I usually put the same introduction paragraph in each of my Homeschool Series posts about KONOS curriculum to explain exactly what it is, but this time, I'm just leaving you with the link to check out KONOS yourself! If you are new to homeschooling and interested in learning more, you can browse my sidebar. There are some great posts about "Starting Out" and "My Homeschool Series" that are very helpful.
WHAT IS KONOS?
KONOS is a character based unit-study curriculum that teaches Christian values and all subjects as related to God. It is full of history, science, practical living, writing, vocabulary, dramatizing, reading lists and hands-on assignments. It is taught in a "unit study" method - one general topic at a time (all of them illustrating a particular character trait that you are wanting to instill in your child such as Honesty, Obedience, Attentiveness, Honor, and Responsibility). More about KONOS can be found by clicking the link above.
ACTIVITIES AND TIMEFRAMES
The ideas below aren’t ALL we did for 2005-6 with KONOS, but they are some of our favorites for you to browse through! We tend to only be able to get around 40-60% of the activities for a unit done because there are literally hundreds of activities to pick from. KONOS is very creative and chocked full of things to do, learn, and read. There's no way you can get a FULL unit done in the suggested time if you do EVERY activity. We also were supplementing other curriculums with KONOS during the year. Following rabbit trails the way we tend to do makes our units last longer than the required amount of time if we are enjoying the topic.
FAVORITE UNIT FOR '05-06
Our favorite unit in 2005-6 was our Rock Unit. I already blogged about some of our adventures with this unit since I was blogging during the time that we were working on it. The kids enjoyed it the most because of the many fun field trips we included and the time we had outside and away from the daily grind. My son is an avid rock collector anyway, so he wanted to continue this unit indefinitely while my poor little girl was begging me to NEVER get another book about rocks! You can't please everyone all of the time. Photos from this unit, the 'Rock Classification Unit', will be up later this week! Come back later and see them!
BENEFITS
Benefits that we enjoyed that span across KONOS Units, regardless of topic:
- You can participate in a co-op with other children (so fun!)
- You can read a lot of great library books about your topic (for free!)
- Learn Vocabulary Words - words take on more meaning when relating to your studies
- Bible Memory and Character Building lessons woven into every topic
- Geography, History and Science comes alive in ways no textbook could dream of!
- Researching and planning was as much fun and informative to me as for the kids!
- Topic related field trip suggestions in every unit (I love field trips)
- Wrap-Ups (parties at the end of larger units where you dramatize, dress up, cook, etc.)
ACTIVITY LIST FOR '05-06
This year, I was ahead of myself since I was blogging during a lot of the time we homeschooled for these units. So, I linked a few of the lists rather than typing them out again. Most of these ideas are from the KONOS curriculum, however the great thing about Konos is that you can adapt it to fit your needs and make it your own. For instance, some of the field trips are my own added ideas and a few of the activities are as well. KONOS is the springboard that gives you the ideas and helps you get your own creative juices flowing! Here below is a list of the things we had fun doing in 2005-6 and the unit they were associated with:
Crime and Punishment Unit ~ Obedience
Jail/Police Station/911 Field Trip
Pretend you are the parent and list your rules and punishments
Design a point system for obedience with school work and chores
Discuss submission, obedience, consequences, punishments
Discuss how we should obey: right now, with a positive attitude, all the way, and without condition
Discuss disobedient characters in library books we read
Listen to news story about Louisiana Police who stayed on after Katrina
Discuss the story of Macbeth and how it can haunt you even if you do 'get away with' a crime
Draw the 10 Commandment Tablets
Friction & Resistance - Action & Reaction ~ Obedience
I already posted a list of ideas and some photos from this unit!
Columbus ~ Inquisitiveness
I already posted a list of ideas and photos from this unit!
Military ~ Obedience
I already posted a list of ideas and photos from this unit!
Sheep and Weaving ~ Trust
I posted about this unit a few times...
1. Fleece Navidad
2. Bee, Sheep and Stuff to Eat
3. Lamby Links
4. Finally Finished the Llamas (sortof)!!!
5. From Bones to the Barnyard
Rocks Classification ~ Orderliness
I posted about this unit in these two posts (and will be updating the field trip list soon with our Rock field trips in my Field Trip Photo Friday series)...
