Daily Report: Developing Research Guides

This post is up later than usual. I was figuring out how to share some videos of DJ that was filmed at MSU during a child development study last year. It is quite interesting to watch the different scenarios, but I'll share at a later date when I have more time.

Another day of homeschooling something that we don't take for granted! And these Daily Reports remind me of how blessed we are at the end of my day.

                                                                       Math
Today I didn't give any new presentations and I am finding out that the less I give in a two week period the more they are able to really dig deeper in the presentations that were already given. It is like I go from one extreme to another and I still haven't found the rhythm yet. I do know that there is more presentations they need to revisit so giving new ones wouldn't be wise. Ken requested the intro to the Binomial Cube presentation and I'll give that tomorrow and let it rest for a minute. I'll encourage DJ tomorrow to work a bit with the Triangle Drawer from the Geometric Cabinet. I saw him hesitantly answer a question when asked about the name of a Triangle by another child.

        Ken did work with the Geometric Command Cards.
                  

 Janessa worked with a preschooler and did cards and counters. I can tell this was a happy feeling for her to be able to help her friend with this work. I love her patience! Janessa was trying to show her how to set the hearts up in columns that would be easier for Mia to see odd and even. Mia just wanted to count those hearts:)                                                                          

                                       More Checkerboard work for DJ.

                                                                  Language
Today Ken wrote a five page science fiction story, her longest writing assignment ever. She can write for hours on a topic of her own choice. Science Fiction isn't one of her favorite topics, I felt pleased that she still put her best foot forward. Now Ken is just waiting for me to help her edit, so she can complete the revision step.

 Janessa wrote her first book today! I wished I had taken copies of the pages. I wrote the title on the cover, because she asked me too. Janessa always compliments me on my handwriting, and loves to copy what I write. The story was about animal babies. Her favorite animal baby is a turtle so we used the computer as a research tool to find out what baby turtles are called. We found out that a baby turtle is called                              a hatchling.

                                                               Zoology

One project that I have been working on is making research guides for their topics of interest.

I found this book at the Teacher's Store that is jammed packed with information and blackline masters. I made up a quick one to test it out.

                                                               
                                   
Each theme in the book has a cover page that I copied and put into a folder so they know what subject is covered in the guide.
                                   
Then I put the informational pages that go along with the subject in the folder too.

This one guide was to reintroduce Animal Stories to them. I copied the blackline master so that they could make cards or booklets. Next they would use the information provided to make an Animal Story for the African Animal.

                                                                         
This work was well received by DJ.
                                                 

DJ spent a lot of time copying the information into his journal, he reported to me that tomorrow he will have a riddle to share about the Lion. One of my goals in creating the research guides is to show them that the computer is not the only tool to research topics (which I am guilty of).

                                                          Project Time

                   Ken did some painting and weaving.

 DJ worked on his Lego robot and decided that the Peace Corner was the best place to do projects:) I must admit it is real peaceful over there:)        

I am linking this post to Montessori Monday.