Tall Tales- the unit study

A little overdue, but as promised, here is the rest of the Tall Tales Unit Study. The art lesson was in this post. Today I will cover Geography,History, Science, Math, and Language Arts.

Geography- Learn about all the places Paul and Babe went. Maine, Minnesota, Oregon. Or the places he made according to the legend: the Rocky Mountains, Appalachians and the Mississippi River. (For an add-on to spelling, learn how to spell all these places and learn the Mi-double-s-i-double-s-i-double-p-i spelling trick.)

History- Part of why Paul did what he did as a logger was to make way for the Westward Expansion of the United States. Settlers headed west to become pioneers. Some real life stories to learn about, that center on this topic are Louis and Clark and the Oregon Trail.

Science- As I mentioned, Paul Bunyan was a logger. What a great way to tie in to the study of environmental preservation and the global effects of deforestation.

For math- I challenge you to incorporate the art lesson. Use ratios to make a life size version of your art project in a driveway or park with chalk. Start by making a square grid of you first project with one inch squares. Go outside and measure the same grid but this time use one foot squares. Copy the lines from each box on the small project into the larger one. This is the same method muralists use to make large scale art projects on the sides of buildings.
When you are done answer these questions:
1. How tall was Paul Bunyan on paper?
2. How tall was he outside?
3. How about Babe?

Finally, for language arts, there are lots of tall tales told by many different authors and illustrators. I have some listed below in my recommended books.
After reading a few, write your own tall tale to explain some part of historical or scientific occurrence. Be sure to include larger than life characters in unbelievable circumstances. When you are done, be sure to write your tall tale on very tall paper!


Additional Links to Explore
Paul Bunyan, The Giant Lumberjack Online Story | Ox Craft | Coloring Pages | Preschool Lesson Plan Printable Activities

24718-sample.pdf (application/pdf Object)

CurrClick - Rainbow Horizons Publishing Inc. - Readers Theater III - Tall Tales

Free Johnny Appleseed Apple Lapbook

Johnny Appleseed and Westward Expansion



Stay tuned later this week for:
Art Emergency- Super Art Teacher to the rescue (Two art lessons on Ferdinand Leger)
Shady Little Shamrocks- A St. Patrick's Day Art Lesson
Greek Speaking Scratch- Use Greek Vases to tell stories in pictures and symbols.

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SpellQuizzer

While we are still on the topic of spelling, {a topic in many households(home or traditionally schooled) that can lead to hours of conflict}, let me tell you about a new resource that was brought to my attention.
SpellQuizzer is a downloadable spelling software program created by a parent to help his own kids master the art of spelling.
It is designed to be used with any existing spelling curriculum or can be used to create a personalized one specified to meet your child's individual needs. Many spelling experts recommend keeping a list of children's most frequently misspelled words and incorporating those into their spelling lists. This program would make doing just that extremely easy. You could also create spelling and vocabulary lists straight from the literature you are already using, a favorite technique of Charlotte Mason.
This method is a personal favorite of mine as well.
The program itself is not flashy nor is it difficult for either parent or student to use. Many programs I have seen in the past get so mired down in the game elements that they become cacophonous, appealing to short attention spans and creating even shorter ones. The methodology of this program is rooted in simplicity and therein lies the fun. The quizzes are self-correcting and kids are rewarded for success with a cheering crowd.
Once you download the software, you have thirty days to preview it for free. Using it is a simple as typing in your spelling lists for the week. Older kids could even do this step on their own as a spellchecker is built in as a safeguard. The spellchecker is sensitive to both US and UK spellings. After the lists are typed in, the program prompts you to make a sound recording of a sentence using the spelling word. These are then used as prompts for the quizzes. I usually have my kids write out sentences for their spelling words each week, but for reluctant or beginning writers, this step could be a really useful first step in that process. Speaking in sentences is far less daunting than writing them and once spoken becomes far easier to write.
This is especially fun if kids have license to make silly sentences or to record them in silly voices. Most kids love to hear the sound of their own recorded voice.
Parents are not only allowed, but encouraged to be silly as well. To do this, you will need an external microphone for your PC.
Most people have a PC microphone that plugs into a USB port, but if you don't they are usually available at a retailer for about $10.
I believe this software will appeal to the visual, auditory and kinesthetic learner as well since you get an opportunity to see, hear and type out the words.
The program also features import and export options for sharing lists. This would be especially useful for teachers to send home lists for students to practice with at home or for homeschool groups to use.
I believe this is a great product to try out for that thirty day trial. If it is working for you than the $29.95 price tag will be worth it as well. If you don't see benefits than you have nothing to lose. After the thirty day trial is up, you must pay to receive the software license. If you don't, you simply lose access to the program. You are not required to give credit card information that will be billed at the end of the trial period. For those of us who have forgotten when a trial period ended and been charged for something we really didn't want will really appreciate this.