1. Konos Rock Unit Fun
2. Sprittibee's Rock Painting Project
Solar System and Outer Space ~ Orderliness
Draw and color the planets
Do a play about the solar system with co-op kids (Kaden is Saturn, Morgan is Venus)
Watch solar system movie at party
Copy our lines for the solar system play to help us memorize them
Look up facts about the planet we are playing
Help design costumes for the planet we are playing
Watch videos about geology and minerals (history/science related)
Watch the moon phases and draw them on index cards
Learn how the moon affects the tides
Discuss the "Order" in the universe and how God is a God of order
Learn memory verses about Order from the Bible
Read about Isaac Newton and Galileo and learn about gravity
Discuss centrifugal force
Read current events about the space program and discoveries
Write a story about what life would be like without gravity
Learn vocabulary words about space
Read online about Kepler and Galileo
Learn about James Weldon Johnson and read his poem "The Creation"
Look at an email slideshow about the earth
Visit Outer Space websites (links on previous post)
Learn bout Mars Rovers and the Sun
Listen to sounds from outer space
Look at NASA images of outer space
Learn the names and order of the planets
Read about the declassification of Pluto
Learn a song about the planets
Watch video re-runs of Full Solar Eclipse and other space videos online
Watch "Interplanet Janet" & "Gravity" on Schoolhouse Rock (again)
Watch Magic School Bus space video (3 episodes)
Do a model of the solar system in cut paper circles by size (scaled), color (correct), and distance (scaled) and hang it on ceiling
Experiment with a flashlight and ball to see how the seasons and days happen
Read the account of Creation in Genesis
Seasons ~ Orderliness
Be sure to check out these links I've added... to previous Seasons posts....
Read poem "The Last Word of a Bluebird" by Robert Frost
Read poem "Spring" by William Blake
Make paper airplanes and fly them
Watch birds and draw sketches of them
Read poem "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
Read other Seasons poetry
Do a nature sticker book
Make a chart of the days of the week in many different languages
Sing the days and months in Spanish
Paint the sunset
Paint a winter snowman
Catch fireflies
Read poems about going back to school in fall
Read poem "Fog" by Carl Sandburg
Learn Seasons vocabulary
Pick a June boquet
Timezone activities and worksheets
Latitude and Longitude activities
Copy favorite seasons poem
Learn bible memory verses about seasons and time
Read about the Standard Time Act
Make an airline travel timetable and learn about jet lag
Learn the "30 days has September" poem
Make paper snowflakes
Sing 'Auld Lange Syne' and learn its history
Read in our Usborne World History Book about Mayans
Read about the Winter Olympics
Learn about the tradition to eat black-eyed peas at New Years
Watch Bambi II (for the seasons unit)
Learn love scriptures for Valentines
Eat snowcones at a snowcone stand
Make beaded snowflake ornaments
Go on a picnic
Take a trip to a farmer's market
Watch figure skating highlights from past years
Read about Easter
Make a Season Tree with twigs and a vase
Make birthday ornaments for the Season Tree
Make leaf ornaments for autumn
Write a paragraph about Ireland
Research about Ireland on MS Encarta
Listen to songs about the rain
Draw flowers
Learn about Haiku
Write a Haiku about Mother's Day
Learn about Summer Olympic sports
Up next in the series will be:
Post #6 - Memories from our KONOS Rock Unit!
Check back in here next week for more homeschool records for second and third grades.
Have a super week!
Subscribe to Sprittibee by Email
Buzz Words: Homeschooling, Children, Homeschool, Enrichment, Lesson Plans, Education, Family, Parenting, Fun, Extra Curricular, School, Field Trips, Learning, KONOS, Teaching
2 comments:
I have always liked the idea of Konos. Living in Romania, it just wasn't a workable option for us. Now that we are in the states, I am thinking about it for my youngest.
Cool, Karen. I'm about to start my sixth homeschool year with it! We are about to get in to Volume 2 finally. YIPEEEEEE. I go at a snail's pace. I'm working on NOT being such a perfectionist and NOT doing every little tiny activity in the book. Sometimes I wish there weren't so many great ideas in the KONOS Volumes... because they make my ADD mind go on overload.
Post a Comment