tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post2345329437989672676..comments2023-09-30T09:14:50.616-05:00Comments on Sprittibee: Third and Fourth Grade Homeschool CurriculumSprittibeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07992769339576987845noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-66056433925729765862008-09-07T10:29:00.000-05:002008-09-07T10:29:00.000-05:00I'm home schooling my 4th grader. Still not recove...I'm home schooling my 4th grader. Still not recovered from down time from school due to massive hurricane hits during the 2005 season. Hope this helps to fill in the gaps that were left in my daughter's life. Now, we're on the run again with this active and destructive 2008 hurricane season. At least now, I can run with the computer and continue her education. I hope it will give her a sense of continuity that is lost when our lives are disrupted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-18523400032690887492008-03-21T09:54:00.000-05:002008-03-21T09:54:00.000-05:00I am homeschooling a 4th grader (long story, but I...I am homeschooling a 4th grader (long story, but I can't blog about it because of my job). I'm so excited to find your site!nutmeghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13764241354191038343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-16210517507915980672008-03-21T08:27:00.000-05:002008-03-21T08:27:00.000-05:00I would like to thank you for the homeschool blogs...I would like to thank you for the homeschool blogs that you have done. I have been struggling on deciding between KONOS and another main curriculum. Seeing the posts you have done in the past about the favorite memories from each year has been the cincher. Part of the reason I want to homeschool IS to create memories. I am not sure the other unit study would be able to provide some of those opportunities. Maybe you should contact Jessica and Wade about getting a commission on KONOS sales!!! lolKellihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04514779298090271745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-70602739482787797412008-03-20T20:21:00.000-05:002008-03-20T20:21:00.000-05:00Good question, Maggie! Not an uncommon one, either...Good question, Maggie! Not an uncommon one, either. I haven't worried about it much due to the fact that we have been in Texas where it is not required to test (even though I do test them for free with the Texas TAKS that is available to print or take online). In AR, I was going to have to test them with the state (and the scores were given to the state in a group for all homeschoolers rather than individually). That is when I used the BBC Science site to "brush up" on things we might not have covered. Since we do a lot of reading and KONOS is very thorough with what it covers, there wasn't much they hadn't gone over in some form or fashion. So far my kids have outperformed their counterparts in Science and History. The only area that ONE of them has had trouble is math (not my daughter's strong point) - and Math is not covered by KONOS - it is separate! ;)<BR/><BR/>Here's what Jessica Hulcy says about scope and sequence from an email that I sent to our homeschool group in which I quote her:<BR/><BR/><B>Jessica says in the beginning of the Compass in the section titled "Does<BR/>Konos Meet State Requirements?":<BR/><BR/>Although Konos Curriculum was not formulated in order to meet state<BR/>requirements, by fully equipping our children in what we believe the<BR/>Lord wants for our children, we find that we do, in fact, provide all<BR/>that is required by the state and much more! Konos includes all that is<BR/>required by the state, but has not stopped there. Konos children are<BR/>also exposed to Bible, Christian values, biographies of Christians, and<BR/>practice in character development. In addition they learn practical<BR/>skills such as:<BR/><BR/>choosing friends<BR/>meal planning budgeting and tithing money<BR/>shopping and using catalogs<BR/>maintaining a safe home<BR/>handling emotions<BR/>electrical repairs<BR/>child care<BR/>scheduling time<BR/>manners<BR/>loving the unlovable<BR/>helping the handicapped<BR/>decision making<BR/>sewing<BR/><BR/>..... and then she says "You will see that, within three volumes, Konos<BR/>covers what is normally taught. In other words, the scope is the same<BR/>(although Konos covers more), while the sequence may be different. The<BR/>sequence or the order in which certain subjects are taught is very<BR/>arbitrary. Except for subjects (like math and language) which build<BR/>upon previously learned skills, there is no necessary order for learning<BR/>topics. For example, what does it matter if the topic of birds is<BR/>learned before or after the topic of beavers? In fact, even within the<BR/>state requirements, there is a diversity about when to teach the topics.<BR/>If for some reason you want to follow the state's guidelines for what is<BR/>taught at each level, you can use all three Konos volumes during the<BR/>year. However, we do not recommend spending money when it is<BR/>unnecessary."