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Spelling Tangle

Looking for ways to make tangle doodles more practical in your home school day?
Try tangle spelling words.
Start with block or bubble letters and then fill them up with lots of patterns. The patterns could be based on repeating the letters of the word to make a design or simply as a design itself. They will be staring and studying the spelling of the word in a visual mode regardless and unfortunately so much of our spelling in English is really based on visual memory.
My second grader missed paint on his spelling test this week. I told him we would start doing this with his spelling words next week. When I thought a little more about it, doing this with all ten words might be a little much. We only do school four days a week so he would need to average 2.5 words a day. So I told him, maybe we'd start with a pretest and then only have him tangle the words he misses on the pretest. No need in having him practice ad nauseum what he already knows.
His response to this was, "Well, I 'll just have to get them all wrong then."
Addiction does run in the family...

I suppose you could do with this math families as well. Start with a block or bubble number and make drawing patterns of the equations or use the numbers themselves to make patterns in the open space.

See addiction seeks justification...


Just in case you are wondering what a tangle doodle is, let me explain...


For more on this subject please see my other posts about Tangles...

Spreading the disease: how to find tangle pattern inspiration

Art as Worship- Tangle Style

Tangle your way out of the doldrums.

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Tip Tuesday #1

You have probably heard this before.

"Make learning fun!"


"Yes, yes!" I hear you say. "But how?"

You may have a child who drools(in a good way, not the mind numbed open mouthed sort of way) at the idea of doing endless worksheets and drills(yes they do exist). Most children though, mine included do not like "doing school". Am I a bad teacher? Maybe, but more likely "school" the traditional way, was not designed in the same way a child's learning pattern is designed. A child is hard-wired to seek out fun.
A child who is having fun while learning is going to enjoy learning because learning is fun.

Make learning fun by making learning a game!

"Oh no." I hear you say. "There are so many educational games out there and they are so expensive!'

Yes there are alot of educational games out there and yes they are expensive which is why I don't have very many of them. A lot of them are also very complex and too subject specific. What I do instead is turn the games we already have or know how to play into educational games.


Tic Tac Toe Spelling

This game works best when you home school more than one child, but a single child could certainly play against the house(you)as well. A larger group can play with teams.
All you have to do is make the tic tac toe grid and decide who will be X and who will be O. In order to get your X or O, the spelling word must be spelled correctly.(Think Hollywood Squares.)
In this way you can drill them on their own personal spelling lists and have fun at the same time learning about strategy. For a serious challenge, spell the word for them and ask them what the word is. In this way they have to visualize the words. A super challenge would be to spell it backwards. If they can spell it backwards or identify when it's spelled backwards, you know they have it and probably always will. My kids constantly ask to play this game.
Of course this concept is not limited to spelling, use it for math facts, science terms, history dates, bible story comprehension questions, or whatever else you can think of!

Now use the same idea for any other game you own. In order to get their turn they must answer the questions correctly.

For more kinetic learners who need to be moving to learn, play spelling free throw.
If you don't have a basketball hoop outside, use a wastebasket and a crumpled up ball of paper. The variations are limitless.


In a future post I will share with you some cute flannel board games that you can make yourself and use for these kind of games.
So go ahead, make learning fun!

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