a public school just you school them at home at your own time. If you want to check out the school, just go to www.k12.com and you can type in your state and see examples of the different classes.
You can also get activity ideas from the library.
A. W.

Hi S.! I was homeschooled as a child. Some things that you could do is since you are going on a trip, get her involed in the geography and history of the places that you'll be visiting. Let her know what types of activities that there are available in the areas your going and let her choose what sounds most interesting. Another way on minimizing schooling euipment is make photocopies of her lessons, only the ones that you'll be covering while on your trip. Also use everyday experiences to help teach lessons. For instance, if she wants a piece of candy, use that to look for numbers and let her pay for a boost in confidance. Good luck!

Hi S.,
You are so lucky to have this opportunity to take your children on a trip! This is the natural homeschooling experience. Your daughter, being only five, does not need all of the workbooks and worksheets and such. Encourage those early reading and communication skills by giving her a camera and having her take pictures of sites that are important to her. Take advantage of 1 hour photo developing, and have her put the pictures, along with her own drawings of different places, into a journal and dictate her thoughts about them. She can then "read" them back to you. You can also give her practice writing by having her copy the name of whatever it is she has in the picture.

You also have a wonderful opportunity for real world math (instead of boring workbooks). Help her with concepts of time and distance by showing her how long a mile is (start, finish). Teach her how to do keep track of such things as different colors of cars -- using hash marks on a paper - and then add them all together. Bring along a ruler - kids LOVE rulers - to measure anything and everything. Talk to her about how fast you are driving and what that means. You can also use this trip as part of your social studies - use a map and have her help track your progress. Have her draw her OWN map of where you have gone.

Of course, READING to her and your son is probably the most important thing you can do. Read as much as possible, and then ask her questions about what you have read (reading comprehension). Make up some of your own card games with index cards and words (they can be simple or complex), and play Memory (two cards of each word - turn them all face down, then play the matching game).

For science activities, you can stop at parks, museums, streams, rivers -- anywhere - and do walks and tours. She'll have more information than most five-year olds!

Other than all that, bring along art supplies - markers, crayons, paper, scissors, glue sticks, etc. in a big box, and encourage her creativity.

Your son? He can do all these things also -- just on his own level. He will feel part of it (tell him to draw a map and he will do his own version! :-) )

Have a wonderful trip!

E.

You can get ideas off the internet. If you are doing any math you can make up the problems as you go. You can use fruit veggies or even pieces of candy. example: to subtract, put down 5 mnm's and tell her to eat two of them and have her count the remaining. If you don't give her candy try the fruits(grapes) and veggies. something that she likes to eat that would make it fun for her and she would be learning at the same time. If she doesn't know the alpha bet yet make some flash cards. not sure wht to use to make that seem like a game. you can reward her by asking her what she would like to do within reason like going to a swimming pool or an amusment park,museum etc.as for your son make sure there is no way for him to be able to get to her like set her at the table with no other chairs near her. get him occupied with something else in a different roombefore you start the activitys with your daughter.Is there father in the picture. If so he can occupy your son while you educate your daughter. or vise versa. you can also sent your son at the table and give him crayons and paper or coloring book. or you can involve him in so of those activitys that might get his attention away from his sis because you are paying attention to bother of them.I know when you are doing something with one child the other(s) will try to interupt because they want some attention. If he is taking her pencil away that is because he wants you attention because you are only giving attention to your daughter. If you are single, when you go on your vacation take a playpen for your son, and put toys in it and if you can make sure you put him somewhere so he can't see what his sis is doing. I have 5 kids 17 15 12 10 and 8. I know how hard it is to give them all equal attention.every child needs one on one with my and/or daddy. It is hard to five them all attention at the same time even if it is only 2 kids. hope i help a little. you could also get play doh and have her make shapes or you make a shape and tell her what it is then ask her to try to make the shape.

Have a wonderful trip, the responses you have received are priceless! L.

Hi S.! I saw your request for other home school moms
and thought I'd say HI. I home schooled all four of my kids,
and we had a wonderful time. I would love to hear from you
and find out how you're doing and if you need help perhaps I can give you some tips.
Hope to hear from you!
:>) J.

congraulations!

I am homeschooling my 5 year old son also. Along with running a preschool program for my daycare children. There is so much information out now especially with the internet. Start with a book about homeschool something that has a structure.Some like more of a structured homeschool other don't the idea is to just get something going and from there you can personalize it toward you and your family.
I got the new kindergarten teaching reading, writing & more book. Its more on how to set up a classroom but great ideas of fun things to do and learn. I also got comprehensive curriculim grade K for my son. I copying the pages. And last that I am really happy with is Hooked on Phonics. It has helped teach him his letters and their sounds.
Good luck!

Their is a website for homeschooling parents in boise:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SIHI/
I'm not doing it myself, so I don't know if it's any good, but probably worth checking it out!
Iris

You have great travel advise already!

As far as scheduling, this such a personal decision! Your daughter will have a better time with different subjects at different times. Play with her schedule and get her input too. Does she need a 5 min break every 15 min? Or do you need to have 10 min every 30min for potty training and such? Maybee it is easier to do the more dificult work during the evening when your DH is home. The great thing about homeschooling is this can all be catered to just what you need. I like to schedule the week rather than the day so i.e. tuesday is liabrary day, friday- field trips, ect.

My middle child does much better with no schedule at all. She (even at 5) wanted to work on something specific for long periods of time. She would pull out 1 book for the day sometimes in long spurts. Meanwhile no one else could have handeled 4-5 hours strait of math work! To her it was play. She just became so engrosed in what she was doing that pulling her away was detrimintal. She would start before anyone else got up and work strait through lunch. Then relax the rest of the day.
Anyway. Have fun!