<BR/><BR/></B>Sprittibeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12973406635920080972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-45255400042052525822008-03-20T17:00:00.000-05:002008-03-20T17:00:00.000-05:00Thanks. I am trying to figure out how important o...Thanks. I am trying to figure out how important or unimportant it is to follow a traditional scope and sequence for history and science. Any thoughts on that? maggienajera@gmail.commaggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15335043625508599663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-80068936576988909732008-03-20T10:54:00.000-05:002008-03-20T10:54:00.000-05:00It's awesome that you keep such great records! I ...It's awesome that you keep such great records! I know which units we've done and when, but as for the individual books and resources...I'm a finish it and forget about it kind of gal. :)<BR/><BR/>Anyway, want to comment on the Konos science and history question. I agree that Konos is complete for the learning levels it's designed to teach. There are MORE than enough science activities and experiments to give your kids a solid foundation. I do caution, though, that some of the science information is inaccurate (like their description of centrifugal force -which is not a real force - and the behavior of protons/electrons when an atom splits). As for history, if you're teaching chronologically, Konos presents a challenge. It can be done, but not easily. Same for science if you're following a classical model - Konos going to be hard to work it into the classical plan. Doable, but difficult.<BR/><BR/>I LOVE that Konos is character based, though. You just can't beat that or overestimate its importance.<BR/><BR/>Peace,<BR/>Cindy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-53667000191835580212008-03-20T10:25:00.000-05:002008-03-20T10:25:00.000-05:00Just discovered you what part of Arkansas do you l...Just discovered you what part of Arkansas do you live in?...I get that comment too... "Are you going to blog THAT?"Hokule'a Kealohahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04280892750380109855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-39882128239560546422008-03-20T07:35:00.000-05:002008-03-20T07:35:00.000-05:00Maggie... It is certainly NOT necessary to add ext...Maggie... It is certainly NOT necessary to add extra Science or History to KONOS. The program is complete in both areas as far as I'm concerned. However, there are times when we spend too long on units (double the recommended time) and if a unit is mostly about history (like the one we are doing now on the Tabernacle), I will add the reading of our A Beka Science book. When we did bread and grain for a few weeks, we would read the A Beka History book. I had been recommended the A Beka history as a supplement to KONOS due to the way it covered Christian figures in American History. It is an excellent book from a Christian perspective. I highly recommend it to add to your American History study. I don't always get the history books from A Beka. We aren't really using the Old World one this year since our main focus later this year will be the states and we will end at the Civil War.<BR/><BR/>Visualize World Geography is also something that takes very little time, and we go very slowly through it. We cover about 7-10 countries per school year. We read the facts, learn the pictograph, color the flag and either create or color a map, look up a current event, find out if there are persecuted Christians there, read a book about families that live in different cultures if the country is covered in that book, look up the country in a world atlas, and sometimes cook a dish from that country. This is additional studies and not daily. We go at whatever pace we can, but it has really enriched the kids and helped them with finding things on the globe and understanding cultures of other peoples better.<BR/><BR/>Usborne World History is a rare stand-in for finding out info about other countries. I don't like the book due to the first 1/4 of it being about mythical artist represented creatures and evolution. I nearly died when I saw how much of the book was taken up by evolution. I would never have paid so much for it. It does have some good stuff if you can ignore the first 1/4th of the book.<BR/><BR/>Online BBC Science Quizzes is something we discovered a few days before the kids took their standardized tests in Arkansas. I just wanted to brush up on Science with them before they tested (it is mandatory to test for every grade above 3rd in AR). Since we cover different subjects at different times than the public school, I wanted to see if there were any gaps in what they might be tested on. I love the BBC Science quizzes. The kids saw them as a game and really had fun doing it. I learned that they knew more than I thought they knew - and it made me feel better knowing that they would probably do well on their tests. That isn't something we did regularly. They still like to get on there once or twice a year and play, though. That website has more than just Science! Check it out!<BR/><BR/>Sheila - :) We use the A Beka drill pages, too. My youngest is still working on a solid multiplication foundation. I think the oldest has it down. ;)Sprittibeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07992769339576987845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-85659790518028543162008-03-20T07:05:00.000-05:002008-03-20T07:05:00.000-05:00Looks good to me! We use Jesus Freaks for our devo...Looks good to me! We use Jesus Freaks for our devotional, too!<BR/><BR/>I think it's great how many math resources you can get for free on the internet. We still have a regular program (Saxon), but other parents, especially of schooled kids, are always wanting to do the drills we do when they see how good the kids are at their times tables. So we just print stuff out. I love it.<BR/><BR/><I>Visit <A HREF="http://tolovehonorandvacuum.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">To Love, Honor and Vacuum</A> today!</I>Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06842674051346091248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13517164.post-70634233654904424612008-03-20T01:00:00.000-05:002008-03-20T01:00:00.000-05:00Do you feel it necessary or beneficial to add more...Do you feel it necessary or beneficial to add more history and science to Konos?maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15335043625508599663noreply@blogger.com